Ask the Experts

Ask the Experts

• What SAP master data management basics should data controllers learn?

  Data controllers may find themselves without the know-how to update master data once the SAP consultants have gone and the ERP system is live. These essentials will rectify that.  Continue Reading

• What SAP Solution Manager tools enable a full test scenario?

  Cost, ease-of-use, user familiarity and reporting needs are some of the deciding factors a company can use when choosing SAP Solution Manager tools for Business Suite on SAP HANA.  Continue Reading

• How can project planners decide between SAP PPM and SAP PS?

  Web-based Project and Portfolio Management gives teams a way to pitch ideas and manage projects, but on-premises Project System still fits into the project landscape. Here's how.  Continue Reading

• How can SAP PPM help my company manage projects and business ideas?

  Project and Portfolio Management software from SAP can help companies manage business ideas and lighter projects that don't require tight financial controls. Here's a look.  Continue Reading

• How does SAP Investment Management expand budgetary control?

  SAP Investment Management manages a wide array of project-related budgets within the Project System. Here's a deeper look at what it offers.  Continue Reading

• How can SAP Quality Notification help improve product quality?

  SAP Quality Notification can help handle customer complaints for defective products, defective products produced in-house and defective materials supplied by a vendor. Here's a look at how it works.  Continue Reading

• What are HANA's models of cloud computing, and which should I choose?

  If you're considering HANA cloud-based options, you'll need to consider security, cost and other factors. Here's a look at what public, private and hybrid options offer.  Continue Reading

• How does aging infrastructure influence whether to move to HANA cloud?

  There are many factors that CIOs, CFOs and their companies should consider to help determine whether a move to SAP HANA cloud is justified. Here's a look at four of those factors.  Continue Reading

• What steps are critical to my SAP HANA cloud implementation plan?

  In-depth planning and building in scalability are just two key steps in a HANA cloud migration. Read on about the other crucial components for implementation in order to ensure success.  Continue Reading

• What are key features in discrete manufacturing production type?

  Discrete manufacturers reap greater business benefits when they ensure planning, procurement, inventory, capacity and quality management are integral parts of their SAP ECC implementation.  Continue Reading

• How does SAP sizing affect SAP HANA pricing?

  Whether you are opting for HANA on premises or cloud, database server main memory size will affect your pricing. Here are some basics to understand as your start your research.  Continue Reading

• What business benefits does SAP S/4HANA Finance offer CFOs?

  SAP S/4HANA Finance's intuitive interface, coupled with real-time information, is answering the needs of enterprise CFOs. Here's a look at seven of its features.  Continue Reading

• How does procurement software SAP Ariba integrate with ECC?

  Your procurement planners may lobby for Ariba's faster sourcing and procurement functions, but you'll want to consider whether you'll integrate the cloud software with ECC.  Continue Reading

• How can CIOs make a business case for a new ERP system?

  CIOs can boost the likelihood of buy-in for a new ERP system if they focus on two factors involved in leadership's decision making. Here's a look at what those are.  Continue Reading

• How does SAP Lumira support four critical supply chain KPIs?

  Gaining visibility tops the list of supply chain management challenges. Here's a look at how the Lumira's dashboard of key performance indicators can help.  Continue Reading

• How can CIOs best transition from SAP APO to SAP IBP?

  Powered by HANA, SAP IBP can help companies gain faster sales and operations planning. Here's what CIOs need to know to implement IBP successfully.  Continue Reading

• How can retailers improve logistics and supply chain processes?

  Retail companies looking to improve the efficiency of their supply chain and logistics functions should consider SAP Planner Workbench. Here's a look at how it can support business-critical functions.  Continue Reading

• What issues does SAP Asset Intelligence Network on HANA solve?

  SAP Asset Intelligence Network on HANA brings together companies, manufacturers and service providers to collaborate on the upkeep of process manufacturers' assets.  Continue Reading

• What HANA cloud migration strategy will help ensure success?

  Migrating to SAP HANA cloud requires a well-defined migration roadmap and establishing steps for building, deploying and sustaining the cloud. Here's what you need to know.  Continue Reading

• What key components help ensure SAP APO upgrade success?

  If an SAP Advanced Planning and Optimization upgrade is in your company's future, you'll want to make sure you incorporate these key elements of project success.  Continue Reading

• How can CIOs lower SAP licensing costs?

  Just because you have to pay SAP licensing fees, doesn't mean you need to accept paying too much. Here are three ways to keep your costs low.  Continue Reading

• How can I improve my supplier lifecycle management?

  SAP Supplier Relationship Management can help you improve procurement processes by automating the way in which you choose suppliers. Here's how it works.  Continue Reading

• What are some digital transformation examples using HANA?

  SAP HANA is helping recruiters, insurance industry professionals and others create digital transformation within their companies. Here's a look at just a few examples.  Continue Reading

• How does MM Vendor Evaluation support procurement?

  Within the SAP Materials Management system, the Vendor Evaluation component can help evaluate which vendors are performing well -- and which ones are not.  Continue Reading

• How can SAP Event Management improve control of my supply chain?

  SAP Event Management can help companies lower costs and boost efficiencies by improving monitoring and controls of critical business processes. Here's a look.  Continue Reading

• How can process manufacturing companies improve traceability?

  Global batch traceability is a critical component of effective supply chain management for today's process manufacturing companies. Here's how SAP Supply Chain Integrity can help.  Continue Reading

• How can manufacturers enable better production planning?

  Using SAP availability check can help production planners enable uninterrupted manufacturing. Here's a look at how it works and why you might want to use it.  Continue Reading

• How can SAP's predictive maintenance help manufacturers?

  From react to prevent to predict -- here's a look at how SAP has taken maintenance to the next level and how S/4HANA can lead to fewer machine breakdowns.  Continue Reading

• What does S/4HANA Supply Chain offer production planning?

  The line of business Enterprise Management product S/4HANA Supply Chain offers a production-planning component that features materials planning tools and intuitive dashboards.  Continue Reading

• What should you know about S/4HANA Sourcing and Procurement?

  SAP S/4HANA Enterprise Management Sourcing and Procurement offers streamlined procurement, workforce management, and travel and expense management, to name a few benefits.  Continue Reading

• What is SAP's contribution to connected manufacturing?

  SAP's connected manufacturing framework sets its sights on delivering true visibility, unifying business processes through data, delivering predictive maintenance and more.  Continue Reading

• What does S/4HANA Enterprise Management offer?

  SAP's S/4HANA Enterprise Application offers a targeted supply chain product that includes innovative inventory management with analytical and transactional apps and factsheets.  Continue Reading

• Should I choose HANA Enterprise Cloud over HANA on premises?

  HANA offers a lightning-speed in-memory database and the potential to solve numerous business problems. Here's why you may want those capabilities via SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud.  Continue Reading

• How can SAP Cash Management help financial planners?

  SAP Cash Management, a subcomponent of SAP Financial Supply Chain Management, may help you more effectively monitor working capital through its procure-to-pay and order-to-cash functions.  Continue Reading

• Can integrating ERS in procurement improve efficiency?

  Evaluated Receipt Settlement cuts a step from the procurement process and streamlines payments to vendors, in turn creating greater efficiencies for your organization.  Continue Reading

• How can IT ensure a successful migration to SAP BPC?

  Successfully implementing Business Planning and Consolidation requires understanding data requirements and getting the input of various business users.  Continue Reading

• What does SAP Manufacturing Integration and Intelligence offer?

  SAP's Manufacturing Integration and Intelligence 15.0 gives users the power to create dashboards for real-time analytics through the Self-Service Composition Environment.  Continue Reading

• What analytics features does SAP Predictive Analytics offer?

  SAP Predictive Analytics uses statistical analysis and data-modeling logic to create meaningful predictions about future events. Here's a breakdown of its main components.  Continue Reading

• What does SAP Integrated Business Planning offer?

