Transferring CATS Data

We have previously covered Understanding the basics of CATS (cross-application time sheets) showing how SAP provides a very robust method to capture time data and have that data passed to other SAP modules. Then we continued to discuss how CO, PM, PS, and HR may use that capture time data.
Using CATS Data: Updating CO (controlling)
Using CATS Data: Updating PM (plant maintenance)
Using CATS Data: Updating PS (project systems)
Using CATS Data: Updating HR (human resources)

The next step is to transfer the capture time data in CATS to the other modules. As discussed in an earlier post, you have the option of transferring data to all other modules at the same time or on an individual module bases. This allows a great deal of flexibility. HR has one added option the other modules do not if you do not require a time approval process. HR data may be transferred immediately on save from CATS and this is configured in the CATS profile. All other modules require a program be run to transfer the data.

Below is a demonstration of the manual method of transferring data to HR and CO at the same time. As previously noted, the data could have been passed to HR immediately upon save and then we would only need to transfer the data to CO in this step. Whether you want to transfer all components at the same time or individually requires a study of your exact requirements of each module.

It is typical for HR data to be passed immediately if time administrators are entering the time. However, if employees are entering their own time, a batch session is scheduled to transfer approved data periodically.

After we enter the transaction, the parameter screen allows flexibility in exactly what data needs to be transfer. In our example, we run the transfer on a daily basis and our target components are HR and CO. Under the selection section, we could

  • have identified a subgroup of employees. An example would be if you have weekly and bi-weekly paid employees. You may need the transfer done weekly for the weekly paid employees and could use their payroll area for selection criteria
  • have specified a network that needs to be update twice daily and the remaining networks only once a day

This screen where you want to limit the period for transfers to PM and PS as we discussed in Using CATS Data: Updating PM (plant maintenance) and Using CATS Data: Updating PS (project systems). The more focused the selection, the quicker the transfer process will finish.

CATS is great tool for hourly and salaried employees when tasks are performed in multiple projects or cost centers. If activity rates have been configured, a different rate may be charged to a cost center based on the work performed. SAP default is to post hours and dollars to the employee home cost center, but CATS provides a mechanism for the spreading of the hours and dollars to cost centers where the employee actually worked.

Make sure to discuss with accounting how the posting process works on the HR side. Accounting may expect something totally different than the employee home cost center receiving the entire posting. Also, if the HR group is leading the CATS implementation, sometimes accounting doesn’t realize how the data will post to CO.

In our next blog post, we’ll cover CATS Profiles.