Multi Resource Scheduling

SAP Multi resource Scheduling

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SAP Multi Resource Scheduling is one of the critical area of  SAP where hardly any consultant available. In this post I have tried to explain end to end step for implementation of SAP Multi Resource Scheduling MRS and also guide you to integrate with SAP PS and HR module.

Introduction to Multi Resource Scheduling (MRS)

Multi Resource Scheduling (MRS) is a solution for resource management in the service and in the project business With Multi Resource Scheduling you are able to visualize your service planning status and assign requests to your service staff and tools using an intuitive graphical planning board.

Main Features of Multi Resource Scheduling

  • Get an overview of your current planning status; including scheduled requests, resource utilization and open work lists
  • Use a graphical planning board, supported by an alert monitor, to interactively dispatch open service requests to your available resources
  • Use an optimization engine to automatically create an optimized schedule
  • Take advantage of analytics to:
  • Determine your overall request status
  • Understand your resource utilization
  • Support your field service efficiency:
  • Reduce commute times by integrating Geographical Information Systems (GIS)
  • Make use of mobile connectivity to update the requests for your field service personnel

Multi Resource Scheduling 700 – Introduction

A new release of Multi Resource Scheduling MRS (MRS 700) is available since November 2009.

Some main functions and features of this release are:

Additional deployment options like:

1),This is achieved by decoupling the old Add on into two: Add on for Netweaver and Add on for ECC.

2),The NW add on can be installed on any Netweaver platform.

3),The ERP Add on can be installed only on ECC 6.0 and required Multi Resource Scheduling (MRS) Netweaver Add on as prerequisite.

Integration with CRM Service Orders


1),MRS 700 can be integrated to CRM Service orders.

2),MRS 700 Netweaver Add on can be deployed on a CRM instance also

Support of Multi Back end demand systems

1),Demands from multiple PM/CS systems can be integrated into one instance of MRS

Support of HR Qualifications from c-Pro

In addition to Multi Resource Scheduling (MRS) qualifications, the HR qualifications can also be used in c-Projects Planning Scenario

Enhancements in Multi Resource Scheduling (MRS) Optimizer

1),Optimizer provides new logging feature

2),Optimizer provides functions to schedule optimization from outside the planning board too.

Configuration Guide

Configuration guide to Multi Resource Scheduling (MRS)

1 Basic Settings

a. Status

Why do we really need an abstract status?

In SAP, all the statuses are 4 Character statuses and these are language dependent. Moreover, this 4 character status can be customized also. The system statuses are delivered by SAP and the user statuses are customized at each customer location.

So, a status that represents ‘Work has started’ for an assignment could be customized differently at each customer location. I can call it STRT and you can call it BEGN.

If in MRS we were to code some logic that depends on statuses, then it would be big mess if we coded based on the 4 character statuses STRT or BEGN (because they would be different for different customers). So inside MRS we use “Abstract status” which can be mapped to the concrete statuses. 

Thus the MRS code always depends upon the abstract status and on the UI, we always continue to show the 4 character concrete statuses (because this is what is shown in all other SAP applications and users are comfortable with this)

In this customizing step, there are mainly 2 settings to be maintained. 

1. Define Abstract Status

Define abstract statuses for e.g. Work_Started.

2. Assign Status

Map this status to a concrete 4 character status like STRT or BEGN.

Important points to note:

You can assign exactly one abstract status to a concrete status. However, an abstract status can be mapped to multiple concrete statuses.

b. Define RP Node and Evaluation paths

In this customizing node you will define the object type the system will use as Resource planning node and the related evaluation paths.
Here, I will explain the R/3 Scenario (because I have no experience of other scenarios ).

The object type: The object type used as ‘Resource planning node’. It can be O, 9O, A or anything else that customer likes.

Resource planner and Contact persons: Define here the object type used to identify a Resource Planner and Contact Person. You can chose between P(Person) or US(User). If you specify Person, the system retrieves the contact data for the resource planners from the HR master record. If you specify User, the system retrieves the contact data for the resource planner from the user master record.

Evaluation paths for Authorizations: Specify the evaluation paths that should be used for evaluating the user authorizations. Here, from the user the system will identify the Org units using these evaluation paths. The resulting org units are the ones for which the user is authorized. These evaluation paths are used only if in the basic settings you have activated “Authorization check based on Evaluation paths”.

