Sap Enterprise 4.7 20091009

SAP Enterprise Release 4.7 A Premium Paper From thespot4sap LTD

Contents 1.0 Introduction...............................................................................................................2 2.0 Architectural model of SAP R/3 Enterprise 4.7..........................................................2 Web Application Server (WAS): .................................................................................3 Enterprise Core:...........................................................................................................4 Enterprise Extensions: .................................................................................................4 3.0 Features and Benefits of SAP R/3 Enterprise Core (SAP Enterprise 4.7)....................5 Commonalities: ...........................................................................................................5 Differences:.................................................................................................................6 4.0 Technical Specification of SAP Enterprise Core ........................................................6 5.0 New Functionality in SAP R/3 Enterprise 4.7 ............................................................7 Human Resource .........................................................................................................7 Supply Chain Management..........................................................................................7 Financial Management.................................................................................................8 6.0 Upgrading SAP Enterprise R/3 4.7 ............................................................................8 7.0 Conclusion ................................................................................................................9

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SAP R/3 Enterprise Core (Release 4.7)

1.0 Introduction SAP R/3 Enterprise Core – popularly known as Enterprise Release 4.7 - is the latest version of the SAP R/3 suite of enterprise software applications. It is designed to offer the best possible foundation for easily carrying the company through to e-business with mySAP Business Suite. The first release of SAP R/3 Enterprise Core (4.7) contains some functional enhancements, but it is primarily a technical change. SAP R/3 Enterprise is built on SAP Web Application Server (SAP Web AS) and integrates seamlessly with the enterprise portals and exchange infrastructure. SAP Enterprise Core is the heart of SAP R/3 4.7 and supports the packaging concepts, business configuration sets and Unicode-compliance. In addition, enterprise core provides users with the SAP R/3 Enterprise HR and non-HR Core Support Packages.

Read This Nugget As it’s name suggests, Enterprise Core will contain the inward, enterprise processes that make the enterprise work. The outward, collaborative processes will not be included in Enterprise Core. They will be included in what is called Enterprise Extensions. Release 4.7 is a major change of direction for SAP and therefore for it’s customers. This new release needs to be closely studied by each of it’s customers and then acted on.

2.0 Architectural model of SAP R/3 Enterprise 4.7 The SAP R/3 4.7 version is the functional and technical advancement over classical Enterprise Resource Planning solution that provides customers flexibility, stability, new functions and new technology. It achieves these functions by facilitating connection to marketplaces, portals and other collaborative applications as well as enabling an easy evolution to mySAP.com. This new model of SAP R/3 is also more flexible to future upgrades.

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The basic model of SAP R/3 Enterprise Release 4.7 consists of three parts:  Web Application Server  Enterprise Core  Enterprise Extensions Figure: Architectural Model of SAP R/3 4.7 (Enterprise Core)

Web Application Server (WAS): The WAS 6.2C of SAP Enterprise integrates all the features of already existing SAP Basis and Web application server. In addition, it provides users with additional enhancements in the form of package concept, global parameterization with business configuration sets, Unicode compliance, and accessibility.

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Read This Nugget Thespot4sap.com offers a premium paper covering SAP Web Application Server. You can take a look at the table of contents at http://www.thespot4sap.com/shop/SAP_WAS_302_TOC.htm

Enterprise Core: Enterprise Core (SAP Release 4.7) includes all R/3 4.6 functionality with limited functional enhancements and developments. On a go-forward basis, all legal changes and support packs, including stabilization and performance enhancements, will be applied at the Enterprise Core level. According to SAP, this Enterprise Core will remain stable until at least 2007. Therefore, no planned upgrades are necessary, just support packages.

Enterprise Extensions: Extensions use a technology called ‘package builder.’ The concept is similar to user exits. Extensions may be activated selectively and independently of each other or remain inactive. A new set of extensions will be released annually as the Enterprise Core remains stable. For example, Extension Set 1.10, available with R/3 Enterprise, will consist of extensions in FIN (FI/CO), HR, PLM, TRVL, and SCM (WM, PP, MM). If you take advantage of any Extension, the Extension would need to be activated in a similar manner and with the level of effort required to customize new functionality. This Extension philosophy decouples all development from the R/3 technical platform, allowing the SAP community more flexibility in taking advantage of enhanced functionality The Enterprise Extensions are the center of functional developments. These functionalities are selectively deployable and each functionality has its own release cycle.

Read This Nugget SAP R/3 Enterprise Core will remain stable until 2007. This means that the functionality will not change unless absolutely necessary — and then this will be done via support packs. All functionality upgrades from now on will be done via the Enterprise Extensions which will have their own release schedules (probably yearly).

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3.0 Features and Benefits of SAP R/3 Enterprise Core (SAP Enterprise 4.7) Thus, the main difference between 4.6C and 4.7 is that 4.7 comes with new technologies, optional deployment of new features and more flexibility is available for future upgrades. The basic architecture for SAP R/3 4.7 is given in the figure below. Figure: New Architecture Model of SAP R/3 Enterprise versus SAP 4.6C

Commonalities:  SAP 4.7 has all the features such as development workbench, transport management system, monitoring, versioning and business object repository of already existing SAP 4.6C.  Web Application Server6.20 of 4.7 includes all the features of SAP Basis of SAP 4.6C.

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Differences:  SAP 4.7 has a more structured approach as compared to SAP 4.6C from a technical perspective. It is based on mySAP.com technology, which is actually the Web Application Server 6.2C. This not only includes SAP Basis Technologies with their latest advancements but also the new features of SAP Web AS 6.20.  SAP 4.7 is more structured even from a functional perspective as this version has been developed after functional and infrastructure developments of earlier SAP R/3 4.6C.  In SAP 4.7 the functional and infrastructure developments are made on separate levels. The functional developments are made in the Enterprise Extensions and infrastructure developments are made in the Enterprise Core unlike SAP 4.6C in which both the developments take place within the systems.  SAP in its Web AS has additional enhancements in the form of package concept, global parameterization with business configuration sets, Unicode compliance and accessibility that are not present in 4.6C.  SAP 4.7 Core supports the above-mentioned enhancements that SAP 4.6C does not.  SAP 4.7 unlike 4.6C has Enterprise Extensions that can be separately deployed and have their own releases.

4.0 Technical Specification of SAP Enterprise Core The functionality of SAP R/3 Enterprise Core is based on the previous SAP R/3 release SAP R/3 4.6C. Its functionality has been enhanced in SAP 4.7 by optimizing and stabilizing of existing processes as well as legal changes and limited functional developments. Also, SAP R/3 Enterprise Core supports the packaging concept, business configuration sets, and Unicode-compliance. Moreover, it comes with five encapsulated extensions. These Extensions along with the enterprise core are maintained through scheduled support package tracks:  SAP R/3 Enterprise Core: Non-HR Core Support Package  SAP R/3 Enterprise Core: HR Core Support Package

Read This Nugget The five encapsulated extensions that are delivered along with SAP R/3 Enterprise Core are: FIN (FI/CO), HR, PLM, TRVL, and SCM (WM, PP, MM). Again, no functionality upgrades are planned for Enterprise Core. Rather, all functionality will be applied to these Enterprise Extensions – and they will each have their own release schedules.

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In addition, SAP Enterprise Core features Accrual Accounting Engines. These enable Accrual Accountings, allowing users to automatically calculate and post accruals, such as license fees, rent costs, or revenues, in the general ledger accounting functionality of SAP R/3 Enterprise Core. Also, the users can calculate and post the accruals according to as many accounting principles as desired. Other features of SAP Enterprise core are:        

Native Internet Support (SOAP/XML) Open Integration Web Services Java and J2EE Web Flow Security Enhancements New Upgrade Tools

5.0 New Functionality in SAP R/3 Enterprise 4.7 SAP Enterprise Core provides users with new functionalities in the following areas by incorporating SAP Enterprise Extensions in its architecture.

Human Resource SAP 4.7 facilitates the companies in management of global employees along with their payroll management by providing a function to support all processes involved in transferring an employee abroad. The cases where the employees cannot always obtain access to a personal computer it gives an additional feature of mobile time management. In this the employees working in the field can use the wireless application protocol (WAP)-enabled mobile phones to record their working times directly and to check their time accounts regardless of time or location. In addition, SAP 4.7 makes available the users with newly introduced or updated functions of benefits and compensation, concurrent employment, payroll, time management and enabling for application service provision.

