August 2013 sees the anniversary of SAP – 41 years in business is no small achievement for a software company that has stood the test of time. In this week’s post we do a spot check on the current position of SAP and discover what they hold in their future vision for the company.

SAP: The Stats

• Over 248,500 customers in 188 countries
• More than 65,500 employees – and locations in more than 130 countries

SAP: Vision and MissionOur vision is to help the world run better and improve people’s lives. Our mission is to help every customer become a best-run business. We do this by delivering new technology innovations without disruptions: enterprise mobility will transform consumption of IT; in-memory technology will simplify the IT stack and drive high value applications; and the cloud delivery of IT solutions will become mainstream. By leveraging our leadership in applications and analytics and combining them with new technology innovations, we can offer solutions that make our customers run better. To help our customers derive value from their SAP solutions in a fast, cost-effective and predictable way, we also provide professional services and support.SAP’s 41-year history of success is defined by a few key themes:

• A belief that “real-time” data processing can help bring people closer to business intelligence
• A dedication to innovation and an entrepreneurial spirit that enable SAP to continually push what’s technically possible
• An early commitment to collaboration and co-creating solutions with our customers

[Source]

SAP HANA

We couldn’t discuss the future without focussing on HANA. Whilst SAP says HANA represents the intellectual renewal of their company, they are now committed to building everything in the future on their revolutionary in-memory platform. That’s some dedication to their own technology and with good reason, as SAP CEO Bill McDermott said in a keynote at SAP’s Sapphire Conference earlier this year;

“The SAP Business Suite on HANA is at least 2000 times faster than any other product on the market today. And, SAP HANA has become the fastest growing software product in the world.”

[Source]

How is HANA shaping the future of SAP, and the world?

We have collected below some of the most recent examples of how SAP HANA is changing things in a big way, across multiple industries.

Sporting Successes

In February this year, NBA launched a new site showcasing the league’s entire statistical history; to put that into perspective, the data includes every single NBA box score dating back to 1946/47!

Read the full story here.

Enhancing Business Information Quality

Announced a few weeks ago, SAP Data Services and SAP Information Steward take business information management to an entirely new quality level.

Metrics can be added to data components so organisations are able to fully assess the negative affects of poor data management and put in place preventative measures.

Read more here.

Mobile Innovation

July 2013 also saw the announcement of the latest SAP BusinessObjects Mobile app that brings together all analytic applications from SAP into a single, easy-to-access mobile app format. This will enable businesses to use their smartphone and tablet more effectively to make and execute critical business decisions when out of the office. Read full benefits here.

SAP Giving Back…

SAP has always had a philanthropic element within its business and recognises that with great success, comes great responsibility. They take the opportunity to leverage the technology they have developed to give back in numerous ways.

Here are some of their latest initiatives:

Helping Orphans in Africa

By contributing technology and education-related donations to Young Heroes, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) in Swaziland, SAP is supporting HIV/AIDS orphans living in one of the world’s worst affected countries. Read more here.

Startup Power

SAP is keen for their technology to be used by established businesses as well as those in the startup phase. Particularly with the release of SAP HANA, the technology is no longer exclusively for large corporations. SAP’s Startup Focus Program which launched in March 2012 has seen over 500 startups from more than 54 countries adopt the technology with commercial and technical support from SAP. Read more about this program here.

While HANA dominates much of the future discussions surround SAP, we recognise also the impact their entire business suite can have on organisations around the world. We look forward to celebrating more milestones with SAP!

In this short video testimonial, Mercy Relief explains how SAP Business One has helped them improve their processes and reporting to facilitate disaster relief in the Asian region:

https://docs.google.com/a/blueoceansys.com.sg/file/d/0B3-tFU1LPquXNVh0SFFfYUVURWs/edit?usp=sharing#!

How Are Your Customers Looking Today?

October 18, 2013 | by Blue Ocean Systems

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When you think of your customers, what do you see? Can your organisation meet and exceed their needs? Do they buy your product or service regularly? Do they feel they are being treated well by your organisation? Are they referring you to their friends, colleagues and associates? Does your company resolve their problems satisfactorily? Are they waiting for a better, cheaper, more flexible alternative to come along so they can take their business elsewhere?

These are just some of the questions small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) need to be asking themselves on a regular basis to keep ahead of the curve in today’s fragile and fickle market.

How do you know the real customer situation?

A proud CEO will of course say that his/her customers are well catered for and their business always strives to exceed their needs. But ‘here say’ and wishful thinking is no longer enough to keep customers on side for the long term.

What happens in the warehouse, in operations, in the accounting department, might never make it up as far as senior management who could be blissfully unaware of the real situation.  So how can organisations gain true insights into their customer’s journey and how can this data be leveraged to improve service delivery, satisfaction and, ultimately, profit?

Your CRM. Your not-so-secret weapon.

Contrary to the belief that a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool is purely for tracking new leads and sales, this nifty software can transform the way your organisation does business – with new and existing customers.

Here’s how the CRM component of SAP Business One can give you the real story….

The pre-sales journey: sales opportunity management

• A transparent view for all sales and marketing personnel to log and track new market segments
• Track progress with prospects including meetings, updates and feedback
• Store client contact and specific details
• Log prospect & customer interactions
• Create, manage and track targeted campaigns
• Generate and issue contracts quickly and easily
• Enable your sales force to close deals on the go with mobile CRM access
• Analyse outcomes & review marketing strategies

The customer journey: customer experience management 

• Log, track and analyse purchasing patterns, customer preferences, trends and behaviour – helping your business to create new sales opportunities based on accurate data
• Manage and respond to customer feedback across all web and social channels – smooth integration of all your social media feeds to gain a true picture of what your customer is thinking and saying about your product/service
• Respond quickly to customer feedback across traditional as well as via social media channels (quickly becoming a normal expectation of today’s consumer)
• Create a customer-centric support ticket process linked to your CRM to quickly resolve service or product issues (and gain a whole-company view of such issues)
• Gather and record FAQs to create a useful knowledge database accessible to customers (reducing repeat enquiries to your call centre)

The business leader’s journey: growth, profit and success management 

Making your customers happy cannot be something your organisation chooses to do or not to do. Ensuring your customer’s on-going satisfaction is the only way to retain and grow your business, now and in the future. Leveraging your CRM can not only help with the day-to-day prospect and customer management, but also with your future profit and growth strategy.

The key to using your CRM for business growth;

• Create a loyal following of customers, ‘advocates’ of your service / product who buy it themselves, and then tell the whole world via their social media channels what a great decision it was. Make the great experience happen and then let the positive feedback go viral.
• Use the CRM analytics and gain insight like never before about who your customer really is – then create specific and targeted campaigns to speak directly to them.
• Empower your sales and marketing team with the right tools to allow them to focus on their special skills of selling – and build a loyal internal support base of the best talent, seeking to bring in the required results for your business.
• Streamline your sales and marketing efforts to focus on the most profitable market segments and new business areas based on accurate facts from within your existing database.

Blue Ocean Systems comprises a team of SAP Business One specialists who love working with SMEs to find new ways of doing business and improving their current strategies. Talk to them today about how your CRM could become your not-so-secret weapon in the business game.

About Lisa Covarrubias, SAP Business One Consultant

I guide clients through process re-engineering activities to maximise the comprehensive benefits of SAP B1 can bring to their business.

