SAP BPC 5.1 Standard Functionality (like Business Content)

[Former Member]

Dear SAP CPM experts,

I like to pose this question to our SAP BPC 5.x experts.

We are kicking off a BPC 5.1 implementation for planning and consolidation for a global finance initiative. Not wanting to start from scratch, we like to get a detail understanding as to what is available out of the box in addition to the report, input templates, and FX translations. When SAP sales team did a demo here they mentioned that there are out of box functionalities in regards to Business Process Flows, Applications (HCM, Finance, Sales, etc), Dimension design, etc.

We just want to confirm what this standard functionality is as we have not been able to find any documentation and are getting conflicting messages.

Specifically we need some clarity around the following items that are either delivered for immediate use, or are not delivered and need to be set up from scratch, etc.

1. Business Proces Flows (BPF's) - do any come out of the box, like were shown in the Demo?

-- Planning? Consolidation? Administration?

2. "applications" that come out of the box, and if so, what condition are they in (i.e. plug -n- play or modification required)

-- ex finance, capex, human capital, sales, etc.

3. Does the performance dashboard come pre-configured, or just a shell that the on-site team has to complete.

Thanks in advance for your input. Points will be rewarded.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

In addition to James comments, I just wanted to add a few additional notes:

1. The Demo application that was presented contains the applications that you described in your question. Historically, the consulting team would either use the ApShell or the demo as the foundation for developing a set of applications for the customer based on the design sessions held with the customer. BAsed on the customer requirements and design, often we start with ApShell and pull in components from the Demo that would support functionality requirements that may go beyond what Apshell has out of the box. Many of these components are covered in an Advanced Training for BPC, including the helpful and not so helpful components.

2. You can pull many of the Demo dimension files, logic scripts and rules from the Application Server file folders for use in an Application set design. Unfortunately, BPF's can not be transfered, since they are built in to an application and reside in tables in SQL. In addition, many BPF's need to be defined to meet a customers requirements, file names, location, users, and dimension structure.

3. Many of the dimensions utilize several supporting properties that may be added via the admin console to any dimension. The properties are a key ingrediaent to a well running application set, supporting reporting, script logic, and business rules.

4. The Performance dashboard is no longer an option that is included out-of -the-box, howvere it is just a shell that was adjustable to the application set designed for the customer.

[Former Member]

*Update on BPF Export and Import

www.BPFMarketplace.com by OutlookSoft/SAP has BPFInjectors and BPFExtractors which let you export and Import between BPC 5.x installations.

Thanks

Dilip

[Former Member]

1. Yes there are example BPF's in Apshell (the sample application set) that is installed with the product but they are not difficult to setup from scratch.

2. All applications are cutsom in so far as they are designed to meet specific client requirements. Apshell is a sample database/application set that installs with the product which we typically copy and then modify to begin an implementation. NEVER,NEVER,NEVER modify the original Apshell. This is the first application set product support uses to test and diagnois issues. This application (5.x) comes with a finance (main reporting), rate (currency conversion), and ownership (statutory consolication) application. Anything else would be built from one of these applications.

3. This is setup by the consulting team to meet specific customer requirements.