EzyPlan for SAP

EzyPlan for SAP
Functionality
Features
Benefits

EzyPlan for SAP

EzyPlan is a role-based improvement tool that integrates specific budget and planning models with SAP R/3 – seamlessly, that is, EzyPlan is fully integrated with SAP R/3. EzyPlan improves the planning and budgeting process by providing a single user interface, Microsoft Excel. Users make changes exclusively in Excel; no additional transactions are required in SAP R/3.

This approach is closely aligned with the way people traditionally undertake their budgeting cycle – it works the way you do.

For further information on EzyPlan, please contact us. We can provide a whitepaper or a guided virtual demonstration of EzyPlan.

You can also get a 2 weeks trial version for evaluation on your own data.

Functionality

As of December 2002 PCS Consult has released Version 4.2 of EzyPlan for SAP. This section describes the Version 4.2 offering. With Version 4.2 PCS Consult has extended its existing EzyPlan functionality with the inclusion of additional planning types and features. EzyPlan consists of a number of modules. These are:

• Cost Centre Planning
• Funds Management
• General Ledger Planning
• Internal Order Planning
• Plant Maintenance (Prototype Only)
• Profit Centre Planning
• Profitability Analysis
• Project System Planning (WBS)
• Real Estate
• Special Purpose Ledger
• Within each module there are a number of planning types and these relate to one or more planning transactions within SAP.
  

Features

The following are the main features on EzyPlan:

• Retrieve data from SAP R/3 (Plan or Actual) – EzyPlan can retrieve either plan or actual data from SAP. This means that full year forecast reporting is possible
• Save Plan data to SAP R/3 – As EzyPlan only uploads "Plan" data back to SAP this makes it a very forgiving application. The worst thing that can happen is if a wrong number is uploaded, it can be simply uploaded again to fix it
• Advanced error checking – The advanced error checking is one of the key differentiators from a simple load program. Standard SAP error messages are passed back to Excel, therefore the user sees exactly as if they had input directly into SAP
• Master data validation – As standard SAP methods are used to update SAP the same master data validation and authorisation checking as the manual transaction is used
• Duplicate checking – In addition to standard SAP error checking and validation EzyPlan has its own duplicate process
• Posting locks – As standard SAP methods are used to update SAP, EzyPlan receives postings locks if someone is processing a transaction against the records we are attempting to update through EzyPlan
• Supports manual entry or formulas – with EzyPlan it is possible to enter data either as a manual number, a formula or a reference to another sheet. In this way EzyPlan integrates directly with a user spreadsheet without extra steps as is the case with a normal upload program
• Data Pre-processor - EzyPlan allows you to specify the planning object to be planned against and then retrieve associated master data and planning data from SAP
  

Benefits

The main business benefits of EzyPlan are improvement of the planning, budgeting and reporting process. This is achieved through:

• Simplification
• Efficiency
• Increased Functionality
• Improved User Satisfaction
• Lower Cost of Processing

It therefore saves you time and money.The main benefit areas include:

• The current process of manually rekeying data from a spreadsheet to SAP will be eliminated. This will save on the cost of temps, the training effort required, the cost of data entry mistakes, rework and rechecking
• As EzyPlan for SAP supports multiple planning versions in SAP, this allows for the creation of monthly or quarterly forecasts as well as the annual budget
• The speed with which EzyPlan can update SAP budgets is a critical factor in the budget cycle. Generally the budget goes through an iterative process of refinement and EzyPlan for SAP supports this by allowing the user to update data in SAP as many times as required.
• Errors from SAP are notified immediately so there is no double handling or rework saving time and effort
• Multiple transactions can be processed from one virtual worksheet in Excel. This effectively replaces several transactions with one
• Existing Excel models can be enabled rather than recreated from scratch
• It is easier to use than standard SAP screens
  Any inconsistencies between different SAP planning applications are eliminated providing a standardised process for planning and budgeting
• It supports the way that people normally do budgeting rather than being forced to do it SAP’s way
  It minimises (re)training requirements as users can use Excel rather than SAP – something they often prefer and a more intuitive product
• The full functionality of Excel can be used