We have reached the last quarter of the year 2020. Service in S/4HANA Cloud has brought many innovations this year. It is again my pleasure to share the long list of what’s new on Service from Release 2011.
You can watch this 5min video to get a quick overview on the highlights.
A long-term Customer Service by planning Recurring Services
We introduce a new business scope, Recurring Service in 2011. Service management enables the capability to plan recurring services by utilizing Maintenance Plan features. It is possible to schedule periodic services such as regular maintenance on assets. Regular servicing is certainly beneficial to prevent potential escalations due to unforeseen breakdowns, so it increases asset uptime as a result. This will have more focus on long-term service business, which leads to increase upselling potentials and service team utilization.
A new business role, Service Planner, is delivered to use 8 default apps under Recurring Service. We also offer 7 additional apps related to Maintenance plan, which can be activated if needed. See the slide.
Service Planner can create a Maintenance Plan, which determines when and which service is to be planned, performed, or offered for which object. Let me elaborate on the elements.
WHEN – Service intervals will be determined by selecting a Maintenance Plan type
WHO
Sold-to-part is derived from a selected Service Contract
Employee responsible is derived from a Service order template
WHAT
The content of Service will be determined by a Service order template
WHERE
Which object or functional location to be serviced can be selected from a Service contract
Running a scheduled job will generate Service orders automatically. Service Planner can monitor the status of jobs and navigate to related documents like Service contracts, Service orders, Service order templates.
You can check a demo for this process.
Demo1: Recurring Service planning
Service Order Template for repeatable service tasks
We introduce Service Order Template to define sets of service-related data for standardized and repeatable service tasks. This is also used for creating Maintenance Plans for Recurring Services.
It is possible to create a Service Order, directly from a Service Order Template screen. ‘Manage Service Orders’ app enables the option to create a Service Order by using a template as well as ‘Quick Create’. It became so easy to create a Service Order.
This template can be also used as a work instruction for service technicians as Service Managers can add detailed procedures under Note and Attachment.
Demo2: Service order template
If you want to know more details on how to use this feature, I recommend you to watch this Microlearning video - Understanding Service Order Templates
Output management in Service Order
Output Control is enabled in Service Order, so you can email a Service order as PDF file to customers and/or print out the pdf file. This functionality is delivered to support customers who run a paper-based field service management process. For example, service technicians use the printout of Service order as a service report on which requires customer signature.
Continuous enhancement on Service Quotation
Further enhancement in 2011 allows Service quotation to provide consistent user experience between Service quotations and service orders, which will increase efficiency on service ordering process. Service quotation enabled the following items
Revenue recognition with fixed price Service Orders
In 2011, revenue analysis is enabled with Fixed Price Service Orders (SVO2) by using Event-Based Revenue Recognition. The feature uses the revenue recognition method ‘Completed Contract Method’, in which all revenue and costs are deferred until the service order is fully invoiced.
Continuous enhancement is planned to enable T&M Service orders in Event-Based Revenue Recognition.
If you are interested in Financials for Service management, I’d recommend to read the following blog by Stefan Walz. Stefan let you do the deep dive into New financial accounting for Service Management in S/4HANA Cloud.
Blog : New Financial Accounting for Service Management in S/4HANA Cloud
Enhancements on Solution Order
We have introduced ‘Solution Order Management’ in the last release. This solution capability enables to offer sales and service products in a single order. This was the top highlight in Service 2008. https://blogs.sap.com/2020/07/31/sap-s-4hana-cloud-2008-release-service/
Video – Solution Order management
The business scope in 2011 is enhanced to support more item types (External Service Item, Non-stock Service Part Item, Service Contract Item-Price Adaptation) on Solution Order.
Define Item Relationship on Solution Order
Additionally, it is also enabled to search Service Orders (Manage Servicer Order app) and Service contracts (Manage Service Contract app) by Solution Order number. The relevant Solution order ID will be shown on the header section of Service orders and Service contracts. You can of course navigate to the Solution Order from there.
We also introduce the new feature called Item Relationships in Solution order. Item relationships allow to define logical dependencies among items like physical product, service item, and service contract within a Solution order. “Depends on” and “Has dependency” labels for items describe the new bi-directional relationship.
Solution Order Progress app shows the graphical view of the relationships among items. Use of the relationship improves the situation handling of the solution order.
Demo3: Define item relationships on Solution order
Enhancements on Service Contract Management
Service contracts enable Header price agreement. A new condition type DSC3 (discount for service contract) is available to define price agreements at the header level of service contracts. It can be used to apply additional discounts to the service transaction items (such as service order items) when service contract items are assigned to service transaction items after service contract determination.
Addition to that, Service Contracts enable ‘Tax Destination Country’ field on header to specify which country's tax rate is applied to the entire service contract. In standard, the tax destination country is derived from the ship-to party at header level. You can always manually set a tax destination country if the derived one doesn't meet your business requirements. Whenever the ship-to party at header level changes, the system derives a tax determination country again accordingly. For SOAP APIs for service contracts, a new field (VATRegistrationCountry) is added.
