The Basics of SAPs Integrated Business Solution 1

The Basics of SAP’s Integrated Business Solution 1

SAP q q q Systems, Applications, and Products in Data Processing (SAP) Name of the company – SAP AG – SAP America Name of the software – SAP R/2 – Mainframe version – SAP R/3 – Client/Server version SAP America, 2003 Plug and Play Introductory Course The University of South Dakota California State University, Chico 2

SAP AG q q Founded in Germany (1972) World’s fourth largest software provider World’s largest provider of Integrated Business Solutions software Company stock trades on the Frankfurt and New York exchanges SAP America, 2003 Plug and Play Introductory Course The University of South Dakota California State University, Chico 3

SAP R/3 q q q World-wide usage Designed to satisfy the information needs for all business sizes (international to local) – Multi-lingual – Multi-currency Designed to satisfy the information needs for all industries (industry solutions) SAP America, 2003 Plug and Play Introductory Course The University of South Dakota California State University, Chico 4

SAP R/3 q q q Enables a company to link it’s business processes Ties together disparate business functions (integrated business solution) Helps the organization run smoothly Real-time environment Scalable and flexible SAP America, 2003 Plug and Play Introductory Course The University of South Dakota California State University, Chico 5

Integrated Business Solutions Software Vendors q q q SAP Peoplesoft / J. D. Edwards Oracle Microsoft—Great Plains IBM SAP America, 2003 Plug and Play Introductory Course The University of South Dakota California State University, Chico 6

Architecture q q Central relational database (e. g. , Oracle and many others) Client/Server—three-tiered ERP Component—Oriented towards common identifiable business modules (PP, MM, SD, FI, CO, HR) Add-ons: Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Supply Chain Management (SCM) Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) SAP America, 2003 Plug and Play Introductory Course The University of South Dakota California State University, Chico 7

Relational Database q q Tables: Defines and links thousands of tables of information Advantages – Consistent and accurate data – Common definitions for terms – Shared, but restricted usage (e. g. , profiles) – Eliminates data redundancy SAP America, 2003 Plug and Play Introductory Course The University of South Dakota California State University, Chico 8

Client/Server Environment q q Client – Software/hardware combination that can make a request for services from a central repository of resources Server – Software/hardware combination that can provide services to a group of clients in a controlled environment SAP America, 2003 Plug and Play Introductory Course The University of South Dakota California State University, Chico 9

Three-Tier SAP Structure q q q GUI—Graphical User Interface or Web Interface Application server (one or many) Database server (one single location) SAP America, 2003 Plug and Play Introductory Course The University of South Dakota California State University, Chico 10

Business Modules q Collections of logically related transactions within identifiable business functions – PP (“Make”) – MM (“Buy”) – SD (“Sell”) – FI and CO (“Track”) – HR SAP America, 2003 Plug and Play Introductory Course The University of South Dakota California State University, Chico 11

SAP R/3 Modules SAP America, 2003 Plug and Play Introductory Course The University of South Dakota California State University, Chico 12

SAP R/3 Advanced Basics q q q Instance—each install of the SAP R/3 software on an individual application server Configurable—each instance can be distinctively configured to fit the needs and desires of the customer (within limits) Most of the infrastructure decisions, including configuration decisions, occur during project implementation SAP America, 2003 Plug and Play Introductory Course The University of South Dakota California State University, Chico 13

Configuration/Customization q q The process of tailoring SAP software by selecting specific functionality from a list of those supported by the software, very much like setting defaults (e. g. , Word, Access) DOES NOT involve changes to the underlying software code SAP America, 2003 Plug and Play Introductory Course The University of South Dakota California State University, Chico 14

Programming Code Modifications q q q Changes to the delivered code ABAP/4—Advanced Business Application Programming (ABAP) This should be done sparingly and carefully as it can make migration to new versions of the software much more difficult SAP America, 2003 Plug and Play Introductory Course The University of South Dakota California State University, Chico 15

SAP R/3 Document Principle q q q Each business transaction that writes data to the database creates a uniquely numbered electronic document Each document contains information such as – Responsible person – Date and time of the transaction – Commercial content Once created, a document can not be deleted from the database SAP America, 2003 Plug and Play Introductory Course The University of South Dakota California State University, Chico 16

Review q q q q q SAP and SAP R/3 Integrated Business Solution Architecture Client/Server Software Relational Database SAP R/3 Modules Configurable Software Programming Code Modifications—Be Careful!! SAP R/3 Document Principle SAP America, 2003 Plug and Play Introductory Course The University of South Dakota California State University, Chico 17