SAP CLOSING COCKPIT FUNCTIONALITY A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

1. INTRODUCTION:
SAP Closing Cockpit provides the ability to monitor and control the closing cycle process across the corporate structure. SAP Closing Cockpit functionality provides : 1) A managed and controlled closing interface Co-ordinated deadlines across the entire enterprise Enterprise wide task controlling and scheduling Enterprise wide status checking and monitoring Documented process flows for auditing and compliance 2) Closing data co-ordination, standardized on single automatic scheduling tool Enterprise-wide task list and scheduling Easy task ownership identification Clear graphical interface to task list Reduce latency between dependent processes and data sources Speeds up Close. Closing Cockpit comprises of a TEMPLATE and TASK LIST The TEMPLATE comprises the closing schedule steps, including the sequence and timing of each step. The TASK LIST is a copy of the TEMPLATE tied to an actual date of execution. Advantages of using SAP Closing Cockpit functionality 1)Reliability 3)Efficiency 4)Compliance Documentation of process for audit trail Control structure for monitoring close Enhanced oversight of internal controls Significant cost savings Reduced reliance on manual processes Closing Schedule transparency Consistency of Results Facilitation of data availability Centralised control and monitoring

2)Speed Alignment of inter-task dependencies Real-time error detection and remediation Event based closing task automation

SAP CLOSING COCKPIT FUNCTIONALITY A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

Also the main advantage of using Closing Cockpit functionality is that the users can control the closing process using the single screen instead of switching on and off to multiple programs and transaction codes.
Closing Cockpit aims to make the closing process speedier and more controlled, ultimately delivering cost savings to the bottom line. It then can provide accurate and timely information to the senior management and external stakeholders
1.1 Access Path:

Accounting Financial Accounting General Ledger Periodic Processing Closing Closing Cockpit (Manage templates and task lists)

Transaction Code CLOCOC

2. PRE-REQUISITES BEFORE STARTING CONFIGURATION

a. For tasks to be included in the closing cockpit, all the transactions required for the process, (including Z transactions need to be specified in the table SCMATRANSACT. All programs to be applied must be registered in the table SCMAPROGRAMS. Note: Instead of going to the table maintenance using SM30, there is option in the transaction CLOCOC itself to register transactions and programs .

Click on NEW ENTRIES to add new programs and transactions (as shown below) and SAVE the same

SAP CLOSING COCKPIT FUNCTIONALITY A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

Registering Programs (including Z programs)

SAP CLOSING COCKPIT FUNCTIONALITY A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

b. Authorization for transaction CLOCOC and authorization object B_SMAN_WPL (activity = 02) must be assigned to the user profile.

3. CONFIGURING CLOSING COCKPIT

SAP CLOSING COCKPIT FUNCTIONALITY A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

Closing Cockpit initial screen (which by default opens in the display mode on executing the transaction)

SAP CLOSING COCKPIT FUNCTIONALITY A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

Step 1 Creation of Organizational Hierarchies Use Configuration of Closing Cockpit begins with the creation of organizational hierarchies. Creation of organization hierarchies are required, as a base under which various task/tasklist would be created Process To configure closing cockpit, execute the transaction CLOCOC and from the menu choose Template/Task lists Organization Hierarchies.

Before creation of Organizational Hierarchies, if there is a need to maintain a new organizational level, that has to be maintained. Creation of new Organizational level If the delivered organizational levels like Controlling Area and Company Code are not sufficient to portray the organizational levels involved in the closing process, you can add new organizational levels.

SAP CLOSING COCKPIT FUNCTIONALITY A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

Click on the Company code and then click on the Org Levels icon (as shown above) to see the details of that
To add a new organizational level, click on the (Create) icon

Enter the Org Type and Org obj text (for instance you are creating a new organizational level for Profit Center)

Press ENTER The entry selected in the Superordinate Org. Level field has consequences for how the organizational object is subsequently used in the organizational hierarchy. If you do not define any subordinate organizational level, the organizational object is only available in the hierarchy as an initial node.

SAP CLOSING COCKPIT FUNCTIONALITY A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

For the organizational level to be subsequently linked with valid values in the system, entries must be made in the fields Value: Table/Field or Text: Table/Field.

If you want to allow users to summarize Chart of Accounts, Fiscal Year Variant, Currency, or Valuation Area across the organizational levels in the task list template, specify the tables and fields in the appropriate entry fields. If, for each of the different values, you want the same substructure to be applied as the default within an organizational level, define such defaults values under Sub-folder.

Creation of new Organizational Hierarchies

If the delivered organizational hierarchies Controlling Area, Company Code, and Controlling Area/Company Code are not sufficient, or if you want to create new organizational hierarchies with new organizational levels, choose New Org Hierarchy

SAP CLOSING COCKPIT FUNCTIONALITY A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

Specify the New Organizational Hierarchy name and press ENTER

SAP CLOSING COCKPIT FUNCTIONALITY A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

Step 2 Creation of Templates Use A template is used to structure the individual steps of a closing process. In this interface, the relevant activities are accessible in tasks that are executed online or in background processing. Process You start from the Change Closing Cockpit screen. Choose Template/Task List Create Template.