Replicate Service Report from SAP FSM to Service Order
Service order is enabled to receive a PDF service report and other attachments of performed service details from SAP Field Service Management (SAP FSM).
I will explain this with a typical scenario. After Service technicians deliver a service onsite, they generate a PDF summary report on all the work, expenses and spare parts for the service task and receive customer’s signature on the mobile device. This document serves as a proof that the technician has performed the service and that the customer agreed upon. They can also attach other documents like pictures and log files from this service.
This integration makes the performed service details fully transparent to customer service managers.
Demo 4: Replicate service report from SAP FSM to Service order
Enhanced usability in Perform Precheck for In-House Repair
Perform Precheck app provides now better user experience to decide follow-up steps. Moreover, Web Assistant feature provides guidance for decision making.
Intercompany Billing for Service
Intercompany billing functional scope is enhanced for service management to ensure complete financial bookings on intercompany billing for service management business processes
Please see information here in Help file.
If you are interested in Financials for Service management, I’d recommend to read the following blog by Stefan Walz.
Blog : New Financial Accounting for Service Management in S/4HANA Cloud
Blog: Intercompany Cost Allocation in S/4HANA Cloud
All Situation templates for Service
Last but not least I’d like to list all available Situation templates for Service. Every quarter we deliver more and more situations templates which you can use to set up automatic notification features from Situation Handling capability.
In 2011, we introduce a new situation template, ‘Billing for Service Order Not Completed’. You can now use this template to inform customer service managers on a regular basis when billing for billing-relevant service orders hasn't been completed within a defined number of days.
Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for the next update.
Blog for Service in S/4HANA Cloud 2008 is here.
Link collection for Service in S/4HANA Cloud here
You may be interested in this blog for Asset management 2011
You can watch this 5min video to get a quick overview on the highlights.
A long-term Customer Service by planning Recurring Services
We introduce a new business scope, Recurring Service in 2011. Service management enables the capability to plan recurring services by utilizing Maintenance Plan features. It is possible to schedule periodic services such as regular maintenance on assets. Regular servicing is certainly beneficial to prevent potential escalations due to unforeseen breakdowns, so it increases asset uptime as a result. This will have more focus on long-term service business, which leads to increase upselling potentials and service team utilization.
A new business role, Service Planner, is delivered to use 8 default apps under Recurring Service. We also offer 7 additional apps related to Maintenance plan, which can be activated if needed. See the slide.
Service Planner can create a Maintenance Plan, which determines when and which service is to be planned, performed, or offered for which object. Let me elaborate on the elements.
WHEN – Service intervals will be determined by selecting a Maintenance Plan type
- Single Cycle Plan (Time-based) e.g. every month
- Single Cycle Plan (Performance-based) e.g. every 1000 operating hours
- Multiple Counter Plan
In the multiple counter plan, you create maintenance cycles and allocate counters of equipment or functional locations with different dimensions to them
Read more in help file
WHO
Sold-to-part is derived from a selected Service Contract
Employee responsible is derived from a Service order template
WHAT
The content of Service will be determined by a Service order template
WHERE
Which object or functional location to be serviced can be selected from a Service contract
Running a scheduled job will generate Service orders automatically. Service Planner can monitor the status of jobs and navigate to related documents like Service contracts, Service orders, Service order templates.
You can check a demo for this process.
Demo1: Recurring Service planning
Service Order Template for repeatable service tasks
We introduce Service Order Template to define sets of service-related data for standardized and repeatable service tasks. This is also used for creating Maintenance Plans for Recurring Services.
It is possible to create a Service Order, directly from a Service Order Template screen. ‘Manage Service Orders’ app enables the option to create a Service Order by using a template as well as ‘Quick Create’. It became so easy to create a Service Order.
This template can be also used as a work instruction for service technicians as Service Managers can add detailed procedures under Note and Attachment.
Demo2: Service order template
If you want to know more details on how to use this feature, I recommend you to watch this Microlearning video - Understanding Service Order Templates
Output management in Service Order
Output Control is enabled in Service Order, so you can email a Service order as PDF file to customers and/or print out the pdf file. This functionality is delivered to support customers who run a paper-based field service management process. For example, service technicians use the printout of Service order as a service report on which requires customer signature.
Continuous enhancement on Service Quotation
Further enhancement in 2011 allows Service quotation to provide consistent user experience between Service quotations and service orders, which will increase efficiency on service ordering process. Service quotation enabled the following items
- Mixed business scenarios
- Service bundle
Revenue recognition with fixed price Service Orders
In 2011, revenue analysis is enabled with Fixed Price Service Orders (SVO2) by using Event-Based Revenue Recognition. The feature uses the revenue recognition method ‘Completed Contract Method’, in which all revenue and costs are deferred until the service order is fully invoiced.
