Overview of SAP

SAP stands for “Systems, Applications and Products in data processing” and it is the fourth largest software company in the world. SAP provides end to end solutions for financials, manufacturing, logistics, distribution etc.

The SAP R/3 system is a business software package designed to integrate  all areas of a business. All business processes are executed in one SAP system and sharing common information with everyone. Each SAP module is integrated with other modules. SAP System divided in to two types of modules such as functional modules and technical modules.

Industry Solutions of SAP

SAP R/3 – Modules & Integration

SAP Functional Modules

1. FICO – Finance & Control
2. PP – Production Planning
3. MM – Material Management
4. SD – Sales & Distribution
5. HR – Human Resources
6. CRM – Customer Relationship Management

SAP Technical Modules

1. ABAP – Advanced business applications programming
2. XI – Exchange Infrastructure
3. Net viewer
4. Basis
5. BIW – Business Information Warehousing

Main Functional SAP ERP Modules 

1. FICO (Finance & Controlling) 
2. HR (Human Resource) 
3. PP (Production Planning) 
4. MM (Material Management) 
5. SD (Sales & Distribution) 
6. PM (Plant Maintenance) 
7. PS (Project System) 
8. QM (Quality Management) 
9. BIW (Business Information Warehousing) 

Business Suite

1. CRM (Customer Relationship Management) 
2. SCM (Supply Chain Management) 
3. SEM (Strategic Enhanced Management) 
4. APO (Advanced Planner Optimizer) 
5. EP (Enterprise Portal) 
6. SRM (Supplier Relationship Management) 
7. XI (Exchange Infrastructure) 

Techno-Functional Modules

1. ABAP + HR 
2. ABAP + SD 
3. BIW (Business Information Warehouse) 

SAP is a package with minimal customizations and the company implementing the same may have to re-orient its business processes to fall in line with SAP requirements.

Listing of each modules in SAP ERP

1. Basis
2. ABAP/4 Programming
3. FI (Financial Accounting)
4. CO (Controlling)
5. EC (Enterprise Controlling)
6. TR (Treasury)
7. IM (Investment Management)
8. HR (Human Resource)
9. SD (Sales and Distribution)
10. Logistics Information System
11. MM (Materials Management)
12. PM (Plant Maintenance)
13. PP (Production Planning)
14. QM (Quality Management)
15. BW (Business Warehousing)
16. IS (Industry Solutions) / SAP for Industries specific solutions
17. CS (Customer Service)
18. SMB
19. CA (Cross Application Components)
20. PS (Project Systems)
21. mySAP SEM
22. mySAP CRM (Customer Relationship Management)
23. mySAP Product Life Cycle Management
24. SCM (SAP Supply Chain Management)
25. Netweaver
26. mySAP SRM (Supplier Relationship Management)

The Enviroments for SAP ERP, Supported Hardware for SAP ERP
SAP can be installed on many system platforms. The functionality and programming technique is same for all systems.

1. HP
2. IBM
3. Sun
4. AT&T
5. AS400
6. Bull
7. Sequent
8. SNI
9. Compaq Digital

Supported Database for SAP ERP
SAP is a back-end-free ERP system which co-operate with many database companies. That means companies have many choices.   The database is common for all modules and avoids duplication of maintaining  master records. For e.g. the customer records will be maintained in SD module like  customer code, customer type, Credit/payment terms, address etc. The same would  be used by the FI module while perusing the customer accounts or entering the receipt of payments. Similarly the sales manager can view the customer balances in the FI module for follow up with the customer. 

The following Database can be used in SAP software.The functionality / programming technique is same for all database system.

1. Oracle
2. MS SQL
3. Informix
4. Sybase
5. Adabas D
6. DB2 for AIX
7. DB2/400 

Supported Operating System for SAP 
The SAP business suites can be installed on the following platforms (Operating systems):

1. MS Windows NT
2. OS/400
3. Unix
4. Solaris
5. AIX
6. HP UX
7. Sinux 

Components in each SAP Modules and Sub-Modules:

1. SAP Basis Components

1. Security (BC - SEC)
2. Application Link Enabling (ALE)
3. Remote Function Calls (RFC)
4. Object Linking and Embedding (OLE)
5. Common Program Interface Communications (CPI-C)
6. Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)
7. Customizing (BC-CUS)
8. ABAP Programming and Runtime Environment (BC-ABA)
9. Client Server Technology (BC-CST)
10. Network Integration (BC - NET)
11. Basis Services/ Communication Interfaces (BC - SRV)
12. Computing Center Management System (BC - CCM)
13. Upgrade General (BC - UPG)
14. Change and Transport System (BC - CTS)
15. Operating System Platform(BC - OP)
16. Database Interface, database platforms (BC - DB)
17. Front End Services (BC - FES)
18. ABAP Workbench (BC - DWB)
19. Documentation and Translation Tools (BC - DOC)
20. Controls and Control Framework (BC - CI)
21. Business Management (BC - BMT)
22. Middleware (BC - MID)
23. Computer Aided Test Tool (BC - CAT)
24. Ready to Run R/3 (BC - BRR)
25. Authorisations System Monitoring with CCMS Workload Alert Monitor 

2. ABAP/4 Programming

1. ABAP Workbench
2. Menu Painter
3. Screen Painter
4. Data Dictionary
5. SAP Script
6. Business Workflow (BC-WF)
7. ALE
8. EDI
9. Business Connector
10. Business Server Pages
11. Internet Application Server
12. Mercator Report Painter
13. ALV reporting
14. Report writer
15. Dialog Programming
16. Repository Information System
17. ABAP 00
18. IDOCS
19. LSMW
20. Smartforms
21. EBP
22. ASAP methodology
23. ABAP Query 

3. SAP FI (Financial Accounting)

1. General Ledger Accounting (FI - GL)
2. Special Ledger (FI - SL)
3. Extended Ledger
4. Accounts Payable (FI- AP)
5. Accounts Receivable (FI - AR)
6. Asset Accounting (FI - AA)
7. Bank Accounting
8. Funds Management (FI - FM)
9. Travel Management (FI-TM)
10. Consolidation

4. SAP CO (Controlling)

1. Cost Centre Accounting (CO - CCA)
2. Overhead Cost Controlling (CO - OM)
3. Activity Based Coding (CO - ABC)
4. Product Cost Controlling (CO - PC)
5. Profitability Analysis (CO - PA)
6. Material Ledger (CO - ML) 

5. SAP EC (Enterprise Controlling)

1. Consolidation (EC - CS)
2. Executive Information System (EC-EIS)
3. Profit Center Accounting (EC - PCA)
4. Business Planning and Budgeting 

6. SAP TR (Treasury)

1. Cash Management (TR - CM)
2. Loans Management (TR - LM)
3. Market Risk Management (TR - MRM)
4. Treasury Management (TR - TM)
5. Funds Management (TR - FM)
6. Information System 

7. SAP IM (Investment Management)

1. Investment Programmes
2. Investment Measures (orders/products)
3. Corporation Wide Budgeting
4. Appropriation Requests
5. Automatic Settlement of Fixed Assets
6. Depreciation Forecast
7. Information System 

8. SAP HR (Human Resource)

1. Recruitment
2. Personnel Administration
3. Benefits Administration
4. Compensation Management
5. Personnel Development
6. Organizational Management
7. Travel Management
8. Training and Events Management
9. Personnel Planning
10. Time Management
11. Incentive
12. Wages
13. Workflow
14. Payroll
15. Internet Scenarios
16. Information System 

9.  SAP SD (Sales and Distribution)

1. Master Data (e.g. Pricing)
2. Sales
3. Sales Support
4. Sales Information System
5. Billing
6. Special Business Transactions
7. Shipping
8. Transportation
9. Credit Control
10. QM in SD
11. Internet
12. Foreign Trade
13. Electronic Data Interchange 

10. SAP Logistics Information System

1. Purchasing Information System
2. Sales Information System
3. Inventory Controlling
4. Retail Information System
5. Production Planning and Control Information System
6. Plant Maintenance Information System
7. Project Information System 

11. SAP MM (Material Management)

1. Purchasing
2. Invoice Verification
3. Logistics (General)
4. Logistics Information System
5. Inventory Management
6. Inventory / Valuations
7. Materials Planning
8. Workflow
9. External Services Management
10. QM in MM
11. WM (Warehouse Management)

12. SAP PM (Plant Maintenance)

1. Preventative Maintenance
2. Maintenance Order Management
3. Maintenance Projects
4. Service Management
5. Maintenance Planning
6. Equipment and Technical Objects
7. Structuring Technical Systems
8. PM Processing
9. Work Clearance Management
10. Internet Scenarios
11. Customising
12. Information System 

13. SAP PP (Production Planning) 

1. Make to Order (CR)
2. Make to Order (PIR)
3. Repetitive Manufacturing
4. PP for Process Industries (PP - PI)
5. PP - Processes
6. Sales and Operations Planning
7. Capacity requirements
8. Master Planning
9. MRP (Material Requirements Planning)
10. KANBAN
11. Production Orders
12. Product Cost Planning
13. Plant Data Collection
14. Assembly Orders
15. Information System 

14. SAP QM (Quality Management)

1. Planning
2. Inspections
3. Notifications
4. Control
5. Certificates
6. Test Equipment Management
7. QM-IS 

15. SAP BW (Business Warehousing)

1. Data Warehousing
2. BI Suite - Business Explorer
3. BI Platform
4. ODS Structures
5. Development Technologies
6. Info Cube
7. Design Build 

16. SAP CS (Customer Service)

1. Service Processing
2. Controlling
3. Service Contracts
4. Workflow in Customer Service 

17. SAP SMB (Small and Mid-size Businesses)

1. SAP SMB 

18. SAP CA (Cross Application Components)

1. SAP Business Workflow
2. Application Link Enabling (ALE) 

19. SAP PS (Project System)

1. Basic Data  
2. Operational Structures
3. Project Planning
4. Approval
5. Information System
6. Project Execution and Integration
7. Work Breakdown Structure 

20. mySAP SRM (Supplier Relationship Management)

1. Self Service Procurement
2. Service Procurement
3. Plan Driven Procurement
4. Spend Analysis
5. Strategic Sourcing
6. Catalogue Content Management

21. mySAP SEM 

1. Business Consolidation (SEM-BCS)
2. Business Information Collection (SEM-BIC)
3. Business Planning and Simulation (BW-BPS)
4. Corporate Performance Monitor (SEM-CPM)
5. Stakeholder Relationship Management (SEM-SRM) 

22. mySAP CRM (Customer Relationship Management)

1. CRM Enterprise
2. Field Applications
3. Interaction Center
4. E-Commerce
5. Channel Management
6. Industry Specific CRM 

23. mySAP Product Life Cycle Management

1. Document Management  
2. Engineering Change Management
3. Enterprise Content Management
4. Classification
5. Basic Data for Process Manufacturing 

24. SAP SCM (SAP Supply Chain Management)

1. SCM Process and Business Scenarios
2. SAP Forecasting and Replenishment
3. SAP Advance Planning and Optimization (SAP - APO)
4. SAP Inventory Collaboration Hub (SAP - OCH)
5. SAP Event Management (SAP - EM)
6. SCM Basis 

25. SAP Netweaver

1. SAP Masterdata Management
2. Information Integration
3. Portal Content
4. Process Integration
5. Knowledge Management
6. Life Cycle Management
7. SAP Business Intelligence
8. SAP Visual Composer
9. People Integration
10. Application Platform
11. SAP Web Application Server
12. SAP Business Information Warehouse
13. SAP Solution Manager
14. SAP Enterprise Portal
15. SAP Mobile Engine
16. Security