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Former Member
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How do we implement xAPP, SAP Spend Analytics? - A High level insight. What do we need? What it does?

As an Implementor of SAP xAPP (Spend Analytics), I came to know that, this product is basically a bridge that connects SAP BI-Procurement-Finance. A 30% of BASIS knowledge is required.

This basic version is a short overview of SAP xAPPs for SAP Functional Consultants and SAP BI Consultants who would like to know the engineering inside this product.

The following are the High-Level Architectural components for SAP Spend Analytics Landscape (Architecture represented below)

  1. SAP BI
  2. Source System (ECC/SRM or Non SAP System)
  3. Java System (a seperate server)
   

The SAP Spend Analytics application will be running on top of the BI system. We need to meet a lot of system requirements by upgrading the system patch level as mentioned below. If the Source System is ECC, there are different set of system Patch requirements.

 

           
 

SAP NetWeaver 7.0 SP Stack 16: usages BI, BI   Java

 
 

Mandatory

 
 

SAP NetWeaver 7.0 BW Content Add-On 3 SP12

 
 

Mandatory

 
 

AdobeFlash Player 10.0

 
 

Mandatory

 

 

OSS Note - 1239883 needs to be implemented to install the Extractors into Source System.

Data Management

Data Management is the main scenario and fundamentals for Spend Performance Management. Once the Extractors are installed and ready, the following activities needs to be performed from Spend Analytics Application:

  1. Creation of Folder Directory in Source System (AL11)
  2. Generation of Data Sources
  3. Data Extraction and Validation (pre-requisites - Mapping mechanism to the import of inbound structures of various SAP Business Objects Data types)
  4. Data Cleansing/Normalization (performed manually or through 3DP)
  5. Release for Reporting
       

The Application is very user friendly and you can create multi-dimensional reports to view 360 degree Spend, for example- what caused the spend? by who? and when? An executive desicion can be made easily for organizational operation activities. Several different types of reports, dashboards, Briefing books can be created using this application using a simple drag and drop functionality. The system also sends out Alert notifications if any particular Spend is beyond certain upper limit, lower limit etc.

Spend Analytics can be integrated with other applications such as E-Sourcing.

The application also has the feature to measure Supplier Performance via Out of the Box reports and dashboards. CSF and KPI etc. can also be achieved by successful Data Normalization and Loading into SAP Spend Analytics.

The latest version is SAP Spend Analytics 2.1 and the following are the Enhancements:

  1. Performance Improvements (At both Front End and Back end)
  2. Report Management (user defined folders, Content search etc)
  3. Multiple Currency and UOM Reporting (Switch currency for measures, Change UoM for quantity, Price based measures)
  4. Charting Improvements
  5. Extractor Development (Support new data model changes)
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