1) Define the ten-character name for your template. 2) Select one of the organizational hierarchies in the Closing Hierarchy field. 3) Enter a description for the new template. 4) The time-dependent selection variables that are relevant for the template are now displayed in the template header

SAP CLOSING COCKPIT FUNCTIONALITY A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

Press ENTER and the template is saved successfully

SAP CLOSING COCKPIT FUNCTIONALITY A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

Step 3 Creation of task folders/sub-folders in the organization structure Use Here we can create sub-folders under the main folders to arrange the tasks according to their stages in a systematic manner. For the creation of task sub-folders to be possible, the organizational structure of the relevant template must be displayed (as shown in the below screenshot)

SAP CLOSING COCKPIT FUNCTIONALITY A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

Process Right click on the main folder to create a sub-folder

Select the required hierarchy level and enter description/name of the sub-folder

SAP CLOSING COCKPIT FUNCTIONALITY A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

Step 4 Creating Tasks Use Here we need to enter the individual activities that are to be performed as part of the overall process in the task list as a transaction or as a program. In this way, users can navigate directly to the required transaction or background processing for programs from the central interface.

SAP CLOSING COCKPIT FUNCTIONALITY A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

Process In the desired task list or task list template, choose the relevant organizational structure. You can now create various tasks in the task folder: 1) Select the task folder or hierarchy folder that you want to assign tasks to. 2) Right click on the folder/sub-folder in the template and choose Add Task.

We can create the tasks by using any five of the following task types (as shown below)

a) b) c) d) e)

Program with Variant Program without Variant Transaction Notes Flow Definition

SAP CLOSING COCKPIT FUNCTIONALITY A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

SAP CLOSING COCKPIT FUNCTIONALITY A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

We can portray the planned runtime on the basis of the scheduling dates. If completion of the task has an essential deadline for closing operations, you can mark this activity as a Critical path so that it is displayed accordingly in the application (CLOCO).

We can use the Closing Type indicator to derive task lists from any template in order to filter out those tasks that are relevant for the respective closing types (such as month-end closing or year-end closing). For this reason, it is important that you assign tasks to at least one closing type Step 5 Defining Dependencies Use Programs and transactions that have been included in the task list template using chronological process steps as part of an organizational structure frequently involve business-related or system-related dependencies that need to be portrayed for the process flow to be processed smoothly.
In the configuration of the Closing Cockpit (CLOCOC), you can display these predecessor relationships under Dependencies. When you enter a relationship between programs and transactions here, this relationship is checked during subsequent processing in the application (CLOCO), thereby ensuring the correct sequence is applied.

By creating dependencies in the Closing Cockpit application, we have ensured that programs and transactions can only be scheduled or executed once the predecessor activities have been processed successfully (without errors).

SAP CLOSING COCKPIT FUNCTIONALITY A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

Process Double click on any step, say Execution of distribution cycle (as shown below)

SAP CLOSING COCKPIT FUNCTIONALITY A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

The task can be seen on the right hand side and also in the dependency box (as can be seen above) Then click on the step, say Execution of Assessment cycle (which you want to create as a successor)

SAP CLOSING COCKPIT FUNCTIONALITY A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

Here as can be seen above the task Execution of assessment cycle can be seen in the right hand side and the same can also been seen in the Dependency box.

This means that in the dependency box, the task Execution of assessment cycle has overwritten the task Execution of distribution cycle. So here to start with, we have created the task Execution of Assessment cycle as the successor. Now go to the task Execution of distribution cycle on the left hand side, drag and drop the task on the successor task Execution of Assessment cycle The task Execution of distribution cycle is created as a predecessor under the task Execution of assessment cycle which is the successor

SAP CLOSING COCKPIT FUNCTIONALITY A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

Step 6 Creating and Releasing Task List Use To perform programs included in a task list, you need to specify variant values. With the separation of the task list template from the task list, you can define the structured process flow as a generic template and then make a task list available for processing with specific parameter values. The task list generated from the template automatically updates the time-related program parameters of the selection variants when you enter corresponding header information in the task list.

SAP CLOSING COCKPIT FUNCTIONALITY A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

Process Creating Task List For this navigate through Template/Task list Create Task list

SAP CLOSING COCKPIT FUNCTIONALITY A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

Here the name and description of the Task list is the same as that of the task list template, which indicates that we create task list out of the task list template

We enter the Key date, the closing type (whether monthly, quarterly, half yearly or yearly), the Fiscal year and the posting period. As can be seen below, on creation of the task list, the status of the task list by default is Not Released

Alternatively, there is also an option of creating tasks lists for all the months of the year at one go, instead of creating the same individually for every month For this navigate through Template/Task List Create Task Lists

SAP CLOSING COCKPIT FUNCTIONALITY A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

Enter the required fiscal year variant and press ENTER

The task list for all the months are created automatically.

SAP CLOSING COCKPIT FUNCTIONALITY A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

Releasing a Task List Here we release the task list by changing the status to RELEASED (as indicated below)

SAP CLOSING COCKPIT FUNCTIONALITY A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

Step 7 Only after the task list is released, the system would allow scheduling the tasks.

SAP CLOSING COCKPIT FUNCTIONALITY A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

As you can see above, the task list is in the Not Released status. I tried scheduling the task by clicking on the schedule button (highlighted above), and it gave me the following error message

On trying to directly execute the transaction (as can be seen below), without clicking onthe schedule icon, even though the task list was in the Not Released status

SAP CLOSING COCKPIT FUNCTIONALITY A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

SAP CLOSING COCKPIT FUNCTIONALITY A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

4. Other Important Information

1) Existing Standard templates for Month-end close and year-end close have been provided by SAP