Report Painter – Beginners Guide
Report Painter – Beginners Guide
Report Painter – Beginners Guide
By Ritva
Report Painter is an easy and effective tool for SAP ERP reporting. This is Report Painter
tutorial for beginners. Screen by screen you will learn how to use this tool. When you master
the basics, you’re ready to start with your own reports. Avoid reinventing the wheel, use the
existing standard reports as models.
1 Report Painter in SAP menu
2 Creating your first report
2.1 Report Design
2.2 Create report (GRR1)
2.3 Main elements of a Report Painter Report
2.4 Row definition
2.4.1 Lead Column
2.4.2 Row 1 – Cost Elements
2.4.2.1 Cost Element interval
2.4.2.2 Set
2.4.2.3 Variable
2.4.2.4 Set Variable
2.5 Column Definition
2.5.1 Key figure with characteristics
2.5.2 Predefined key figure – Actual costs
2.5.3 Predefined key figure – Plan costs
2.5.4 Formula
2.6 General Data Selection
2.7 Save and execute
2.7.1 Report Group
2.7.2 Errors?
2.7.3 New trial
2.8 Add Cost Centers to the report
2.8.1 Cost Centers in Rows
2.8.2 Cost Centers in Columns
2.8.3 Cost Center in General Data Selection
2.8.4 Variation
2.9 Column Heading Texts
2.10 Fiscal Year and Periods
2.11 Add and delete columns
2.11.1 Delete a Column
2.11.2 Insert a Column
2.12 Report title
2.13 Report / report interface
2.13.1 Drilldown to line item reports
2.15 Report Layout
2.15.1 Format Group
2.15.2 Report Layout
2.16 Sections
2.15.1 Create New section
2.16.1.1 Section with characteristics and key fig
2.15.1.2 Section with calculated key figures
3 Main elements of Report Painter
3.1 Library 1VK and Report Table CCSS
3.1.1 Characteristics
3.1.2 Basic Key Figures
3.1.3 Key figures (predefined key figures)
3.2 Create your own library
3.3 Report Group YREP
3.4 Sets and Variables
Or under Controlling / Cost Center Accounting (or Profit Center Accounting) / Information
Systems /Tools / Report Painter / Report
Library, Report Group and other important elements of Report Painter are under Report
Writer menu.
In which system or client you should do your exercise? If your Company has Sandbox client,
use it. Otherwise use the test system.
A reporting table is always assigned to the library. This table contains characteristics and key
figures that you can use in reports. Examples of characeristis are cost elements, cost centers,
periods etc. Key figures are numerical value fields, such as Actual Costs or quantities.
Most SAP standard cost center reports are in library 1VK. Reporting table of 1VK is CCSS.
You can use an existing library or create your own library. Let’s use the library 1VK for our
new report.
Give your report an id and description. The name must not start with a number or special
character. Start the report name with Z or Y.
You can also copy the definitions from an existing report.
Press CREATE.
Select Cost Element from the ‘Available characteristics’ and move it to the left.
If you try to confirm the selection, you get a message: “Enter a set, a single value or an
interval”.
You need to define the cost element values and how they are presented in the report.
There are a couple of options how to do that.
2.4.2.1 Cost Element interval
You can use the actual cost element numbers (single or interval).
In case you wish to enter several individual values or intervals, press ‘More’ to insert
multiple lines. To compress the inserted lines press the ‘More’ with green arrow on the first
line.
Scroll to the end of the line. There you can choose how the values are presented in the report.
You can choose between No explode, Explode and Single values. In the standard system,
the No explode indicator is set as the default.
No explode: the values of an interval are summarized to one row.
Single values: cost elements are shown separate with no grand total.
2.4.2.2 Set
Instead of the actual cost elemement values you can use a set. A set is a collection of cost
elements. For example, all Cost Element Groups are sets.
Check the ‘Set’ and write the cost cost element group in From. If you don’t know any cost
element groups, you can search for them with (F4)
In the ‘Selection of set’ box, click on the small triangle.
