SAP Overview

SAP?
Company ERP Software package
R/2 R/3

History
SAP's story is one of a steady rise from a small, five-man operation Headquartered in southwest Germany's world's largest independent software providers and an employer of more than 53,000 people in over 75 countries.

Why ERP
Integration Best business practices
Standardization

Configuration
Configuration is the process of making standard software fit your business. SAP, as an example, has:
Over 8000 configuration decisions Data structuring
Sales divisions, distribution channels

Rewriting Code (Modifications)

Not recommended because of compatibility problems when updated versions of the software are installed.

Customization
Writing code at SAP-specified user exits

Third-party software solutions

Organization
SAP R/3 was arranged into distinct functional modules Each module handled specific business tasks on its own, but was linked to the others where applicable. SAP typically focused on best practice methodologies for driving its software processes

SAP R/3 System Business Modules

Logistical

Sales & Distribution

Financial Accounting

Financial

Materials Mgmt.

Controlling

Production Planning

R/3
Quality Mgmt. Plant Maintenance

Fixed Assets Mgmt.

Client / Server ABAP/4

Workflow

Project System

Human Resources

Industry Solutions

R/3 System: Hardware/Software Views

Typical Client Server Architectures

Presentation Application Database

Central System Two - tier Distributed System Two - tier Client/Server Three - tier Client/Server Multi-layer Cooperative Client/Server

R/3 System Configurations

Central System 2-Tier Configuration

SAP
3-Tier Configuration Web-enabled

Presentation

Presentation
Internet Transaction Service/Web Service

Application

Database, Application, Presentation Database and Application Database

In a central R/3 System configuration, one host is responsible for all processing tasks.

R/3 System Configurations

Central Systems 2-Tier Configuration

SAP
3-Tier Configuration Web-enabled

Presentation

Presentation
Internet Transaction Service/Web Service

Application

Database, Application, Presentation Database and Application Database

Two-tier R/3 System configurations are usually implemented using special

presentation servers that are responsible solely for formatting the graphical interface. Many R/3 System users use PCs with Microsoft Windows -installed, for example, as presentation servers.

R/3 System Configurations

Central Systems

SAP
3-Tier Configuration Web-enabled

2-Tier Configuration

Presentation

Presentation
Internet Transaction Service/Web Service

Application

Database, Application, Presentation Database and Application Database

An alternative two-tier configuration is to install powerful desktop systems and to use these for presentation and applications (two-tier client/server). This type of configuration is particularly useful for expensive applications (such as simulations) or for software developers.

R/3 System Configurations

Central Systems 2-Tier Configuration

SAP
3-Tier Configuration Web-enabled

Presentation

Presentation
Internet Transaction Service/Web Service

Application

Database, Application, Presentation Database and Application Database

In a three-tier configuration, you use your own host for the three tiers. Using data from the database server, several different application servers can operate at the same time. To ensure that the load on individual servers is as even as possible and to achieve optimal performance, you can use special application servers for individual application areas such as sales planning, distribution or financial accounting.

R/3 System Configurations

Central Systems 2-Tier Configuration

SAP
3-Tier Configuration Web-enabled

Presentation

Presentation
Internet Transaction Service/Web Service

Application

Database, Application, Presentation Database and Application Database

To web-enable the SAP Applications, a Web Server and an ITS (Internet Transaction Server) are needed. The web-service and the services for the ITS can run on one server or on two dedicated servers. The presentation in this configuration is provided by an Internet Browser. The new SAP Web platform is NetWeaver.

Basis System: Three-Tier Computer Hierarchy

Central Database
(Storage of all data)

Access to Dataase:
(Read / Write data)

Database
Input / Output of data to users
Processing of data using application logic

Application

Presentation

Presentation of the processed data to the user

Client/Server Overview
Server LAN/WAN
TCP / IP

Client

Client/Server Overview (Logical Structure)

Data Storage
Server

Application Logic
Client

Presentation

W h a t d o e s a n R /3 D a ta b a s e C o n ta in ?
R /3 S y s te m

d a ta b a s e

C lie n t

C lie n t

C lie n t

C u s to m izin g O b je c ts R e p o s ito ry O b je c ts G lo b a l S e ttin g s

SAP AG
R

W h a t is a C lie n t?
A c lie n t is a n a u to n o m o u s u n it in th e R /3 S y s te m w ith re g a rd to c o m m e rc ia l la w , o rg a n iza tio n , a n d d a ta .

se s t e r u s e rr r e c o r d s a a u th ser M o r iz a U tio n

C lie n t

n i z i n g c u s t ot - d e p e n d e n t om m iz in Cust g dat a

c lie

Ap

io n lic a t p

tra n s a c tio n m ast e r d a d a ta ta

R

SAP AG

Landscape
DEVELOPMENT > QUALITY -> PRODUCTION DEVELOPMENT : is where the consultants do the customization as per the companys requirement. QUALITY : is where the core team members and other members test the customization. PRODUCTION : is where the live data of the company is recorded. A request will flow from Dev->Qual->Prod and not backwards.

Sample SAP System Landscape

Development
Database Servers

Testing

Production

Application Servers

Presentation Servers

Technology
SAP based the architecture of R/3 on a three-tier client/server Presentation Server(GUI) Application Server Database Server

Sales Process Finished Goods

Availability Check - Insufficient Customer Order Independent Demand

Dependent Demand

MRP Run
Production Scheduling

Purchasing

Logging In

Basics

Client
This is a numeric field. This number defines a whole business entity.

User
Every SAP user has a user name. Users of SAP system are client-specific, which means that having a user identification on one client will only allow access to that particular client.

Password Rules
Letters Numbers Easy to remember 3-8 Characters long No 3 Characters can be the same Do not start with a ? or an ! Do not use previous 5 passwords

Language
SAP supports multi-national character sets and languages on the same system, at the same time. Default languages are English and German.

Field Types
There are three types of Entry Fields
Required Default entry Optional entry field

Reporting
Three basic steps to running a report
Access the report Enter selection criteria Execute the report

System Messages
E - Error
An invalid entry has been made. The cursor moves to the field where the error has occurred.

W - Warning
A possible error has been made. The user can continue without changing.

I Information
Feedback from the system.

Customizing - Modeling the Business

Organizational Structures in each module Master Data - Customers, Materials, Rules - required entries, tolerances,

Mapping
Assignment of organizational structures to reflect the enterprise model

Establishes integration among modules