preamble
SAP is one of the world's leading providers of business process management software, offering a wide range of modular solutions and suites, and develops software solutions for organizations of all sizes that help customers plan and design business processes, analyze and efficiently design the entire value chain to better understand and respond to customer needs.ERP Short for Enterprise Resource Planning, ERP software covers all core business areas such as purchasing, production, materials management, sales, marketing, finance and human resource management.
SAP was one of the first companies to develop standard enterprise solutions software, providing industry-leading ERP solutions. Many organizations in China are using SAP ERP to help integrate key business operation areas to unlock business potential. At the same time, SAP has many professionals in China with deep expertise and rich project experience.cooperative partnerThey build and customize SAP software to help deliver innovative, customized solutions that meet specific customer needs.
However, in recent years, along with the rapid development of the digital economy, enterprises' demand for information technology has surged, especially in terms of personalization, and the urgent need for customized solutions continues to rise, SAP users, as well as software companies using SAP for project delivery, are faced with heavy challenges.
Challenges in implementing SAP ERP
SAP ERP can meet a variety of business needs of enterprises, from key business operations, to business model innovation, can be a comprehensive balance. However, for the enterprise IT department, it is difficult to invest sufficient energy to fully understand the SAP software, and even more difficult to master this juggernaut product. For the professional development team of SAP implementers, there is a certain technical threshold, and you need to master SAP-specific RFC functions to play with the software. As a result, SAP ERP implementations often face slow project progress, customization difficulties and other issues. Below are a few common scenarios:
- An e-commerce company has been using SAP for many years, and its ERP system has been carrying a lot of business. However, with the rapid development of e-commerce business, the demand for customization has surged, making the IT department of the enterprise exhausted. They had developed several versions of Order Management System (OMS) in JavaScript and Java, but it was not able to meet the requirements of the business director, and could not seamlessly connect with the ERP system.
- A manufacturing company: Although the ERP system had been running in the office for years, in the shop floor area, workers were still relying on wall binders to fill in Overall Equipment Enhancement (OEE) data, which was very inefficient and often resulted in errors.Adding to the headaches for staff is the loss of data when minor downtime occurs.
- Multi-business group company: Along with the group's diversified business development, different businesses often have unique business needs and operation modes, and it is difficult for the existing SAP software to fully meet the needs of all business departments, resulting in a large number of customized system requirements for the group, with a great deal of workload and frequent delays in the development progress. At the same time, in the process of digitization, data sharing and integration between the Group's various business units is very important, requiring a comprehensive data analysis and display platform to visually display the Group's business with a unified large screen of operating data. In addition, although the Group has gone online with SAP software, the business data and SAP are not connected, and high-frequency scenarios such as reimbursement and invoice application by business personnel still need to be completed manually by filling out Excel, which is inefficient and has poor data accuracy.
Through extensive observation of SAP users and implementers in the industry, it is evident that implementation of SAP ERP tends to face the following challenges:
- Difficult to connect with enterprise self-built systems, especially at the data layer, where data silos are common.
- IoT is difficult to interface with, and data is even more difficult to reach the ERP data source, making it impossible to trace problems.
- Developing large screens in SAP is complex, making it difficult to be agile and responsive to changing customer needs.
- Enterprises are generally heavy users of Excel and need software that provides an Excel-like experience.
- It is difficult for enterprise IT staff to have a deep understanding of SAP software, so it is difficult to accurately locate the problem when it occurs, and it is difficult to open the SAP software.
- SAP Implementers Need to Improve Project Delivery and Expansion Capabilities as Deep Customization is Commonly Demanded by Large Customers
- SAP's secondary development has a lot of code work, making it difficult for implementers to focus on core business requirements
Organizations are in dire need of reliable and efficient technology tools to comprehensively address the above issues!
Low-Code + BI + Online Forms Technology to Easily Meet SAP Implementation Challenges
GrapeCity is a professional software development technology and low-code platform provider, to "empower developers" for the mission, through a variety of software development tools and services to meet the needs of developers, to help enterprises to improve the development efficiency and innovation development model. GrapeCity has a variety of development technologies to help apply the challenges of SAP implementation.
low-code technology
SAP itself can be directly connectedMicrosoft SQL Server database, Oracle database, SAP Hana data warehouse, etc.The company's existing systems or self-built other systems, how to interface with SAP. And enterprises have systems or self-built other systems, how to interface with SAP? Enterprises need a tool that can integrate the data sources of all enterprise applications and solve the problem of data silos.
viticultureLow-code development platform for movable typeThe company's newest product, based on more than 40 years of control technology, helps build large, complex, enterprise-class, multi-terminal applications that are beautiful and easy to use, professionally architected, secure and controlled, and change on demand. With a powerful data modeling engine, Live Grid provides a comprehensive data processing and management solution for enterprise-class for enterprise-class application development.
In SAP implementations, Live Grid's flexible data modeling tools and capabilities enable users to directly connect and integrate multiple data sources, such as data from an organization's CRM and ERP systems at the same time.
If business users of SAP ERP use a SQL Server or Oracle database as a data source, then Live Grid can be single-handedly and directly connected.
If enterprise users of SAP ERP use SAP Hana as their data source, they can directly connect to it through the Hana plug-in of Live Grid. In addition, Live Grid can also help SAP ERP to easily connect to other databases, such as MySQL, Damon, NPC Gold Warehouse, PostgreSQL, Snowflake and so on.
Extended Links:Low-code online demo experience
BI Business Intelligence
Along with the development of enterprise business, a large amount of business data will be generated. BI data screen can provide real-time data visualization, comprehensive data analysis, instant monitoring and early warning, cross-departmental collaboration, and data-driven decision-making and other values, which can help enterprises better understand the business situation, identify problems and opportunities, and make accurate decisions based on business data, so as to improve the competitiveness of the enterprise and business performance. How to make SAP quickly have BI capability is a problem faced by many implementers.
viticultureWyn Business Intelligence(hereinafter referred to as Wyn), provides out-of-the-box enterprise-level BI capabilities, including 100+ charts, 20+ maps, 3D scenes, 100+ plug-ins, 30+ animation effects, visualization plug-in APIs, and so on, which can help enterprise customers to quickly build self-service BI visualization platforms to meet the increasing demand for data analysis in business departments.
(Wyn Business Intelligence Software)
Most importantly, as an embedded BI software, Wyn can be easily embedded in SAP projects using OEM white-labeling, online designer customization and other embedding methods to provide native BI analytics capabilities for SAP, which not only helps implementers to quickly deliver BI projects, but also greatly reduces development costs.
Extended Links:BI Data Analytics Knowledge Map
Online Excel Spreadsheet Technology
Excel is a widely used office software, and many employees and managers are already familiar with the basic operation and functions of Excel. In the process of enterprise digital transformation, many enterprises hope that the application system can provide Excel-like operation habits, so that employees can quickly get started without additional training. How to provide Excel-like operation experience in SAP?
viticultureSpreadJS It is a pure front-end table component based on HTML5 standard, with high performance, cross-platform, highly compatible with Excel product features, and is designed to help developers quickly realize all kinds of Excel table applications in the browser, and has been successfully used in a wide range of fields, such as data reporting, online form documents, and the production and generation of Excel-like reports.
In large groups, enterprise users require SAP ERP to be integrated with the supply chain, require smooth table data transfer and interactive experience, span B/S and C/S, meet the requirements of multi-organizational structure, and also have to be able to perform metrics disaggregation, deep multi-bit analytical drilling and pivot. At this point, you can use SpreadJS table technology, IT staff do not need to develop their own, only need to call the SpreadJS API, can be realized in the front-end similar to the operation of the Excel experience, greatly reducing the difficulty of development and improve development efficiency.
Extended Links:Online Form Editor
Application Example: SAP ERP + Grapevine Development Technology
At present, several enterprises have applied GrapeCity technology in SAP projects to efficiently serve end users. Below are a few specific application cases.
Low code + SAP ERP: Order Management System
EMW (Shanghai) Trading Co., Ltd (hereinafter referred to as EMW) is a renowned wine importer, distributor and brand builder in the Greater China region, working closely with more than 80 family-owned brands from 15 countries. EMW has an outstanding distribution channel in more than 160 cities nationwide, selling to renowned restaurants, hotels, wine stores, online private customers, etc. The company has been awarded the "BEST IMPORTER" by the China Sommelier Wine Challenge/WINE 100 Wine Competition for 9 consecutive years from 2011 to 2019. The company has been recognized as the "BEST IMPORTER" by the China Sommelier Wine Challenge/WINE 100 Wine Competition for 9 consecutive years from 2011 to 2019.
EMW is using an ERP system provided by SAP, which has comprehensive functions. However, in terms of orders, there are some differences between SAP's standard system and EMW's operation mode, which makes it impossible to systematize some of the processes, mainly in the areas of order placement and return. In order to incorporate this part of the process into the system management, EMW decided to customize a lightweight order management system to interface with SAP. Considering the characteristics of the application scenarios, especially the requirements for system integration, EMW finally chose to use GrapeCity's enterprise-level low-code development platform to complete the development and integration of the project. The OMS system that has been delivered contains three modules: platform operation, branch order control and warehouse, and the users cover all branches. The system has been highly recognized by the business staff and the company after its launch.
With the help of low threshold, high efficiency and easy integration of the living grid, EMW has created a team that can complete the customized development of software for internal use at lower cost and faster delivery speed, which will provide more solid technical support for the digital upgrade of the enterprise. At present, the team is developing WMS/TMS system based on mobile devices, the system access to the scanning gun, maps and other hardware and software, can further informatize the system's ease of use and the level of intelligence.
Low Code + SAP ERP: OEE Equipment Management System
As a leading company in the nut industry, Qiaqia Foods is a household name and its sales have been growing year after year. (hereinafter referred to as Chongqing Qiaqia) is one of its most important production bases. In the production site of Chongqing Qiaqia, the equipment is highly automated, so the production efficiency is highly dependent on the equipment. In the whole production process, packaging is the key process that affects the OEE (Overall equipment efficiency) of the whole equipment. Therefore, the OEE of the equipment has become a key indicator of the enterprise's concern. However, the customer site information technology integration is not strong, OEE data collection and processing automation is low. Although the enterprise has implemented SAP ERP system, it still needs to manually fill in and count OEE data, which is inefficient and has poor data accuracy, and there are also problems such as omission of part of the small downtime.
(hereinafter referred to as Zhixunyun), a partner of GrapeCity, uses a live grid to interface with SAP and introduces the Zhixunyun-Digital Equipment Operation and Maintenance Program, which forms a closed loop of PDCA management, combining Internet of Things (IoT) technology and low-code technology, to realize online tracking of the state of the equipment and analysis of the faults, and to carry out dynamic maintenance activities based on the length of time of the equipment, so as to improve the operational efficiency of the equipment. It can realize online tracking of equipment status and fault analysis, and carry out dynamic maintenance activities according to the operating hours of the equipment, so as to improve the efficiency of equipment operation. Specifics include:
1. Accurate and efficient collection of field data:Realize automated data collection for key production line equipment, including equipment operating parameters, equipment operating status, etc., and improve the effectiveness and accuracy of data collection.
2. Data value mining online:Through the IoT technology can comprehensively collect the equipment operation parameters, equipment current operation status, equipment operation abnormality records, through online OEE loss cause analysis, forming loss cause Plato.
3. Guiding field work on the basis of data:Focusing on key issues to be solved through abnormal Top analysis, dynamic maintenance activities are carried out according to the equipment operating hours to improve the equipment operating efficiency. Among them, the equipment operation efficiency was improved by 10%, and the equipment integrity rate was improved by 81%.
The system effectively improves the comprehensive efficiency of equipment by automatically collecting accurate OEE data at the production site. At the same time, the customized system module can not only be integrated with the SAP system, but also move with the development of the enterprise's operation on demand, and continue to play a value!
BI + SAP ERP: Data Visualization and Analysis Platform
After an enterprise went live with SAP, the finance department began to use the system for data management, but it was difficult to conduct visual analysis, which made it difficult to visually present and bring value to the enterprise's data assets. The finance department relies heavily on Excel for visualization, which is inefficient and difficult to ensure data quality.
With the help of Wyn Business Intelligence, the enterprise docked with SAP and quickly built a visual analysis platform for enterprise operation data, including performance data, financial data, personnel data, etc. Wyn Business Intelligence provides convenient data source docking capability, which can correlate and integrate SAP B1 system data, NTS system data and OA system data, and use the dashboard visualization to realize the data reports and analysis of sales, production, procurement, warehousing, manpower, finance and other core business related in-depth analysis to provide more intuitive and intelligent decision-making aids for user management. Wyn Business Intelligence provides convenient data source connection capability, which can correlate and integrate SAP B1 system data, NTS system data and OA system data, and visualize and display data reports using dashboards to realize in-depth analysis of sales, production, procurement, warehousing, human resources, finance and other core businesses related to business operation, and to provide more intuitive and intelligent decision-making aids for the management of users.
Online Forms Control + SAP ERP: Ledger Management System
(hereinafter referred to as Jiangsu TaxSoft) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Xiamen Miyabeke Information Co., Ltd. specializing in tax data research and analysis and software research and development services, with a variety of independent intellectual property rights of software products, including e-checking, one-household assessment, and so on.
Jiangsu Tax Soft uses SAP to realize the ability of enterprise ERP data collection, especially in the fuzzy collection of business data and foreign ERP software data interface analysis with advantages, providing rich data sources for tax analysis and improving data effectiveness. However, the lack of detailed records on the process, results and efficiency of investigation and handling of cases in all departments and links of the audit, as well as the lack of a platform for data sharing, interaction and summarization, have led to the appraisal of qualitative indicators in the performance appraisal, which is usually more controversial.
Therefore, in order to further improve the quality and efficiency of tax inspection and enforcement, and strengthen the internal control mechanism of inspection, Jiangsu TaxSoft needs to develop "TaxSoft Ledger System". The system embeds SpreadJS, a pure front-end spreadsheet control from GrapeCity, into the ledger system, which provides higher rendering performance and smoother interface operation, and makes it easier and faster to load and operate millions of rows of data through the efficient data model for fast data manipulation. The introduction of SpreadJS enabled the project to be developed quickly, providing users with a user-friendly Excel experience, and seamlessly interfacing with SAP.
Value to SAP Implementation
Grapevine's wide range of development technologies, including low-code, BI, and online Excel, provide significant advantages in data integration, efficient development, data visualization, scalability, and customization, bringing the following value to SAP implementations:
- Deep Integration: With API interface integration and data layer opening, it realizes unified user login, data rights and platform theme style to meet the multiple needs of business management and business analysis.
- Getting the most out of your data: SAP's data is no longer ironclad, it flows from the shop floor to the office and brings value to your business.
- Enhanced visualization capabilities: Powerful embedded BI capabilities bring native BI capabilities to SAP by rapidly adding Kanban and reporting capabilities.
- Excel-like data entry: Enter data in a way that is familiar to business people and write it to the SAP database for various scenarios such as data analysis, filing and multi-editor collaboration.
For the IT department of an enterprise, when encountering difficulties at any level, such as data, interface, interface, account system, etc., Grapevine's technology can provide coping strategies and one-stop expansion of SAP's capabilities, which adds powerful functions to the enterprise's SAP system and avoids repeated switching of multiple sets of technology stacks.
For SAP implementers and developers, if they can take advantage of Grapevine's development technology, they will be able to better respond to the customized needs of customers in digital applications, further develop both the depth and breadth of customer service, build their own core competitiveness, and become invincible in the fiercely competitive market environment.
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