Blue Ocean Systems Singapore implements and integrates customised SAP Business One Solutions to help our clients increase profitability and improve operational efficiencies. Specialising in the implementation and support of SAP enterprise applications for small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs), we combine extensive experience and an unblemished history to deploy the right solution quickly for immediate improvements.

Hi every one.....:)

In this Blog am going to explain the Basic Database design in SAP Business One

B1 having powerful table structures and it is easily to remember.

Topics elaborated in this blog

1. Basic Knowledge of B1 tables
2. What is Header table
3. What is Row table
4. Important Fields
5. What is DocEntry
6. What is BaseEntry
7. What is LineNum
8. What is BaseLine
9. What is BaseType

Basic Knowledge of B1 tables:

To know the table name move the cursor in any field you can see the table and field in the footer. Else you have to enable in View -> System Information

For Example: Move the cursor in the Purchase Order , Vendor field

All the documents are segregate as "Header table"  and "Row table"

Header tables will start with "O"

Row tables ends with "1"

What is Header table:

The value which is entered only one time.

For example Purchase Order Header (OPOR) : In purchase order we will choose only one customer and one posting date , duedate. This kind of information will not be entered more than one times,

What is Row table:

The value which is entered one or multiple times.

For example Purchase Order Row (POR1): In purchase order we will choose item code multiple times similarly Quantity , price etc.. This kind of information will be stored in row tables.

Important Fields:

1. Docentry (Primary Key)
   1. BaseEntry (Foreign Key)
2. LineNum
   1. Baseline
3. ObjType (Object Type).
   1. Basetype

This 3 fields you have to remember. Its enough to write any report in B1.

What is Docentry:

"Docentry" is unique number , this will generate automatically for all the individual documents. this starts from 1 will increase one by one for each new entry.

for example : Run this query "select docentry from OPOR" you can understand easily.

What is BaseEntry:

Its a Docentry of the base document.

For example : create one purchase order,

Assume this purchase order docentry is 21

(To know the docentry run this query: select max(docentry) from opor)

Now create one Goods Receipt PO based on that Purchase order.

Now run this query : select docentry , baseentry from PDN1 order by docentry desc

Now see the first record, you can see the "21" in baseentry column.

What is LineNum:

Its a Serial number for "Row table" .

For example: if you select 5 items in purchase order , number will start from zero and increase one by one. Next document again will start from zero.

Run this query "select docentry,LineNum from POR1" you can understand easily.

What is BaseLine:

Its a LineNum of the base document.

For example : create one purchase order with 5 items,

Assume this purchase order docentry is 22

(To know the docentry run this query: select max(docentry) from opor)

Now create one Goods Receipt PO based on that Purchase order.

Now run this query : select docentry ,LineNum, baseentry,baseline from PDN1 order by docentry desc

Now see the first record, you can see the "21" in baseentry column.

What is ObjType:

Its a door number of the each document. When ever we write a address we will write a door number same like you have to mention the Objtype.

For example: If you want to mention purchase order 22 , Goods Receipt PO 20

To know the Object type refer the below link,

http://scn.sap.com/thread/1345039

Usage:

SELECT *  FROM OPDN T0  INNER JOIN PDN1 T1 ON T0.DocEntry = T1.DocEntry WHERE T1.[BaseType]  = 22

Query will retrieve only Goods Receipt PO which is copied from purchase order.

What is BaseType:

Its a ObjType of the base document.

For example : create one purchase order,

Assume this purchase order docentry is 23

(To know the Object Type run this query: select ObjType from opor)

Now create one Goods Receipt PO based on that Purchase order.

Now run this query : select docentry ,LineNum,ObjType, baseentry,baseline, Basetype from PDN1 order by docentry desc

Now you can see the 22 in Base type. If its showing -1 its meaning, Goods Receipt PO is create without any Purchase order

*****************************

Below sample query I have used all the fields,

SELECTt0.docnum [PO No.],T1.ItemCode,T1.Quantityas'PO Qty',T2.Quantityas'GRPO Qty'

 

FROMOPOR T0INNERJOINPOR1 T1ONT0.DocEntry=T1.DocEntry

 

leftjoinpdn1 T2onT2.BaseEntry=T1.DocEntryandT2.BaseLine=T1.LineNumandT2.BaseType=T0.ObjType

 

wheret0.DocType='I'

Output of the Query:

List all the Purchase order with Goods Receipt PO.

Any questions or if anyone has any tips for me please post below.

• Introduction
• Prerequisites
• Deployment and Configuration
  • HANA components
  • SAP Business One Server Tools
    • Post installation steps
    • Installing the SAP Business One Server
    • Installing the SAP Business One Analytics powered by SAP HANA
    • SAP Business One Analytics powered by SAP HANA post installation steps
    • Setting Up Apache Proxy Balancer
    • Enabling SAP HANA DB Replication
    • Enabling SSH Login without a Password
    • Deploying Switch Script

Introduction

With the aid of the SAP HANA system replication function, the SAP Business One, version for SAP HANA high availability (HA) solution ensures more reliable database service and nearly zero data loss in case of unplanned server outage. The HA functionality is available as of 9.0 PL03.

Prerequisites

• Download HA package from Partner Edge http://sappartneredge.com/b1/documentation==> 9.0 ==> B1 for HANA
  
  • Decompress zip file
  • Upload Linux scripts and configuration files to HANA servers
• Install HANA on server1 and server2
• Both HANA systems must share:
  • SYSTEM ID (SID): NDB
  • Instance number:00
  • Password for SYSTEM user
• 64 and 32 bit client installed on both HANA servers and server tools server
• Standalone Linux server for Apache Load Balancer and Server Tools

In order to enable HA you will need 3 server: 2 HANA servers and 1 Linux server for Apache Load Balancer and Server Tools.  The Linux server for Apache Load Balancer and Server Tools can be a vm.

Deployment and Configuration

The steps below provide an overview of what is installed to enable HA for Business One powered by HANA.  Please install in the order presented.  Do not skip ahead.

HANA components

The 64 and 32 bit version of the HANA client must be installed on all 3 servers.  Please use the default directories.  The 64-bit version installs to /usr/sap/hdbclient.  The 32-bit version installs to /usr/sap/hdbclient32.  You can install the client using ./hdbsetup (graphical) or ./hdbinst (console).

SAP Business One Server Tools

On the Linux Server where you are planning to install server tools, as root, navigate to the directory where the install.bin file resides and start it using ./install.bin.  The path is something like ../Packages Linux/ServerComponents. 

An overview of the installation steps are available from http://scn.sap.com/community/business-one/blog/2013/08/08/90-bare-metal-to-live-system.

Please note the following points:

• When prompted for the HANA hostname use the IP address of the primary HANA server.  Do not enter the hostname. 
• On the "Specify Security Certificates for Exteme App Framework select "Configure SSL after installation".  Note 1929288 https://service.sap.com/sap/support/notes/1929288 contains more details

Post installation steps

• In the browser open https://<Center IP>:40000/ControlCenter/
• Confirm the server tools system has been registered with SLD (system landscape directory)
• Reinitialize the server tools
  • Logon to the server tools system with a SSH client
  • Copy the attached shell script reinit.sh to the installation path of the server tools (the default is /opt/sap/SAPBusinessOne/ServerTools).
  • Replace the following information in the script with your own data

    • REGISTER_HANA_SERVER="10.58.1.121:30015;10.58.1.123:30015"

    • REGISTER_HANA_SERVER_USER="SYSTEM"

    • REGISTER_HANA_SERVER_PASSWD="manager"

    • SLD_HANA_ADDRESS='10.58.1.121:30015;10.58.1.123'

    • SLD_HANA_PORT='30015'

    • SLD_DATABASE='SLDDATA'

    • SLD_HANA_INSTANCE_NO='00'

    • SLD_HANA_SERVER_USER='SYSTEM'

    • SLD_HANA_SERVER_PASSWD='manager'

    • TOMCAT_USER="root"

    • TOMCAT_GROUP="root"

    • SITE_PASSWD='1234

• Run the update scrip, reinit.sh, to reinitialize server tools
• Execute /etc/init.d/sapb1servertools restart to restart the server tools
• Delete reinit.sh to prevent the disclosure of private information

Installing the SAP Business One Server

The SBOCOMMON DB is required on both SAP HANA DBs.  The creation of the DB is accomplished by installing the SAP Business One Server on both HANA servers.  When the SAP Business One Server installer prompts for HANA DB provide the IP address for the HANA server on which you are installing the SAP Business One Server, do not provide the hostname. 

Installing the SAP Business One Analytics powered by SAP HANA

The SAP Analytics must be installed on both SAP HANA DB server 1 and server 2.  When the SAP Business One Analytics installer prompts for HANA DB provide the IP address for the HANA server on which you are installing the SAP Business One Server, do not provide the hostname. 

SAP Business One Analytics powered by SAP HANA post installation steps

1. In the web browser navigate to https://<Host IP>:8443/Enablement/ and confirm Analytics installed successful.  You should verify successful installation on both HANA hosts
2. Logon to HANA host2 as ndbadm and stop B1AH by executing  ./B1AShutdown.sh from /opt/sap/SAPBusinessOne/AnalyticsPlatform/tomcat/bin
3. Update the registration information of B1AH on Host1.
   1. In the SAP HANA studio, connect to SAP HANA Host1
   2. Execute UPDATE "SBOCOMMON"."SLSPP" SET "ParamValue"='<SAP Business One Server Tools host>' WHERE "ParamKey"='host'.  Replace <SAP Business One Server Tools> with the name of your SAP Business One Server Tools host. 
      1. You can use select "ParamValue" from "SBOCOMMON"."SLSPP" WHERE "ParamKey"='host' to look up the host

Setting Up Apache Proxy Balancer

1. Execute yast2 -i apache2 to confirm/install Apache
   1. You need to this on the physical host or be connected with an xWindows client
   2. Before calling the command you can call xeyes to confirm your xWindows client is accepting requests
2. Enable the http service with YaST you can find more information on https://www.suse.com/documentation/
   1. Network Services > HTTP service > Select network devices

          2. Select Modules

          3. Review Default Host settings and click next

          4. Click next twice more then finish

3. Configure Apache, with yast, as shown below

     1. HTTP Server ==> Server module ==> Add module.  In the pop-up select proxy_balancer

     2. Enable the following modules:

• proxy
• http_proxy
• ssl
• proxy_balancer
• headers

You enable the module by selecting it and clicking toggle status.

4. Run the following command to generate a private key and certificates for SSL:

• mkdir –p /etc/apache2/b1
• openssl req -nodes -newkey rsa:2048 -keyout /etc/apache2/b1/server.key -out /etc/apache2/b1/server.csr
• openssl genrsa -des3 -out /etc/apache2/b1/sign.key 1024
• openssl x509 -req -days 365 -in server.csr -signkey /etc/apache2/b1/sign.key -out /etc/apache2/b1/server.crt
• openssl rsa -in /etc/apache2/b1/sign.key -out /etc/apache2/b1/sign.key

5. In YaST add ports 8443 (B1AH) and 8000 (XAapp) to Apache

6. Copy the xs.conf and b1ah.conf files from download earlier to  /etc/apache2/vhosts.d directory, and then make the following updates with your own data:

• b1ah.conf:
  • Update both balancer members with the IP addresses of the HANA database servers
• xs.conf:
  • Update the balancer member with the IP address of Host1 (including the port number)
  • Update the header with the IP address of SAP Business One Server Tools server  (including the port numbers)

7. Restart Apache server using service apache2 restart

8. In a Web browser, navigate to https://<SAP Business One Server Tools Server>:8443/Enablement/ to confirm you can access B1AH from the Apache proxy.

9. Update the Xapp information in the SLD

1. In a Web browser, navigate to https://<SAP Business One Server Tools Server>:40000/ControlCenter/ and log on as B1SiteUser.
2. In the system landscape directory, on the Services tab, update the URL link of the Extreme App Framework 2.service to HTTPS protocols: https://<SAP Business One Server Tools Server IP>:80<Instance Number>. For example, change the link to https://10.58.5.76:8000
3. In a Web browser, navigate to the new URL link to confirm you can access the XApp from the Apache proxy

Enabling SAP HANA DB Replication

This section describes how to enable Primary and secondary HANA system replication.  Before proceeding please read section 14 of http://help.sap.com/hana/SAP_HANA_Administration_Guide_en.pdf. 

1.  You must make the following change in global.ini of both HANA servers:

• listeninterface: .global
• Confirm the log_mode is set to  normal

2. Confirm both server can ping each other

3. Take a backup of HANA host 1 DB http://scn.sap.com/docs/DOC-44558#Task2_Backing_up_the_HANA_system_regularly

4. Enable system replication, on HANA host1 by logging on as ndbadm and executing hdbnsutil -sr_enable --name=<Host1 Alias>.  The command can be found in /usr/sap/NDB/HDB00/exe.

5. To enable system replication on Host2 and register Host2 with the primary site as the secondary site (standby database server), log on to Host2 as the ndbadm user and run the following commands:

1. Shuts down the system: /usr/sap/NDB/HDB00/exe/sapcontrol -nr <Instance Number> -function Stop
2. Registery using hdbnsutil -sr_register --name=<Host2 Alias> --remoteHost=<Host1 IP> --remoteInstance=<Instance Number> --mode=syncmem the command can be found in /usr/sap/NDB/HDB00/exe
3. Starts the SAP HANA system on Host2: HDB start

6. Confirm the replication status by connecting the SAP HANA Studio to SAP HANA host1 and opening the Administrator prospective.  In the administrator prospective select the Landscape tab select System Replication.

When you first enable replication you can track the replication status.

After the replication is completed you can check in the same location to confirm replication is enabled.

Enabling SSH Login without a Password

1. Log on to SAP HANA Host1 as the ndbadm user.
2. Run the following commands to generate a key pair:
   1. Generate a private/public key pair: ssh-keygen -t dsa -b 1024
   2. Create an authorized_keys file:
      1. cd /usr/sap/NDB/home/.ssh
      2. touch authorized_keys
      3. Assign read and write permission to the owner of the authorized_keys file: chmod 600 authorized_keys
3. Log on to SAP HANA Host2 as the ndbadm user and generate a key pair as described in step 2.
4. Log on to SAP Business One Server Tools server as a root user and run the following command to generate a key pair: ssh-keygen -t dsa -b 1024
5. Copy the generated id_dsa.pub file to the two HANA hosts, and rename it as switch, as below:
   1. cd /root/.ssh 1.
   2. scp id_dsa.pub ndbadm@<Host1 IP>:~/.ssh/switch
   3. scp id_dsa.pub <sid>adm@<Host2 IP>:~/.ssh/switch
6. Log on to HANA Host1 as the ndbadm user and do the following:
   1. Navigate to the ssh directory: cd ~/.ssh
   2. Append the public key to the authorized_keys file: cat switch >> authorized_keys
   3. Delete the temporary switch file: rm switch
7. Log on to HANA Host2 as the ndbadm user and perform the same operations as in step 6.
8. On SAP Business One Server tools server, run the following commands to try SSH login without a password:
   1. ssh ndbadm@<HANA Host1 IP>
   2. ssh ndbadm@<HANA Host2 IP>

Deploying Switch Script

This section describes how to deploy the monitoring and switch scripts. In the event of a failure on the active database server, you can switch on the standby database server to replace the active database.

