Welcome to part 2 of my blog illustrating the latest and greatest technology highlights in SAP S/4HANA Cloud 2002. It covers the following topics:
In part 1 of my blog, I cover the following topics:
As you know, integration has always been a key topic for SAP. We are committed to supporting every customer to become an intelligent enterprise and continue to invest heavily into the integration of our cloud solution portfolio.
In 2019, we made excellent progress in moving far beyond API-based point-to-point integration, especially in the context of SuccessFactors, Concur and Ariba as well as Qualtrics. In addition, we embedded Analytics Cloud directly into the SAP S/4HANA Cloud interface, merging processes and analytics. This year, we will continue to deepen the integration of our cloud solutions with a focus on Fieldglass, C/4HANA and Digital Supply Chain.
Our customers are eager to hear about our way forward and looking for roadmaps detailing the timeline of our integration plan for the cloud. As just announced by Christian Klein on LinkedIn in his blog 'Integration in the Cloud: SAP’s Way Forward', SAP has published its integration strategy paper. The document provides a comprehensive overview of our integration plan in the cloud. It focuses on the significant value customers get from holistic technology and business process integration, SAP to SAP, but also to any third-party application in hybrid customer landscapes. Our Business Technology Platform, including our SAP Cloud Platform Integration Suite, provides all capabilities for process-, data-, user- and analytics-centric integrations, enabling out-of-the-box integration for SAP-to-SAP scenarios and more than 160 connectors for third-party applications.
With 2002, we offer a new scope item belonging to the end-to-end process Source-to-Pay (S2P). It covers the integration of contract management in SAP S/4HANA with SAP Ariba Contracts and is called 4AZ. With this innovation, you can integrate value and quantity contracts. These are agreements for a company to order certain quantities of products during a specified period. In SAP Ariba Contracts, users can negotiate prices for goods and lean services to be procured, and they can sign a legally binding contract with a supplier. In source determination in SAP S/4HANA Cloud, contracts can then be assigned in the source list as fixed sources of supply. Pricing details are passed on from SAP Ariba Contracts to the operational system, so that operational purchasers can use these prices to buy goods or services as required. Target groups of Contract Management with SAP Ariba Contracts are purchasing managers as well as strategic buyers and operational purchasers.
With the two solutions combined, users will have their suppliers in close proximity and can tackle all operational and strategic procurement tasks. Therefore, we offer pre-built integration between the two cloud solutions based on SAP Ariba Cloud Integration Gateway. For more information, use our Transformation Whitepaper for business process recommendations.
Check out the following demo to get a better understanding of the process:
Figure 1: Contract Management Integration with SAP Ariba Contracts (4AZ)
Please note that in order to make use of this innovation, you need to purchase SAP Ariba Procurement. If you are interested in further details on the business process of this innovation, check out the latest blog for Sourcing and Procurement in SAP S/4HANA Cloud 2002 by Katharina Doerr.
Please be aware that this innovation is available as soon as SAP Ariba 2002 is released.
My next topic is localization. With SAP S/4HANA Cloud 2002, we are proud to deliver 43 local versions and 25 languages. New with this release are the local version for Slovakia along with the corresponding language Slovak. The localization of service management has also been extended as we provide service-specific localization for 39 countries by now. New with this release are Italy, Mexico, and Spain.
Figure 2: Localization coverage with SAP S/4HANA Cloud 2002
What I would also like to mention is that as of 2002 we provide so called SAP S/4HANA Cloud, starter packs for select countries. The starter packs are local versions for specific localities that allow you to run a fixed list of scope items covering basic business processes from finance, sales, procurement,and from professional services. They can be activated for Bahamas, Bermuda, Botswana, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Curacao, Cyprus, Guernsey, Jersey, Qatar.
The starter packs are part of your SAP S/4HANA Cloud subscription and therefore come with no additional cost. If you're interested to see a comprehensive list of the scope items that are included with the starter packs, you can check out SAP Innovation Discovery.
Please note:
Starter packs don't offer country/regional-specific legal requirements. However, for supported scenarios (such as compliance reporting), you can leverage the Localization Toolkit for SAP S/4HANA Cloud to extend the solution.
Launched already with SAP S/4HANA Cloud 1905, the tool provides on a quarterly basis personalized upgrade information in terms of innovations and provides helpful information for customers and partners on what to focus when it comes to testing.