  SAP Integrated Business Planning for sales and operations is meant to help companies react more quickly to changes in demand and get better insight into their supply chain.  Continue Reading

• How can SAP's S&OP application improve demand planning?

  One expert weighs in on how SAP Integrated Business Planning for sales and operations, which runs on HANA, may help organizations become more demand-driven.  Continue Reading

• Should I integrate SAP Predictive Analytics with Lumira?

  SAP Predictive Analytics extends SAP Lumira with the efficient handling of voluminous data that the in-memory platform SAP HANA processes.  Continue Reading

• How is MRP Live, MRP on SAP HANA, different from MRP Classic?

  MRP Live, or MRP on SAP HANA, continues to evolve with an availability of new features, tools and functionality. Just know you can't use it for all your planning runs quite yet.  Continue Reading

• What's the best way to implement SAP NetWeaver PI?

  NetWeaver Process Integration is a powerful tool for linking systems, software and business processes. Here are five tips for using it well.  Continue Reading

• What should I consider for an SAP cutover strategy?

  Implementing a robust cutover strategy holds the key to a successful SAP project. One SAP expert gives advice on the important components.  Continue Reading

• How can I limit SAP custom development?

  Extensive customization leads to fewer realized business benefits of an SAP implementation. Here's how to make sure you customize only what's necessary.  Continue Reading

• How can I use Git and GitHub for SAP software development?

  Assembla, Bitbucket, GitHub, Mercurial and Subversion are some of the open-source version-control and collaboration platforms available for managing SAP development projects.  Continue Reading

• How can SAP special procurement types improve my supply chain?

  Special procurement types in an SAP system offer options for managing your supply chain operations and logistics. Learn what they can do for you.  Continue Reading

• Can a project scope definition prevent SAP scope creep?

  By developing a project scope definition, you can ensure that an SAP implementation stays on track.  Continue Reading

• Is integrating quality costs into an SAP ERP important?

  Companies can make more informed decisions and improve the bottom line by implementing quality costs into SAP ERP.  Continue Reading

• What SAP software training steps do companies overlook?

  SAP software training should be a priority. One expert explains how companies often get it wrong -- and what they can do to get it right.  Continue Reading

• Can SAP Simple Logistics increase logistics efficiency?

  SAP Simple Logistics uses the data processing ability of S/4HANA to provide simpler, faster and more efficient approaches to logistics and supply chain problems.  Continue Reading

• How can a Kanban process improve materials replenishment?

  Manufacturing companies can improve their approach to materials replenishment by implementing a Kanban process.  Continue Reading

• How important is a comprehensive SAP testing process?

  A thorough SAP testing process is critical to a successful implementation. Here are four components you will need.  Continue Reading

• How does accessing SAP mobile apps affect data usage costs?

  SAP mobile apps can be great for worker productivity, but it pays to first consider the direct and indirect costs.  Continue Reading

• How does SAP change management affect adoption?

  Companies that want to ensure a successful SAP implementation should also focus on organizational change management. Here's advice on how to do so.  Continue Reading

• How do you ensure stock visibility during a subcontracting process?

  Subcontracting can help you manage non-core or bottlenecked production processes effectively.  Continue Reading

• How helpful is an SAP proof of concept?

  An SAP proof of concept helps bridge client and system integrator gaps.  Continue Reading

• How can SAP Missing Parts improve the production planning process?

  The SAP Missing Parts Information System can help prevent production or maintenance disruptions by alerting planners to impending material or component shortages.  Continue Reading

• What are the benefits of using SAP capacity requirements planning?

  An expert explains how companies can integrate SAP's capacity requirements planning functionality to optimize production when demand for products exceeds supply.  Continue Reading

• How does Batch Information Cockpit support batch traceability?

  An expert explains how SAP ERP Batch Information Cockpit traces material batches to help planners more efficiently manage defective materials and products.  Continue Reading

• How can accounting for scrap in SAP ERP improve materials planning?

