Having first entered a large company (Russian Railways, Gazprom, etc.), office employees are sure to get acquainted with the software installed on work computers. And if the familiar Word or Excel no longer causes desperate horror, then when you start some software, beginners get a cold soul. These systems can be attributed to SAP. What is it and what does it eat with? It’s good when the corporation has engineers or training managers. Otherwise, you have to get to everything yourself using the instructions.
A little bit about the history of the appearance
The system, developed by SAP AG, the largest German manufacturer in the field of inter-company software, began to spread on the Russian market since 2003. Initially, the progenitor company worked only with partners-translators, but since 2006, the software manufacturer began to conclude contracts with companies that undertook to educate customers. In 2014, so-called freelancers are increasingly engaged in this type of activity. These are people who are largely skilled in working with the system, able to answer all questions about the system - which modules need to be installed by one or another company for effective business, which ones are appropriate at a particular workplace, etc.
It is no coincidence that at the beginning of the article it was stipulated that the SAP label can only be seen in large companies. This system is expensive, therefore only large corporations can afford to operate it. Firms with less working capital still acquire 1C software.
SAP - what is it?
Software that automates the work of accountants, human resources, financial services, sales departments, warehouse logistics - this is the system of applications and products for processing various data. Software of this class cannot be downloaded on the network and installed on the hard drive. The company's specialists simply will not be able to understand its functionality. Therefore, the purchase of the system with its subsequent implementation is clearly necessary.
However, before deciding whether to install software from a German manufacturer, any company needs to ask if the SAP system is what it is. To prevent automated chaos, the organization should establish a clear order. That is, we must not forget that computers do not streamline the work, they only help speed up the processes.
The most famous product of the company
It is not always easy to figure out and understand which one is suitable for a particular company in the variety of products of a German company. And then often questions like this arise: "SAP ERP - what is it?" There are massive programs and highly specialized. So, SAP ERP is the most famous product focused on medium and large companies.
The name of this software often sounds in the R / 3 version. The letter abbreviation implies the designation Realtime. From the translation it is intuitively clear that all processes in the modules occur in real time. The input of information, its updating and accessibility to each interested service occurs immediately when employees contact the server.
SAP SRM - what is it?
Efficiency and transparency of procurement, fair competition among suppliers, and long-term relationships with strategic partners are necessary for production continuity. E-procurement systems are increasingly the only way to achieve these goals. And of course, that the European championship among software products in this area is held by SAP.
The most striking user of the German system may be the Russian “Lukoil”. By and large, the oil and gas sector, due to its technology, is not very automated. SAP was purchased and implemented to solve urgent issues.
Additions to the main package
The versatility of the system explains its advantages compared to other software that allows you to collect data, update it, and provide access to each user as he is entitled. Having implemented and mastered the main packages, almost every company is faced with the task of expanding SAP. As a rule, consultants come to the rescue, who help managers decide on the expansion of functionality. It is independent training managers who will answer questions about SAP BW - what it is, how to use the information database efficiently with the help of this add-on.
The main general stages of implementation
Whatever the software package, the German manufacturer recommends a phase-out project for development and launch. There are several methodologies with a different set of steps. As an example, imagine one of them.
The first phase includes organizational documentation: an order to introduce the system, creating a schedule, as well as a risk management plan and project charter. This stage is called the creation of an office. And only after all the actions of the first phase are completed, the consultants move on to the second stage. It consists in the survey and familiarity with the business processes of the enterprise. An important point of this stage is the communication of consultants with employees of the organization. It takes place in an interview format and does not exclude the possibility of employees answering the emerging question: "SAP - what is it?" In general, staff training is carried out at various stages of the project, from the second to the last.
The third phase of implementation is the conceptual design process . The previous and subsequent stages cannot be called unimportant, how much the return will be effective depends on their implementation. The essence of this phase is to develop the rules by which business processes and system configuration will be further built.
The fourth and final stage is the implementation of the project. It includes an integration test, which takes place according to different scenarios, as well as the start of the project. In case of its successful launch, it can be considered that the system efficiency is 90%.
Conclusion
The purpose of this article was to: answer the question of whether SAP R3 is what it is. All of the above written only in general terms carries the answer, since the system itself is so complex, has many additional packages, the most diverse business functionality, that in one note it is simply impossible to tell about everything. Each of the questions that arise about the work of SAP (what it is, we briefly explained) is worth a separate article or topic. So, for example, work in the complex phase of initial support, as a rule, arouses the interest of customers and users. But the company provides such multifaceted conditions that it is simply impossible to list them in one article. Too different in structure, SAP is being implemented by enterprises, so many specific factors can affect the operation of the system.