Procedure

1. Copy the attached b1h_switcher.sh and haenv.sh shell scripts to Center.
2. 2. Open haenv.sh and update the following variables:
   1. hana_sid_user=ndbadm
   2. hana_instance_number=00
   3. hanadb01=10.58.1.121
   4. hanadb02=10.58.1.123

If you encounter a failure on your DB server, you run the b1h_switcher.sh script which will switch you to the standby server.

Think back to a time when your organisation was still in its early days – what would you have told yourself, and others at that time, knowing what you know now? How would years of wisdom, experience, success and failure changed what you did? Would you have taken more risks? Would you have invested more in certain areas of the business? Would you have expanded sooner?

It’s too late to change what has passed, but you do have the power to steer your organisation’s future. Imagine what could be achieved if you knew which products and services to focus on and expand, and which to eliminate. Imagine how much more profitable your company could be if you knew which geographical markets were likely to trend in their demand for your product. Imagine being the first on the scene in a new market. All of this, and more, is now possible and available to organisations of all sizes through the innovative technology from SAP HANA Predictive Analytics.

Predictive Analytics 101

You have likely heard something about the business benefits of predictive analytics, or you might be wondering what all the fuss is about.

Simply put, predictive analysis:

• Transforms multiple data sources and formats into practical, organisational insights and visualisation
• Eliminates the need for manual data analysis
• Provides you with answers to your organisations questions such as What happened? Why did it happen? How did it happen? What will happen next?
• Enables a proactive approach to intelligent business planning

Key components of predictive analytics from SAP HANA:

• Combining speedy in-memory analytics and native predictive algorithms
• Leveraging Big Data to extract insights from more complex data sources
• Creating meaningful and useful visualisations with the data

How could my company benefit from predictive analytics?

Knowing what the future holds for your organisation puts you in control of where it can go. Gaining accurate answers to your company’s ‘what will happen next?’ question enables you to plan, steer, mitigate and decide what happens now, and in the future.

Here are some of the ways other companies are using predictive analysis for their future growth:

• 52% to increase profitability – e.g. eliminate underperforming products and services
• 55% to create new revenue opportunities – e.g. predict market trends and develop new products to meet the needs
• 45% for customer services - e.g. gain visibility into supply and demand levels to provide proactive services
• 43% for product recommendations and offers - e.g. create customised offers for specific market segments

[Source]

What does predictive analysis look like?

Depending on the business area and strategy you are focusing on, you could be presented with a variety of predictive analysis results.

To answer your organisation’s What happened? question you might use:

• Standard / ad hoc reports showing the facts and figures
• OLAP analysis to consolidate the raw data (this does not necessarily need to be SAP data)

To answer Why did it happen? you can use:

• Drill down analysis in a variety of formats
• Data discovery – pre-determined benchmarks and signal indicators

To answer What will happen next? SAP HANA provides you with:

• Predictive modeling – showing, in a variety of formats, the future trends, curves and behaviours based on the data input
• Real-time predictive analysis also allows you to perform trial and error testing before making any decisions (e.g. what would potentially happen to sales if I increased the availability in certain locations?)

Gaining vision into the future of your organisation provides you with the opportunity to truly become the best in your business; for your clients, your customers and your employees.

Contact the SAP HANA specialists at Blue Ocean Systems to gain insight into the future of your organisation today.

SAP Business One Software Download Center

https://websmp103.sap-ag.de/sbo-swcenter

SAP Business One Products >> Updates >> SAP BUSINESS ONE >> SAP BUSINESS ONE 9.0 >>

Comprised Software Component Versions >> SAP BUSINESS ONE 9.0 >> Windows on x64 64bit >> Downloads

Patch Information:

1925757 - Overview Note for SAP Business One 9.0 PL08

SAP Business One Patch Delivery Schedule

https://websmp207.sap-ag.de/smb/sbo/patches

Regards,

Marcelo Silva Santos

SAP Business One 9.0, version for SAP HANA PL04 is already available, if you are planing to upgrade to the latest patch of SAP Business One 9.0 version for SAP HANA you can now upgrade directly to PL04.

SAP Business One 9.0, version for SAP HANA PL04 is synchronized with SAP HANA SP06 Rev 67.

Please check the corresponding central note for more details:
1941072 - Overview Note for SAP Business One 9.0, version for SAP HANA PL4 (S-user required)   

B1H PL04:

Please check the following note if you haven't upgraded yet to PL04 (fixed on PL04):
1943747 - Error "Invalid SAML response" occurred after 90 days' installation(S-user required)

HANA Rev 67:

To avoid possible statistics server problems (e.g. running out of memory), we recommend that you change some configurations in SAP HANA before upgrading to SAP HANA Revision 67 or any higher version.
1943067 - Recommended configuration setting when you upgrade HANA to version 67 or higher(S-user required)

How to perform a schema backup (available since HANA 1.0 SP00)
http://scn.sap.com/docs/DOC-44558#Schema_Level_Backup

How to import the schema backup with a new schema name

Since HANA Rev 61, you are able to export a schema, then import the schema with a new name. Please check below for details:
1888585 - SAP HANA appliance: Revision 61 of SAP HANA database (S-user required)

"IMPORT <table_name_list> AS <export_import_format> FROM <path> [WITH <export_import_option_list>] ... | RENAME SCHEMA <source_schema1> TO <target_schema1>, <source_schema2> TO <target_schema2>, ..."

If you have the following error message while importing: "SAP DBTech JDBC: [2]: general error: DE.ETL_S DE:INV1_tracking not found in the import directory." please check the following note:

1944485 - fail to import schema using rename function in HANA (S-user required)

i want to discuss the problem while installing sap b1 9.0.

I have installed the Server Tools and set a B1SiteUser password.

It then goes onto the Server installer. This prompts for me to enter the B1SiteUser password which I do but it gives the attached error message:

"Authentication against the specified License Server has failed.

Check your SiteUser password"

When you go to License Manager and Configure Security, that doesn't work either! Clicking reset site password doesn't do anything!

I have cleanly un-installed  the software and started again but to no avail.

Step to check are:-

1.TCP/IP protocol has been enabled in the SQL Server which you provided in Server Tools installer

2. Set SQL Browser service to Auto Start. Sql server browser service should be running while u install sap b1 9.0.

if you have already installed server tools and u are getting error then

1. Uninstall old version server tools

2. Clear Server Tools install path

(e.g. C:\Program Files (x86)\SAP\SAP Business One ServerTools\)

3.Install new version server tools.

if still any one getss error installing sap b1.  Then u can check for

Did you right click >> 'Run as Administrator' for the setup file?

