PS (Project System) supports projects from planning through execution to completion: one-off activities with a defined purpose and deadline that involve several departments and resources.
Where it is used
| Area | Content | Emphasis |
|---|---|---|
| Engineer to order | Plant construction, large machinery | Cost, schedule, progress billing |
| Capital investment | New plants, equipment replacement | Budget control, capitalisation |
| R&D | Research by theme | Cost collection by theme |
| Major maintenance | Turnarounds and overhauls | Cost and outage management |
| Internal projects | System implementation, improvement work | Effort and budget |
Two structures
| Structure | Represents | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| WBS | A hierarchical breakdown of deliverables | Cost collection, budget, responsibility |
| Network | Activities and their dependencies | Scheduling, requirements, capacity |
The WBS says what is being produced; the network says in what order the work happens. Cost management alone needs only a WBS; scheduling needs a network too.
Objects in PS
| Object | Content |
|---|---|
| Project definition | The overall frame; one per project |
| WBS element | A node in the hierarchy that collects cost |
| Network | A set of activities assigned to WBS elements |
| Activity | A unit of work within a network |
| Milestone | A significant point, which can also trigger billing |
Connections to other modules
| Module | Interaction |
|---|---|
| MM | Requisitions and orders against WBS elements; materials assigned to the project |
| CO | Cost collected on WBS elements and settled onwards |
| FI | Direct expense postings and capitalisation |
| SD | Sales orders linked to WBS elements; milestone billing |
| PP | Production orders linked to the project in make-to-order |
| HR | Time posted to the project |
| FI-AA | Completed assets settled to fixed assets |