This document discusses installation groups in SAP Utilities, which allow for data exchange between primary and secondary utility installations. It describes the customizing required to define installation group types, roles, and data exchange. An example billing scheme is provided where consumption from a secondary installation is transferred to the primary installation on billing. Various reports are also described to view installation group master data and billing documents.

1. Installation Group
This post is about Installation Groups.
It is a continuation of the previous post on Serial Switching. That can be found here. As I
have become lazy so there is no presentation, but I have included the screenshots in the post.
The concept of Installation Groups was developed for billing serial switching. It can be used
for other purposes as well where data exchange between installations is needed.
For more on Serial Switching check the help site for Utilities or you can check my blog post
too. There are Cookbooks available for Serial Switching and Installation Groups in the SAP
Service Market Place at http://service.sap.com/utilities -> Product Information -> IS-U/CCS -
> Billing/Invoicing -> Cookbooks & Guidelines.
If you want to use Installation Groups for Serial Switching then you must define the
installation with the primary register as the primary installation in the Installation group and
the installation with the secondary register becomes the secondary installation for the
Installation Group.
An Installation Group can have only one Primary Installation and one or many
Secondary Installations.
So like in Serial Switching we can define a Secondary Installation as the Primary Installation
for another relationship, this cannot happen with Installation Groups. But one can define
Installation Groups with hierarchies.
So there would be one Primary Installation in the Installation Group with hierarchy level as 1.
The Secondary Installations which have Primary Installation as higher level installation will
have hierarchy level as 2.
The other Secondary Installation which has Secondary Installation with hierarchy level 2 as
higher level installations will have hierarchy level as 3.
There is some Customizing needed for creating Installation Groups.
We need to define the Grouping Types, Installation Roles, Distribution Types and Data
Exchange.
For Grouping Types SAP Utilities->Master Data->Utility Installation->Define Grouping
Types for Installation Groups

2. For Installation Roles SAP Utilities->Master Data->Utility Installation->Define Installation
Roles
Assigning Installation Roles to Grouping Types SAP Utilities->Master Data->Utility
Installation->Allocate Installation Roles to Grouping Types.

3. Distribution Types SAP Utilities->Contract Billing->Billing Master Data->Rate Structure-
>Define Billing Rules for Installation Groups
Grouping Types are mentioned for the Primary Installation.
Installation Roles are mentioned for the Secondary Installations.
Depending on the Distribution Type the Grouping Type is used.
Now the Installation Group is to be maintained in the installation. This is done in the Time
Dependent Data block.
For Primary Installation maintain the field Grouping Type.
For Secondary Installation maintain the fields Installation Role and Primary Installation key.
Another important prerequisite is that Serial Switching should also be maintained.
Data Exchange between Primary and Secondary Installation is one fo the main function
of Installation Groups. The Data Exchange takes place in two ways and is referred to as
taking part from secondary installation side:
Consumption Relevant : when billing primary installation consumption and billing data is
taken from the secondary installation.
Distribution Relevant: when billing secondary installation consumption and billing data is
taken from the primary installation.

4. This customizing is maintained in SAP Utilities->Contract Billing->Billing Master Data-
>Rate Structure->Define Billing Rules for Installation Groups
Data Exchange between Secondary Installation is not supported.
So an Installation Group can have only one Primary Installation.
If business requirement ask for more than one Primary Installation then it can defined as a
secondary Installation with a different role and hierarchy.
An Installation cannot belong to more than one Installation Groups.
Allocation to Installation Groups is historical that means it can change over time.
Changes to the Installation Group properties for a single Installation can affect the Billing of
the entire Installation Groups.
The ISU_INSTGR_DISPLAY report gives an overview of the master data for an entire
installation group.
We can apply Installation Groups in many scenarios like:
1. Data Exchange from Secondary Installation to Primary Installation.
2. Data Exchange from Primary Installation to Secondary Installation.
3. Multiple Data Exchanges.
4. Budget Billing
5. DPC and Backbilling.
6. Period End Billing etc, Here we look at the first one as its the most general one.
Data Exchange from Secondary Installation to Primary Installation
The prerequisites for this scenario are:
* Serial Switching should be present between the Primary Register and the Secondary
Register.
* Primary Installation must belong to the primary register.
* Secondary Installation should belong to the Secondary register.
* the Consumption difference is to be evaluated in the Primary Installation.
* the Data Exchange shall be ‘Consumption Relevant’.
* Always the Secondary Installation should be billed first and then the Primary Installation
because the data exchange happens from the ERCHV tables line items which are generated
only after billing happens. The data exchange does not read meter readings directly.

5. Outline of Billing Scheme for Secondary Installations
No. Rate Variant Input Operand 1 Input Operand 2 Output
Operand
1 SUBREG QUANTI14 SUBREGCS SUBCS
2 SUBPR QUANTI01 SUBCS SUBQPR SUBAMT
3 SUBPR QUANTI22 SUBCS
Outline of Billing Schema for Primary Installation
No. Rate Variant Input Operand 1 Input Operand 2 Output
Operand
1 MAINREG QUANTI14 MAINREG MAINCS
2 MAINPR QUANTI02 MAINCS SUBSUM DIFFCS
3 MAINPR QUANTI01 DIFFCS MAINQPR MAINAMT
The Operand SUMSUB should have ERCHV Operand Indicator checked.
ERCHV Operand Indicator should be checked for Operand SUMSUB
The Data Exchange is also to be defined.
Grouping Role Source Operand: Secondary Target Operand:
Type Installation Primary Installation
GT01 IR01 SUBCS SUMSUB

6. Data Exchange task defined for Installation Role and Grouping Type
So once this is done and the Primary Installation is allotted the Grouping Type in the Time
Dependent Data block and the Secondary Installation is allotted the Key for Primary
Installation and the Installation Role. Check out the new button which comes up.
Primary Installation

7. Secondary Installation
We can create the Meter Reading Order(EL01) , We can check with the report
ISU_INSTGR_DISPLAY on the Installation Group.
Report ISU_INSTGR_DISPLAY on the Installation Group.

8. Report ISU_INSTGR_DISPLAY on the Installation Group- Master Data
Report ISU_INSTGR_DISPLAY on the Installation Group- Billing Documents
Report ISU_INSTGR_DISPLAY on the Installation Group- Schedule Records
Enter the Meter Reading Result(EL28)

9. and proceed with the Billing ,first for the Secondary Installation and then the Primary
Installation.
Billing Document for Secondary Installation

10. Billing Document for Primary Installation
Report ISU_INSTGR_DISPLAY on the Installation Group - Billing Document
Report ISU_INSTGR_DISPLAY on the Installation Group - Billing Document II

11. So that’s it ,the cookbook for Installation Group has much more details If you have any
doubts ,clarifications or info given above is incorrect do comment