With 2002 the tool has been enhanced further. First of all, it now also provides information on specific localization content that is available. In addition, it now shows API-related updates, that is detailed information on each changed API such as API IDs, specifications, operations and documentation via the SAP API Business Hub. Last but not least, from a language support perspective: As of this release, the tool is available in German and Japanese.
Figure 3: The RASD tool in SAP S/4HANA Cloud provides information on localization content
How to Access the Tool?
Access to the tool is open for everyone, be it partners, customers, or SAP employees. Just click on the link www.sap.com/rasd and enter your S-User email address and password or your SAP email adress and password. For customized access, customers are requested to work with their CEEs / CSMs who can request this for them.
The last topic from my side is the new security audit log functionality for SAP S/4HANA Cloud 2002. You can use it to record security-related system information such as changes to user master records or unsuccessful logon attempts.
This log is a tool designed for auditors who need to take a detailed look at what occurs in the system. By activating the security audit log, you keep record of those activities that you specify for your audit. You can then access this information for evaluation in the form of an audit analysis report. The Security Audit Log allows for long-term data access.
Figure 4: The 'Display Security Audit Log' app displays the records of security-related system information
The SAP Fiori Launchpad now supports dark mode features with the SAP Quartz themes. This feature needs to be enabled by the cloud administrator. This feature is experimental as the SAP Quartz Dark theme is still in an experimental state. In addition, we introduced a new theme, SAP Quartz Dark, which is the dark flavor to the SAP Quartz Light theme. The theme is still in experimental state.
For more information on SAP S/4HANA Cloud, check out the following links:
- Integration
- Localization
- Release Assessment and Scope Dependency Tool (RASD)
- Security Audit Log
- User Experience - Dark Mode Support and SAP Quartz Dark Theme
In part 1 of my blog, I cover the following topics:
- Analytics
- Purchasing Spend Dashboard
- Contract and Lease Dashboard
- Enhancement of Treasury Executive Dashboard
- 1911 Refresher: Creating/Adapting Dashboard with ‘Manage KPI and Reports’ App
- Enterprise Search: ‘Manage Search Model’ App
- In-App Extensibility: ‘Extensibility Inventory’ App
- Identity and Access Management
- ‘IAM Key Figures’ App
- Update of Identity and Access Management Change Overview
Integration
As you know, integration has always been a key topic for SAP. We are committed to supporting every customer to become an intelligent enterprise and continue to invest heavily into the integration of our cloud solution portfolio.
In 2019, we made excellent progress in moving far beyond API-based point-to-point integration, especially in the context of SuccessFactors, Concur and Ariba as well as Qualtrics. In addition, we embedded Analytics Cloud directly into the SAP S/4HANA Cloud interface, merging processes and analytics. This year, we will continue to deepen the integration of our cloud solutions with a focus on Fieldglass, C/4HANA and Digital Supply Chain.
Integration Strategy Paper
Our customers are eager to hear about our way forward and looking for roadmaps detailing the timeline of our integration plan for the cloud. As just announced by Christian Klein on LinkedIn in his blog 'Integration in the Cloud: SAP’s Way Forward', SAP has published its integration strategy paper. The document provides a comprehensive overview of our integration plan in the cloud. It focuses on the significant value customers get from holistic technology and business process integration, SAP to SAP, but also to any third-party application in hybrid customer landscapes. Our Business Technology Platform, including our SAP Cloud Platform Integration Suite, provides all capabilities for process-, data-, user- and analytics-centric integrations, enabling out-of-the-box integration for SAP-to-SAP scenarios and more than 160 connectors for third-party applications.
Contract Management with SAP Ariba Contracts (4AZ)
With 2002, we offer a new scope item belonging to the end-to-end process Source-to-Pay (S2P). It covers the integration of contract management in SAP S/4HANA with SAP Ariba Contracts and is called 4AZ. With this innovation, you can integrate value and quantity contracts. These are agreements for a company to order certain quantities of products during a specified period. In SAP Ariba Contracts, users can negotiate prices for goods and lean services to be procured, and they can sign a legally binding contract with a supplier. In source determination in SAP S/4HANA Cloud, contracts can then be assigned in the source list as fixed sources of supply. Pricing details are passed on from SAP Ariba Contracts to the operational system, so that operational purchasers can use these prices to buy goods or services as required. Target groups of Contract Management with SAP Ariba Contracts are purchasing managers as well as strategic buyers and operational purchasers.