Continuous enhancement is planned to enable T&M Service orders in Event-Based Revenue Recognition.
If you are interested in Financials for Service management, I’d recommend to read the following blog by Stefan Walz. Stefan let you do the deep dive into New financial accounting for Service Management in S/4HANA Cloud.
Blog : New Financial Accounting for Service Management in S/4HANA Cloud
Enhancements on Solution Order
We have introduced ‘Solution Order Management’ in the last release. This solution capability enables to offer sales and service products in a single order. This was the top highlight in Service 2008. https://blogs.sap.com/2020/07/31/sap-s-4hana-cloud-2008-release-service/
Video – Solution Order management
The business scope in 2011 is enhanced to support more item types (External Service Item, Non-stock Service Part Item, Service Contract Item-Price Adaptation) on Solution Order.
Define Item Relationship on Solution Order
Additionally, it is also enabled to search Service Orders (Manage Servicer Order app) and Service contracts (Manage Service Contract app) by Solution Order number. The relevant Solution order ID will be shown on the header section of Service orders and Service contracts. You can of course navigate to the Solution Order from there.
We also introduce the new feature called Item Relationships in Solution order. Item relationships allow to define logical dependencies among items like physical product, service item, and service contract within a Solution order. “Depends on” and “Has dependency” labels for items describe the new bi-directional relationship.
Solution Order Progress app shows the graphical view of the relationships among items. Use of the relationship improves the situation handling of the solution order.
Demo3: Define item relationships on Solution order
Enhancements on Service Contract Management
Service contracts enable Header price agreement. A new condition type DSC3 (discount for service contract) is available to define price agreements at the header level of service contracts. It can be used to apply additional discounts to the service transaction items (such as service order items) when service contract items are assigned to service transaction items after service contract determination.
Addition to that, Service Contracts enable ‘Tax Destination Country’ field on header to specify which country's tax rate is applied to the entire service contract. In standard, the tax destination country is derived from the ship-to party at header level. You can always manually set a tax destination country if the derived one doesn't meet your business requirements. Whenever the ship-to party at header level changes, the system derives a tax determination country again accordingly. For SOAP APIs for service contracts, a new field (VATRegistrationCountry) is added.
Replicate Service Report from SAP FSM to Service Order
Service order is enabled to receive a PDF service report and other attachments of performed service details from SAP Field Service Management (SAP FSM).
I will explain this with a typical scenario. After Service technicians deliver a service onsite, they generate a PDF summary report on all the work, expenses and spare parts for the service task and receive customer’s signature on the mobile device. This document serves as a proof that the technician has performed the service and that the customer agreed upon. They can also attach other documents like pictures and log files from this service.
This integration makes the performed service details fully transparent to customer service managers.
Demo 4: Replicate service report from SAP FSM to Service order
Enhanced usability in Perform Precheck for In-House Repair
Perform Precheck app provides now better user experience to decide follow-up steps. Moreover, Web Assistant feature provides guidance for decision making.
Intercompany Billing for Service
Intercompany billing functional scope is enhanced for service management to ensure complete financial bookings on intercompany billing for service management business processes
Please see information here in Help file.
If you are interested in Financials for Service management, I’d recommend to read the following blog by Stefan Walz.
Blog : New Financial Accounting for Service Management in S/4HANA Cloud
Blog: Intercompany Cost Allocation in S/4HANA Cloud
All Situation templates for Service
Last but not least I’d like to list all available Situation templates for Service. Every quarter we deliver more and more situations templates which you can use to set up automatic notification features from Situation Handling capability.
In 2011, we introduce a new situation template, ‘Billing for Service Order Not Completed’. You can now use this template to inform customer service managers on a regular basis when billing for billing-relevant service orders hasn't been completed within a defined number of days.
Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for the next update.
Blog for Service in S/4HANA Cloud 2008 is here.
Link collection for Service in S/4HANA Cloud here
You may be interested in this blog for Asset management 2011
For more information on SAP S/4HANA Cloud, check out the following links:
- SAP S/4HANA Cloud release info: http://www.sap.com/s4-cloudrelease
- Article from Oliver Betz on SAP News here
- Sven Denecken’s SAP S/4HANA Cloud 2011 Release Blog
- SAP S/4HANA Microlearning (OP/CL) – The ultimate collection blog
- SAP S/4HANA Cloud Release Blogs here
- SAP S/4HANA PSCC Digital Enablement Wheel here
- Inside SAP S/4HANA Podcast here
- Best practices for SAP S/4HANA Cloud here
- SAP S/4HANA Cloud Customer Community: register here
- SAP Activate Community here
- Feature Scope Description here
- What’s New here
- Help Portal Product Page here
- Implementation Portal here
- SAP Managed Tags:
