SAP S/4HANA in logistics The financial and logistics processes are now integrated in SAP S/4HANA and can be used interlinked. What advantages do users have if they want to use S/4HANA and its real-time possibilities? What practical examples are there for supply chain, logistics and planning?
SAP S/4HANA Supply Chain, the logistical S/4HANA core, includes production planning, inventory management, warehouse management and optionally production and detailed planning (PP/DS) and the newly programmed availability check (Advanced Available to Promise). Customer orders are created in the SAP S/4HANA Sales module, while all procurement processes are implemented in the SAP S/4HANA Sourcing and Procurement module.
Technical Benefits: SAP S/4HANA Supply Chain
As is well known, the data model of SAP S/4HANA is new, which means that the "digital footprint", i.e. the memory requirement in the database, can also be reduced to less than a tenth in the logistics module, according to SAP. This is possible because aggregates and indices can be dispensed with and they can be generated quickly in real time if required.
Parallel postings are also possible with SAP S/4HANA. Until now, you had to wait for the previous booking to be completed, as SAP and other IT systems were blocked for this short period of the transaction. With S/4HANA, a comparable throughput with shorter throughput times and with lower memory requirements should be possible in the financial and logistics processes.
Practical examples: S/4HANA logistics
SAP gives some practical examples in which S/4HANA should be able to show its particular strengths:
Bulk bookings: Capacity bottlenecks in logistics distribution centers should be a thing of the past. Even if many trucks leave or arrive at the same time or many packages or returns have to be processed, the IT system is not the bottleneck. Bookings can be made in parallel without blocking the system.
Automation: In the case of delivery or service vehicles, mobile devices synchronize directly with the ERP system. The posting of outgoing goods, the invoicing to customers and the replenishment and route planning for the next tours can be automated. Material requirements planning: Material requirements planning (MRP) can help dispatchers to achieve the balance between parts availability and capital commitment in the warehouse. Aids are the signaling of critical stocks, simulations, graphical SAP Fiori representations and systemside suggestions. Optimize stock levels: Stock levels can be classified using ABC/XYZ analyzes and evaluated according to turnover times. The inventory can be kept constant because the issues and receipts can be displayed in real time.
Business benefits through S/4HANA in logistics SAP sees the following key business benefits for its customers:
Better interpretability of information for dispatchers through cockpit displays, customizable user interfaces, graphics and charts. Improved ability to provide information on customer inquiries about delivery dates by using production data. Alarm messages in the event of bottlenecks in the material flow and material requirements planning and shortened response times. Decision support through system suggestions to eliminate bottlenecks and simulations for better stock forecasts.