SAP BCS for SAP BW/4HANA (BCS/4HANA)

SEM-BCS as an established SAP solution for group reporting, consolidated financial statement preparation and group planning, which is also used by numerous DAX companies, can also be used with SAP BW/4HANA since the beginning of 2019. SAP BCS for SAP BW/4HANA - hereinafter referred to as BCS/4HANA - has the functional scope of SEM-BCS with Enhancement Package 1 to 8, with a few insignificant exceptions, and adds some innovative features. The additional new functionalities included in BCS/4HANA offer both simpler and more flexible customizing, an extension of the programmed posting logic and more powerful processing of the consolidated financial statements. For example, BCS/4HANA enables subsequent adjustments to first-time consolidation or cross-period status dependency, adding real value to legal consolidated financial statement preparation or plan consolidation spanning multiple quarters.

Investment security with BCS/4HANA

The functional enhancements of BCS/4HANA are no longer available in the original version of SEM-BCS under SAP NetWeaver. In this respect, BCS/4HANA must be licensed separately and also requires a license for SAP BW/4HANA. BCS/4HANA is licensed via the license for SAP S/4HANA for Group Reporting: the purchase of a license for SAP S/4HANA for Group Reporting for 50 consolidation units also includes the use of BCS/4HANA for an unlimited number of consolidation units.
In particular, BCS/4HANA offers the following significant advantages to companies that are currently already using SEM-BCS:

  • Investment protection for the consolidation and group reporting application built in the past
  • Possibility to migrate to BW/4HANA as a strategic data warehouse solution from SAP
  • Use of an extended scope of services for consolidated financial statement preparation and planning with BCS/4HANA.

Additional functions in BCS/4HANA

In detail, BCS/4HANA 1.0 contains the following additional functionalities compared to SEM-BCS with Enhancement Package 1-8:

    Administration and usability

    • Upload and download of individual selections, for example, for maintenance of individual selections, for example, in Microsoft Excel
    • Master data-driven assignment of consolidation methods to simplify method assignment
    • Introduction of a version dependency for
      • Account assignment category
      • Posting and data entry block
      • Revaluation of deferred taxes in the event of a change in the tax rate
    • Functionality for mass changes of the monitor status (with extensive selection options)
    • Functionality for automatic cleanup of an incorrect monitor status "initial" or "irrelevant

    Data transfer

    • Inclusion of reporting data from BW InfoProvider without storage in the totals record aDSO (based on integration scenario of SAP S/4HANA for Group Reporting)
    • Reduction of the runtime when copying line items
    • Enhanced functionalities when entering manual documents (automatic sign change, automatic exchange of characteristic values in template documents)
    • Extended consistency checks when reversing documents (e.g. checking whether items that have been blocked in the meantime would be posted); functionality can be activated per consolidation area

    Consolidation process

    • Adjustment of first consolidation within automatic consolidation of investments also after the date of first consolidation (can be activated via master data setting)
    • More correct use of transaction types within automatic consolidation of investments (previously only possible via modification)
    • Definition of cross-period predecessor measures (e.g. to improve data quality when planning over several periods)
    • Simplified execution of a rolling forecast via restatements
    • Different hierarchy versions for each hierarchy-capable characteristic for restatements
    • Possibility of automatic inversion of documents in subsequent period in case of restatements

    Evaluations and reporting

    • Multiple selection for consolidation groups in journal entry listing

    Our offer

    Over the past two decades, we have implemented, enhanced and maintained SEM-BCS for companies of all sizes and industries. With this wealth of experience, we are also available to you as a competent solution partner with regard to BCS/4HANA.

    Our expertise offers you the following advantages, among others:

      • Low-risk migration from SEM-BCS to BCS/4HANA or from SAP NetWeaver BW to SAP BW/4HANA
      • Increase user acceptance by optimizing the performance of the consolidation monitor and reporting system
      • Improve performance by implementing new functionalities in BCS/4HANA
      • Reduction of the risk of errors by increasing the degree of automation within the consolidation and reporting process (e.g. automatic preparation of the cash flow statement)
      • Improve audit security and compliance.

          • In particular, we can provide you with an independent assessment of questions relating to the further development and strategic orientation of the preparation of consolidated financial statements and group reporting. Our recommendation is based on your individual requirements and circumstances, which we objectively compare with the functional scope of BCS/4HANA and the other current SAP solutions such as SAP BPC or SAP S/4HANA for Group Reporting.