Evaluation path for resources: This evaluation path is used to determine the resources from a resource planning node. So when you double click on an org unit in planning board, the resources are fetched based on this evaluation path.

Evaluation path for Resource planner and contact person: This evaluation path is used to determine the Resource planner and contact person of a Resource planning node. In the resource planning scenario for project business, we enter the Org unit number in network header customer enhancement tab. At that point, this evaluation path is used to determine the names and details of contact person and resource planners.

EP: Resource planning node to Resources: The name here is slightly confusing. This evaluation path is used to determine the resource planning nodes to which a person is attached. This is used at the time of authorization checks. For a person, this evaluation path will find the planning nodes to which this person is attached. If the resource planner is not authorized to plan these planning nodes, then he cannot create / change the assignment or time allocations for this resource.

Eval Path for higher level RP nodes: This evaluation path is used to find the parent org units for a given org unit. This is used at many places. For instance during the authorization checks also to determine if the planner is authorized for higher org units.

EP: Dir assigned RP Node for Resource planner: As the name suggests, this evaluation path will get the directly assigned resource planning node for a resource planner. This is used in transaction /MRSS/PLBOTIME to find the RP Node for the current user. It is also used in the lean planning board transactions.

EP: Dir assigned RP Node for contact person: As the name suggests, this evaluation path will get the directly assigned resource planning node for a contact person. This is used in the transaction /MRSS/RAP_CP.

Log. Work center to RP Node: This evaluation path is used to find the work center connected to a Resource planning node. This EP is used to determine the work center during the back integration. For example if you change the assignment to planning node for a demand in planning board, the appropriate work center must be written back.

RP Node to work center: This evaluation path is used to find the Resource planning node from a given work center. This EP is used in the forwards integration of PM/CS and PS demands. Here, from the work center of the activity or operation the system determined the planning node and assigns the demand to that planning node.

Work center to higher level RP Node: This evaluation path is used to determine the work centers for a selected and higher level resource planning nodes. This evaluation path is used in the search help of work centers. The search help shows the complete resource planning node hierarchy and the work centers under that.

Person to Work center: This evaluation path will find the persons attached to a work center. This EP is used during the automatic assignment creation to determine the resources from a work center.

Work center to Person: This evaluation path finds the work center for a person. The system uses this EP during the back integration to determine the technician work center of the resource.

2 Customize MRS Basis

a. Time Allocation Types

Time Allocation types are defined in the customizing node MRS Basis->Define Time Allocation Types.

To know about what are time allocations, read the page Time Allocation.

Here, you define the types of individual time allocations and determine the parameters required to calculate the time availability of a resource. The time availability of a resource is calculated using the sum of all time allocations (for example, Monday to Thursday from 8:00 to 18:00 and Friday from 8:00 to 14:00).

Each assignment can have a specific type, such as WORK for working time, ILL for illness, and so on. You can assign the following attributes to each time allocation type:

  • “Available” or “Not available”
  • A standard priority
  • An exception indicator for the time allocation that specifies that this time allocation type does not form part of basic availability (normal working times)

Example

You define a time allocation type for illness. You define a time allocation type “ILL” for the absence type illness. Since a resource is not available when ill, you assign the availability 0. You then define the standard priority of this absence.

You have defined a value range from (-64) to 64 for your priorities, where (-64) is the lowest priority and 64 the highest. Since employees are never available when they are ill, you assign the time allocation type the priority 64.

Since ILL does not form part of the “normal” working times, you mark it as an exceptional time allocation type.

You then enter “ILL” as the short text and “ILLNESS” as the long text.

b. Assign Time Allocation Types to Resource Types/ Time allocation Type for Tools

The time allocation types defined in the previous step must be assigned to resource types. Then only they can be used in Planning board.

Activities to be performed are:

  • Choose a resource type
  • Navigate to ‘Assign Time allocation types’ by double clicking
  • Enter the time allocation types manually or select then from F4 list
  • Save your work

Note: The resource types 00(Human Resource), 01(Tool Resource) and 99(Team Resource) are delivered by SAP and must not be changed.

Define Time Allocation Type for Tools

You also have to specify a time allocation type with which the availability of the tool are to be created in Multi Resource Scheduling (MRS) Basis. This time allocation type is required when the tool is used for the first time.

Example: AVAIL. This time allocation type must have availability type ‘1-Available’ and exception indicator set to space.

Also See: SAP functional location an Overview