Dispute Management Usage -III

[sanilbhandari]

This is the final document in the series.

 

We have seen the configuration steps uptill the text profile. We will now check the remaining steps for completing the dispute management configuration.

 

Status Profile

 

The status profile specifies all the possible status for a dispute case.

 





 

You can also specify the sequence in which the activities will be executed in the status profile.The status controls the status transfer. A status can be set if the status of the current status is higher than or equal to the lowest status number and lower than or equal to the highest status number. A status profile is assigned to case type, which than controls the status of all dispute cases created for a particular case type.

 

Number Range Interval

 

When a dispute case is created, a dispute case number is automatically assigned. This is controlled by the assignment of a number range interval to the case type.

 

Case Type

 

Every dispute case can be categorized based on case type. This is the central property of a dispute case and controls key parameters like attributes, status profile, numbering and search. At the time of creation, a case type needs to be specified. The configuration for a case type is as under:

 







Now we are ready to start using the dispute management.

 

Other key pointers:

 

1. Activate integration with AR - In the standard delivery the integration with AR for dispute management is not done. You need to activate the same in the configuration path shown

 

[atif_farooq]

Nice document Sanil. I have not worked on FSCM module at yet except for Cash Positioning and Forecast. Can you please shed some light on which type of cases we can use dispute management in the context of Accounts receivables in a manufacturing concern.

Thanks

[sanilbhandari]

Thanks Atif.

I have used Dispute Management for a steel rolling firm. They have created specific case types as per their business requirements for scenarios like

1. Defective Products

2. Delayed Shipment

3. Quantity Shortage

just to name a few scenarios.  The dispute cases were created for Invoices and dispute cases seperated for each scenario.

Thanks & Regards

Sanil Bhandari

[Former Member]

Well documented Sanil. 

I have a question though.....are the reason codes created in A/R the same as the ones in FSCM (I am guessing not), or are they mutually exclusive?

Here are the config links.

AR Reason codes (3 byte):

SPRO – FI (New) > AR & AP > Business Transactions >  Incoming Payments > Incoming payment Global Settings > Overpayment / Underpayment > Define Reason Codes

FSCM Reason Codes (4 byte):

SPRO > FSCM > Dispute Management > Dispute Case processing > Case Type  > Create Values for Attribute "Reason"

How are these related when automatically creating a dispute case?

Thanks,

Sam

[Former Member]

Hi,

Thanks for the configuration steps, since this is new to me.

I am trying to follow your steps and configure my test system but i see most of it is predefined by SAP. So can you tell me in which scenarios do we need to create our own other than using the sap standard. ?

Regards,

Jyoti

[sanilbhandari]

Hi Jyoti

There are quite a few cases where things other than delivered by SAP are used. I have used Dispute Management for Apparel Retailer in conjunction with Collections Management. The integration of these two allows a clear visibility of the overdue items and process of collections and there by closing of Dispute Cases.

In one of my projects, we stored all the correspondences on an DMS system. You also have the option of automated workflow to escalate the processor.

In terms of configuration, I have seen attributes created in addition to what is delivered and Functions created new. You may also confiure different case types to seggregate for eg, region specific or entity specific cases as well.

Let me know if I have been able to answer your question.

Thanks & regards

Sanil Bhandari

[sanilbhandari]

Hi Sam

The Reason code in AR and Dispute Case are mutually exclusive. In case of AR, you specify the reason code to identify a short payment or a discount given for early payment. You have a flexibility for using the reason code in AR to create automatic write off as well for eg, in case of lockbox processing.

In case of a dispute case, you can use a Reason Code for reporting for the reason of dispute case, for creating automatic write off in a case of a dispute case in case of it not being resolved. I have also used it to trigger workflow for escalation or assignment to a processor.

A reason code of Dispute case does not fill in for AR.

Please let me know if the response helps.

regards

Sanil

[atif_farooq]

Hello Sanil:

Thanks for such a nice sharing. I was able to learn and replicate some a bit of dispute management :smile: . After configuring i was able to replicate in the system as well .

[Former Member]

Hi Sanil,  thanks for your prompt response. This definitely helps.  I have been working on and off with dispute management, but not extensively.

