Assumption: The reader is aware of how the FBZP setup in the system works and has a basic understanding of accounts payables.

Overview:

Bank Communication Management is known as BCM, and it is a part of FSCM (Financial Supply Chain Management). BCM is in charge of keeping in touch with a bank on payments issued, receipt of acknowledgments, and workflows for approval before funds are transmitted to the bank. However, BCM does not deliver payment files to banks. The file is picked up, encrypted, and sent to the bank by a middleware. The grouping of payments, the merging of batches, the batch approvals, and the creation of the payment batch are all done by BCM. The bank monitor is updated with these batches. The bank monitor is updated as soon as the bank responds or acknowledges. When the bank responds or acknowledges, the bank monitor is updated with the proper status. In other words, the only reliable source of information for payment batches is bank monitor.

Conditions needed for configuration

To be carried out by the basic team:

  • The system has turned on the BCM module.
  • A user ID for WF-Batch is created. The “SAP All” role is assigned to the user id.
  • Workflow packages are developed so that rules can be transferred to other systems.
  • Workflows have been started (This is a basis task and not a functional task). Using the tcode SWU3, you may determine whether all relevant standard workflows are active.

Functional Consultant will carry out:

  • Make sure the tasks and workflow templates are marked as generic tasks. Call transaction PFTC to do this. job type and task updates. To change this assignment to a generic task, click edit. You won’t be able to see your batch in bank monitor (BNK MONI/BNK MONIP) if this is not kept as a common job. The list of tasks that need to be updated or checked is below:

50100075, 50100025,50100066,50100024,50100021.

To assign an agent, select the Additional Data tab, then select Maintain.

After choosing the task, pick qualities.

Make the change to general job.

Please don’t change the categorisation under any circumstances. Errors will result from this, and workflows won’t function.

  • Change all applicable workflow tasks and/or objects to “generic tasks.” You cannot utilise bank monitor if you don’t do this. The batch updates in the bank monitor will be enabled by this operation.
Configuring the BCM:

This blog will only discuss fundamental business scenarios in which necessary rules, roles, and duties have been established and approvals have been established.

As previously mentioned, SAP’s FSCM module includes the aforementioned BCM. The BCM node can be seen below.

Basic parameters: 
Path

IMG>>SPRO>>FSCM>BCM>Standard settings>>Basic approval settings

The default fundamental settings for a payment batch are listed below. If signatories are kept in BAM, select signature necessary only (Bank account management)

Payment division:

IMG > SPRO > FS > B > Payment grouping>>rule enforcement

The rule that will be utilised in the workflows in the following step must be created here. These regulations were developed in accordance with business needs.

These guidelines are used for tasks that are formed based on assigned priorities.

To keep the rules current, save the rule and choose the row.

Update the rule’s requirements in accordance with your needs:

Release technique:

Path:

IMG>>SPRO>>FSCM>>Release strategy: BCM>>Alteration and release>>Role-assign release steps.

  • Select “BNK INI” as an additional release object by clicking on the new entries above. This release WF job is a standard workflow that comes with the SAP BCM module and is triggered by basis.
  • For the required release, choose “01” from the drop-down menu. This is the first step in the dual approval workflow that you have approved.
  • From the drop-down menu for the WF release step, choose “1”. This stage approval is your first one, as was already explained.
  • To produce a rule number, press enter and save. In the system, this rule number is produced automatically. Do not manually insert the rule number.

Save the rule, then choose it to add responsibility:

Based on the rules made for the payment grouping above, generate responsibility.

Select the obligation, then click “create.”

The responsibility status changes from red to green once it has been saved. Select the duty and press “Insert Agent Assignment” to add the users in charge of the payment batch’s first level of release.

Choose the user and change the approver’s sap user id.

Additional steps for release:

Path:

Additional release steps: IMG>>SPRO>>FSCM>>BCM>>Give each release step a role:

This sets up the second level of approvers.

The identical steps that were taken for the first-level approver should be repeated. Only one workflow job has changed this time to “BNK COM.”

Make a rule

As with the first level approvers mentioned above, insert agents for the second level approvers.

Describe the release process:

Using the rule id that was previously defined, choose conditional and click new to start the 2nd level approval workflow.

choose the “make new” icon.

To expand the folder, click the drop-down menu, then choose the release procedure. In most cases, we choose rule id here. Nevertheless, you are free to choose any other solution based on your company’s needs.

Select your options from those displayed on the screen below. Always utilise the drop-down menu:

To add it to a custom transport, click Save.

Assign the release procedure’s workflow template:

Assign the release procedure to the workflow template currently in use.

Mark guidelines for instant approvals:

You can choose here whether you want the approver to dig deeper into the batch before approving it or if you want payment batches to be automatically approved.

Choose the best choice based on your company’s needs.

Basic BCM configuration is covered in this. BCM gives you the freedom to decide how you wish to handle batch grouping. To achieve this, use the additional payment grouping criteria listed below:

Choose a collection of fields from the drop-down menu, then assign a priority based on your needs.

Check out my upcoming post on managing payment statuses and monitoring bank statements.

Note: I simply discussed the fundamental configuration of BCM. The next blog will discuss managing payment status and keeping an eye on your bank statements.

If you have any comments or questions, please feel free to do so.

Enjoy SAPing!