SAP: Getting Started

Oct 24th, 2007

04/16/14 2

Understand the SAP Context – FAQs, client/server architecture, key components of the SAP Framework and the way they interconnect, etc. (60 mins.)

Define key SAP terminology (30 mins.)

Log on/off SAP R/3 (20 mins.)

Identify key components on the SAP GUI and their functions (30 mins.)

Navigate between SAP screens (30 mins.)

Session Plan & Objectives (Day-1)

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Differentiate between an SAP transaction and Master data (30 mins.)

Download an SAP report to a spreadsheet using either the SAP download button or menu path. (30 mins.)

Describe the SAP Solution Manager Component and its key characteristics

Identify key facets of the SAP methodology - Ascendant(30 mins.) Define key search criteria necessary for SAP report generation (30

mins.)

Q & A – Test -- Feedback

Session Plan & Objectives (Day-2)

FAQsWhat’s an ‘ERP’?‘ERP’ expands to Enterprise Resource Planning. Enterprise Resource Planning

systems integrate all data and processes of an organization into a unified system. The key feature of an ERP system is it uses a single or unified database to store data for the various system modules.

Which are the key ‘ERP’ products available today?SAP R/3, MySAP, Oracle e-Business Suite, Oracle-PeopleSoft, Oracle – JD

Edwards Enterprise One

What does ‘SAP’ stand for?‘SAP’ is an abbreviation for a German phrase, which - translated to English -

means Systems, Applications, Products in Data Processing.

What’s all this fuss about SAP?SAP makes perfect business sense! It: - helps you replace an out-dated and inefficient IT Architecture - enables you to initiate business process change in your organization - and helps you gain competitive advantage

SAP FAQsWhere do terms like SAP R/2, R/3, MySap all fit in?They are different releases of SAP, MySAP being the latest release, which

essentially portalizes all SAP solutions. R/2 has a Mainframe-based architecture, whereas R/3 is based on Client-Server architecture

I’ve been told recently to develop training for the SAP ECC version? Where does it fit in?

A complete architecture change took place with the introduction of mySAP ERP edition in 2004. R/3 Enterprise was replaced with the introduction of ERP Central Component (SAP ECC). The SAP Business Warehouse, SAP Strategic Enterprise Management and Internet Transaction Server were also merged into SAP ECC, allowing users to run them under one instance.

What are the types of SAP Projects?Mainly three types – Implementation, Support & Migration

Keep hearing about ABAP.. What’s it?SAP R/3 is written using its own programming language ABAP. ABAP stands

for Advanced Business Application Programming. It is a fourth generation language like PL/SQL. (4GL).

SAP FAQsWhat’s the difference between an SAP Functional and SAP

Technical consultant?Roles and responsibilities differ from functional consultant to Technical

consultant.

Functional Consultant:* they’re responsible for designing the SAP implementation solution based on the requirements of your company.* they’re business process experts.* they’re normally use their process knowledge to calculate the impact of the SAP* they interact with end users of the company to gather requirements and based on the requirements they customize the SAP implementation.

Technical Consultant:* Technical consultants are experts in information technology.* Technical consultants normally assist in configuration of the SAP R3 installation. In many SAP implementations, technical consultants help in designing interfaces and customizations in R3.* Finally, the AP R3 technical consultants would be responsible for migration of data from the legacy system to the new SAP ERP implementation.

SAP FAQsHow do I connect to SAP servers which are at client side, if I’m

working from offshore??You can connect through Internet or Private lines. If you use Internet, it is

not secure because of its accessibility to public. Private Lines are costly for the companies. Here Virtual private Network (or VPN) comes into picture.It is a private communications network used within a company, or by several companies or organizations to communicate confidentially over non-private network, such as Internet.

Give me some examples of VPN software?

AT&T and Citrix. There are many such software in the market.In general, you will be given with a User name and Password for VPN. By using the User name and password you can connect to VPN.

Then you have to use the SAP User ID and Password to connect to the SAP server.Please bear in mind that the VPN User ID is different from the SAP user ID.

What’s SAP R/3 Architecture?Integrated System

Supports the entire vendor life cycle

Information is entered once and stored in one electronic location

Provides shared and secured access to the same data to multiple functions and locations

Multinational

SAP R/3 ArchitectureSAP R/3 is based on a client-server model, using a 3-tiered

architecture.The three layers are - Presentation Layer - Application Layer - Database layer

1) Presentation Layer - This layer comprises a Graphical User interface (SAP GUI), which provides means of: - Input, allowing the users to manipulate the system - Output, allowing the system to produce the results of user’s manipulation

2) Application LayerIn this layer, business logic is executed.

1) Database Layer – This layer holds all the data. SAP supports any relational database provided that the layer is installed on one machine or system.

For Module descriptions, click here.

All these modules are tightly integrated with each other.

SAP Functionality

R/3Client / Server

ABAP/4

FIFinancial

Accounting

COControlling

AMFixed Assets

Mgmt.

PSProjectSystem

WFWorkflow

ISIndustry

Solutions

MMMaterials

Mgmt.

HRHuman

Resources

SDSales &

Distribution

PPProductionPlanning

QMQuality

ManagementPMPlant

Maintenance

Increasingly, SAP functionality is being organized along process lines such as:

- Order to Cash - Purchase to Pay (MM-Purchasing and FI-AP) - Record to Report (FI-GL etc)

SAP now are moving away from describing their system as a set of modules, and now are using the term ‘solutions:’

- Financials - Human Capital Management - Customer Relationship Management - Supplier Relationship Management - Product Lifecycle Management - Supply Chain Management (Earlier called APO)- Business Intelligence

SAP Functionality

SAP Terminology

You will learn to:

- Recognize some terminology with system-specific language

- Differentiate between a Cost Center, Internal Order and WBS Element

- Distinguish between Master and Transactional data.

[*Note: SAP financial terminology is based on general accounting functions. If you do not have an accounting background, it is recommended that you attend the Accounting Fundamentals course prior to taking Basic Skills.]

SAP Terminology

Environment:A completely self-contained version of the SAP database, designated for a specific

purpose. A Production environment contains live, real-time data, while a non-production environment such as the practice environment holds valid, but not real-time data.

GUI:Graphical User Interface. The SAPgui is the software on your computer or local server

that allows you to connect to one or more of the SAP environments.

SAP Organizational Model:The SAP Organizational Model defines the legal and organizational structure of a

corporation from different points of view (i.e. Financial Accounting, Materials Management, Sales and Distribution).

SAP R/3:SAP R/3 a business application software system that provides immediate, real-time

updates of critical information to all the affected organizational functions so that the entire enterprise may function as one.

SAP Terminology

Company:A company is a legally-independent unit within a client that has a balanced set of

financial books. A company can consist of one or more company codes, which is the central organizational unit in FI.

Master Data:Master data is a collection of information about a person or an object, e.g. a cost

object, vendor, or G/L account. It comprises related information, grouped in tables, that forms the basis of all system processing. SAP uses master data to organise and store information.For example, Materials, vendors, general ledger accounts.

Material Group:Material Groups are codes that classify goods and services by commodity or service

type and are used by the Procurement Office for reporting purposes.

Transaction:A transaction is comprised of one or more screens that when completed perform an

action such as creating an invoice or displaying the status of a customer order.

SAP Terminology

Transactional Data:Transactional data is data related to a single business event such as a purchase

requisition or a request for payment.

Transaction Code:A unique command that tells the location of a system task. A transaction code may

contain letters only or a combination of letters and numbers. For example, the transaction code for Display Purchase Requisition is ME53.

Master Data Layer:The Master Data Layer will primarily serve as the global repository for all globally

managed materials, vendors, customers, cost centers, and the chart of accounts.

Module:A module is a business area within the SAP structure, consisting of several

applications. For example, the Human Resources module includes applications such as Time Management, Payroll, and Materials Planning.

SAP Terminology

Workflow:A routing tool in SAP that forwards documents for review or approval. For example, a

requisition that needs to be approved is sent to the appropriate approver's inbox.

Cost Object:A Cost Object collects expenses and revenues for a particular purpose, such as a

research project.

Cost Center:General or operating Cost Objects are known in SAP as Cost Centers. Cost Centers are

budgeted on the fiscal year.

Internal Order:It is a non-sponsored Cost Object and is often created to track gifts or endowments at

various Orgs.

ApplicationAn application is a program that performs a specific function.

SAP Terminology

ModuleModule is a given Business area within the SAP structure, consisting of several

applications

User Profile:The collection of authorizations a user or set of users has been granted in order to

perform transactions related to their jobs.

WBS Element:WBS Elements are funded by outside sponsors and are used to track costs of a

particular research project over the entire span of its activity.

G/L Account:G/L accounts are also called Cost Elements in SAP. They are a classification by

expense or revenue type.

Plant:A plant is a production unit or simply the combination of storage locations with

material stock, which are close to one another.

SAP Terminology

AcceleratedSAP:It is a collection of descriptive texts, how-to documents, templates and examples in on

all subjects relating to the implementation of the R/3 System.

Local Master Data:Local Master Data is specific to a location. It is identified and maintained locally or

regionally, and the data is available to all the employees within the region (AP, LA, or EE).

Command Field:The Command field is an SAP R/3 window component that helps you to navigate to a

transaction.

Control Box:The Control box is an SAP R/3 window component that is used to close windows or

change their size or position.

Entry Fields:Entry fields are an area in the SAP R/3 window where you can enter data.

SAP Terminology

Group Boxes: Group boxes are an SAP R/3 window component that holds a related set of control

elements or fields.

Password:A password is used to maintain the security of the system. Every user needs to have a

secret password.

Record:A record is a collection of related information. In SAP R/3, you use matchcodes to find

records contained in the SAP R/3 database.

Radio Buttons:Radio buttons are an SAP R/3 window component that allows you to choose only one

option from a limited set.

Menu Bar:The Menu bar is an SAP R/3 window component that contains different menu options

depending on the application and transaction you are using at a given time.

SAP Terminology

Standard Toolbar:The Standard toolbar is an SAP R/3 window component that contains buttons to help

you navigate through SAP R/3 screens.

Status Bar:The Status bar is located at the bottom of every SAP R/3 screen. It provides general

information about the current transaction.

Storage Location:The quantities of material in stock within a plant can be specified according to

different storage locations.

Title Bar:The Title bar is an SAP R/3 window component that contains the name of the current

application or transaction.

User:User is the person who accesses SAP. Each user is identified by a specific code called a User ID.

SAP Terminology

SAP R/3 Organizational Model

SAP R/3 Organizational Model

- Defines the legal and organizational structure of business from different perspectives

- Determines how certain master data is defined

- Defines how transaction data is processed

- Links application areas within SAP R/3 to create an integrated corporate structure

- Defines how reporting is accomplished

The SAP Organizational Model Includes these Main Units

Client– A logical grouping of legal, organizational,

geographic, business and/or administrative units

Company– A legally independent unit within a Client that has

a balanced set of financial books

Plant– Represents an organizational unit that manages

inventory and materials requirement

Storage Location– Represents a physical space; may be a

warehouse or a storeroom

Example of an SAP R/3 Organizational Model

1000 2000

1001 2002

001 002 003 001

1001 2001

2001

002

Client

Chart of Accounts

Company

PurchasingOrganization

Plant

StorageLocation

Group APM

CA01

Master Data vs Transaction Data

TransactionTransaction– Purchase Orders– Invoices– Production Orders– Journal Entries

Master DataMaster Data– Customer– Material– Vendor

Accessing SAP & Navigating within Screens

Before you begin, you need:

- An SAP user profile: This user profile is established to identify the authenticity of the individual logging on to SAP

- Access to both the GBS “practice” environment (link from KnowledgeView; URL: http://w301.ibm.com/services/bcs/km/knowledgeviewportal/kvfeServlets/displayDocument.wss?syntheticKey=G517116U29217Z38#N4CB4_2

)

Accessing the SAP Enterprise Portal

Logging On/Off - Objectives

At the end of this session, you will be able to:

- Log on to SAP R/3 - Explain the password guidelines - Create and change your password - Describe the process for getting your password

reset - Log off from SAP R/3

1. Install SAP 6.4 GUI from ISSI in w3.ibm.com

2. You will get the SAP Logon icon on your desktop.

3. Double-click on from your desktop.

4. On the SAP Logon 640 Pad pop-up window, Select your desired client and double click on it.

5. Next, Click on User-Defined.

Logging On to SAP

Finally, fill in the details as per the screen below.

Logging On to SAP

To log on to SAP R/3, you need a:

– Client number– User ID– Personal password– Language code

EN - English PT - Portuguese ES - Spanish

Logging On to SAP

A combination of characters

Must be eight characters

Change every 60 days (system prompted)

Begin your password with ?, !, or a blank space as

the first character Three identical

characters Sequence of three or

more characters that are also contained in your User Id

Your last five passwords

DODO NOT

Passwords Guidelines

Your password can only be changed from the logon screen.

Changing Your Password

1. Follow the menu path: System Log off

OR Click on the SAP Easy Access – User menu for XXXX

screen.

OR Click the window’s close button in any screen.

2. In the Log Off pop-up window, click

Logging Off SAP R/3To log off of SAP R/3:

Understanding the SAP R/3 Window Components

Session Objectives

At the end of this session, you will be able to:

- Identify the elements of the SAP R/3 window

- Identify and use the buttons on the different toolbars

- Identify Transaction codes and their functionality

SAP User Interface Elements

SAP User Interface Elements

SAP User Interface ElementsThe standard toolbar contains buttons for performing common actions such as Save and Enter.

The functions assigned to the standard toolbar are listed below:

Button Name FunctionEnter Confirms the data you have selected or entered

on the screen. Same function as the Enter key. Does not save your work.

Command field Allows you to enter commands, such as transaction codes.

Save Saves your work. Same function as Save in the Edit menu.

Back Returns you to the previous screen without saving your data. If there are required fields on the screen, these fields must be completed first.

SAP User Interface ElementsButton Name Function

Exit Exits the current function without saving. Returns you to the initial screen or main menu screen.

Cancel Exits the current task without saving. Same function as Cancel in the Edit menu.

Print Prints data from the current screen.

Find Searches for data required in the current screen.

Find next Performs an extended search for data required in the current screen.

First page Scrolls to the first page. Same function as the CTRL + Page Up keys.

Previous page

Scrolls to the previous page. Same function as the Page Up key.

Last page Scrolls to the last page. Same function as the CTRL + Page Up key.

SAP User Interface ElementsButton Name Function

Create session Creates a new SAP session. Same function as Create session in the System menu.

Create shortcut Allows you to create a desktop shortcut to any SAP report, transaction, or task if you are working with a Windows 32-bit operating system.

F1 Help Provides help on the field where the cursor is positioned.

Layout menu Allows you to customize the display options.

The Menu BarMenus allow you to find a specific transaction when you do not know the transaction code.

Menus are drop-down; that is, when you choose a menu item, further options appear.

A typical menu bar in the SAP System is shown below:

Menu DescriptionSystem Contains functions that affect the system as a whole – such as

Create session, User profile, and Log off.

Help Provides various forms of online help.

Following menus are standard on every SAP screen:

The Status BarUseThe status bar provides general information on the SAP System and transaction or task you are working on. At the left of the status bar, system messages are displayed. The right end of the status bar contains three fields: one with server information, the other two with status information.

FeaturesThe status fields, shown below, are described from left to right:

At the far left:identifies error messages.

identifies other system messages.

The Status BarTo hide (or display) the status fields, choose to their left (or right, respectively).

To display the following system information, choose in the first status field:

- System - Client - User - Program- Transaction- Response time

The second status field displays the server to which you are connected.

The third status field specifies your data entry mode. By clicking this field, you can toggle between the Insert (INS) and Overwrite (OVR) modes.

Radio buttonsCheckboxes

Groupboxes

Work Area

Entry Field

Groupboxes

Checkbox

Radio Button

Browse through the menu text by clicking on the nodes to the left until the required transaction is found. Double-click on the “package” icon to start the transaction.

Navigating in the SAP R/3 Tree Structure

You can expand and collapse menus in the tree structure by clicking the nodes to the left of

the menu items.

The transaction code for the current task is displayed in the Transaction field.

Click the button located on the status bar and select Transaction from the pop-up menu.

OR

Finding Transaction CodesTo find the transaction code of a particular transaction, use the following menu path: System Status

If you are currently working in a transaction and want to leave to go to another transaction, enter /n<transaction code> in the command field and click .

/nFK03

If you are currently working in a transaction and want to keep it open and start another transaction, enter /o<transaction code> in the command field and click .

/oFK03

FK03

From the SAP R/3 main menu screen, enter the transaction code in the command field.

Using Transaction Codes

Session Objectives

At the end of this session, you will be able to:

- Enter data into fields

- Interpret system messages in the status bar

- Save data and end a transaction

- Stop a transaction

*Note: In general, if a screen has no required fields, you can go to the next screen without entering data in any fields. Some screens, however, have required fields that are not marked.

Enter Data into Fields (1)A Field is a single unit of information such as a customer’s name or account number.Fields have the following characteristics:

- they vary in length - Fields that contain display-only data (data that

cannot be changed) have the same color background as the screen

- A field containing a is a required field*

Tabs enable you to enter, display, and alternate between multiple screens within a single window. To access the next screen, select the corresponding tab header.

Enter Data into Fields (2)

Error messages appear if the entry is unacceptable. You cannot continue until a valid entry is made in that particular field.

Warning messages alert you to potential problems with the entry or information about how other parts of the system are affected.

System messages appear when you are not authorized to perform a particular function.

System Messages (1)

Saving Data

Stopping a Transaction

Saving Data and Ending a Transaction

-Access your SAP InboxSAP offers many a useful Office functionality, including electronic mail. You receive electronic mail in SAP R/3 as part of a defined Workflow process.

If you click the icon in the message box, the system will take you to the message. On clicking the icon, you will be able to continue with your work and access the massage later.

- Modify your user profile

- Customize data entries

- Specify a default printer

- Access your printing spool

- Create and use the Favorites menu

Managing Your Work Environment

- Modify your user profile

- Customize data entries:There’s another effective way of managing the work environment, which is customizing your user profile. Doing this helps you reduce data entry and set up your work environment.

There are four specific functions within the User profile submenu that allow profile customization:

- Hold data - Set data - Delete Data - Own Data - Specify a default printer – You can specify a default Printer by accessing:

System -> User Profile -> Own Data and then selecting the default printer from the Spooler tab.

- Access your printing spool – You can check your print requests by using: System -> Own Spool Requests

Managing Your Work Environment

- Create and use the Favorites menu

Quite often, you will perform a set of transactions very frequently. Imagine how helpful it would be if there were to be some way of directly accessing these transactions.

The Favorites menu allows just that – a direct access to the transactions that you use the most without having to navigate through a series of menus.

Follow one of these menu paths to create your Favorites menu: - Favorites Insert folder

- Favorites Insert transaction

Managing Your Work Environment

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That’s all folks!

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Further Reading References http://help.sap.com/ http://www.sapscene.com/sapscene/

http://w3-01.ibm.com/services/bcs/km/knowledgeviewportal/kvfeServlets/displayDocument.wss?syntheticKey=G517116U29217Z38#N4A54_3

FI (Financial Accounting) – this includes your regulatory ‘books of record’, that include: General ledger, Book close, Tax, Accounts receivable, Accounts payable, Consolidation, Special ledgers

CO (Controlling) – this includes your internal cost/management accounting, which includes: Cost elements, Cost centres, Profit centres, Internal orders, Activity based costing, Product costing

AM (Asset Management) – track, value and depreciate your assets, which includes: Purchase, Sale, Depreciation, Tracking

PS (Project Systems) – manage your projects, large and small, which includes: Make to order, Plant shut downs (as a project), Third party billing (on the back of a project)

Next>>

SAP Functionality

HR (Human Resources) – ah yes, people, which includes:Employment history, Payroll, Training, Career management, Talent

management, Succession planning

PM (Plant Maintenance) – maintain your equipment (e.g. a machine, an oil rig, an aircraft etc), which includes:

Labour, Material, Down time and outages

MM (Materials Management) – underpins the supply chain, which includes:

Requisitions, Purchase orders, Goods receipts, Accounts payable, Inventory management, Purchasing and Materials Planning - BOMs, Master raw materials, finished goods etc.

QM (Quality Management) – improve the quality of your goods, including:

Planning, Execution, Inspections, Certificates Next>>

SAP Functionality

PP (Production Planning) – manages your production process, which includes:

Capacity planning, Master production scheduling, Material requirements, Planning, Shop floor

SD (Sales and Distribution) – from order to delivery, which includes: RFQ, Sales orders, Pricing Picking (and other warehouse processes) Packing, Shipping

CA (Cross Application) – these lie on top of the individual modules, and include:

WF – workflow | BW – business information warehouseOffice – for email | Workplace Industry solutions | New Dimension products such as CRM, SRM, etc.

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SAP Functionality