  When taking stock of materials requirements, SAP MRP can accommodate for a certain amount of scrap to help prevent shortages.  Continue Reading

• How can SAP Commercial Project Management help project planners?

  For large, complex projects, planners may want to take advantage of the features in SAP's Commercial Project Management system. An expert outlines its capabilities.  Continue Reading

• Does SAP Sample Management offer a leg up on product quality inspections?

  Sample Management in SAP Quality Management goes beyond regular quality inspection options by providing better visibility into sample testing data.  Continue Reading

• How can effective SAP License Management lead to costs savings?

  SAP licenses can be a huge expense, but there are ways for enterprises to reduce licensing costs and ensure a better ROI on SAP investments.  Continue Reading

• How SAP QIM provides comprehensive insight into customer complaints

  Companies can use SAP's Quality Issue Management application to get a 360-degree view of customer complaints, from their origin through the complaints handling process.  Continue Reading

• Is SAP Fiori a set of apps or a technology?

  Concept, design and practical implementation all come together in the Fiori user experience.  Continue Reading

• How does SAP ERP handle free goods procurement processes?

  Learn how to handle business processes involving free samples or goods with no commercial value in SAP ERP.  Continue Reading

• Why should I use process manufacturing cockpits in SAP ERP?

  Process manufacturing cockpits can improve the flow of information and boost efficiency. Here are three different scenarios where they can offer benefits.  Continue Reading

• How can Statistical Process Control prevent production disruptions?

  The Statistical Process Control tool can help prevent disruptions to business processes by providing better visibility into various factors that affect logistics and supply chain functions.  Continue Reading

• How can SAP ProMan help with the procurement process?

  SAP ProMan can be a one-stop tool for executing a project's procurement-related functions and providing better visibility into procurement processes.  Continue Reading

• What useful features does SAP Audit Management offer?

  Previously available only in the PLM/CRM modules, Audit Management is now part of SAP ERP as well, providing a one-stop tool that can help companies meet a variety of audit requirements.  Continue Reading

• How can SuccessFactors Presentations make talent reviews more dynamic?

  SuccessFactors Presentations can merge static PowerPoint slides with dynamic, real-time information from the SuccessFactors talent management system. Here's how to use the Presentations application.  Continue Reading

• What are some best practices for working with SuccessFactors support?

  Avoid wasting time with SuccessFactors support by communicating the right information about your issue. Here's what support representatives typically need to know.  Continue Reading

• What's new in the SAP Talent Hybrid packaged integration?

  SAP's Talent Hybrid packaged integration could make qualifications management a smoother process. Here's what you need to know.  Continue Reading

• How can companies keep track of SuccessFactors software upgrades?

  SuccessFactors releases enhancements on a quarterly and ongoing basis -- here's how to stay on top of important updates and select the features your company needs.  Continue Reading

• What are the benefits of using Release Strategy in SAP MM?

  Making SAP MM's Release Strategy feature part of procurement processes can provide better business controls and reduce typical procurement headaches.  Continue Reading

• How does Customer Service differ from Plant Maintenance in SAP?

  An expert explains the similarities and differences between the processes in SAP ERP's Plant Maintenance and Customer Service components.  Continue Reading

• SAP SuccessFactors admin tasks -- where should you start?

  Several administrative and maintenance activities will help prevent problems with a SuccessFactors implementation -- here's how to perform the most common tasks.  Continue Reading

• What are the benefits of using Active Ingredient Management in SAP QM?

  SAP QM's Active Ingredient Management ensures that a company pays vendors only for the active or potent content of a material, and in turn gets paid for the active content that it delivers to its own customers.  Continue Reading

• How can SAP QM help meet multiple quality specifications?

  When clients or countries have special regulations surrounding products or materials, the Multiple Specifications functions in SAP Quality Management can help automate and foolproof the process of meeting those requirements.  Continue Reading

• How does SAP MM stock transport order help track goods shipment?

  Stock transport order in SAP MM helps you transfer, track and monitor goods movement between supplying and receiving plants.  Continue Reading

• How does SAP MM quota arrangement prevent supply chain disruption?

  Quota arrangement in SAP MM enables materials planners to efficiently manage a material's uninterrupted supply from multiple suppliers.  Continue Reading

• Tap into SAP Shift Notes, Reports for better production visibility

  SAP Shift Notes can help with any disconnect that occurs between shift supervisors, while lending visibility into production processes, writes Jawad Akhtar.  Continue Reading

• What is the SAP HANA XS Engine, and how does it work?

  Ethan Jewett explains how the SAP HANA XS Engine is used to run lightweight applications on the SAP in-memory database platform.  Continue Reading

• How can SAP Configurable Materials' functionality reduce master data clutter?

  Creating an endless list of new material codes can lead to a raft of master data problems. SAP Configurable Materials' functionality can help.  Continue Reading

• How does SAP Planned Delivery Time help with procurement?

  SAP Planned Delivery Time can help cut inventory carrying costs, writes expert Jawad Akhtar.  Continue Reading

• How does SAP Data Services fit in with other data management tools?

  BI expert Ethan Jewett explains how SAP Data Services works, and how it fits into an ever-changing SAP data management landscape.  Continue Reading

• How do the SAP HANA application development tools differ?

  There are a growing number of cloud-based platforms and technologies for SAP developers wanting to build HANA applications, many of which have overlapping use cases. Consultant Ethan Jewett sorts through the options -- and the confusion.  Continue Reading

• What is SAP's cloud strategy?

  While many have criticized SAP's cloud strategy for being unclear and erratic in the past, it's beginning to fall into place, writes Ethan Jewett.  Continue Reading

• What difference does integrating SAP HANA with Apache Spark make?

  Do the newly announced ties between the SAP HANA platform and the Apache Spark ecosystem offer any real benefit, or is the integration just hype?  Continue Reading

• Do you need an SAP data mart, or an SAP data warehouse?

  Do you need an SAP data mart, or a data warehouse? It depends if you need to deploy data across an enterprise, or need something more focused.  Continue Reading

• Why The Charmer Sunbelt Group Is Sticking with SAP WM

  Although alcohol wholesaler The Charmer Sunbelt Group has considered some parts of EWM, find out why it feels EWM isn't a good fit for its industry.  Continue Reading

• The case for a phased SAP HANA implementation

  Installing SAP HANA is no easy task. Read about why Scotts Miracle-Gro decided on a phased rollout of its HANA implementation.  Continue Reading

• The business case for integrating Hadoop with SAP HANA

  Adobe tracks everything its users do and dumps the data into Hadoop. How did the company make the business case for integration with SAP HANA?  Continue Reading

• What is SAP BW on HANA and how does it work?

  BI expert Ethan Jewett explains how running SAP Business Warehouse, or BW, on the SAP HANA database works, and what the advantages are.  Continue Reading

• What are the differences, similarities between SAP BWA and HANA?

  SAP BWA paved the way for the HANA in-memory database, so are the two all that similar? Ethan Jewett lays it out in this Ask the Expert column.  Continue Reading

• Do the terms HANA Enterprise Cloud, HANA Cloud Platform confuse you?

  If you're not sure about the differences between the SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud and the SAP HANA Cloud platform, you're not alone.  Continue Reading

• What's the difference between SAP enhancement packs, support packs?

  There are small but important differences between SAP support packs and enhancement packs. Expert Ethan Jewett explains.  Continue Reading

• How do SAP Materials Requirements Planning and MRP areas differ?

  Wondering what the difference is between SAP Materials Requirements Planning and MRP areas? We have the answer.  Continue Reading

• How does SAP help companies manage big data?

  From HANA to IQ, consultant Ethan Jewett outlines the SAP tools companies can use to manage big data.  Continue Reading