When choosing an SAP Consolidation Tool that fits your organization’s needs, it's important to understand the different options available and how each one can serve specific requirements. With over 15 years of experience working with SAP consolidation tools, I’ve encountered several options, each offering its own set of features and advantages.
SAP ECCS was one of SAP’s earliest financial consolidation tools and remains a reliable and stable solution. It provides a comprehensive set of features, including a Consolidation Monitor and standard options for intercompany and equity consolidations. ECCS is known for its user-friendly interface and effective management consolidation options. Over time, many of ECCS’s features have been incorporated into newer SAP tools, ensuring a smooth transition for users moving to Group Reporting.
SAP BCS (Business Consolidation System) is another option that shares similarities with ECCS but is more driven by SAP’s Business Warehouse (BW). While BCS was popular for its extensive features similar to ECCS, its use has decreased with the advent of newer solutions. However, there are indications that SAP might reintroduce an updated version of BCS in the future.
SAP BPC (Business Planning and Consolidation) is a versatile tool in SAP’s lineup. The Standard/Classic version, originally developed by OutlookSoft, was integrated into SAP BW starting with version 10.1 NW. It offers extensive customization and an intuitive interface for designing elimination rules and reporting. Features like Business Process Flows, Ownership Manager, and Journals make it suitable for both planning and consolidation.
On the other hand, SAP BPC Embedded is more focused on BW, requiring setup in the BW backend before defining environments and models in the BPC front end. BPC Embedded offers a more streamlined data load process but involves more IT setup and maintenance compared to BPC Classic, which provides a faster and more user-friendly experience.
SAP BPC Optimized, integrated into SAP S/4HANA, is related to BPC Embedded but operates within the S/4HANA environment. It supports many features from previous versions but is specifically designed for S/4HANA, with no support for BW/4HANA.
SAP BO FC (BusinessObjects Financial Consolidation) is a strong alternative to BPC, focusing solely on consolidation rather than planning. It is well-regarded for its stability and robust support for equity consolidation. While it may lack the planning capabilities of BPC, it remains a solid choice for organizations primarily focused on financial consolidation.
SAP Disclosure Management helps in preparing Notes to the Accounts and complements SAP BPC. Although not as widely used, it is valuable for managing financial disclosures. For those who do not use Disclosure Management, SAP BPC Classic’s Word Add-in or EPM Reporting for Classic can also assist in creating Notes to Accounts.
SAP RTC (Real-Time Consolidation) shares many features with BPC Embedded but stands out with real-time data sourcing through Hana Views. It integrates directly with S/4HANA tables like ACDOCA and ACDOCC, reducing the need for extra servers and maintenance. Despite its similarities to BPC Embedded, many users prefer BPC Embedded for its more recent stability and feature set.
The newest addition to SAP’s consolidation tools is SAP S/4HANA Group Reporting. This tool represents a significant advancement from earlier options, offering real-time data integration from the universal journal (ACDOCA) and posting consolidation entries in the ACDOCU table. Group Reporting combines many strengths of ECCS with modern improvements and an intuitive interface, making it an excellent choice for users familiar with ECCS.
In summary, SAP offers a variety of consolidation tools, each with its own strengths and ideal applications. Whether you're transitioning from ECCS, integrating with S/4HANA, or focusing on pure consolidation, there’s an SAP tool that can meet your organizational needs.
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