Example of Using Multiple Project and Business Units

A project unit defines a set of rules and options for creating and managing the nonfinancial aspects of projects, such as project definition, scheduling, and reporting.

You can define one or more project units based on how granular you want to separate processing options, reference data, security, and other controls. The list of project units can be different and independent from the list of business units that perform your enterprise financials functions, such as payables and receivables.

Following are two examples of associating project units and business units.

Single Project Unit with Multiple Business Units

A consulting company has offices in the US, Canada, and Mexico. Each location uses local purchasing and payables practices. The company uses projects to track time and expenses for billing through contracts. The following graphic illustrates an example of single project unit that is associated with multiple business units.

Multiple Project Units with Multiple Business Units

A products and services company has main offices in the US and a warehouse and sales office in Canada. Due to operations in two different countries, the company partitions financial data by using two business units. The research processes are the same in both countries, so a single project unit facilitates common project management practices. The company has an information technology (IT) services project unit that is associated with US business unit. It also has a sales and consulting project unit that is associated with both the US and Canadian business units. The consulting line of business uses projects to manage consulting engagements and provide billing details to contracts. The internal real estate line of business uses projects to manage the US and Canada facilities, including new construction and repairs. The following graphic illustrates an example of multiple project units that are associated with multiple business units.