New project: work management, overheads, BCS reports, and HPC JETS upgrade

One of our latest customer projects is to strengthen the integration between work management functions in the SAP Plant Maintenance (PM) and Controlling (CO) modules with the Financials (FI) and FERC modules by automating the FERC indicator assignment to work orders of various types. We're also designing and implementing an overhead-centric process for allocations that simplifies legacy processes and speeds up the month-end close, and developing automated Budget Control System (BCS) reports that eliminate manual data manipulation outside of SAP. And last but not least, we're upgrading the customer's HPC Journal Entry Transfer Solution (JETS) software to version 2.0, which adds control over secondary costs to JETS' already robust functionality for simple, fast cost adjustments in SAP. Watch a video demo of HPC JETS v2.0.

SAP BPC Consultant (v10 Microsoft SQL-based)

We are seeking an experienced Microsoft professional for a 10- to 12-week, on-site BusinessObjects Planning and Consolidation (BPC) project for our customer in San Francisco. The BPC functional consultant will be responsible for gathering business requirements, blueprinting the system design, and configuring system functionality for capital projects, long-range forecasting, and refinance analysis. Proven experience with BPC v10, a strong understanding of finance and accounting, and a location in/near San Francisco are required. Learn about the BPC Consultant qualifications and how to apply on our Web site.

SAP Controlling Conference - ERP Corp's "Controlling 2013"

We admit it, our inner accounting geek is just thrilled: HPC America is exhibiting at the Controlling 2013 conference hosted by ERP Corp on September 22-25 in San Diego, CA.

We're looking forward to sharing our experience and exchanging ideas with other SAP finance professionals about a variety of topics, from the nuances of overhead accounting to new developments in SAP reporting.

ERP Corp has lined up many customers to speak about their real-world SAP controlling experience, including case studies from Deere & Company and Johnson & Johnson, plus practical, actionable insights into HANA and CO from SAP's own Janet Salmon. Check out the speaker list and conference agenda.

Please contact us if you'd like to meet at Controlling 2013. We look forward to seeing you in San Diego!

SAP Plant Maintenance Consultant - San Francisco East Bay

We have an open position for an SAP EAM/Plant Maintenance Consultant to lead a PM configuration project starting in September 2013 and lasting approximately five months. The work will primarily be on-site at our customer's facility in San Francisco's East Bay, with some periodic meetings in San Francisco itself.

This role will be the Project Lead and our primary, day-to-day representative to the customer. As such, ideal candidates will also have solid Project Management experience and be highly capable of working independently. Other team members will include an Engagement Manager and a Senior SAP Solution Architect.

Local candidates are preferred, as relocation or travel expenses may not be covered. Direct candidates only, no third-parties please.

Read the complete job description with required and desired professional qualifications.

SAP Cost Adjustments - HPC JETS Video Demonstration

We previously introduced the HPC Journal Entry Transfer Solution (HPC JETS) which makes adjustments to SAP orders and cost centers incredibly easy — and with no loss of audit data. Our NetWeaver-based tool enables companies on SAP to correct mischarged orders without having to resort to lump-sump journal entries. Watch the demonstration video below to see illustrative examples of how JETS makes fast, high-integrity order corrections and cost center adjustments in SAP.

Learn more about HPC JETS and contact us for a live demonstration.

SAP Fleet Management and Fuel Fraud

Our recent work integrating SAP Fleet Management with fuel consumption data has raised the issue of identifying potential fuel fraud. Large fleets face the risk of hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars in unauthorized fueling, so distinguishing fraudulent and legitimate consumption is critical.

When a fleet is vulnerable to siphoning, side fueling, cloned fuel cards, and other shady behavior, Fleet Managers should of course watch out for unusual purchases such as multiple pump transactions in quick succession, irregular fueling locations, and purchase quantities that exceed a unit's actual tank capacity. Some of these occurrences may have perfectly acceptable explanations and reasonably easy fixes—for example, a driver who fills up his truck and the equipment it's towing with the same gas card, contrary to policy of using cards unique to each asset.

But other situations require a bit more detective work when reviewing mileage and odometer readings in SAP. Dramatically lower fuel economy could be due to hauling something heavy—or an indicator that fuel purchased with the company's card may be going into another vehicle. A new odometer read that's lower than the prior read could simply be an inadvertent transposition error—or a bungled attempt to hide an unauthorized fuel purchase. The HPC Fleet Management template for SAP pinpoints these anomalies, such that Fleet Managers can interpret the data within the full context of their departments: who's driving, which vehicle, where and for what work? And in our experience, that's key: while the data in SAP is foundational, results come from the analysis of it and a real understanding of staff behavior.

Rochester Public Utilities optimizes SAP FERC with HPC America

Earlier this year, we wrote about our FERC optimization work at RPU. Our latest customer success story describes how the Minnesota utility company now enjoys streamlined FERC reporting and automated assigned of costs to FERC accounts; a more accurate way to calculate actual labor charges; and a consolidated process for managing Fleet costs and equipment charges. RPU's enhanced regulatory reporting on SAP utilizes HPC Utility Financials Accelerator, which is certified by SAP as powered by the NetWeaver technology platform. Read the complete case study.