INTRODUCTION TO SAP

Summer Workshops 2010

ERP
What are Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
Systems?
Incredibly large, extensive software packages used
to manage a firms business processes.
Standard software packages that must be
configured to meet the needs of a company
Database programs with the following functions:

Input
Storage/Retrieval
Manipulation
Output

56,821+ Tables in SAP

ERP
Who are the big ERP vendors?
SAP, the German juggernaut
Systeme, Anwendungen, Produkte in der
Datenverarbeitung, or
Systems, Analysis and Products in Data Processing.
Dont be a sap!

Oracle/PeopleSoft/J. D. Edwards (J.D. Orisoft)

Microsoft Dynamics, aimed at smaller companies
SAP Business One is competing product
SAP BusinessByDesign
On-demand SAAS (Software as a Service)
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SAP ERP
FI
Financial
Accounting

QM

Workflow

PM

PS

Plant
Maint.

Quality
Mgmt.

Project
System

PP

SD

MM

Prod.
Planning

Sales &
Distrib.

Materials
Mgmt.

AM

HR

Asset
Mgmt.

Human
Resources

CO
Controlling

SAP ERP
FI
Financial
Accounting

Workflow

QM

PS

Quality
Mgmt.

Project
System

PM
Plant
Maint.

PP

SD

MM

Prod.
Planning

Sales &
Distrib.

Materials
Mgmt.

HR

AM

Human
Resources

Asset
Mgmt.

CO
Controlling

SAP can use a

number of
database programs
to actually store
the data.
Oracle
MS SQL
SAP MaxDB
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SAP
Systemanalyse und Programmentwicklung (SAP) was
formed in Mannheim, Germany in 1972 by five former
IBM systems analysts
SAPs goal was to develop a standard business software
product that could be configured to meet the needs of a
company
SAPs founders wanted
Data to be available in real time
Users to work on a computer screen, not with paper
Lofty goals in 1972

SAP History

72/73

79

92/93

2000

ERP System Costs

The cost of an ERP system:
Depends on the size and complexity of the software
package, which is a function of the size of the firm
Includes new hardware required to run the system
Includes consultant and business analyst fees
Includes the time required for implementation
(disruption of business)
Includes training costs (cost to develop and deploy
training plus employees time away from their job)
A large company, with over 1,000 employees, can spend
from $50 million to $500 million on a complex
implementation
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ERP Software Benefits

Improved process (fewer FTEs, better tracking)
Better decision-making
Global integration, including currency exchange rates
Reduced IT maintenance: single system is easier to
maintain
Provides information so that a company can be
managed, not just monitored

SAP ERP
Client-server architecture
Application
Server

Application
Server
USER PCs
w/SAP GUI

USER PCs
w/SAP GUI

Database
Server

Application
Server

Application
Server

A brief history of SAP academic

materials in North America
SAP
Education

ERPsim
Game

IDES
Based
International Demonstration and
Evaluation System

Dolphin
Group
Baseball
Uniforms

BPI 1
BPI 2
Pen Company

Fitter
Snacker
Flya Kite
Quazi Comp.
Ross Quarles
Fawzi Noman
SHSU

GBI
Global Bike
Company
International

GBI 2.0

University Competency Centers

Database
and
Application
Server

Nothing is saved on your PC. Only

things saved on the server are saved,
and they are saved for good.

Good habits
In SAP, there are very few delete options:

Dont save if things dont look 100% correct! Exit the transaction and
start over

Clients
What is a client?
- A way to separate data in the system
- In some ways, a separate database
- Also, a table entry

Column (attribute)
Mandt

Client
- 56,821 + tables for data
Row

(Record)

201
201
201
202
202

Field

Table VBAK

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Data Sets
SAP Server (or instance)
Client 207

Client 208

Client 209

00 Data Set

00 Data Set

00 Data Set

01 Data Set

01 Data Set

01 Data Set

02 Data Set

02 Data Set

02 Data Set

99 Data Set

99 Data Set

99 Data Set

Data Sets
I am data set number 00, not you!

Select the Vendors by Company Code

tab, enter ##A1 for Company Code, then
click on the enter icon

Data Types
Configuration
Settings to define the business
Fiscal year, chart of account, organizational structures
Rarely changed after go-live
Master Data
Data that is relatively stable
Materials, Customers, Vendors
Transaction Data
Data that is relatively temporary
Stored at various stages of a business process
Customer orders, purchase orders, production orders,
customer payments

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SAP Easy Access

SAP Easy Access
Master Data Entry
Transaction Data Entry

19

Implementation Guide (IMG)

Where Configuration
Takes Place

20

Transaction Data

Transactions flow down

the river of time

21

University Competency Center (UCC)

Application Hosting: How does it work?
SAP University Alliance contract signed with SAP
SAP determines a hosting center
SAP UA University Competency Center contract signed with the
UCC hosting school
UA UCCs have an established rate structure
UA UCC negotiates off structure or unique offerings that may not be
in rate structure

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University Competency Center (UCC)

Application Hosting: What does it include?
Remote access to the SAP applications agreed upon
New customer orientation
Installation procedures for SAP presentation software (SAPGUI)
Ongoing support for the SAP applications agreed upon
Problem determination and resolution assistance
Ongoing support to meet customer student and class setup
requirements
Technical assistance to assist faculty on non curricular areas
Automation/performance of routine SAP application required tasks

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University Competency Center (UCC)

Application Hosting: What does it NOT include?
UCCs do not develop curriculum
UCCs do not have application area experts

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University Competency Center (UCC)

Application Hosting: What you cant do?
Choose specific versions of SAP software
Start and stop SAP applications
Start and stop servers
Any operating system level commands or operations
Install SAP software fixes
Add and delete userids
Modify a users security authorizations
Update client independent (applies to all clients) SAP tables

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University Competency Center (UCC)

SAP Components

ERP System Software

Modules FI/CO/SD/MM/HR etc.
SAP Workflow
BW(BI)/SEM
Business Warehouse
Strategic Enterprise Management
CRM: Customer Relationship Management
EP: Enterprise Portals
APO/SCM
Advanced Planner & Optimizer
Supply Chain Management
Solution Manager
Project Management
ARIS Business Process Development
XI: Exchange Infrastructure

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External Resources

List servers or web sites

www.sapfaq.com
www.searchsap.com
searchsap.techtarget.com
www.intelligenterp.com
sap.ittoolbox.com
www.sapfans.com
www.sapstuff.com
www.sappro.com
SAP Professional Journal
www.sap-professional.org

Dont forget Google!

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ASUG

Americas SAP Users Group

SAP UA members are considered licensed
customers; they are eligible to join ASUG like any
other customer. They are not automatically an ASUG
UA member.
New UA member policy
Membership is free
There is an expectation of activity on schools part
Participation desirable
Chapter has to indicate that the participation is occurring
Chapter signs off on application

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Prerequisties to Logging On
SAP Gui installed
Client assigned from UCC
System Connection defined

Correct System Selected

Client, User, Password

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