Did you setup your database instance as a Network Service (vs local system/service)?  You can check this in the SQL Configuration Tool.  Right click the instance name, click Properties and it's on the Log On tab.

Did you try using the IP instead of the logical name?  (Start >> Run >> CMD >> ipconfig)

Did you install the .NET framework 4.0 and follow all the prerequisites from the administration guide?

Is your UAC turned right off (Never Notify)?  Control Panel >> User Accounts >> Change how user account control notifies me >> Set to 'Never Notify' and restart.

Do you have an old download of the install files from SAP?  Maybe you have not downloaded the latest files.  I downloaded the files again last Sunday (March 3, 2013) before it worked on Monday.

Do you have an updated version of Java running?  At some point I noticed it was using Java to do something.

The points that can also be tried are:-

     1. Enable TCP/IP Protocol on SQL Server.

     2. Set SQL Browser service to Auto Start.

     3. Disable the Windows Firewall.

     4. Uninstall or Disable Any Antivirus Programs.

     5. Uninstall SAP (everything).

     6. Delete the C:\Program Files (x86)\SAP.

     7. Reboot the machine.

     8. Make Sure the above Points 1st and 2nd are Still Running Enabled.

     8. Install SAP 9 - Server Tools - in custom mode , Select needed check boxes , Finish.

     9. Install SAP 9 - Server - in Custom mode make sure that Service Manager & License Manager are Running.

     10.This Enables Full SAP 9 Installation

SAP Business One for Android

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=b1.mobile.android&hl=en

https://websmp106.sap-ag.de/~sapidp/011000358700001087202013E/B1_MobileApp_Guide_Android.pdf

Description

With the SAP Business One mobile app for Android, you can access SAP Business One, SAP’s enterprise resource planning application for small businesses, anywhere, anytime. The mobile app lets managers, executives, sales reps, and service techs stay informed about their business, view reports, manage contacts, and handle sales and service activities.

Key features of SAP Business One for Android

• Get alerts on events, like deviations of approved prices, credit limits, or targeted gross profits
• Visualize key information about your business in real time with reports and interactive dashboards
• Create, edit, or view sales opportunities, quotations, and orders, and handle service call activities
• Manage contacts and activities; all info is synched with SAP Business One and the on-device calendar
• Monitor inventory levels and get product details, including purchasing and sales prices and photos

Note: To use the SAP Business One mobile app with your own business data, you must be running release family 8.82 of the SAP Business One application as your back-end system. You can try out the mobile app now using a demo logon.

Regards,

Marcelo Silva Santos

When it comes to managing such trends as mobile, BYOD, Web apps and Cloud, the concerns of SAP Business One customers are no different from those of IT staff in general.   There are many scenarios in which a business or other organization might want to provide access to SAP Business One remotely or from mobile devices – perhaps by integrating it with the organization’s web portal — without having to install anything on the end-user’s mobile device or PC.

AccessNow, Ericom’s HTML5-based RDP solution, helps IT staff and users address such challenges by effectively providing turnkey webification of Windows applications.  When used with Ericom AccessNow, SAP Business One instantly becomes a Web app, accessed from any current browser on any device.

How it works:   Assuming of course that SAP Business One is already installed on an RDP host such as Microsoft RDS (Terminal Server) or VDI virtual desktop, or somewhere in the cloud, all that’s needed is

1. Install the Ericom AccessNow server on the same host
2. Configure Ericom AccessNow to access the host on which SAP Business One is installed
3. Publish the URL to employees, contractors, partners and any other relevant parties that require access

AccessNow does not require any installation on the end user device, so it’s easy to deploy.  That also makes it an ideal BYOD enabler, allowing users to access SAP Business One at home, on the road or in the office, from iPads, Android tablets, Macs, BlackBerry, Amazon Kindle Fire, Chromebooks, etc.

Ericom has been working closely with SAP Business One Product Evangelist Richard Duffy, who is using Ericom AccessNow to provide simple, anywhere access to SAP Business One, including dashboards, customizations and third-party applications, within a browser window.

Visit Ericom’s AccessNow for SAP Business One page for more details about AccessNow, and to view a video of Richard Duffy’s demonstration of the combined solution.

In last week’s post, we took a long, difficult look at the past 12 months for your business; the good, and the not so good. The next step is to look at how the ‘not so good’ can be transformed so that when you perform your end of 2014 business review, you’re much more satisfied with what you see.

In your business review, look back at the lessons learnt from the past 12 months. This is a good starting point for setting future goals to avoid repeating the same failures or mistakes. Some common business lessons and the goals you set might include;

Issue 1

Your business lost a long-standing customer because you were unable to keep up with, and anticipate their needs. Their new supplier offers more competitive rates and fulfilment times that work better for them.

Lessons learnt

• Customers need constant care and attention, even long-standing ones
• Customers expect us to anticipate their future needs
• We must always review our prices and ensure loyal customers are rewarded
• We need to adjust our fulfilment capabilities to meet customers’ expectations and exceed our competitors' capabilities

Potential Solutions

1)   Ensure the sales and marketing teams are working on strategies to engage with and keep existing customers happy, not just looking for new opportunities [learn more]

2)   Use data to forecast market trends so we can better respond to changes in market prices and conditions [learn more]

3)   Regularly review our capabilities to deliver and adjust systems and processes when needed [learn more]

Issue 2

We were presented with several opportunities last year to work with new partners and came very close to signing some lucrative deals, but we pulled out at the last minute. We also over-invested in a new product which seemed too good to be true and have not yet seen a return on that investment.

Lessons learnt

• We approach opportunities and risk in a haphazard way and just hope for the best; this is not a sustainable business strategy
• When faced with opportunities we have no idea how to assess their viability
• If we take too much or too little risk, the future of our business will be in jeopardy

Potential Solutions

1)   Set up a process which can calculate the potential risk in any opportunity based on real time and reliable data [learn more]

2)   Establish a risk strategy that everyone is agreed on [learn more]

3)   Agree on next year’s strategy and focus on exploring opportunities only in those targeted areas [learn more]

Issue 3

Your company was hit hard last year by the departure of several senior and middle management figures who had worked for the organisation for many years and took with them a great deal of experience. You had heard rumours throughout the year that many were dissatisfied with the lack of investment in new technology and the high attrition rates of more junior employees distracting them from being able to focus on business development strategies.

Lessons learnt

• Even the most loyal employees have a breaking point
• The best employees want more than just a pay packet, they want to know they are part of an organisation that has a bright future
• Your HR department needs systems and processes in place to engage and communicate with employees effectively

Potential Solutions

1)   Involve staff across all levels in key organisational strategies and value their input [learn more]

2)   Regularly review the pain points of all staff completing their daily tasks and commit to addressing these issues [learn more]

3)   Engage staff in the business strategy and vision in creative and innovative ways [learn more]

You might be surprised to learn that these common goals (and many more) can be easily achieved with the help of an ERP solution like SAP Business One.

The end-to-end capabilities of SAP Business One can support your organisation to;

• Become more flexible and proactive across all systems, processes and departments, enabling you to predict market trends and reap the benefits
• Develop meaningful and successful sales and marketing strategies that are targeted to the specific needs of consumers
• Retain existing customers by providing data, insights and analysis to support their current, and future, business needs
• Leverage Big Data to approach any opportunity with the facts and figures needed to make an empowered decision
• Provide a transparent view of all departments, opening up opportunities for business development
• Alleviate transactional staff from repetitive data entry work, enabling them to contribute to more stimulating tasks

If you and your management team are worried about repeating the same mistakes year after year, talk to one of Blue Ocean Systems’ ERP consultants about how next year could be the transitional year for your organisation. You can also connect with us via our active Facebook community and LinkedIn.

About Charlie Heng

Following on from our first two videos in our UKISGU 2013 series on Enterprise Architecture and Analytics we have now arrived to our third video with none other than Tim Guest. This is essentially a series of interviews created to bring high quality content and insight to budding SAP enthusiasts and SAP end-users alike. It can be hard to navigate through the technology SAP offers and by capturing experts in each respective field, we provide a more accessible entry into each domain.

You might recognize the man behind the beard in this video; he is one of the UK SAP Mentors and a recognized senior consultant and project manager with a specialization in SAP Business One. Tim also has considerable knowledge in Design Thinking and I had the opportunity to discuss this, SAP’s SME offering, Cloud versus on-premise and a number of other topics in this interview.

Please note, when you start watching the interview, Tim’s actual moustache was for the Movember charity initiative and doesn't reflect his usual cut.

But here you go, enjoy the interview,

I’ve attempted to break up the video in a rough timeline with the words in […] being additional topics we touch on outside of the original question.

0:10 Can you give us a little introduction to yourself?

0:40 What brings you to this year’s UKISUG? [special interest group, Business One]

01:30 I’m curious, what is SAP currently offering SMEs (Small to Medium sized Enterprises)? [Cloud, SAP HANA]

02:50 Talking on-premise and Cloud for second, what would you recommend to SMEs to go with at the moment? [Business One Cloud]

04:18 Let’s turn a page, on the back of reading one of your blogs on SCN, can you give us a brief introduction to what Design Thinking actually is? [common sense]

05:52 Do you believe Design Thinking is something consultants should get acquainted with? [DemoJam, InnoJam, example of it’s success]

07:10 Towards the end, looking at 2014 what do you think is going to be the two big buzz words and trends in the SAP space?

Tim it was good meeting you and hope we get the opportunity to do it again in the near future. If you want to follow Tim on Twitter his handle is @TimTheGuest with an excess of 10,000 tweets I believe by now!

Our December blogs have focussed on looking back over the past 12 months, reviewing what went well, and the lessons we learnt in our business. The best thing about anything that goes wrong in business is that it opens up the opportunity to change the way we do things or restructure our systems to get better results next time.  This week, we’ll be taking a look at what success means for your organisation in 2014 and how you can start achieving it.

The Success Funnel – What Does Yours Look Like?

Let’s take each area of your business and pick the top 3 priorities for 2014. Don’t think about barriers to these goals, such as lack of finance or knowledge – this is your wish list, so be creative! Here are some ideas to help you along the way.

Sales & Marketing

1. I want my sales team to spend less time at their desks, and more time meeting new and prospective clients
2. I want our customers to rave about us online
3. I want to succeed in 2 new market segments we have never before tried

Finance

1. I want the end of month and end of year financial processes to be completed in half the time it currently takes
2. I want to be able to extract accurate statistics wherever I am
3. I want my senior management team to have full access to all financial figures, even when they are travelling

Warehouse

1. I want to reduce our waste stock by 25% within 12 months
2. I want our fulfilment rates to increase by 40% in the next year
3. I never want to display an ‘out of stock’ sign for any product in our online store again

Operations

1. I want to decrease machinery downtime by 30% in 12 months
2. I want to run a 24/7 operation during peak times of the year
3. I want to decrease material waste by 15% in 12 months

Senior Management

1. I want to run effective weekly micro meetings with all executive management members, wherever they are in the world
2. I want every department head to have access to generate up-to-date reports on their mobile phones and tablets and take immediate action to resolve problems where necessary
3. I want each department head to implement one new initiative to improve productivity or company culture over the next year

Human Resources

1. I want to reduce our reliance on expensive temporary staff by 15% during periods of shortage
2. I want employees across all levels to contribute positively to the organisation’s online presence
3. I want to improve attrition rates by 10% over the next 12 months

It’s a great time to gather your department heads together and ask them for their input too. Together, come up with your top 5 priorities for each section and commit to a monthly, or weekly, catch up session to see how things are progressing. You might find that some areas are much more achievable than others, so focus on some quick wins, as well as putting in the time and effort to the more challenging improvements.

If your organisation is already leveraging an ERP system like SAP Business One, these success factors are very achievable. If you know where your organisation wants to go, but you’ve been putting off an investment into an ERP, the below infographic might just answer many of the barriers.

What's holding you back from deploying an ERP system like SAP Business One (Version for SAP HANA) for your business to improve operations and productivity?

The Blue Ocean Systems team understands that for many SMEs, they know their own barriers to success, and they know that an ERP solution would help them to overcome these issues – but there are still other factors preventing them from taking the leap. Whatever is holding your business back from reaching its full potential in 2014, talk to the Blue Ocean Systems team of ERP experts who might be able to release some of those pains for you.

About Alfred Eu

Alfred takes a collaborative problem solving approach to support clients in their process and information needs when implementing SAP Business One and SAP HANA.  He ensures that his clients can leverage the very best of the SAP ecosystem for business growth. He is a specialist in the predictive analysis technology from SAP HANA and enjoys showing clients how their data sources can transform their business.

Connect with Alfred online, via Facebook and LinkedIn.

SAP Business One analytics 1.1 powered by SAP HANA PL4 is already available.

SAP Business One analytics 1.1 powered by SAP HANA PL4 is synchronized with:

• SAP Business One 8.82 patch level 7 and higher
  SAP Business One 9.0 patch level 3 and higher
• SAP HANA Platform Edition 1.0 SPS 06 Rev 69

Please check the corresponding central note for more details:

1953722 - Overview Note for SAP Business One analytics 1.1 powered by SAP HANA PL4(S-user required)

This new patch main focus is described in following notes:

1953808 - Initialization on B1A 1.1 PL3 takes a long time(S-user required)

1953969 - Incorrect memory usage information if B1A runs on incompatible SAP HANA version (S-user required)

Re: SAP Business One 9.0 Installation

Here is a demonstration of the installation steps of SAP B1 9.0 on Win 7 Enterprise as a standalone server:

• The folder attributes of SAP B1 9.0 PL05 (51046461) consist of 2,988 Folders and 12,617 Files with a file size of 6.04 GB (6,496,952,172 bytes).

• The SQL database version is: MS SQL Server 2008 R2.

• The OS of this standalone server comprise of an Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU P8600 @ 2.40GHz (with 4.00GB RAM).

For the first time new user, the Installation Wizard (autorun.exe) is recommended. The installation sequences are as follows:

Step 1. Server.

Step 2. Client.

Step 3. Integration Component.

Accordingly, run the autorun.exe to open the SAP B1 9.0 installation wizard and installing them as such.

Here are a few tips that you may want to bear in mind when you install the Server Tools component within Step 1:

• If you have more than one Firewall software enabled on your server, it is recommended to disable them all.
• When you enter the SQL Server name, do not enter any IP address, you must enter the server name and the instance name (e.g. SAPB1\SQLINSTANCE).
• You must ensure that the SQL Server Browser service is active and set to automatic. If not, adjust the settings of the service, restart the server and re-install the SAP Business One again.
• Ensure that the TCP/IP protocol is enabled for the SQL Server; double check it as such, do not assumed that it is always enabled by default.
• When you are prompted to enter your SQL credentials, enter the SQL account credentials directly, do not populate it with your windows or network credentials.

Here are a few tricks that you may want to bear in mind when you install the Client within Step 2:

• With the major Release 9.0, 32-bit and 64-bit versions of the SAP Business One client are available. You must install each version separately. You can install and run both versions on the same machine.
• When referring to 32-bit or 64-bit versions of the SAP Business One Client Application, the 32-bit and 64-bit is only indirectly related to the Operating System on which the Clients are installed. On 64-bit Operating Systems both Client Applications can be installed.
• One some workstations you might decide to install the 64-bit SAP Business One Client Application, on other workstations the 32-bit SAP Business One Client Application. On the server, you might decide to install both, the 32-bit SAP Business One Client Application and 64-bit SAP Business One Client Application.
• When you run SAP Business One, you can use only SAP Business One add-ons valid for the version of the application you are running. If you are using the 32-bit version of the SAP Business One client, you can install and run only 32-bit add-ons. If you are using the 64-bit version of the SAP Business One client, you can install and run only 64-bit add-ons.
• If you work with 32-bit and 64-bit SAP Business One Client Applications, you need to install both versions of the add-ons.
• When you install SAP Business One Client (32-bit), the DI API (32-bit) is also installed together.

-----------------

If encountering an unsuccessful installation on the first try, follow this cycle and be persistent:

• Document the entire installation process including the steps performed.
• Disable all Firewall software and Anti-virus programs.
• Enable the TCP/IP Protocol on the SQL Server.
• Set the SQL Browser service to Auto Start.
• Completely uninstall previous SAP B1 and any trace of current B1 residuals.
• Delete the C:\Program Files (x86)\SAP folder.
• Delete all SQL data files (.mdf /.ldf) that were associated with preceding SAP B1 installations.
• Perform a few times of Registry Clean with system reboots thereafter.
• Cold boot your system at least once.
• Reinstall SBO 9.0 again!
• Consider not using the Installation Wizard this time, start from the Packages Folder. Install the Server tools, then the SBO server, and then other components.
• For password problems, open the SQL Management Studio, locate the list of server names in the server name column. Then, click Browse more and select the Network Server. Find the name of the server that you provided from installation. Select that Server and SQL user ID and password. After that, try the installation with new Server name.

-----------------

Follow these tips to handle the "... could not create database ..." errors:

• Never attempt to install and concurrently running 2 or more versions of B1 on the same machine!
• Always start with a 'clean' database for installation.
• Always start a clean and new installation when encountering the same database errors!
• Make sure removed all old database with the same name. Check with the SQL Server Management Studio to see whether there is any database with same name; if so, delete it within the SSMS. Also, Make sure deleted the SBO Common Database completely. After that, try to re-install SAP B1 again.
• In case of .mdf and .ldf file names conflicts, login to the SQL Server Instance for SAP and locate the database "SBO-COMMON" and detach it by renaming its .mdf and .ldf files (or preferably delete the entire database completely). To make sure this step is done thoroughly, in the Object Explorer, right-click a Server and click Properties; in the Left Panel, click the Database Settings page; and in the Database default locations, view the current default locations for new data files and new log files that have been created -- locate files named: SBO-COMMON.mdf and SBO-COMMON_log.ldf, then rename them! Then, re-install SAP B1 again.
• Check out SAP Note #1332369 for "...Could not create Database..." errors.
• This is a helpful documentation for resolving installation errors.

-----------------

Follow the screenshots below as a guide to complete the installation:

Keep your b1siteuser password for requesting a license in the partner portal or customer portal.

When installation is successfully accomplished, you should be able to see your SAP Business One client with the new gold interface like this one:

Hope that this document can provide you with some insights on how to properly install the new release of SAP Business One 9.0!

Regards,

Owen

Re: Sales Process for the B1 Sales – A/R module

A default Sales Process in SAP B1 typically involves these stages within the Sales – A/R module:

Creation of a Sales Quotation for the customer.To begin the sales process in SAP Business One, you first need to create a Sales Quotationfor the customer. The sales quotation contains the price your company offers for each of the products that the customer might be interested in. This helps the customer decide which products / services to purchase.

Creating a Sales Order.When the customer decides to purchase the products from your company, you need to create a Sales Order. The sales order should contain the quantity and price that the customer has agreed to. Creating a sales order is an important part of the sales process, as it serves as a base for your company’s own Purchase and Production Orders too.

Entering the details of a Delivery Notice.After the sales order has been successfully processed, your company should create a Delivery Notice in B1 to indicate that the product has been shipped and delivered to the customer. It should contain the necessary details of the product delivered to the customer.

Invoicing and billing to the customer.Your company then needs to bill the customer by creating an A/R Invoice. This document is legally binding between the customers and your company. It provides the details of the products delivered, the amount of the customer owes for them. The data in this document is also updated and reflect in the Profit And Loss Statement of your company.

Accepting the incoming payment from the customer.In this final stage of the sales process, the customer remits payment based on the invoice your company has previously sent out to that customer.

The following is a screenshot of the Sales – A/R module and the default Sales Order window:

Hope that this document can provide some insights on the Sales Process in SAP B1 within the Sales – A/R module.

Regards,
Owen

Re: Inventory flow

Inventory refers to the raw materials or the finished goods that are readily available for sales. For any type of business, the sales and purchasing processes are based on the currently available inventory. The inventory cycle involves linking the ‘purchases’ and ‘uses’ of raw materials and their transformations into goods that can be used for the benefit of the company either for production or for sale. Inventory flow involves the receipt of raw materials to the delivery or sales of the finished goods.

There are various phases in the inventory flow process:

• Items or goods receipt.
• Items inspection.
• Storage.
• Warehousing and maintenance.
• Stock removal.

Items or goods receipt. When receiving the shipment, the first step is to check if the items ordered are complete and intact as per the standards agreed upon with the vendor. Verification is needed for the quantity and quality of items received against the specifications included in the shipping documents. Depended on whether or not the specifications are met, the receiving department can accept, conditionally accept, or reject the shipment.

Items inspection. After accepting the received items, they are examined with specific procedures, depending on the type of the materials and their specific requirements. Occasionally, the items are inspected at specialized locations equipped with the infrastructure to carry out special testing procedures.

Items Storage. After the items are spot checked, the storage phase is in place for keeping those inspected items in the selected warehouses according to the company’s specifications.

Warehouse maintenance. In the warehousing and maintenance phase, the items that are stored in side the warehouses are periodically inspected and maintained for future use.

Stock removal. The stock removal phase involves the delivery of items from the warehouses to the production sites or to the retail locations.

Within SAP B1, the Inventory module can be used to manage all items purchased, produced, or those for future resales. Additionally, the Inventory module can be used to track information on the item master data, item management, inventory transactions, price lists, pick and pack, and inventory reporting.

Hope that this document can provide some insights on the Inventory flow process in SAP B1 within the Inventory module.

Regards,
Owen

Last year, Blue Ocean Systems Singapore published over 50 blog posts (53 to be precise!) With each post, we aim to update our readers on important SAP advances, inspire new thinking and approaches to doing business and also share news, tips and advice across a range of business areas. If you missed any of last year’s posts, here’s a run down of the top 12 from 2013…

In January our focus was on the latest version of the world’s favourite Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution for growing companies – SAP Business One Version 9.0. We looked at the SAP roadmap and the extensive list of upgrades, enhancements and new features this latest version brought with it, including business logic improvements, extensibility and supportability as well as technology infrastructure.  Click to read the SAP Roadmap post.