Choose Set Class ‘Cost Elem Grpr’ and enter the name of your Chart of Accounts under
Organizational Unit.
Scroll to end of the line. Choose between No explode, Explode and Single values.
No explode: all the values are totaled to one line.
Explode: the report displays single values, subtotals, and a grand total. The cost element
group is exploded and subtotals are calculated based on the hierarchical structure.
Single Values: the levels of the cost element group are not displayed; only individual cost
elements are shown. No grand total.
2.4.2.3 Variable
Next alternative is to use Variables. You can only use variables that are defined in the
reporting table of the library.
Reporting table CCSS (the table of our library 1VK) has no variables defined, why this
choice is not possible.
Look for available variables with (F4). Sort By Tables.
2.4.2.4 Set Variable
You could not use variables, but you can use something called ‘Set variables’. When you
check both the Set and Variable, you indicate that you want to use a Set variable.
Scroll to end of the line. Choose between No explode, Explode and Single values.
No explode: totals the values to one row.
You might wonder why the total value of Actual costs is not the same as above, when we
used the cost element group OAS? The explanation is that cost element group OAS does not
contain all the cost elements of the Controlling Area, while 1KSTAR does.
Explode: 1KSTAR explodes only to one level. The report contains all cost elements and a
grand total.
You can replace 1KSTAR with a Cost Element Group in the report selection. In that case, it
will be opened.
In our report we will use the Set variable 1KSTAR for cost elements.
Now you can see the text ‘Total Costs’ and a * before it. It means that, the row contains a
one-level group or set.
You cannot save the report before at least one column is defined.
This looks better. The Basic Key figure (SWKG Costs) and characteristics are automatically
filled in.
CO version is 0 = plan/actual version, value Type is 4 = Actual, 1GJAHLJ is a formula
variant that defaults the current fiscal year.
Take a peek at the variable definitions (transaction GS13). The value #S001 in the formula
field brings the current year to the variable. If you use a formula variable, you don’t need to
maintain the report definition, when the fiscal year changes.
Let’s stick to this choice. Don’t worry about the Column text. We will deal with it later.
Double-click next on Column 2. Now there is also a third option ‘Formula’.
Plan costs, curr. year, curr. period brings the plan costs for the current month (1PERIK)
‘Cumulative planned cost in curr year’ brings the plan costs from the beginning of the year
(period 1) to the current period.
Formula variable 1PERIK contains value ‘#S006’ = current period (check with transaction
GS13).
There is no exact match with the actual cost definition. Let’s try the option ‘Cumulative
planned cost in curr year’.
2.5.4 Formula
Now we have the actual costs in column 1 and planned costs in column 2. In column 3 we
want to show the difference between actual and plan. Double-click on Column 3. Select this
time Formula.
A formula editor opens. In the ‘formula components’ part you see X001 and X002, which are
the two columns we just have defined.
We want the absolute difference of these two columns in Column 3. It is easy. Just type
X001-X002 in formula line, or choose the formula elements from formula components.
Enter a text.
Now we have the last column left. We want to show here the difference in percentage.
Double-click Column 4.
Select Formula and type the formula (x001/x002)*100 or choose the formula elements from
formula components..
Try to save it. Still something missing. Controlling Area must be specified somewhere.
2.6 General Data Selection
Besides rows and columns, we need to maintain General data selection (under the Edit
menu). Specify in General data selection all characteristics not needed in report rows or
columns .
Move CO Area from the right to the left. If your company only has one controlling area, you
can put the value here.
2.7 Save and execute
Now you can save the report and take a first look at it.
Answer YES.
You can put the report in an existing report group, or you can create a new one. Create a
report group YREP.
Answer YES and the system will create the Report Group.
2.7.2 Errors?
Successful generation of a Report Group requires that Controlling Area, Fiscal Year and
Period all have been correctly defined.
We have defined Controlling area in General data and Fiscal year in Columns. Something is
wrong with the characteristics Period.
