Glossary

The UC Flex initiative has a unique “language” of terms and acronyms. In order to help educate our readers to key Project and SAP Terminology, we have designed a UC Flex Glossary of Terms section focused on providing you a list of core terms and definitions.

Use these letters to jump to the definitions you want to see.

A
ABAP:	Advanced Business Application Programming. ABAP is a computer programming language that SAP supports. ABAP can be used used to create, display, and print custom reports.
Accounts Payable:	(AP) Accounts Payable is the process of receiving invoices from vendors, paying them, and settling them. Postings made in Accounts Payable are simultaneously recorded in the General Ledger (GL). It is also an integral part of the Purchasing system, managing deliveries and invoices according to vendors.
Accounts Receivable:	(AR) Accounts Receivable is the p rocess of sending invoices to customers, receiving payment, and applying payment to the proper open receivables. All postings in Accounts Receivable are also recorded directly in the General Ledger (GL). The functionality provides a range of tools that you can use to monitor open items, such as account analyses, alarm reports, due date lists and flexible dunning program.
ASAP:	A cceleratedSAP. It is an SAP tool that assists in the implementation of SAP solutions.
“As-Is”:	Term used to represent the current system and processes before the new system and revised processes are implemented.
Asset Accounting:	(AA) The Asset Accounting (Fixed & Moveable Assets) component is used for managing and supervising enterprise-wide fixed & moveable assets. It serves as a subsidiary ledger to the General Ledger (GL), providing detailed information on transactions involving fixed & moveable assets. It supports the entire lifetime of the asset from purchase order or initial acquisition (asset under construction), depreciation calculation through to final disposition.
Authorizations:	In the SAP system each user has an authorization (or security) profile that is based on his/her role. Authorizations allow users to run transactions and view data.
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BASIS:	BASIS is a set of middleware programs and tools from SAP that provides the base (hence the name) that enables SAP applications to operate seamlessly across operating systems and databases. It is also the functional area responsible for the setup and ongoing maintenance of the client landscape within SAP
BPML:	Business Process Master List. It provides a statement of project scope in terms of a listing of SAP transaction codes, categorized by functional area and process group. During the Realization Phase, it provides a point of origin for major project work activities, including configuration and building test cases for unit & integration testing.
BPP:	Business Process Procedure. BPP details each “to-be” business process. It is used as input for developing configuration and end user procedures and in preparation for testing.
Business Blueprint Doc:	Business Blueprint document provides a detailed description of the business processes to be implemented within the SAP system. It is created during the Business Blueprint phase.
Business Blueprint Phase:	The Business Blueprint Phase is considered the 2nd phase of the SAP implementation lifecycle. During this phase, the Business Blueprint document is created. Some of the key activities include: conducting workshops to identify and resolve process and functional gaps; defining the UC Process Model (based on the R/3 Reference Model); identifying organization impacts; and setting up & installing system development environment.
Business Process Owner:	UC employees who are responsible for ensuring that their process meets the approved requirements.
BW:	B usiness Information Warehouse. BW is a reporting database in SAP that enables business users to generate queries and reports.
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Change Management:	Systematic and planned implementation of activities and actions targeted to specific audiences, which move an organization to accept and embrace new behaviors, new tools, new processes and/or new orientations.
Chart of Accounts:	A classification scheme consisting of a group of General Ledger (GL) accounts. Chart of Accounts provides the framework for recording dollar values, in order to ensure an orderly rendering of accounting data.
Configuration:	The way a computer or network is set up, including both hardware and software. Process of customizing built-in SAP features, options, tables, edit rules, screen layouts and messages to meet the requirements of UC.
Controlling Module:	(CO) Controlling Module provides managerial monitoring and reporting for revenue and expenditure activity for an organizational unit. It also supports one method of allocating expenditures or revenues to their ultimate funding source. Sub-modules include Cost Center Accounting (CCA) and Internal Orders (IO).
Conversion:	The process of converting (transferring and re-formatting) data from one system to another. During data conversion, the data fields are “mapped” from the old system (i.e. the CUFS account code) to the new system (i.e. the SAP Account Code).
Cost Center Accounting:	(CCA) This is a cost collection pool for an organizational unit that represents a separate location where costs are incurred. Cost centers (departments) form the basis for cost collection and can be set up based on: 1) functional requirements; 2) allocation criteria; 3) physical location; or 4) responsibility for costs.
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Data Mapping:	Taking data fields from the CUFS system and assigning them a corresponding data fields in the new SAP system.
Deliverables:	The output resulting from the completion of a major activity. UC Flex Financials will produce a number of deliverables including a Business Blueprint and, of course, the final configured SAP system .
E
Endowment:	Endowment is a permanent fund where gifts to the UC fund are held in perpetuity and where earnings are used in accordance with the donor’s specified wishes.
Enhancement:	In SAP-speak, an enhancement refers to a custom program that is written to enhance the functionality of the SAP system .
ERP:	Enterprise Resource Planning. ERP refers to a category of software packages that are designed to integrate functions across an organization onto a single computer system.
ERP Project Lifecycle:	A unique implementation lifecycle has been developed for ERP projects. The phases are: Project Preparation; Business Blueprint; Realization; Final Prep; Go Live & Support; and Sustain.
ESC:	Executive Steering Committee. Their primary UC Flex Financials responsibilities include: monitoring project budget, scope and schedule; committing required resources to the project; maintaining congruence between UC Flex Financials and other associated initiatives; monitoring and mitigating risks; assessing organizational impacts; resolving escalated issues; etc.
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Final Prep Phase:	Final Preparation Phase is the 4th phase of the SAP implementation lifecycle. It is focused on completing final preparations for the go live of the new SAP system. Some of the key activities include: testing the system; holding end user training sessions; completing system management & cutover planning; completing data conversion; and establishing system support infrastructure. At the completion of this phase, UC will be ready to run its business in the SAP R/3 production system.
Financial Accounting Module:	(FI) An integrated suite of financial applications in the SAP system made up of sub-modules that represent different areas of an organization’s financial business. Sub-modules include: General Ledger (GL); Special Purpose Ledger (SL); Accounts Payable (AP); Accounts Receivable (AR); Asset Accounting (AA).
Fixed & Moveable Assets:	(AA) The Fixed & Moveable Assets (Asset Accounting) component is used for managing and supervising enterprise-wide fixed & moveable assets. It serves as a subsidiary ledger to the General Ledger (GL), providing detailed information on transactions involving fixed & moveable assets. It supports the entire lifetime of the asset from purchase order or initial acquisition (asset under construction), depreciation calculation through to final disposition.
UC Flex Financials :	Formerly FSRP, Financial System Replacement Project. UC’s initiative to replace the CUFS system and streamline and standardize key business processes in the areas of Accounting, Budgeting, Grants, Endowments and Procurement.
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General Ledger:	(GL) General Ledger provides a complete balanced financial ledger for the University as a whole without a fund perspective. It is the original entry ledger for financial transactions resulting in postings to all other modules.
Go Live:	Date where the SAP system will be used in a production capacity. UC Flex is scheduled to Go Live on July 1, 2005 .
Go Live & Support Phase:	Go Live & Support Phase is the 5th phase of the SAP implementation lifecycle. The purpose of this phase is to move from a pre-production environment to a live, stable production operation. Focus is on implementation of a help desk and support infrastructure for end users.
Grants Management:	(GM) Grants Management accounts for grants from government and other similar bodies, such as for scientific research.
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HERUG:	SAP Higher Education and Research User Group is an international organization whose members are degree-granting Higher Education and Research Institutions and who are SAP customers with signed contracts for the productive use of one or more R/2 or R/3 software modules. The University of Cincinnati is a member institution of HERUG. To find out more about HERUG, visit their Web site.
I
Interface:	An interface is a program that sends or receives data between two other software programs. In the case of UC Flex, it is SAP sending and receiving data from other university programs.
Internal Orders:	(IO) Internal Orders are used to plan, collect and monitor costs for specific enterprise wide operations, such as unique departmental programs. They allow an organization to control and monitor the related costs from initial inception of a program through planning and posting of actual costs.
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Master Data:	Data relating to individual objects that remain relatively fixed over a period of time, such as Chart of Accounts, Vendor Master and Customer Master.
Materials Management:	(MM) SAP R/3 module that provides UC Flex’s purchasing/procurement functionality (amongst other things).
Methodology:	A set of steps designed to guide an ERP implementation, which are tailored to meet the specific needs of each project. A methodology provides a consistent, structured and practical approach to what needs to be done, when it should be done, how it should be done and how it should be controlled.
Milestone:	A significant point in the implementation lifecycle, such as the end of a phase or the due date of a key deliverable.
mySAP Business Suite:	mySAP Business Suite is a collection of integrated software solutions that includes an ERP component. CUFS will be replaced with a mySAP Business Suite solution.
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PDD:	Process Definition Document. PDD provides a detailed description of the in-scope business process or business process groups.
PMO:	Project Management Office. In the case of UC Flex, it is run by Project Managers responsible for: defining the implementation strategy; preparing & maintaining the project plan, budget, work plan & Charter; supervising project activities & production of all deliverables; acquiring, assigning and managing project resources; communicating project status to ESC, Project Sponsors & Project Team; and resolving/escalating project issues.
Portal:	A gateway or entrance to a system or number of systems. The SAP Enterprise Portal will be used to provide access to the mySAP applications (e.g. SAP R/3, SAP BW).
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Process Flow:	A graphical or textual representation of the specific inputs, processing steps, options and outputs associated with business processes.
Business Process Owner:	Business Process Owner is the UC staff member most directly responsible for carrying out a business process (i.e. a group of business activities undertaken by an organization in pursuit of a common goal). Generally, Business Process Owners are members of UC’s senior management. For UC Flex Financials, a number of the Business Process Owners sit on the Executive Steering Committee. A Business Process Owner’s responsibilities include: ensuring business objectives are met by the SAP system; working with UC Flex Financials team to validate the “To Be” view of the business processes; committing Subject Matter Experts from their business areas; and identifying, resolving and/or escalating project issues.
Project Charter	The Project Charter e stablishes the overall approach that will be followed in order to deliver a quality SAP system for UC Flex. It outlines objectives, benefits, critical success factors, implementation strategy & approach, project organization, high-level scope and project standards / procedures. It is a living document that is maintained and controlled by Project Management Office (PMO) and is updated as required over the duration of the project lifecycle.
Project Preparation Phase:	The Project Preparation Phase is the 1st phase of the SAP implementation lifecycle. It is where the initial planning and preparation for the SAP implementation is conducted, such as: identifying the high-level scope; developing high-level strategies; defining the overall project schedule and implementation sequence; and mobilizing the Project Team. One of the key outputs from the Project Prep phase is the Project Charter, and it builds the foundation for the rest of the implementation.
Project Sponsors:	Their role is to define the vision and goals of the UC Flex Financials project. They are the ultimate owners of the project and have decision-making authority. They maintain the final authority to set priorities, approve scope and settle University-wide issues. Project Sponsors promote the project throughout the organization and have final budget authority.
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R/3 Reference Model:	A collection of all the business processes contained in the SAP system. The R/3 Reference Model serves as a starting point for scoping, target process design, application configuration and testing.
Realization Phase:	Realization Phase is the 3rd phase of the SAP implementation lifecycle. It is focused on implementing business and process requirements based on the Business Blueprint, including configuration, object development and unit testing. In this phase, the business requirements defined in Business Blueprint are realized and transformed into an approved working system. Some of the key activities include: configuring the system; developing reports, interfaces, conversions & enhancements; developing end user documentation; and conducting end user testing.
RICE:	R eports, Interfaces, Conversions and Enhancements. These objects are developed (i.e. programmed) in the SAP system.
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Sandbox:	A work area within the SAP system landscape that provides the Business and Technical team members with a place to explore SAP capabilities and experiment with software configuration.
SAP:	Systems, Applications and Products in Data Processing. SAP is a software company (based in Germany ) that produces the world’s most widely adopted ERP software.
SAP R/3:	SAP R/3 is the ERP system that is the foundation of the UC Flex solution. It is also a component of the mySAP Business Suite.
SAPGUI:	SAP Graphical User Interface. A set of programs that run on your PC that provides the Graphical User Interface for using SAP systems like SAP R/3 and SAP BW.
SEM:	Strategic Enterprise Management. SEM is the SAP system that UC Flex Financials will implement to provide for Budget Preparation functionality.
SME:	Subject Matter Expert. SME is a UC employee who has extensive knowledge of a particular requirement or business process. SME's are critical to the project during the design stage in ensuring that all business requirements are considered.
Special Purpose Ledger:	(SL) Special Purpose Ledger (or Special Ledger) is a financial ledger that is a mirror-image of all postings in the General Ledger (GL), balanced by fund. It is vital for meeting the requirements for financial reporting, including GASB34 and GASB35.
Stakeholder:	Anyone who has a specific interest and/or who is directly impacted by UC Flex.
Super User:	A Project Team Member who will provide support in the first few months after implementation, as well as be involved with implementing future releases of the software.
Sustain Phase:	Sustain Phase is the 6th and final phase of the SAP implementation lifecycle. The purpose of this phase is to ensure that a framework (e.g. UC’s SAP Competency Center) is in place to sustain and improve the performance of the SAP system beyond go live. During the Sustain Phase, the system is continuously monitored to evaluate if it is meeting its performance objectives. Further improvements and add-on work may also be part of this phase.
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“To-Be”:	A term used to represent the new system and its revised processes once changes have been implemented. UC Flex Financials is focused on the “to-be” processes as they will be implemented in the new SAP system.
Transaction Data:	Data created as a result of performing normal day-to-day business transactions in the SAP system, such as Purchase Orders and Invoices.
U
UC Process Model:	Elements of the R/3 Reference Model that are “in-scope” for UC Flex Financials.
V
Vendor Master Data:	Collective term for all vendor master records. The vendor master contains the data of all vendors that UC does business with.
W
Workflow:	A system by which documents can be sent to various users of an SAP system in order to complete a process. For example, purchase requisitions can be “work flowed” to other users for approval.
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