February’s blog posts delivered us the business side of SAP Business One Version 9.0 updates and how the changes could particularly help small businesses. The most popular post for that month looked at why businesses benefit from using an out-of-the-box solution instead of spending dollars, time and effort on a customisable system. Click to read February’s top post.

March was an exciting month for Blue Ocean Systems – it was time for us to introduce the game-changing technology of SAP HANA. Our favourite thing about HANA? It’s hard to pick just one, but the biggest benefit to our clients has to be the ability to manage and leverage their Big Data sources. Click to read our Big Data post.

In April, we looked at several ways in which small businesses can leverage an ERP, even if they think they are too small for such software. We often hear from prospective clients who are very keen to improve their business processes but feel an ERP is just ‘too big’ for them. Read our post on why starting small with an ERP solution is your best growth strategy.You might also enjoy this short video that debunks the myth about SAP being too big.

In May, we got tough on the health of your business and asked some difficult questions about how well your systems and processes really stood the test of time. Click to read more about your business health check.

June was all about the details of SAP HANA and how the right kind of drama is good for your business. From the technical know-how needed to install SAP HANA successfully, to the innovation it can bring to any company, we covered it all. Read it again here.

In July, Blue Ocean Systems turned 10 and we celebrated in style! We looked back over our first 10 years, how we overcame major challenges and lessons learnt along the way.  Click to reminisce with us again.

August brought another important milestone for us – the anniversary of the launch of SAP! We took this opportunity to answer some of the frequently asked questions received by the Blue Ocean Systems team, as well as how SAP maintains it’s superior quality standards. Click to read more about SAP quality.

In September, we discussed a few ways that the right ERP solution can help small businesses to create sustainable enterprises for generations to come, and why your customers should be leading your success. Read about how to put your customers first here.

October’s posts focussed on the global economic downturn, and how small businesses can leverage the fickle and unstable marketplace for their own success. Our top post from October was all about how to navigate effective decision-making; read it again here.

November was about analytics and the true power SAP HANA can bring to your boardroom! From super charging your supply chain to creating exceptional customer experiences, SAP HANA can help you do it all. Read our post on predictive analysis to discover more.

And finally, December– a natural time to review and reflect on the past year’s success and improvement areas. Click to read our tips on taking stock of last year’s performance.

2013 also saw Blue Ocean Systems launch our very own SAP Business One HANA Facebook community - are you part of it yet? Click here to join now!

2014 brings another exciting year for SAP and Blue Ocean Systems and we look forward to delivering more informative content to our readers.

Contact us to discuss your ERP needs today!

About Arun Devan, Managing Director

I lead a team of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) experts to provide tailored SAP Business One solutions for a wide variety of industry sectors with specialised functions and accessibility tools.

My proven track record of high quality implementations, leveraging 25 years of expertise in SAP R/2, R/3 and B1 deployments ensures each and every client benefits from an efficient implementation of their SAP Business One solution to enhance their operational capacity and growth immediately. Blue Ocean Systems Singapore implements and integrates customised SAP Business One Solutions to help our clients increase profitability and improve operational efficiencies.

Specialising in the implementation and support of SAP enterprise applications for small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs), we combine extensive experience and an unblemished history to deploy the right solution quickly for immediate improvements.

Connect with Arun online, via Facebook or LinkedIn.

How Are Your Customers Looking Today?

October 18, 2013 | by Blue Ocean Systems

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When you think of your customers, what do you see? Can your organisation meet and exceed their needs? Do they buy your product or service regularly? Do they feel they are being treated well by your organisation? Are they referring you to their friends, colleagues and associates? Does your company resolve their problems satisfactorily? Are they waiting for a better, cheaper, more flexible alternative to come along so they can take their business elsewhere?

These are just some of the questions small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) need to be asking themselves on a regular basis to keep ahead of the curve in today’s fragile and fickle market.

How do you know the real customer situation?

A proud CEO will of course say that his/her customers are well catered for and their business always strives to exceed their needs. But ‘here say’ and wishful thinking is no longer enough to keep customers on side for the long term.

What happens in the warehouse, in operations, in the accounting department, might never make it up as far as senior management who could be blissfully unaware of the real situation.  So how can organisations gain true insights into their customer’s journey and how can this data be leveraged to improve service delivery, satisfaction and, ultimately, profit?

Your CRM. Your not-so-secret weapon.

Contrary to the belief that a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool is purely for tracking new leads and sales, this nifty software can transform the way your organisation does business – with new and existing customers.

Here’s how the CRM component of SAP Business One can give you the real story….

The pre-sales journey: sales opportunity management

• A transparent view for all sales and marketing personnel to log and track new market segments
• Track progress with prospects including meetings, updates and feedback
• Store client contact and specific details
• Log prospect & customer interactions
• Create, manage and track targeted campaigns
• Generate and issue contracts quickly and easily
• Enable your sales force to close deals on the go with mobile CRM access
• Analyse outcomes & review marketing strategies

The customer journey: customer experience management 

• Log, track and analyse purchasing patterns, customer preferences, trends and behaviour – helping your business to create new sales opportunities based on accurate data
• Manage and respond to customer feedback across all web and social channels – smooth integration of all your social media feeds to gain a true picture of what your customer is thinking and saying about your product/service
• Respond quickly to customer feedback across traditional as well as via social media channels (quickly becoming a normal expectation of today’s consumer)
• Create a customer-centric support ticket process linked to your CRM to quickly resolve service or product issues (and gain a whole-company view of such issues)
• Gather and record FAQs to create a useful knowledge database accessible to customers (reducing repeat enquiries to your call centre)

The business leader’s journey: growth, profit and success management 

Making your customers happy cannot be something your organisation chooses to do or not to do. Ensuring your customer’s on-going satisfaction is the only way to retain and grow your business, now and in the future. Leveraging your CRM can not only help with the day-to-day prospect and customer management, but also with your future profit and growth strategy.

The key to using your CRM for business growth;

• Create a loyal following of customers, ‘advocates’ of your service / product who buy it themselves, and then tell the whole world via their social media channels what a great decision it was. Make the great experience happen and then let the positive feedback go viral.
• Use the CRM analytics and gain insight like never before about who your customer really is – then create specific and targeted campaigns to speak directly to them.
• Empower your sales and marketing team with the right tools to allow them to focus on their special skills of selling – and build a loyal internal support base of the best talent, seeking to bring in the required results for your business.
• Streamline your sales and marketing efforts to focus on the most profitable market segments and new business areas based on accurate facts from within your existing database.

Blue Ocean Systems comprises a team of SAP Business One specialists who love working with SMEs to find new ways of doing business and improving their current strategies. Talk to them today about how your CRM could become your not-so-secret weapon in the business game.

About Lisa Covarrubias, SAP Business One Consultant

I guide clients through process re-engineering activities to maximise the comprehensive benefits of SAP B1 can bring to their business.

Blue Ocean Systems Singapore implements and integrates customised SAP Business One Solutions to help our clients increase profitability and improve operational efficiencies. Specialising in the implementation and support of SAP enterprise applications for small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs), we combine extensive experience and an unblemished history to deploy the right solution quickly for immediate improvements.