Sunday, November 30, 2008

Overview Of The Different SAP Modules & Solutions

By Zach Johnson

An ERP system is a real-time business supporting system that provides to the data wants of the whole organization using a sole repository of data (a database) and a very high-tech set of highly-customizable software modules which, together, facilitate decision-making and the activities based on these decisions. This invariably consequences in extremely competent operations and a resultant competitive advantage. SAP, prepared by SAP AG, situated in Walldorf, Germany, is 1 such proprietary ERP system.

The SAP system is organized into whatever sets of 'solutions' (essentially, modules) that speak the information demands of special regions of any corporation's operations. Set on top of these already-integrated personalized modules is the Cross-Application layer, components of which farther see that these different result 'talk' to each other in a cohesive manner.

There is a saying, "If you fail to plan, you are actually planning to fail". Consequently, a right start aim for interpreting SAP is it's Project System which treats each activity within the company as part of numerous project. Placed on actual orders (or perceived demand), this module is practiced define projects that will fulfill these orders and start chasing them from then on. A typical project would include a combination of several manufacturing actions as well as whatever associated procurement (raw materials as well as bought-out items). Going After every such project right from inception, through to it's completion and beyond (post-project analysis) is ably managed by this module.

For project actions that refer to manufacturing, the Production Planning module handles the specifics of capability planning, production scheduling down to the individual tasks on the shop floor. This takes on handling data on the accessibility and deployment of human resources, machinery, tools and fixtures, consumables and energy requirements to list a few.

With streamlined production occurs Plant Maintenance which treats preventive maintenance, breakdown maintenance along with the affiliated down-time of tools and lost hours of the work-force as well as the time, material and labor necessary for such maintenance.

The Materials Management module interfaces with Production Planning and Plant Maintenance to check a) Timely delivery of materials and b) Reduced cost of inventory. Its range originates with material requisitions (based on Bills of Material emanating from production plans as well as for unintentional purchases) and leads them from placing orders to receipt of commodities, their receiving review (quality control), their being taken into stock and being subsequently supplied for production. This module also treats finished-goods inventory.

The Costing module interfaces with each entity that has a cash value linked with it. It requires into consideration the different cost-centers and each of the linked prices : equipment, material, labor and services. The comparable makes true for the profit centers. This costing module has a provision for product-based costing (which could fail to deal particular prepared costs accurately ) as well as activity-based costing which is advised more scientific and allows for cross-functional sharing of all the drivers of these costs.

The Sales and Distribution module tracks all proceedings from queries, requests for proposals/ quotations and pricing to interfacing with the finished-goods inventory (in factory and warehouses) to picking, packing, shipping and delivery.

The Financial Accounting module logs financial transactions in the electronic equivalent of essential books of accounts, keeps the General Ledger and every last defined sub-ledgers, consolidates all this into the ultimate books of accounts (essentially, Profit & Loss account and the Balance Sheet), addresses tax-related transactions/adjustments and interfaces with book closure. By The Way, most of this is of a statutory nature and has implemented with the country-specific options of SAP.

Asset Management is used for chasing after assets from the time they are purchased, right through their life-time with regard to their depreciation (and, so their latest valuation) to the point they are either traded or wrote off.

The Quality Management module, along with the Project System, in reality overlaps all other functions and interfaces with every one of them throughout the life of the organization. Quality, they say is never by chance; its always by design. That is why this module is used to facilitate all activities that construct quality into the corporation's products/services (preventing defects/errors occurring in the 1st place). This is done by preparation (essentially, incorporating preventive steps in the company's work-flow), playing these quality programs and dealing periodic inspections to find out deviations, if several. Important to the corporation's icon and credibility in the outside world, are activities that leave to the different applicable certifications getting which is also managed effectively by this module

This was a simplex point of a very large application called SAP. - 15634

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