SAP Closing Cockpit Vs Blackline Smart Close (Runbook)

[abhishek122]

Hi,

Could anyone tell the cost-benefit of implementing SAP Closing Cockpit Vs Blackline Smart Close (Runbook) with respective features?

Thanks,

Abhi

[former_member567253]

Hello,

Smart Close is an ABAP solution like SAP Financial Closing Cockpit, but Smart Close has built-in functionality for process automation, spool file and job log validation, certification, alerting, and workflow. It is RPA inside of SAP for task execution and validation of business rules.

Closing Cockpit, on the other hand, does not have a built-in automation engine like that of Smart Close. To fully automate an activity, you will see something called "SAP CPS". (SAP Central Process Scheduler - also known as "SAP Business Process Automation 'BPA'). This is a link to an external application (Redwood Robotics) where you can close the automation GAP and automatically execute, validate, and even automatically resolve issues in your close process.

In Summary- The biggest difference is that Smart Close comes standard with advanced automation capabilities.FCC does not have much automation capabilities unless paired with Redwood.

Hope that helps

[c_kurzke]

SAP AFC is evolving – you can always see the latest innovations for AFC here:

https://help.sap.com/docs/advanced-financial-closing/whats-new/whats-new?locale=en-US

[kartikvv]

I agree that we should look at holistic SAP solutions , dont see how BL can replace Closing Cockpit which is improving by the day.

[Maximilian1]

Hi Abhishek,

I recommend you to read the blog from my colleague Katharina Reichert about SAP S/4HANA Cloud for advanced financial closing (AFC).

This is SAP's strategic entity close solution, it's a pure SaaS-offering and the successor of the well-proven solutions like the SAP S/4HANA Financial Closing Cockpit (FCc).

Some of the key advantages include:

- Its modern Fiori-based UI with integrated collaboration features like E-Mail notifications and modern real-time analytics apps

- Out-of-the-box integration with multiple financial backend systems, e.g. SAP ECC, SAP S/4HANA (Cloud & OP)

- Automation capabilities like integrated workflows for formal sign-offs of closing tasks, job execution and monitoring

- A broad roadmap and lot of planned investment like integration with SAP iRPA, SAP S/4HANA Group Reporting and automatic KPI Validations

You can watch a demo here.

Kind regards,

Max

[thilorei]

Hi,

does anybody have a comparison of the funktionality of the 2 Tools?

Kind regards,

Thilo