About This Module

Organizational Levels and Master Data is the basic framework that supports business processes. As part of this module, you will be introduced to the transition from R/3 to SAP ERP, and therefore understand how to create the Organizational Levels and Master Data for the business processes inside SAP ERP. Module Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes Module Objectives Module Content Target Audience

About This Topic

This topic explains the transition from R/3 to SAP ERP. It also aims to introduce participants to the various components of SAP ERP. Estimated time to complete this topic: 30 minutes What's in it for me?

To understand the positioning of R/3 enterprise towards SAP ERP

As technology grows and changes, software has to upgrade accordingly. However, SAP believes in an environment where you do not have to scrap your existing software setup. Instead, it would provide upgrades and extend the functionality of the existing software, thereby reducing costs. In this image, you can see that to begin with SAPs technology was based on Mainframe architecture based on ABAP and R2. Keeping pace with business requirements and integrated business processes, technology changes were made from R2 to three tier R/3 and moved from Mainframes to Client-Server Architecture. SAP R/3 has always been an integrated system where business processes were integrated within an enterprises operations. Capable of e-commerce since 1996, SAP products

incorporated business technology for the future, thus paving the way for incorporating future developments. This eliminated the need for customers to change existing systems and allowed for integration of business processes between enterprises. Finally, with Technology advances and the internet revolution, you now have services catering to adaptive businesses like Web services. SAPs Enterprise service architecture platform features Netweaver, business suites and xApps offerings, keeping pace with the business requirements of today and the future.

Architecture of SAP ERP

Audio Transcript After the SAP R/1 and SAP R/2 products, SAP introduced SAP R/3. Later, in March of 2003, SAP released SAP ERP, where many other SAP components were included along with SAP R/3. Inside SAP ERP, SAP R/3 enterprise was just a component. As you can see here, from this point on SAP ERP was more than just SAP R/3 Enterprise with SAP NetWeaver, since it offers many functional enhancements like Self Services, self service procurement, internet sales, and SAP SEM. SAP Net Weaver also contains the SAP Web Application Server. With SAP ERP, a new SAP solution was born. The SAP ERP Central Component or SAP ECC, is the evolutionary successor of the previously offered SAP R/3 Enterprise, and is the central core of SAP ERP. Compared to the SAP R/3 Enterprise, in SAP ECC there are architectural changes with respect to Enterprise Services Architecture, enhanced usability and new developed functionality, like the new general ledger. SAP Business Warehouse, SAP Strategic Enterprise Management, and Internet Transaction Server integrated into SAP ECC. Customers now have the option to run these components on the same instance that runs SAP ECC to reduce the system landscape and save costs. Running the components on separate instances is also possible. SAP Web Application Server contains all capabilities of SAP basis as well as additional web capabilities. After the SAP R/1 and SAP R/2 products, SAP introduced SAP R/3. Later, in March of 2003, SAP released SAP ERP, where many other SAP components were included along with SAP R/3. Inside SAP ERP, SAP R/3 enterprise was just a component. As you can see here, from this point on SAP ERP was more than just SAP R/3 Enterprise with SAP NetWeaver, since it offers many functional enhancements like Self Services, self service procurement, internet sales, and SAP SEM. SAP Net Weaver also contains the SAP Web Application Server. With SAP ERP, a new SAP solution was born.

The SAP ERP Central Component or SAP ECC, is the evolutionary successor of the previously offered SAP R/3 Enterprise, and is the central core of SAP ERP. Compared to the SAP R/3 Enterprise, in SAP ECC there are architectural changes with respect to Enterprise Services Architecture, enhanced usability and new developed functionality, like the new general ledger. SAP Business Warehouse, SAP Strategic Enterprise Management, and Internet Transaction Server integrated into SAP ECC. Customers now have the option to run these components on the same instance that runs SAP ECC to reduce the system landscape and save costs. Running the components on separate instances is also possible. SAP Web Application Server contains all capabilities of SAP basis as well as additional web capabilities.

SAP ERP and SAP NetWeaver

SAP ERP is the result of an ERP offering to SAP R/3. SAP ERP includes all the functionality of SAP R/3 Enterprise with the large number of additional business processes like self service, strategic management, and others. SAP ERP is an integrated and personalized functionality. SAP ERP is built on the NetWeaver technology. SAP NetWeaver is used as a technology platform for integration and as an application infrastructure with open connections to Microsoft .NET and IBM WebSphere.

SAP ERP is a Solution within SAP Business Suite

SAP Business Suite comprises SAP ERP, SAP PLM, SAP CRM, SAP SCM, and SAP SRM. SAP Business Suite is built on SAP NetWeaver. As you can see from this image, the core component of the Business Suite is ERP. SAP ERP consists of:

Life Cycle Data Management Quality and Asset Management Sales Order Management Internet Sales Inventory Warehouse Management Manufacturing and Transportation Purchase Order Processing.

SAP ERP also supports mobile technologies featuring GPS and GSM-supported service options for collaborative businesses.

SAP ERP Solution Map

The slide here shows the solution map. As is the case with other SAP solutions, a solution map shows you the processes enabled by a specific solution. In the image shown here, you can see various highlighted areas in different colors. These areas indicate additional capabilities offered by SAP ERP as against those already available to SAP R/3. For example, you have New General Ledger in Financial Accounting, E-Learning, and E-Recruitment in Work Force Process Management, and Self-Service Procurement in Procurement.