SAP S/4HANA Cloud 1911 – Technology Topics - Part ...
Enterprise Resource Planning Blogs by SAP
Get insights and updates about cloud ERP and RISE with SAP, SAP S/4HANA and SAP S/4HANA Cloud, and more enterprise management capabilities with SAP blog posts.
Welcome to the first part of my blog illustrating the latest and greatest technical highlights for SAP S/4HANA Cloud 1911. In this blog, I will cover the following topics:
To get a quick overview of the 1911 highlights for Cross Topics, you can watch my video:
Now, I would like to give you more in-depth knowledge about our Cross-Topic highlights. Let me start off with the area of analytics.
Analytics
SAP Analytics Cloud Embedded into SAP S/4HANA Cloud
As of SAP S/4HANA 1911, we deliver high-performing analytics by embedding SAP Analytics Cloud into SAP S/4HANA Cloud. This allows you to seamlessly navigate between your SAP Fiori Launchpad, your SAP Analytics Cloud reports and your SAP S/4HANA Cloud apps. In addition, you can display your most important KPIs and create custom dashboards which you can link as tiles in the SAP Fiori Launchpad. Dashboards as well as multidimensional reports allow you to increase efficiency as well as effectiveness regarding management reporting and decision making.
Figure 1: ‘Agile Decision Making with SAP S/4HANA Cloud Embedded Analytics Powered by SAP Analytics Cloud and SAP Fiori’ increases your business efficiency (note: no audio voice available)
If you want to make use of this great new functionality, you don't have to implement additional scope items. During the course of Q4/2019, all SAP S/4HANA Cloud customers will receive the embedded SAP Analytics Cloud in a phased approach. If you are interested in further information, you can check out the following blogs:
Based on the new Universal Hierarchy Framework, master data specialists for products can configure and maintain product-based hierarchies. With this, for example, you can increase your sales force efficiency by using product hierarchies to determine prices that are used in sales documents and billing documents for materials or products. As a prerequisite, you have to set up pricing to be dependent on product hierarchy data. In addition, you can flexibly structure your products along different characteristics or integrate product hierarchies in sales analytics for reporting purposes.
Figure 2: The new product hierarchy in SAP S/4HANA Cloud allows you to maintain product-based hierarchies (note: no audio voice available)
Integration
Automation of Order-to-Invoice with Ariba Network
For customers who act as sellers for buyers from SAP Ariba Network, this new scope item enables the supplier integration to SAP Ariba Network in order to simplify and automate the exchange of sales documents and the corresponding follow-on messages.
The new functionality allows to boost productivity, performance, and work satisfaction of sales professionals and accounts receivable accountants by creating, changing, or cancelling sales orders, and by sending purchase order confirmations, advanced shipping notifications, and supplier invoices. From a technical perspective, the data exchange is done via SOAP-based Web services and the data is routed through SAP Ariba Cloud Integration Gateway. In order to use this functionality, you have to activate the new scope item 4A1. Please note that in order to use the new scope item, you have to acquire a separate license for Ariba Network.
Figure 3: The new automation of order-to-invoice with Ariba Network allows you to simplify and automate your sales processes (note: no audio voice available)
Lean Service Integration with Ariba Network
The Lean Service Integration with Ariba Network allows you to streamline your service procurement processes. When creating a lean service request in SAP S/4HANA Cloud, e.g. a purchase order, the request is sent to the supplier in SAP Ariba Network. From there, the supplier can access the purchase order through the supplier portal in SAP Ariba Network and may create a service entry. The seamless integration with SAP S/4HANA Cloud enables you to react immediately and approve the service entry sheet in time as the system will send you a respective notification.
In order to speed up the procurement process, the document is automatically sent to Ariba Network where the supplier can start creating the invoice for the delivered service. The relevant scope item to use this is 42K.
Figure 4: Streamline the process of service procurement with ‘Lean Service Integration with SAP Ariba Network’ (note: no audio voice available)
Sourcing with SAP Ariba Sourcing (4BL)
Thanks to the next integration highlight, you can connect your sourcing and procurement processes in SAP S/4HANA with SAP Ariba Network and SAP Ariba Sourcing. Intuitive RFX tools for information requests, proposal requests and auction reversals provide connections to more than two million companies. In addition, it provides quick and easy supplier discovery capabilities as well as automated and adjustable negotiation procedures.
You can benefit from SAP Ariba Sourcing support desk and event-day management assistance, evaluate the total cost impact of sourcing decisions, and reduce the amount of time and effort spent on administrative tasks. Handy wizards and tools help you launch events, collaborate, and negotiate. With the largest choice of suppliers, and up-to-date profiles, ratings, and assessments, you can easily develop a large supply base and back-up sources, reducing supplier risks.
Please note:
The scope item 'Sourcing with SAP Ariba Sourcing' (4BL) is intended to cover the same business process as its predecessor 'Sourcing with SAP Ariba Sourcing' (1A0). Since Sourcing with SAP Ariba Sourcing (4BL) leverages the advantages of SAP Ariba Cloud Integration Gateway (CIG), please do not implement Sourcing with SAP Ariba Sourcing (1A0) as of now. Existing implementations of Sourcing with SAP Ariba Sourcing (1A0) can still be used until further notice.
Flexible Integration with SAP S/4HANA Cloud for Enterprise Contract Assembly (aka Legal Content Management)
SAP S/4HANA Cloud for enterprise contract management is an application that enables digitization and management of all legal content (for example, contracts) within an organization. This application facilitates creation and management of legal content in enterprises in alignment with core business processes. It provides an integrated platform to run enterprise-wide legal processes more efficiently. As an application that enables digitization and management of all legal content (e.g. contracts) within an organization, it facilitates the creation and management of legal content in enterprises in alignment with core business processes and provides an integrated platform to run enterprise-wide legal processes more efficiently. Thanks to this innovation, you can achieve end-to-end digitization of your legal processes, create and manage your legal processes, and detect legal transactions which are at-risk. The relevant scope items are 1XV and 2OQ.
Check out the following demo to see the full process in action:
