Generate settlement rules for Network Activities

The purpose of this document is to cover configuration steps required for automatic generation of settlement rules for Network Activities.  The settlement process for Network Activities is a common requirement for CAPEX projects for example, because the AuC has direct link with the WBS-element, so eventually you need to gather all the cost at WBS-element level before the asset settlement.

The business case behind this requirement is quite simple.  Complex CAPEX projects can easily account for hundreds of Network Activities and manual maintenance of the settlement rule will be a very time consuming task.  Not to mention the possibility for human error.

The reason for writing this document is that this topic shows up as a common question quite often. And even though it is not a complicated setup, it still generates a steady volume of posts.

The customizing can be found in IMG under Project System > Costs > Automatic and Periodic Allocations > Settlement > Define Settlement Rule for Network

As you can see the customizing part is consisting of three configuration activities.

Step 1: Define Strategies for Determining Settlement Rules

In our sample case I will maintain the rule to the parent WBS-element (keeping in mind the sample CAPEX project scenario).  High lighted record is the Strategy 02 that we need to use in my sample scenario.

Step 2: Assign Strategies and Default Rules to Network Types

In this activity you need to assign the Strategy and Default Rule to the combination of Plant and Network type:

Step 3: Specify Default Settlement Profiles for Networks

This is the customizing activity to link the Network type with Settlement Profile.  I am using the “standard” (system pre-delivered) settlement profile 60.

Apparently the profile should allow the settlement to required receiver data objects, in my case to WBS-elements:

Once the customizing is complete we can proceed with the unit test.

Step 4: Unit Test

First I will create a new CAPEX project with a WBS-element that has IM profile assignment for automatic generation of AuC and a network activity assigned to this WBS-element.  I will use Project Builder transaction CJ20N:

As soon as I populate the WBS-element field for the Network Activity the system will take me to the settlement rule screen with pre-populated data:

When you will be running a settlement with CJ88 you can select the flags for hierarchy and orders to run both settlements in one go:

You are welcome to suggest any improvements to this article.

Thank you for your reading time and hope you liked it,

Paulo