Supply Chain Management The 4.7 version provides users with manufacturing execution that is based on the process management functionality of the previous SAP R/3 releases. It delivers additional production execution features and serves as a basic manufacturing platform. This version also comes with the function for managing cross- system flow of goods. It attains this function by facilitating the management of good movements relating to sales and purchase orders within a business system group. Moreover it comes with the

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functions for advanced warehouse interface, business application add-ins, document change management for purchase orders, interfaces and extractors, task and resource management.

Financial Management It comes with new post processing of electronic bank account statements functions that enable customers to select and correct bank statement items faster in case the function did not post automatically. This enables the users to trigger automatic postings for several items at the same time. It also has an accrual accounting engine that enables users to automatically calculate and post accruals such as license fee, rent costs, or revenues in the general ledger accounting facility of SAP R/3 Enterprise core. Besides this, the functions have been added or changes have been made in the functions for process improvements, valuation and legal improvements, and technical improvements.

6.0 Upgrading SAP Enterprise R/3 4.7 4.7 does include some enhanced functionality. These enhancements may include vast areas such as the recruitment front end, compensation, time management, financial management and organization management. The first decision is whether to utilise this functionality or not. If the decision is to not utilise it, then the upgrade is mostly technical in nature. In addition to the new functionality, there are other reasons for electing to upgrade to Release 4.7:  Optimization of SAP 4.6C to transform it into SAP Enterprise core: It involves the advancement in SAP 4.6C to make it more stable, improve its performance and enhance its Unicode compatibility. This optimized SAP 4.6C functions as the enterprise core of SAP 4.7.  New additions in the form of SAP Enterprise Extensions: The functional enhancements that are to be made in SAP 4.6C are made in Enterprise extensions. These enterprise extensions are independent of the Enterprise Core as they are grouped on the basis of the area that it deals with such as Financials, SCM, HR, Travel Management and PLM. This feature of Extensions being independent of enterprise core makes it possible for the users to independently upgrade the functionalities of SAP4.6C. These extensions are linked to the enterprise core functionality by the means of BADIs (Business Add-Ins) or BTEs (Business Transaction Events), so that the SAP R/3 enterprise objects are not modified directly.  Integrating with SAP Web Application Server (WAS): SAP WAS is the advanced form of SAP Basis technology that has been achieved by adding a few system administration processes, especially with regard to Web enabling. Hence, in it all

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the administration system activities are carried on as before without need for many changes.

Read This Nugget SAP have stated that they will only support 4.6C until March 2006.

The upgrade of SAP 4.6C devises a new upgrade procedure known as System Switch Upgrade, which is the standard procedure for all software components that run on SAP WAS 6.10 and higher. This upgrade procedure gives its customers the option of selecting between two different upgrade strategies, depending on whether they want to keep their downtime or system resources to a minimum. The feature of the system that makes this procedure so popular is the non-active shadow system (the additional instance of the system) that already runs with the target release software version. This allows the upgrading of the objects without shutting down by processing the objects in the non-active shadow system while the production system is still running. The generated shadow repository is activated later on and replaces the old repository. The time that is required for upgrading to SAP 4.7 is much less i.e. 30% to 50% faster as compared to what was required in upgrading previous versions. Also, the version is more user-friendly and stable. The feature of SAP Enterprise being available for 64-bit operating system might require the upgrade their operating system platforms. The performance and resource requirements for SAP enterprise are plus or minus 10% less that of SAP 4.6C.

7.0 Conclusion SAP 4.7 has been developed keeping in mind specific needs of the customers. This version of SAP can be easily downloaded and will be easy to upgrade to the future versions. SAP R/3 4.7 allows users to maintain stability and reduce costs for upgrade as they can upgrade functions depending on their personal requirement unlike earlier versions that needed end-to-end upgrade from the already existing ones. Moreover this version enables total e-business solutions for each company with fully integrated technology and best in-class solutions.

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