The fiscal year, period and plan version get default values from the used variables. If you are
using SAP IDES system, you probably need to change the defaulted fiscal year to an earlier
one. I have changed the defaulted 2018 to 2013. The use of Set Variable 1KSTAR for cost
elements adds the selection group for cost elements. Select group OAS.
Our first report looks like this.
This report displays all the costs of controlling area 1000. To see the costs per cost center, we
need to define the cost centers somewhere in the report.
2.8 Add Cost Centers to the report
A characteristic can only appear once either in rows, columns or general data selection. What
would be the best place for cost centers?
2.8.1 Cost Centers in Rows
We could add characteristic Cost Center to the row definition. Double-click on row 1. Select
Cost Center and move it from the right to the left.
We will use a Set Variable 1KOSET that contains all cost centers.
Choose Explode (at the end of the line) for both Cost Element and Cost Center.
Save the report and execute it.
The selection screen has now changed. Cost Center Group or value(s) has been added to the
Selection group. The Set variable 1KOSET enabled that.
IDES has very old data, why I change the defaulted fiscal year. The selection is restricted to
Cost Center Group H2410 and Cost Element Group OAS_PERS.
The report lists Cost Centers by Cost Elements. The Cost Element group is exploded with
subtotals and a grand total.
Is it possible to change the order?
We can change the order of characteristics in the report definition. Select under menu Edit
Rows/Explode.
You can experiment with different choices. For example you could choose Single values for
Cost Elements.
The report shows then the Cost Elements for each Cost Center without Cost Element
hierarchy levels.
2.8.2 Cost Centers in Columns
Columns are used to display key figure values, why the idea of placing characteristic Cost
Center there may seem strange.
However, you might want to create a report consisting of a few Cost Centers and their values.
You can then define the characteristic Cost Center in each column and use the cost center
number as header text.
Change the the column heading to Cost Center Name. Save and execute the report.
The report looks like this.
To hide the Navigation Area, click on the Hierarchy Button on the left. The variation buttons
on the right allow you to navigate between hierarchy levels.
2.8.4 Variation
The variation function allows you to print several reports at one go. It is possible to print a
report for each element in a group (set) defined in General data selection.
The hierachy in the picture has 3 levels and 6 individual cost centers. When you print, you
can choose, whether you want to print the selected level (H2010) or 9 separate reports of all
variation levels.
Variation is defined in report definition and is related to General data selections .
Characteristics defined as groups (sets) in General data selection show up in variation (menu
Edit/Variation).
The characteristic Cost Center is expanded, because it was exploded in the General data
selection.
If you execute the report in expert mode, you can change the variation setting.
In Expert mode Variation is displayed in report selection.
If you want to use the period interval in column text, enter the text in the Long text like this
Actual &1PERIV – &1PERIK. It is also possible use arrow heads (Actual <&1PERIV> –
<&1PERIK>)
Short text is defaulted, why you need to change the header text lenght to One-line long text.
Because of the missing period, we get an error when we try save and to run the report.
We have two alternatives to correct the error:
1. add period definition also to the previous year column
2. move the period definition to General data selection
We choose alternative 2. First remove Period from all columns and then add it to General
Data. Now it is valid for all columns.
Change the name of the Prev.yr. column heading to &1GJAHVJ &1PERIV – &1PERIK
Why do we still get two Fiscal Years? The cause is variable 1GJAHVJ that we used for
Previous year. It is derived from the current year variable 1GJAHLJ, which is displayed in
the selection.
If you use in the report figures for previous years, use 1GJAHLJ for current year. Variables
1GJAHVJ and 1GJAHVV are derived from 1GJAHLJ.
1GJAHVJ = 1GJAHLJ-1, 1GJAHVV= 1GJAHLJ -2.
You can avoid the problem of multiple selection fields caused by inconsistent variables, if
you can move the characteristics to general data selection. We did this with the characteristics
Period. However, you need to keep the Fiscal Year in column definition, because it is not
same for all columns.
2.11 Add and delete columns
2.11.1 Delete a Column
If you need to delete a column from the definition, right-click on the column and select
Delete from the menu.
2.11.2 Insert a Column
If you need to a column between existing columns, click inside the column before which you
want to add the new column. Right-click to open the menu. Select Insert element. Select
element type.
You do it in the Report Group (GR52). Enter there the text you want to see in ‘Description’.
The drilldown feature is called Report/Report Interface. It can be defined at Library or Report
Group level.
Click on Configure.
Enter the name of the Report Group. Our group was YREP. Select ‘Other Report Type’.
Select Report type TR Transaction.
Check in the SAP menu, which are the transactions for Cost Center line item reports.
Return to Report Group and add transaction code KSB1 Actual line items.
When you return back to Assign Report, click on Plus to add the Plan line items report. Enter
the report group YREP, select Other Report Type and TR. Enter the transaction KSBP Plan
line items.
You can change the order of the reports, if you want.
Select (1) first Actual line items, place then the cursor on Plan Line items and click on Move
(2).
Here you can choose a line, double-click it and move over to the original document. In this
example to the accounting document.
The format groups controls: the column width, scaling 1-1.000.000, decimals 0 – 0,00000 etc.
Change the scaling in group 1 to 0, with no decimals and check the outcome.
Copy the new layout from existing standard layout and make the changes you want.
The Report layout is in menu Formatting/Report Layout.
If you run the report in Expert Mode, you can change the Layout settings under
Settings/Report Layout.
2.15 Sections
2.15.1 Create New section
You can use sections in your reports.
Before you start with the section definition, you need to define cells that you use in the key
figures. Double click the intersection of row and column. A check mark is added. It indicates
the cells you can use in calculations.
Double-click on the placeholders. The formula editor opens. The cells defined are already
there. Write the formula to the formula line.
Save and test run the report.
3 Main elements of Report Painter
The main elements of Report Painter reports are:
· Reporting tables
· Report Libraries /
· Report Group
3.1.1 Characteristics
Characteristics (2) are elements you will use in the report rows, columns and selections. Such
as cost center, cost element, profit center, account.
3.1.2 Basic Key Figures
Basic Key Figures (3) are numerical value fields. Such as costs, quantity, Total costs in trans.
or object currency.
If the report group contains several reports these can be executed as a set. For example you
have two reports in report group YREP.
Start the reports from the report group.
Both reports show up on the report screen, where you can start them.
In the report group header you entered the description that shows up in the report selection
screen.
The drilldown to line items was defined in the Report/Report interface of the Report Group.
3.4 Sets and Variables
We have in our definitions used different sets and variables.
All the cost element, cost center, order, profit center groups are sets that you can use in the
report definitions.
For cost elements and cost centers we used Set variables.
Variables are in Report Writer menu.
Set variable 1KSTAR contains all cost elements. Set variable 1KOSET contains all cost
centers.
The use of set variables adds to report selection the possibility to select groups. For example
1KOSET -> Cost Center Group or values(s), 1KSTAR -> Cost Element Group or value(s).
Depending on their definition the variables can get different default values.
We used variables also in the column headings. Before the variable a prefix “&” was added.
Numerical variables enable calculations, such as “&CURYEAR – 1”.
You can maintain the variables with transactions GS13 Display, GS12 Change.
Set variable 1KSTAR contains all cost elements. Set variable 1KOSET contains all cost
centers.
Variables 1PERIV, 1PERIK define the period interval. The default value of 1PERIV is 1,
which you can be change in the report selection.
The variable 1PERIK contains a system variable #S006 = current period.
Use standard variables for the reporting tables, if possible. Table T802G contains the
variables per the tables.
What next?
At this stage of the exercise you should have the basic skills necessary to work with your own
reports. Keep in mind that there are lot’s of standard reports in the system that you can copy
and mofify to suit your own purposes.
How to get the reports to production? That depends on the IT policies of your company. It is
possible to create transport requests or export the report definitions as text files to other
systems (DEV, PRD). It is possible to generate transactions and attach the reports to report
trees (Area Menus).
More on the subject:
SAP Area Menus
How to export/import report groups
SAP QuickView
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