SAP implementation (Systems, Applications & Products implementation) refers to the name of the German company SAP SE, and is the whole of processes that defines a complete method to implement the SAP ERP enterprise resource planning software in an organization. The SAP implementation method described in this entry is a generic method and not a specific implementation method as such. It is based on best practices and case studies from various literature sources and presents a collection of processes and products that make up a complete implementation method to allow any organization to plan and execute the implementation of SAP software.
2. What is SAP?
• SAP is an ERP System
• ERP Stands for Enterprise Resource
Planning
• An ERP System is a collection of software
programs which ties all of an enterprises
various diverse functions (such as finance,
sales, manufacturing, human resources) into
a cohesive data base.
3. Introduction to SAP - History
• SAP stands for Systems, Applications, and
Products in Data Processing
• Founded in Germany by Five Former IBM
Engineers in 1972
• In 1988, SAP went public and became a
joint-stock company, SAP AG
4. Introduction to SAP - Today
• Headquartered in Walldorf, Germany,
• The World's Largest Inter-Enterprise Software
Company
• The world's Third-Largest Independent
Software Supplier Overall
• Employs Over 23,700 People in More than 50
Countries
• Additional Information can be Found on the
SAP Web Site http://www.sap.com/company
and http://www.sapfans.com/
5.
6. Introduction to SAP
• SAP Supports all Kinds of Industries and all
Functions of the Industry
• SAP is an Integrated System
• This means that all SAP modules are
designed to share information and
automatically create transactions based on
various business process.
7.
8. Introduction to SAP
• SAP R/2 is the SAP Mainframe Based
Software Package
• SAP R/3 is the SAP Client/ Server – 3 Tier
Architecture Based Software Package
9. R/2 System Components
• RA - Assets Accounting
• RF - Financial Accounting
• RK - Cost Accounting
• RK-P - Projects
• RM-INST - Plant Maintenance
• RM-MAT - Materials Management
• RM-PPS - Production Planning and Control
16. Characteristics of SAP R/3
• Consists of business
application modules that
can be used either
individually or in
combination with other
modules.
17.
18.
19. Quiz
1. What does SAP stand for?
2. What does ERP stand for?
3. What is the difference between SAP R/2
and SAP R/3?
4. What business application module is the
FI module?
5. Is the FI module an R/2 or R/3 business
application module?
20. Quiz - Answers
1. System, Application, and Products in Data
Processing
2. Enterprise Resource Planning
3. SAP R/2 is the SAP Mainframe Based Software
Package and SAP R/3 is the SAP Client/ Server
– 3 Tier Architecture Based Software Package
4. Financial Accounting
5. R/3 – the R/2 Financial Accounting model is RF
Information found on the SAP Web Site - http://www.sap.com/company and the book “SAP R/3 Process Oriented Implementation” by Gerhard Keller and Thomas Teufel
Information found on the SAP Web Site - http://www.sap.com/company
Information found on the The SAP Fan Club Web Site - http://www.sapfans.com/
and the book “SAP R/3 Process Oriented Implementation” by Gerhard Keller and Thomas Teufel
SAP constitutes a radical shift from traditional fragmented business computer systems. In the past, each business unit or department might have maintained their own separate computer system which were often incompatible with others in the company. As a result, the prospect of synchronizing processes, sharing information, and communicating results was inefficient at best and often impossible to achieve. Furthermore, resources were wasted on redundant activities.
SAP, on the other hand, is an enterprise-wide software solution that links an entire organization together with one comprehensive system. That means that SAP can handle a wide range of tasks, from keeping track of manufacturing levels to balancing the books in accounting, and then tie it all together effectively streamlining the data flow between different parts of a business.
The goal is a company where information gets entered into a computer once, and only once. A sales rep, say, books an order for a product and enters it into SAP. After that the software makes sure everyone stays informed. When the factory begins assembling the order, shipping can check its progress on-line and calculate the expected transport date. The warehouse can check its stock of parts and fill whatever bins the factory has depleted. Once the order gets shipped, the information goes directly into the sales reports for the folks at the top.
The bottom line is that SAP allows businesses to share information in real-time with employees, suppliers and distributors no matter what the size of the organization. This kind of streamlining has a direct and positive effect on productivity, customer service, overall quality and ultimately the profitability of the company.
Information found on the The SAP Fan Club Web Site - http://www.sapfans.com/
and the book “SAP R/3 Process Oriented Implementation” by Gerhard Keller and Thomas Teufel
The R stands for real – i.e. real-time processing.
The original SAP software was developed for mainframe based architecture. It has a modular structure, and its comprehensive business functionality enables a high degree of integration. The R/2 software runs on mainframes, such as IBM, Siemens, Amdahl. The current version of R/2 is 6.1. Currently SAP continues to update and add functionality to its R/2 system for those clients who prefer to use a mainframe based architecture.
