.. Financial Operations Labor Distribution System Proposal Cost Objects: Create Contents Overview Define the Proposal Object Identifier Create a Proposal Object Copy an Existing Proposal Object Manually Enter a New Proposal Object Overview LDS allows you to create Proposal Objects, i.e. dummy cost objects (cost centers, internal orders, or WBS elements) that you can use for projecting future LDS commitments. This capability is useful, for example, in preparing information for a research proposal or planning for extension of an expiring grant. By performing your projections in clearly labeled proposal cost objects, you can easily distinguish your projections from your actual LDS commitments during reporting or analysis. Note LDS will accept entries into a Proposal Object that apply to current and future FY time periods. If you enter a multiyear commitment, LDS will adjust for inflation as determined by the MIT standard inflation rate tables or Department inflation rate tables (See LDS Functions: Display/Change Department Inflation Rate Information: Display Department Inflation Rate Data ). There are three functions related to the Proposal Object process: 1. Create a Proposal Object. 2. Associate proposed or existing appointment distribution lines to the Proposal Object. 3. Convert the distributions associated with the Proposal Object into distributions for an actual LDS cost object. See Proposal Object Reports. LDS allows you to create a new Proposal Object in two ways: By copying information from an existing LDS cost object into the Proposal Object you are creating, or By manually entering original data (typing the new information into the data fields) top Define the Proposal Object Identifier When you create a Proposal Object Identifier, you may use a unique string of 7-12 alphanumeric characters (e.g., NIH2000, or 7186200B). When you are copying existing cost object information to create a new Proposal Object, it is suggested that you use some derivative of the original number for ease of identification. For example, using the data from the actual cost center 1443000, you could choose 1443000A as the Proposal Object Identifier. top Create a Proposal Object From the SAP User Menu screen, use the following navigation path or transaction code to create a Proposal Object: Navigation Path: - User menu - Role ZMIT - Planning/Budgeting - LDS - LDS Master Data - Proposal Object - Create Proposal Obj Transaction Code: /nzL15 top Copy an Existing Proposal Object 1. Enter a new 7-12 character alphanumeric Proposal Object ID into the first Proposal Object ID field. 2. Using the Copy from area of the screen, enter either an existing SAP Cost Object number or a Proposal Object ID. Make sure to enter the Cost Object number into the applicable field (cost center, internal order, or WBS element). 3. Click the Enter button to see the "Create Proposal Object" data screen. Result: Most of the fields will be filled in with information from the existing Proposal or Cost Object you copied. 4. Enter the Valid From/To dates for the proposal cost object (LDS fills in the default 'from' date, using the expiration date for the originating cost object). 5. Change fields where needed to create the correct configuration for your needs. You also must identify a cost object supervisor in the Supervisor MIT ID field. 6. Skip down to the Proposal Object Fields section below. top Manually Enter a New Proposal Object 1. Enter a new 7-12 character Proposal Object ID into the top Proposal Object ID field. Choose a descriptive and unique identifier. 2. Click the Enter button to see the Create Proposal Object data screen. The entry fields will be empty. 3. Enter information in the required fields and in others as needed. See below for field descriptions. Proposal Object Fields Field Name What to Enter Proposal Object ID (grayed-out) The newly assigned 7-12 alphanumeric character Proposal Object ID is displayed here. Valid From (required) Enter the Proposal Object start date. By default, LDS inserts the system date or, for copied cost objects, LDS inserts the object's current expiration date. You may overlay the date as needed. You may use the Matchcode button to display a calendar and then select the date. Valid To (required) Enter the Proposal Object end date. Use the Matchcode button if needed. Description Section Field Name What to Enter Proposal Object Title (required) Enter the name of the new Proposal Object. Proposal Object Type (required) Enter the Proposal Object Type: KS - Cost Center, OR - Internal Order, or PR - WBS Element. Use the Matchcode button if needed. Basic Data Field Name What to Enter Contract Number You may enter the government-assigned contract number for research and development. (Mostly used for WBS Elements) Sponsor You may enter the key to identify the Sponsor in the Sponsored Research master data. (Mostly for WBS Elements) Supervisor MIT ID (required) Enter the MIT employee ID number of the supervisor(s) for the new Proposal Object. If not known, enter 99999999 for a Default Supervisor. Supervisor Name (grayed-out) After you save this screen's data, LDS will fill in the name associated with the Supervisor MIT ID number. Organization (required) Enter the eight-digit LD organization number. Use the Matchcode button to search, in the following steps: a) Click on the Matchcode button. Result: The dialog box, "LDS Organization (x) appears where x = the LDS session number. This box displays the following tabs: Abbreviation, Name, Abbreviation and Name, Search Function, and Hit List. b) Click on the Name tab. c) In the Name field, enter an abbreviated version of your department name with the character '*' beginning and ending the entry. E.g., '*sea gr*' for Sea Grant. Result: A Hit List displays: Select the eight-digit LD organization ID for your department. (All LDS Organization ID's begin with '7'.) Profit Center (required) Seven-character SAP Profit Center Number, which begins with 'P'. E.g., P100000. Use the Matchcode button to search and select. Status Enter the LDS Plan Object Status: P - Planned, S-Submitted, A - Awarded, and R - Rejected. You can update this field to track the progress of grant applications, etc. Comments Enter additional comments relating to this newly created Proposal Object. Costing Sheet and Overhead Keys Field Name What to Enter Costing Sheet and Overhead Keys These rates are centrally maintained at MIT, and apply across the Institute for all SAP users. Costing Sheet Enter the four-character code for the appropriate Costing Sheet, which will provide the tables of overhead formulas to be applied. Users are limited to the MIT standard list of costing sheets. Use the Matchcode button to search. Overhead Key Not in use currently. Lab Allocation Enter the appropriate code to allocate the percentage to be used in the lab surcharge, if needed. Use the Matchcode button to search. EB Adjustments Enter the appropriate code to identify the employee benefits (EB) adjustment percentages that should be applied instead of the institute-standard rates, if needed. Use the Matchcode button to search. OH Adjustments Enter the appropriate code to identify the F&A adjustment percentages that should be applied instead of the institute-standard rates, if needed. Use the Matchcode button to search. Planning Key Not in use currently. 4. When all the fields are completed, click the Save button . Result: A dialog box appears confirming that the Proposal Object has been created. top   Copyright 2001 © Massachusetts Institute of Technology SAP for MIT Documentation on the Web Valid From: 02/28/2001