SAP: systems, applications and products in data processing.

client server technology highly customizable multi lingual (international) SAP SD (Sales and Distribution) is one the largest functional Module in SAP. It handles all the processes from an Order to delivery. The main operations this module handles are Customer Sales Orders processing, pricing, picking, packing, shipping, billing and risk management etc. Consultants gives professional advice and offers business improvement, transformation and organizational services to small and medium sized businesses, corporate and local authorities. Here is a list of roles and responsibilities of functional consultant during his assignment to different types of SAP Projects. The functional consultant has to understand the modules they are implementing and the set up and configuration options available, the key skill is being able to map the requirements of the customer to the capabilities of the ERP system. A mistake often made is to try and configure or customize the ERP system to match exactly an existing business process, rather than look to improve the processes."A functional consultant is expected to generate knowledge about the current business process, design current business flows, study current business processes and its complication - in all we can say that this is getting through with the current business setup. Flow diagrams and DFDs are prepared, all this forms the part of the AS IS document.""Everything configured has to be documented according to their categories in the form of predefined templates; these then have to be approved by the team leads or whoever the consultant is reporting to.""Mapping and GAP analysis is done for each module.""Before starting configuring future business processes in SAP, the DFDs/ERDs are prepared; this documentation is called TO BE, which can be also said as the result of mapping and gap analysis." "Sometimes Functional consultants are also expected to prepare test scripts for testing the configured scenarios. Testing may also include Unit testing, System Integration Testing, Performance Testing, User Acceptance Testing, Regression Testing or any client specific software testing."A configuration document showing all the setting done by the consultant is also comes under the area of role & responsibilities of consultant."End user manual and user training is also expected from Functional Consultants."There will also be interaction with other modules consultants. Updating project status to Project Manager & other concerned persons. Interaction with core team members, end users & other team members (consultants)A Functional consultant has to be a good communicator he has to communicate with Customer ERP core team, implementing team, Technical consultant and

his project leader. Written communication skill is to be demonstrated by a functional consultant to e-mail to different groups, documentation about the erp, reports generation. Verbal communication is to understand the requirement, interact with customer, to explain and convince the customer. SAP system comprises of a number of fully integrated modules, which covers virtually every aspect of the business. SAP R/3 conceptual areas: 1. Application area: initiate and execute SAP transactions. (Functional) 2. Basis area: the technical administration of the system (authorizations/ IDs/ etc) 3. Development area: a developers work bench (technical) SAP R/3 components: APPLICATION: master data, Transaction data ABAP PROGRAMES Configuration organization structure Key data elements Functionality configuration

Some SD module functionalities: inquiry processing, sales order processing, delivery processing, billing. Client: User: Every SAP user has a 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. client is a numeric field This number defines a whole business entity.

TOOL BARS:

SESSIONS: An SAP session is a window in which the user may perform a particular task. A user may have up to six sessions open at a time. A sales org is responsible for: distribution of goods and services Negotiating sales conditions. Product liability and rights of recourse. A sales org is uniquely assigned to a company code. Masters datas are separately maintained for a sales organization. All items in the sales and distribution document belong to a sales org.

Distribution channel: means through which products and services reach t6he customer. A distribution channel: Defines responsibilities. Helps in achieve flexible pricing. Differentiate sales statistics

A division: A division is used to group products and services. A division represents a product line.

Sales area: a sales is area is a combination of Sales organization Distribution channel Division

Each sales and distribution document is assigned exactly to one sales area. A sales area can belong to only one company code.

Sales org Distribution channel

division sales area

Plant and storage location: A plant is a location where stock is maintained. Plant and storage locations are used by all logistics area of R/3 system. A plant is uniquely assigned to a company code.

Shipping point: Shipping point is the highest level of organizational unit in shipping. Each outbound delivery is processed by one shipping point. Shipping points are assigned to a plant. More than one shipping point can be assigned to a plant.

Sales and distribution in SD begins with establishment of customer relationship and ends with invoicing for the delivery of goods or service provide to the customer. A standard sales transaction has the following flow: Inquiry Quotation Order Delivery Billing The customer order management cycle begins with pre sales activities.

A standard order in SAP contains: Customer and material info Pricing conditions Delivery dates and quantities. Shipping info Billing info

Inventory sourcing in SAP is taken care by Availability check

Shipping in SAP supports: Outbound delivery creation Picking Packing Post goods issue

Billing in SAP supports: Creating invoices for products and services Creating credit and debit memo Cancel previously posted billing documents Automatically transferring billing documents to accounting.

When a billing document is created for sales order we Credit the sales revenue account Debit the customer receivables account

Sales document A sales document is grouped into three structures Header Item Schedule line

Outbound delivery: A delivery document is grouped into 2 structures Header Item

Several orders can be grouped into same outbound delivery if they have same Shipping point Delivery date Ship to address

Picking: A transfer order is created for an outbound delivery A transfer order is created for a warehouse number.

Post goods issue: When PGI done in the system, Billing: We can group deliveries into single billing document if the deliveries have same Billing date Payer Destination country Update the quantity in inventory management and delivery requirements in materials planning Generates additional documents for accounting Adds the delivery to the billing due list Updates status in sales document.

The effects of billing are Debit on the customer receivables account credit on sales revenue account is created Sales information system Sales statistics is updated.

Master data in SAP: SAP SD has got the following main masters Customer master Material master Condition master Output master Customer material information master

Plant determination in sales and distribution: To determine the plant in an order the system checks the master in the following order a) Customer material info, record of the sold to party b) Customer master record of the ship to part. c) Material master record of the material Shipping point determination: The following rule is used in determining shipping point in a sales order: Plant+ shipping condition (sold to party) + loading group shipping point

Maintained in material master general: plant data Route determination Route determined using the following rule in sales and distribution (SAP)

Departure zone of shipping point + Shipping condition (sold to party) + Transportation group (material master) + Transportation zone (ship to party)

ROUTE Delivery scheduling: Deliver scheduling is, scheduling delivery for an order and it carries the following important dates Material availability date Transportation planning date Loading date Goods issue date Delivery date

Availability Check in SAP: Availability check is carried out at item level for a plant. Availability check is done on the material availability date If material availability date is in the past the forward scheduling is done, if not backward scheduling is done.

Item category in a sales document mainly controls the following: Relevance for billing of an item Billing block pricing relevance business data relevance item schedule line allowed item relevant for delivery returns determine cost credit active incompletion procedure structure scope value contract material contract release control

Schedule line category mainly controls: delivery block movement type item relevant for delivery Request/assembly Availability

Product allocation

Copy Control: Copy control is normally set for Header Item Schedule line levels

To control copying procedure we have Data transfer routines Copying requirements switches