SAP has keep up with technology changes. In the 1980s data processing began to be decentralized due to the implementation of department computers and workstations making client/ server architecture popular. In response to this change, in 1992 SAP introduced SAP R/3 based on 3 Tier Client/ Server Architecture.
R/3 is a three tier client/server system with distinct layers for presentation, application and database. The database layer performs database processing, the application layer executes the business processes, and the presentation layer handles client and local preprocessing and presents the graphical user interface.
The R/2 mainframe solution is not open, although with the help of ALE (Application Link Enabled) technology, R/2 can be linked to R/3 systems and share online data.
The following information is from a power point presentation prepared by Edward L. Summers Thosmas Professor of Accounting for the University of Texas at Austin.
Client-server is a type of computer network architecture in which some computers store information and processes (the servers) which they provide on demand to the other computers (the clients).
SAP R/3’s three-tier client/server architecture distinguishes between the user interface (or “presentation”), the applications, and the database. Tier One, the user interface, appears at the workstations and allows the user to concentrate on the tasks being performed. Tier Two, the applications, may be spread among various servers on a network. SAP R/3 has the ability to route a user-initiated task to the proper servers(s) which have the data and software to execute it. When the tasks are coming in thick and fast, SAP R/3 may place them in a queue and prioritize them for execution. Tier Three, the database, may be implemented using Oracle or some other product. The applications pass data to and from the database as they perform their functions.
Information found in the book “SAP R/3 Process Oriented Implementation” by Gerhard Keller and Thomas Teufel
Information found in the book “SAP R/3 Process Oriented Implementation” by Gerhard Keller and Thomas Teufel
Information found on the The SAP Fan Club Web Site - http://www.sapfans.com/
The following information was from a power point presentation put together by Edward L. Summers Thomas Professor of Accounting at the University of Texas at Austin.
This is the SAP diagram which explains symobolically how the component parts of R/3 operate. The light blue area symbolizes the client/server architecture. The smaller colored diamonds bordering the the client/server area represent the major R/3 modules and their users. The following slides list all of the R/3 modules.
Information found in the book “SAP R/3 Process Oriented Implementation” by Gerhard Keller and Thomas Teufel
Information found in the book “SAP R/3 Process Oriented Implementation” by Gerhard Keller and Thomas Teufel
The following information is from a power point presentation by Edward L. Summers Thomas Professor of Accounting University of Texas at Austin.
The SAP R/3 Modules exchange data with each other and with non-SAP R/3 applications. The modules cover all enterprise information needs comprehensively. SAP R/3 can be customized using built-in options, and can be user-modified to include new capabilities. Customization allows SAP R/3 to reflect virtually any organization’s structure.
Information found on the The SAP Fan Club Web Site - http://www.sapfans.com/
Information found in the book “Configuring SAP R/3 FI/CO” by Quentin Hurst and David Nowak
The following information is from a power point presentation by Edward L. Summers Thomas Professor of Accounting University of Texas at Austin.
SAP R/3’s design is based on the idea that an accounting system should be integrated, real-time, enterprise-wide, secure, and reliable.
This information is from the Central Michigan University SAP Web Site - http://wwwext03.sap.com/scripts/redirect.asp?contenturl=http://sap.mis.cmich.edu&source=ext&backurl=/usa/alliance/alliancemem.asp
When you use R/3, you are free to choose your technical infrastructure. You are able to choose which hardware, operating systems, or databases you want to use. An organization has the ability to choose from the leading international vendors; the IT strategy can even be planned to include various systems from different manufacturers. Most importantly, the openness of R/3 protects your investment for the long term. As your company grows, R/3 grows with you. And if you change your hardware environment, R/3 stays with you on your path of change without jeopardizing your software investment.
The number of workstations you include with the R/3 in your client/server solution is determined solely by your individual need. R/3 is infinitely expandable, and can be used just as well in client/server architectures with 30 seats as in installations with 3,000 end-users. This scalability ensures that R/3 can always grow with your requirements. We offer total solutions for qualified client/server information processing that combines a variety of products and services in a smoothly functioning communication network. R/3 incorporates not only system management, database recovery, and print management, but also network administration and backup solutions. Our partnerships with hardware manufacturers, database providers, and technology and service companies play a significant role here.
The benefit: Cooperative client/server processing distributes applications and computing capabilities almost at will across a number of levels, and systematically takes advantage of the strengths of different hardware and software components.
The following information is from a power point presentation by Edward L. Summers Thomas Professor of Accounting University of Texas at Austin.
SAP R/3 integrated software functionality is portable across different hardware platforms. “Portable” means that SAP R/3 works with Unix, NT, and AS/400 systems. It also words with Oracle, Informix, and other database systems. The most common choices are UNIX and Oracle.
Information found on the The SAP Fan Club Web Site - http://www.sapfans.com/