I am curious on how you configured automatic write-off's for "disputes not resolved".  Was this configured based on time and dollar tolerances? For ex.  write off all disputes less than $100 that are due over 60 days". 

Is this configuration and the workflow escalation process standard or custom?

Thanks,

Sam

[sanilbhandari]

Hi Sam

We had a custom attribute for second processing date added on the dispute case. This was typically 60 days from the expected processing date. If this date was exceeded and Dunning level for customer was highest level, the Dispute case was closed and the dispute amount was written off.

The workflow escalation and write off was a custom development. But SAP does provide lot of points for enhancing this.

Let me know if I have been able to answer your questions.

Thanks & Regards

Sanil Bhandari

[sanilbhandari]

Way to go Atif.

I am glad that my document has been of help to you.

Regards

Sanil Bhandari

[Former Member]

Hi Sanil,

Thanks very much for the posting! Have you experience configuring Automatic correspondence via PPF too? I am having problems getting my automatic correspondence triggered. I have followed all of the customizing steps copying as a reference the model (action profile: FIN_DM), nevertheless no results. I have as well discarded master data problem, 'cause when I use the SAP delivered action profile (FIN_DM) it works. My system version is EHP6. Here there's a link to my thread so you can see in detail the configuration steps I have followed. FSCM-DM: Automatic Actions are not triggered

Thanks very much for any hint you could provide.

Best

JC

[former_member198450]

Hi,

Nice document, I have a question. I made the customization change and created an customer invoice: FB70 and linked the same with dispute case which i can see UDM_DISPUTE and they tried to make the payment- F-28 but still my dispute case showing full dispute amount, it not coming in paid column also the status remain new.

I made the required changes. Could you please suggest what would be reason for same.

[Former Member]

Hi Jain,

Have you configured the "Automatic Status Changes"?

Dispute Case processing -> Process integration --> Automatic Status Changes

Best

JC

[former_member198450]

Hi Juan,

I have made the changes as like below. Even when i ran program FDM_PROCESS_BUFFER it show the error. Please find customization and error screenshot for your reference.

[Former Member]

Hi Jain,

Some basics:

1. Is status 30 in your Status Profile allocated to sytem status '007'?

2. While entering the payment vía F-28 did you cleared the bill?

3. Review also if the assignment of open credits and payments is active? trx: FDM_CUST10. and off course the integration with AR FDM_CUST00

btw have you create this case vía FBL5N?

I'd tried then to create a new case and see what happens.

Best

JC

[former_member198450]

Hi Juan,

Thank you very much for looking into my issue.

1. Is status 30 in your Status Profile allocated to sytem status '007'?

Yes, i created system status 007

2. While entering the payment vía F-28 did you cleared the bill?

Yes i cleared the bill

3. Review also if the assignment of open credits and payments is active?

Yes, its activated.

btw have you create this case vía FBL5N?

Yes, i created this case through FBL5N

Let me know if you find something which i missed out.

Again, Thank you very much.

Regards,

Jain

[Former Member]

Jain,

Here a thread that with a question similar to yours.

FSCM Dispute Case status

Best

JC

[Former Member]

Jain,

Two additional suggestions that I hope can help you:

1. Have you check if in the definition of your status profile the change from 'new' to 'close' is allowed (see Low-High status).

2. I see that you are using the case type 'F_DM'. But the documentation suggests the type 'F_D2'. In fact this is the one I've used as a reference to create my own case type, and so far I have not experience any problem with the payment and status update.

Best

JC

[Former Member]

Please note Jain has raised this as a question thread as well. Continue the conversation on the question thread and not this blog. If you continue - I will remove all of the content relating to your question from this blog.

[Former Member]

Sorry Mark. I was not aware. Feel free to delete them.

best

JC

[briantregea]

Hi Sanil,

From your experience, do you think DM could be used for AP invoices eg. where the purchaser raises a dispute with the supplier over the quantities delivered etc ?

[former_member275126]

Dear expert,

may i ask one question about the integration between DISPUTE and AR?

In case i doing the small change with new reason code in UDM_DISPUTE but how can it can be updated in FI document?

if it issue in synchronization, how can I trouble shoot issue?

Hope you can check and let me known. Many thanks