Product Information
Financials: Advanced Financial Closing with SAP S/4HANA #SAP User Group Webcast Summary
This was a SAP User Group webcast from last year.
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February 4: Introduction to Planning in SAP Analytics Cloud
February 20: Use Search to Insight on Mobile Devices to Have Access to Information Faster
February 25: Multilingual Support for Geographic-Wide Engagement in SAP Analytics Cloud
The legal disclaimer applies that things in the future are subject to change.
Source: SAP
In memory data base, enables analytics and transactional processing
Real time status is available at all times
Finance management is on the go, and wants to see status close at all times – available on mobile and desktop devices
This closing solution is a cloud solution, integrates with on-premise solution
Source: SAP
Many of us track year end close and month end close on spreadsheets
Many are complex, describing sequencing, but it doesn’t provide real time status and does not execute processes in your SAP system
Source: SAP
Repeatable tasks, automate tasks, use workflows so it works at optimal times
Collaboration with co-pilot
Monitoring (not want to look at outdated Excel file)
Ensure standard operating procedures are being followed
Source: SAP
Benefits of closing the books “faster” are shown above
Source: SAP
Automation tool that “keeps everyone on track”
Documented for governance and compliance
Transparency with S/4HANA
Notifications for approval, built-in escalation rule
Template for close, that can be re-used
Deliver analytical views as part of the product
Source: SAP
Broader look at the process at bottom of above
Tasks need to be performed in certain order by several people
GR/IR tasks visible in finance close
Source: SAP
This is a role based finance closing process
Accounting expert creates template for close; use Fiori application to define tasks and watch over the process
Accountants see tasks they are responsible – notified of their tasks by notifications, Outlook reminders
Accounting Manager approves closing tasks
Head of Finance sees current status; has dedicated monitoring apps
Source: SAP
Related Fiori apps are shown above
Source: SAP
Key part is setting up the template; some attributes valid for entire template, such as notification configuration
Store factory calendar
Different hierarchies supported
Source: SAP
Best practice content is provided, including relationships between tasks, interdependencies
Source: SAP
In an on-premise system you can add your own jobs/variants
Notes for manual tasks
Source: SAP
Attributes for a particular task are shown; depreciation posting run
Is an approval required? You decide at the task level
Users are associated for it – who is processor, who is responsible.
Task scheduling, start time, how long, what is the closing type (month end, etc)
This is like the header for the task
Source: SAP
Technical details are shown for task – which conditions job should be run, and what are the dependencies – predecessor and successor tasks
Source: SAP
You can make mass changes to the template
Source: SAP
End define phase by generating a task list
Process Entity Close
Source: SAP
App to close – accountant
Source: SAP
This is what the general ledger accountant sees
Source: SAP
Accounting manager to approve closing tasks, if set up that way
Source: SAP
KPI’s for the close, reporting for the close, can be filtered by company, etc.
Source: SAP
Financial close overview is shown above
Completion rate of close, where errors are, closing manager can see what is going on
Technical Details
Source: SAP
This is a closing hub solution
Quarterly releases; ship best practice content
Access to latest functionality in the cloud
Deploy in days; back end systems needs an SAP Cloud Connector; do not need to deploy additional software
Source: SAP
Configuration settings are shown above
Segregation of duties, privacy settings
Road map
Source: SAP
In 2020 – 3rd party scheduler integration is planned
Integrating RPA – so a bot can be started from closing, and execution of bot can be reported back
KPI balance sheet validation – compare fields in balance sheet – set threshold, if exceed, send alert
Steering – more best practice content for internal and external auditors
Source: SAP
Above shows plans for intelligent closing
Today GR/IR can be executed in the solution
Manual journal entries – robot can do uploads and bot can mark task completed
Link to slides can be found here
Link to recording is here
What do you think?
Hello Tammy.
This may be a very silly question, so I apologise in advance if that is the case.
I am struggling to find any information related to backup and recovery for Advanced Financial Closing. Is there any chance you could point me to the right direction?
Thank you!
Foivos
Hello Foivos,
thanks for reaching out.
Does your question relate to Advanced Financial Closing (AFC) as part of the SAP S/4HANA Cloud stack, or the version, which is available as a standalone SAP BTP application since December 2020?
You can find a blog about the Re-Platforming here.
If you mean the SAP BTP version of AFC, then information about backups and disaster recovery can be found here.
Best wishes,
Max
Max thank you very much for your very prompt response and please accept my apologies for my delayed response.
I was interested in the second option and the link you provided me with covers my question and for that I would like to thank you once more!
Best Regards
Foivos Gkourogiannis