Online Course
Essential CO: Controlling with SAP S/4HANA
with Steve Turner
04/14/2026 – 05/05/2026
The course in detail:
Don’t let the “magic” of management accounting intimidate you! Master the essential elements of controlling in private cloud and on-premise SAP S/4HANA with this course. After exploring SAP S/4HANA deployment models, tables, and UIs, dig into the controlling subprocesses that measurably improve your profitability. See how cost element and cost center accounting, internal orders, margin analysis, product costing, and actual costing are typically run in SAP S/4HANA and understand the configuration settings that support them.
For new entrants to the SAP space, get started by laying strong CO foundations; for mid-career practitioners, refresh your view of controlling in the “new” SAP S/4HANA world!
What you'll learn:
- Explore the controlling advancements in SAP S/4HANA
- Understand how your product and cost data is organized, and follow postings from FI to CO in your system
- Dig into internal orders, margin analysis, product costing, and actual costing
- Review underlying configuration to facilitate customization
🕒 The courses start at 10 a.m. ET and end at 3:00 p.m. ET, breaks included.
Who is this controlling course suitable for?
- New or upskilling FI-CO consultants
- SAP S/4HANA Finance implementation teams and leads
- Review underlying configuration to facilitate customization
Prerequisite: Attendees should have a solid understanding of basic SAP S/4HANA financial accounting concepts (double-entry accounting, income statement vs. sheet, etc.) and processes (general ledger accounting, accounts payable, and accounts receivable, basic tax and asset accounting, and period end close), and a working understanding of SAP S/4HANA management accounting concepts (cost vs. revenue vs. margin, direct vs. indirect costs, cost centers, internal projects, budgets, standard cost vs. actual costs, and FI postings to CO via cost centers, internal orders, or profit centers). If you need more information about the learning level, please feel free to ask us
The following topics are outside the scope of this course:
- Advanced allocation design and driver structures
- Complex universal parallel accounting (UPA) and multi-ledger scenarios
- Multi-valuation and advanced material ledger configurations
- Advanced margin analysis design and performance tuning
- Integrated Project Systems and CO (WBS/networks)
- Predictive planning, analytics, and integrated planning scenarios
These controlling topics will be covered in this course:
- SAP S/4HANA platform and navigation
- Finance and controlling structures and master data
- Core FI postings and CO line items
- Cost elements and cost centers
- Allocations and reporting
- Internal orders
- Order settlement and period-end processing
- Margin analysis and profit center integration
- Product costing and standard cost roll
- Material ledger
- Actual costing flow and variance
- COGS and inventory revaluation, reporting, and reconciliation
Learn more about Rheinwerk Courses with our FAQ.
Note: Can’t join live? No problem! With your purchase, you’ll receive access to the session recordings and slide decks directly on the learning platform shortly after each session concludes. Learn at your own pace, revisit key concepts, and reinforce your understanding of the topic. Whether live or on demand, this course offers you the opportunity to learn directly from a top SAP expert. Don’t miss out!
Online Courses
Finance Structures, Master Data, and Core Postings
Get your bearings with a look at how SAP S/4HANA stores both FI and CO line items in the Universal Journal. Identify the core organizational units relevant for CO, such as controlling area, company code, profit center, and cost center—and see how data and documents flow between FI and CO.
Topics:
- SAP S/4HANA platform and navigation
- Finance and controlling structures and master data
- Core FI postings and CO line items
- Cost elements and cost centers
Cost Elements, Cost Centers, and Allocations
See how FI postings flow into CO as actual costs! Learn how to distinguish between primary and secondary cost elements in SAP S/4HANA, and between assessment and distribution cycles in overhead controlling. Configure and execute an allocation cycle.
Topics:
- Controlling organization and FI/CO integration
- Cost elements and cost centers
- Direct FI-to-CO postings and derivations
- Allocations and reporting with universal parallel accounting
Internal Orders, Margin Analysis, and Product Costing
Walk through an internal order creation and close, with a focus on cost centers, assets, and profitability segments. Dig into the characteristics and value fields in margin analysis. Identify key elements of costing variants and overhead costing sheets!
Topics:
- Internal order lifecycle
- Order settlement and period-end processing
- Margin analysis and profit center integration
- Product costing and standard cost roll
Material Ledger and Actual Costing
Review why the material ledger is mandatory for inventory valuation in SAP S/4HANA. Describe how goods receipts, consumptions, and variances are captured during the period—and differentiate between single-level and multilevel price determination. Reconcile your results back to FI accounts!
Topics:
- Actual costing flow
- Variance capture
- Material ledger period-end closing
- COGS and inventory revaluation
- Reporting and reconciliation
Ticket Options
Your Experts
Steve Turner is a seasoned SAP consultant with more than 20 years of extensive experience integrating the latest SAP technologies, such as SAP S/4HANA Finance and group reporting/consolidation in manufacturing, mining, energy, and public sector industries. He has led cross-functional design teams and conducted user acceptance testing while facilitating ideal execution of SAP S/4HANA implementations. As a solution-oriented IT expert, he has been instrumental in gathering and documenting business requirements and aligning with best practices. His expertise lies in process improvement, SAP S/4HANA Cloud implementation, and SAP finance and management accounting.
Discover Additional Courses
Profitability calculations have evolved in recent years, so it’s time to dig into the best practices of margin analysis with SAP S/4HANA! Start by understanding the advantages of account-based profitability analysis and how to configure characteristics, operating concerns, and derivation. Set up and run actual value flows from sales and distribution, financial accounting, materials management, and controlling processes. Optimize margin analysis reporting through summary reports, line-item reports, and SAP Fiori apps! Then examine advanced topics such as realignment, transporting operating concerns, top-down distribution, and planning to see the complete picture of margin analysis with SAP S/4HANA!
Online Course: On Demand
Online Course: On Demand
Pair This Course with These Books
Beginning your finance transformation? Looking to learn what SAP S/4HANA has to offer? This book is your starting point for SAP S/4HANA Finance! Learn about the suite’s architecture and explore its capabilities for your core finance processes: financial accounting, management accounting, treasury and risk management, planning, consolidation, and close. Unlock enterprise-wide finance reporting, assess your deployment options, and design your finance project with this introductory guide!
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Starting a new SAP S/4HANA Finance implementation? Get it right the first time! From setting up an organizational structure to defining master data, this comprehensive guide to configuring SAP S/4HANA Finance walks you through each key task. Follow step-by-step instructions organized by functional area: general ledger, accounts payable and receivable, margin analysis, group reporting, and more. Customize SAP S/4HANA to meet your FI/CO needs!
E-book, Print, Bundle
Ready to take your SAP skills to the next level?
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