With the two solutions combined, users will have their suppliers in close proximity and can tackle all operational and strategic procurement tasks. Therefore, we offer pre-built integration between the two cloud solutions based on SAP Ariba Cloud Integration Gateway. For more information, use our Transformation Whitepaper for business process recommendations.
Check out the following demo to get a better understanding of the process:
Figure 1: Contract Management Integration with SAP Ariba Contracts (4AZ)
Please note that in order to make use of this innovation, you need to purchase SAP Ariba Procurement. If you are interested in further details on the business process of this innovation, check out the latest blog for Sourcing and Procurement in SAP S/4HANA Cloud 2002 by Katharina Doerr.
Please be aware that this innovation is available as soon as SAP Ariba 2002 is released.
Localization
My next topic is localization. With SAP S/4HANA Cloud 2002, we are proud to deliver 43 local versions and 25 languages. New with this release are the local version for Slovakia along with the corresponding language Slovak. The localization of service management has also been extended as we provide service-specific localization for 39 countries by now. New with this release are Italy, Mexico, and Spain.
Figure 2: Localization coverage with SAP S/4HANA Cloud 2002
What I would also like to mention is that as of 2002 we provide so called SAP S/4HANA Cloud, starter packs for select countries. The starter packs are local versions for specific localities that allow you to run a fixed list of scope items covering basic business processes from finance, sales, procurement,and from professional services. They can be activated for Bahamas, Bermuda, Botswana, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Curacao, Cyprus, Guernsey, Jersey, Qatar.
The starter packs are part of your SAP S/4HANA Cloud subscription and therefore come with no additional cost. If you're interested to see a comprehensive list of the scope items that are included with the starter packs, you can check out SAP Innovation Discovery.
Please note:
Starter packs don't offer country/regional-specific legal requirements. However, for supported scenarios (such as compliance reporting), you can leverage the Localization Toolkit for SAP S/4HANA Cloud to extend the solution.
Release Assessment and Scope Dependency (RASD)
Launched already with SAP S/4HANA Cloud 1905, the tool provides on a quarterly basis personalized upgrade information in terms of innovations and provides helpful information for customers and partners on what to focus when it comes to testing.
With 2002 the tool has been enhanced further. First of all, it now also provides information on specific localization content that is available. In addition, it now shows API-related updates, that is detailed information on each changed API such as API IDs, specifications, operations and documentation via the SAP API Business Hub. Last but not least, from a language support perspective: As of this release, the tool is available in German and Japanese.
Figure 3: The RASD tool in SAP S/4HANA Cloud provides information on localization content
How to Access the Tool?
Access to the tool is open for everyone, be it partners, customers, or SAP employees. Just click on the link www.sap.com/rasd and enter your S-User email address and password or your SAP email adress and password. For customized access, customers are requested to work with their CEEs / CSMs who can request this for them.
Security
Security Audit Log
The last topic from my side is the new security audit log functionality for SAP S/4HANA Cloud 2002. You can use it to record security-related system information such as changes to user master records or unsuccessful logon attempts.
This log is a tool designed for auditors who need to take a detailed look at what occurs in the system. By activating the security audit log, you keep record of those activities that you specify for your audit. You can then access this information for evaluation in the form of an audit analysis report. The Security Audit Log allows for long-term data access.
Figure 4: The 'Display Security Audit Log' app displays the records of security-related system information
User Experience
Dark Mode Support and SAP Quartz Dark Theme
The SAP Fiori Launchpad now supports dark mode features with the SAP Quartz themes. This feature needs to be enabled by the cloud administrator. This feature is experimental as the SAP Quartz Dark theme is still in an experimental state. In addition, we introduced a new theme, SAP Quartz Dark, which is the dark flavor to the SAP Quartz Light theme. The theme is still in experimental state.
For more information on SAP S/4HANA Cloud, check out the following links:
- SAP S/4HANA Cloud release info: http://www.sap.com/s4-cloudrelease
- Best practices for SAP S/4HANA Cloud here
- Technology Topics for SAP S/4HANA Cloud – Link Collection
- SAP S/4HANA Cloud Customer Community: register here
- Feature Scope Description here
- What’s New here
- Help Portal Product Page here
- Implementation Portal here
- Follow us via @Sap and #S4HANA, or myself via LinkedIn or @DeissnerKatrin
- SAP Managed Tags:
