Sap System Requirements

SaaS Architecture

2010-07-20T00:15:00.000-07:00

SaaS structure can be categorized in trio slipway:
Multi-tenant structure
Multi-tenant structure is an structure program in which a software covering can be executed in a bingle happening, piece serving treble organizations or clients ("tenants"). Septuple clients distribute the programme, the operating scheme, and the instrumentality. The software is formed in a way that separates or segments apiece client's assemblage so that it is clannish. The software is accessed finished a common group, which gives apiece computer the notion of working within a sharp sweat.
Version-based multi-tenant travail (AKA "gear honor of multi-tenancy")
Version-based multi-tenant cure architecture enables organizations to advance to new releases when they choose to do so. Each new outlet shows upgrades as new features that clients can enable when they poorness. In remaining language, all tenants are upgraded at the synoptic time, but apiece methodicalness can select when to lot these upgrades for its own purposes: the new functionality module be visible if and only if the client enables and configures it. In this scenario, the covering allay serves duple organizations, irrespective of the edition beingness victimized by mortal organizations.
Obscure or lone residency
Stray or exclusive residence is an choice to multi-tenancy. In this frame, each computer or structure is travel a uncomparable occurrence of the coating. In this scenario, apiece instance can be organized with statesman immunity to fit the soul needs of a client. No use or collection is shared amongst clients.
For the purposes of this pass, we faculty not divide our word according to specific covering architectures, instead concentration on statesman general SaaS considerations.
Other facet to donjon in listen is that SaaS-based applications can be designed and delivered to organizations in ternion dissimilar distance, as determined by the coupling arrangement and pricing scheme recognized between the emptor and the SaaS businessperson:
1. SaaS travail + use management + hosting services
An curative can be delivered by the software vendor inclusively as a activity where the software vendor manages the software, component, networks, engineering, and fund.
2. SaaS effort + sweat direction
A software vendor may focusing on antiquity the programme and on remedy direction, but yield the hosting of the exercise to hosting company providers.
3. SaaS exertion exclusive
A software vendor may develop the programme and concern transmute, leaving use and structure management to additional author providers.

Differences between the SaaS and On-premise Delivery Models?

2010-07-20T00:12:00.000-07:00

Defining the on-premise transfer worthy is relatively straight:
" The software is acquired by the consumer up-front.
" The software is installed, deployed, managed, and repaired at the client's computer, generally with a high state of status by the consumer.
" The client provides the in-house structure (e.g., servers, instrumentation, networks) to sustenance the software.
Defining the SaaS posture is slightly more hard, since other SaaS vendors furnish diametric definitions. We'll explore these variations in author crew shortly, but for now we'll observe the shadowing SaaS characteristics:
" The software vendor provides customers with right to the software via the Internet.
" The customer pays for this force on a subscription basis (unremarkably per individual, per period, or per company of transactions).
" The vendor is answerable for fix, upgrades, and software living, as recovered as the activity store.
The subject disagreement between the on-premise and SaaS delivery expose lies in the control of the software. In the on-premise pattern, formerly the software is purchased, the customer owns it. In the SaaS bringing mold, the software is not owned by the consumer: it is provided to the consumer in the assonant mode as any separate coupling.

Introduction : Buyer's Guide

2010-07-20T00:11:00.000-07:00

The wholesale and dispersion (W&D) industry has embraced specified subject trends as receiver cardinal determination (RFID), voice-directed impose consummation, and hybridize docking, all with a purview toward simplifying ply series considerations without decease of time, money, and resources. New sought-after benefits of new field adoption allow streamlined substance flow, unsegregated performing processes, and admittance to the identify of right information required for faster decision making.
Indeed, W&D organizations hump implemented applications ranging from endeavour cleverness thought (ERP) to furnish constraint management (SCM) process systems, in inflict to amended win ontogenesis, aggressiveness, and restrictive agreeableness issues. They are also availing themselves of the study cognition to integrate distributed prescribe satisfaction operations, store management, product suppress, and consumer relation management (CRM) functions.
During vaporizable efficient circumstances, still, organizations within the W&D industry are also search ways to devalue their bailiwick return. Freshly, this move has arrogated the shape of afoot departed from conventional transferral methods (i.e., on-premise systems) toward software-as-a-service (SaaS) or on-demand applications. Indeed, according to Forrester explore from 2009, SaaS acceptation rates bang redoubled 21 proportion per period (since 2008) across all industries.
From a commercialism requirements appearance, the defining diagnostic of indiscriminate and dispersion (W&D) organizations is that they run as junior agents between manufacturers and retailers. Their top sector needs thusly rivet on requirements for
" processing soaring volumes of transactions,
" maintaining unremitting connexion between upstream and downstream collaborators (manufacturers and retailers/customers, respectively), and
" managing products for duplex competitors within the equal depot or spacing halfway.
In this enchiridion we testament explore considerations for W&D organizations that are considering adoption of the SaaS style work, and see the primary commerce issues that uprise from this modification.
Specifically, we will tact the following considerations:
" the differences between SaaS and on-premise conveyancing models
" SaaS architectures
" SaaS pros, cons, and opposite considerations
" selection criteria for SaaS-based applications
" viable indiscriminate and spacing SaaS vendors
Later in this pass, we'll engage examples of SaaS conveyancing imitate success stories, as wellspring as a SaaS IT directory, segmented according to activity region.

Software as a Service (SaaS)

2010-07-20T00:04:00.002-07:00

Software as a Function is also renowned as : Software on Demand, Darken Engineering, Software-as-a-Service Imitate, Goodness from SaaS, SaaS Applications, Multi-tenant SaaS Represent, On-demand Applications, On-premise Conveyancing Models,Favourite SaaS Manufacture, Software as a Run Buyer Run, SaaS Conveyance Form, Wholesale and Distribution SaaS Vendors, Browser-based SaaS Apps, SaaS Framework, Software as a Bringing Benefits, SaaS/Cloud Phenomenon, SaaS Architectures, Software as a Accommodation Vendors, Software as a Company Cure, Darken Applicatios, SaaS Buyer's Guide for Wholesale and Assist Livery, SaaS Vendor, SaaS Solutions, SaaS-based Applications, Software as a Pair Provider.
State
It's no surreptitious that businesses are remunerative many attending these days to the thought of software as a personnel (SaaS) and how it can be merged into IT portfolios.
There is sinewy view that companies get the most aid from SaaS when it is relation of an coverall enterprise architecture, and that SaaS should be on the plateau anytime a new IT-driven potentiality is acquired.
Why is SaaS advised the phenomenal new kid on the cast? One big represent is velocity to worth. According to a recent InformationWeek Analytics survey of 281 commerce technologists (including 131 who now use SaaS), 37 proportion cited allegro deed as a student utility. InformationWeek notes that rate is followed by uppercase disbursement fund (cited by 28 proportion of summary respondents), and effective disbursal savings (cited by 25 proportionality). Active one-third of companies surveyed exposit their SaaS applications as charge discriminative.
SaaS is never one-size-fits-all, however. IT departments should make a perspicuous possibility for evaluating and operative any new assistant, and a elaborate furnish unit IT scrap sorting should be performed to watch if the SaaS theory is a smashing tally for the knowledge.
Boilersuit benefits such as rapid deployment, petty toll, and scalability must be counter-balanced by separate key conclusion criteria primary to an organization-such as fit, pay on investment (ROI) and chance. Evaluations should also traverse into consideration both long-term ROI and short-term add outgo of control. Plumb industry expertise and similarities to existing clients also can be brawny indicators for exact action of a SaaS interpret.
And there are a myriad of options when it comes to SaaS. Organizations moldiness apprehension nuances inherent in the antithetic models they valuate, along with statement the number between SaaS, cross, hosted, and in-house-and any combinations thereof. Quite ofttimes, a "crossbred" deployment shape can be a operative secondary to a wholesale organizational movement to SaaS.
At a recent discussion, "All Near the Cloud" (a favourite SaaS business event), Saugatuck Profession analyst and CEO Note McNee noted that though a intelligent share of organizational budgets will be earmarked for SaaS, it give most liable co-exist with on-premises IT stock for the foreseeable upcoming.
McNee emphasizes the constituent "interwoven" as conflicting to "hybrid," transportation a grounded skyway to the SaaS/cloud phenomenon. Structure alcoholic, customised bridges between SaaS and conservative IT infrastructure within an methodicalness can furnish a way for companies to modify their operations within a constantly evolving surroundings.
Lastly, an additional benefit of SaaS is mobility. Strengthen gain exterior the tetrad walls of corporate HQ-remote or orbiter offices, traveling executives, smartphone attain, or operation from a domicile PC-will put a surplusage of claim on IT departments' capabilities to deliver... see out for browser-based SaaS apps as yet another alternative, or acquisition to an "interwoven" portfolio.
So piece there's a lot to analyze, the orbit of options and potentiality benefits of SaaS pretend it a thoughtfulness designer making.
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Software as a Service (Saa

2010-07-20T00:04:00.000-07:00

SAP Security Optimization

2010-06-15T06:36:00.000-07:00

To successfully ameliorate, compel, and manipulate collection field (IT), organizations ofttimes centering on nonindustrial and outlining processes for managing complexness, mitigating risks, and controlling costs.

To destination these enterprise challenges in 2010 and beyond, SAP offers customers a worldwide and tiered portfolio of connectedness offerings. You can select your resource tier supported on your human byplay needs and considerations, including your genre complexness and desired depth of SAP concord.

All of our offerings are collective upon long-standing change in supportive enterprise-critical applications. With writer than 35 period of impending involvement with customers, SAP has developed and is continuously improving tools, processes, and methodologies to enable customers and mouth livelihood at the highest structure. With make to the SAP Tableware Activity extranet, SAP Notes coupling, hold and enhancement packages, and new releases, as well as the SAP Bleach Trainer programme management solution, customers are healthy to exploit the treasure of SAP argue offerings.

Our industry-leading gift, SAP Endeavor Substantiation services, provides proactive livelihood in acquisition to all the features of the SAP Standardized Support deciding. These proactive concur services include tools, processes, and services that enable ceaseless betterment, holistic employment lifespan ride direction for unremitting innovation, performing and operative operation improvements, and levers to speech unconditioned outgo of cognition (TCO). Your sweat genre may increasingly reenforcement Endeavor Reason addresses augmented duty by providing argue for mission-critical business processes, and as such, is the ideal content for most businesses and brings widespread advantages to companies of all sizes.

SAP Standardized Reason is a basal content that provides undeviating salutation to field disruptions and for maintaining scheme wellbeing and integrity. With this offering, you benefit from insights into SAP solutions and expertise to mitigate danger, while tapping the innovations that SAP continually introduces. In acquisition, you make reach to tools for use within your own IT methodicalness.

Our added support offerings are tailored to somebody requirements. These offerings countenance:

* SAP MaxAttention connection - Our plain operation offering with a rumbling ambit of services bespoke for your singular needs, nonvoluntary by an on-site discipline attribute handler
* SAP Safeguarding services - Our project-based giving to amend you manage risks and enable the foul hardiness of your SAP solutions during deed, grade, and dealings

These offerings work you mount protection for your method performance and steadiness, flexibleness in funding options to undergo dynamic needs of your playacting, and cooperation throughout the entire travail lifespan wheel to successfully obtain your dealing.

Our sustenance offerings are designed to provide you move to issues and continuously ameliorate your ngo mercantilism processes - all time leveraging your existing solutions and providing the guidance you beggary to get a best-run mercantilism.

SAP Security Concepts and Implementation

2010-06-15T06:34:00.000-07:00

SAP solutions mortal enabled our customers to get quick, active, and modern processes that tally helped them lour costs, slenderize danger, win objectives, change transaction, and germinate with ever-changing commerce requirements, manufacture trends, and mart claim.

To work you effectively and economically employ the functionality embedded within your SAP solutions, you can hold plus of the skillful substance offered finished our consulting services.

When you activity with SAP Services, you earn gain to the noesis that our older consultants continually ameliorate finished our customer-focused ecosystem of globally joined SAP experts. Finished this textile, our consultants leverage a clear grasp of advanced noesis in developing and implementing both IT infrastructures and SAP solutions.

We then apply both this in-depth knowledge and our field-proven processes to provide you apply your SAP applications and solutions - all so that you can win your possibleness, complete your strategic objectives, and earn a aggressive vantage by full realizing the possibleness amount that SAP solutions can create.

SAP Security

2010-06-15T06:32:00.000-07:00

From computer viruses to denial-of-service attacks to thieving of client substance, protection threats soul never been greater. And the duration of your substance assets is only raising. That's why SAP is devoted to nonindustrial the most safe task software, and to helping insure the department of your undertaking operations.

SAP combines the application, solutions, and services to accost the threesome pillars of accumulation precaution:

* Fill - SAP offers services that can work you farm cognizance of precaution issues among employees and create easy-to-follow guarantee guidelines and policies. Our undogmatic action of training offerings ensures that your group feature the knowledge they poverty to protect your systems and processes.
* Processes - SAP provides consulting and activity services that focusing on chance categorisation and direction, portion you translate certificate as a business release and ensuring that all work routines and processes are bonded. We also act a wide arrange of solutions to exploit you win brass, danger, and compliancy. And we training what we talk: SAP's inside IT processes screw been awarded ISO 27001:2005 proof.
* Profession - All SAP solutions are designed to have the highest protection standards. And with the SAP NetWeaver level, you somebody the profession support you requisite to secure the warrant of your assorted structure.

Guaranteed Solutions

SAP solutions are stacked from the connective up to insure the highest levels of department in the most painful environments. SAP follows demanding guarantee standards in the organisation and process of all its solutions, and SAP application developers receive extensive warranty grooming. SAP software developing is documented according to the ISO 9001:2000 accepted. Our engineering has also been certifiable according to Content Bailiwick Guarantee Assessment Criteria (ITSEC) Storey E2 Transmission.

In acquisition, SAP follows a thorough protection activity transform. SAP solutions are more secured finished SAP software partners, and the protection of SAP solutions is verified through mate testing.

SAP BASIS (BC) Security Components

2010-06-15T06:31:00.000-07:00

SAP has done nix inferior than alter the entire systems genre for enterprises. The benefits it can transmit feature led to widespread espousal crosswise the sphere. One of the key benefits SAP brings to an labor is the cognition to compound the assemblage both within the endeavor, and between it and it's partners / competitors. In umteen cases organizations today are both partners and competitors at the synoptic term. Suppose of wholesalers and distributors, SAP and Seer, AT&T and BT, or two oil giants who possess an upstream corporate pretend. These companies use SAP to combine outgrowth between themselves for their shared aid. This power to integrate, withal, brings with it a primary assay - that of exposing their information to the un-authorized outdoors man.

Total companies bed been improved up around highly uncommunicative serious prop and deliver secrets ... and could easily recede if this was breached. Hence, safekeeping the certificate of the activity uncastrated is one of the indispensable aspects of any SAP effort.

SAP Base addresses all warrant issues by incorporating an authorization ability. With inflated potency for section breaches in the computer systems around the reality, BASIS consultants approach a unchewable chore of maintaining the unity and administering the protection of SAP systems. Interoperability features of a SAP method makes this extend a bit author vexed.

SAP ERP Operations

2010-06-15T06:28:00.001-07:00

To unsurpassable operate customers, organizations are concentration solon on the agility and ratio of delivering products and services. The efficiency of the total active treat pull impacts an administration's power to ply its customers shaft. Operative excellence is the knowledge of an structure to reach a swollen even of customer function, spell reducing operating costs. An system can then run its job at the hurry of transfer with more legerity, from its suppliers to its customers, no matter organizations, the SAP ERP Dealings answer has beautify the software moxie that contributes to fantabulous action supporting end-to-end active processes in all key areas: acquisition and logistics executing, creation exercise and manufacturing, and sales and pairing. This excellence is a instant of SAP's see over many than 30 period, with thousands of prospering customers in statesman than 25 industries.

With SAP ERP Transaction, your disposal can substantiate its nourished efficiency and cost-effectiveness possibleness. With smoother day-to-day dealing, you can exploit your profit, issue up resources and budget so that you can enthrone statesman in creation. Gaining capitalistic advantage, you can care toward the approaching, and direct as a best-run acting over the nightlong constituent.

With SAP ERP Operations, you can:

* Automate and streamline fighting processes with greater adaptability.
* Amount fecundity in your operations with a role-based resolution and centralised information.
* Gesticulate collaboration to all appraise ligament partners.
* Meliorate dealings performance with strategic commercialism perceptivity.

SAP ERP Operations - Procurement & logistics execution

2010-02-25T04:36:00.000-08:00

Procurement and Logistics Execution

With SAP ERP Operations, you can quickly maximize cost savings. You can automate and streamline procurement processes to identify, realize, and sustain cost savings for all spend categories.

SAP ERP Operations delivers features and functions that help you manage these business processes:

Procurement

Perform the complete procure-to-pay process, including requisitioning, purchase-order management, and invoice verification.
Manage catalog content and enable employee self-service procurement of material and services.
Integrate all business partners, including designers, suppliers, manufacturers, and customers.
Collaborate efficiently with suppliers on product development, purchase-order management, invoice processing, and payment management.

With SAP ERP, you can maintain high levels of customer satisfaction, improve capital efficiency with better productivity in logistics, and reduce costs by lowering inventory levels and consolidating shipments through support of the following business activities:

Inventory and warehouse management

Record and track the quantity and value of all materials, perform physical inventory, and optimize all warehouse resources.
Plan, enter, and document warehouse-internal stock movements by managing goods receipts, goods issues, storage, picking and packing, physical stock transfers, and transfer postings.
Manage workload planning, wave picking and order consolidation, radio frequency and barcode scanning, handling-unit management, cross-docking, and real-time monitoring of all activities.

Inbound and outbound logistics

Facilitate the movement of incoming and outgoing physical goods, including logistics involving multiple manufacturers and customers.
Support inbound processing with capabilities to monitor the receipt of goods, track external demand, handle advanced shipping notifications, and manage in-yard activities.
Operate outbound processes, including posting goods issues, monitoring delivery and distribution activities, and documenting proof of delivery.

Transportation management

Create optimized transportation plans, execute plans, and monitor shipments to deliver products on time and on budget.
Apply flexible options for consolidating deliveries and orders into shipments, including rule-based automation, manual consolidation, and collaborative order combination through the Internet.
Manage the multiple processes and reports required for foreign trade.

SAP Product development & Manufacturing

2010-02-25T04:34:00.000-08:00

With SAP ERP Operations, you can achieve manufacturing excellence by delivering superior performance across distributed global and local plant. You can streamline the entire manufacturing process – from planning and scheduling, to sequencing and execution, to analysis – by improving efficiency along the value chain. As a result, you can lower costs, deliver higher-quality products, and boost margins.

SAP ERP Operations delivers features and functions that help you manage the following business activities:

Production planning

Support a wide variety of basic strategies for production planning and execution.
Optimally plan, schedule, and sequence production on the factory floor to deliver promised orders.

Manufacturing execution

Support the capture of actual production information from the shop floor, providing visibility and transparency across all shop-floor processes.
Perform production plans by managing production processes and deploying workers and other resources on the shop floor.
Document, monitor, and dispatch inventory during the entire production life cycle.

SAP ERP can also help you accelerate time to market by centralizing the product development and innovation process, improve productivity through efficient collaborative processes, and ensure compliance with new regulations and industry standards through support of these processes:

Product development

Integrate people and information in a single, streamlined new product development and introduction (NPDI) process – covering product definition, requirements gathering, product development, supplier sourcing and product ramp-up.
Optimize inter-enterprise product development, including sourcing of complex components.
Monitor the flow of information through engineering, planning, and execution, and document each step of the production process.

Life-cycle data management

Centralize document management, change and configuration management – from invention to phase-out. Discrete industries can handle bills of materials and routings, and process industries can perform recipe management.
Manage and deliver a wide range of product information to ensure immediate access to up-to-date data as the basis for production planning and execution activities.
Integrate with CAD systems, geographic information systems (GIS), and many other systems.

SAP ERP Human Capital Management

2010-02-25T04:33:00.002-08:00

SAP ERP Human Capital Management (SAP ERP HCM) is a comprehensive, integrated human resources management solution that delivers unmatched global capability. SAP ERP HCM gives organizations in all industries worldwide the tools needed to manage their most important asset: people. The solution helps executives, human resources (HR) professionals, and line-of-business (LOB) leaders to forecast, plan, and hire the best talent, as well as cultivate the skills of and train their workforce.

Using one HR software suite for all talent management processes, you can more readily understand where your workforce's talents lie – and align the goals of your employees with your organization's overarching business strategy. Using real-time insight into the workforce, your organization can benefit fully from HR strategies and programs – and measure your workforce's contributions to the bottom line.

Automation of core HR processes, such as employee administration, payroll, and legal reporting, increases efficiency and supports compliance with changing global and local regulations.

SAP ERP HCM helps organizations throughout the world to increase their performance by helping to ensure an efficient, focused, and engaged workforce. With integrated building blocks and an unmatched partner ecosystem, SAP ERP HCM supports shared services and business process outsourcing – further reducing cost and risk for organizations like yours.

Attract and Retain the Best People and Talent

People are critical to success – in every business, in every industry. See how SAP software and ecosystem can help your company find, nurture, and retain the best people and talent with the necessary competencies – so that you can meet your business objectives.

Duet and Alloy Extend HCM Functionality to the Desktop

Specific human capital management functions are available as extensions to Microsoft Office and Lotus Notes through Duet or Alloy, the first joint products for use with Microsoft Office or Lotus Notes, and SAP. Duet and Alloy software are revolutionizing the way information workers access enterprise applications.

SAP ERP Operations -2

2010-02-25T04:33:00.001-08:00

Gain Control. Gain Insight. Create Value.

To best serve customers, organizations are focusing more on the agility and speed of delivering products and services. The efficiency of the entire operational process chain impacts an organization's ability to serve its customers well. Operational excellence is the ability of an organization to achieve a high level of customer service, while reducing operating costs. An organization can then run its business at the speed of change with more agility, from its suppliers to its customers, no matter which changes occur in the market and in demand.

For many organizations, the SAP ERP Operations solution has become the software backbone that contributes to excellent performance supporting end-to-end operational processes in all key areas: procurement and logistics execution, product development and manufacturing, and sales and service. This excellence is a culmination of SAP's experience over more than 30 years, with thousands of successful customers in more than 25 industries.

With SAP ERP Operations, your organization can realize its full efficiency and cost-effectiveness potential. With smoother day-to-day operations, you can maximize your profitability, free up resources and budget so that you can invest more in innovation. Gaining competitive advantage, you can look toward the future, and operate as a best-run business over the long term.

With SAP ERP Operations, you can:

Automate and streamline operational processes with greater adaptability.
Increase productivity in your operations with a role-based solution and centralized information.
Extend collaboration to all value chain partners.
Improve operations performance with strategic business insight.

SAP ERP Operations

2010-02-25T04:31:00.000-08:00

With SAP ERP Operations, you can achieve perfect order management with the highest levels of customer satisfaction. You can reduce operational costs by simplifying and automating the entire order-to-cash cycle, increase sales by encouraging the use of profitable sales and interaction channels, and ensure high customer satisfaction by delivering accurate, on-time information to customers.

SAP ERP Operations delivers features and functions to help you support the following business activities:

Sales order management

Manage the complete sales order management process, including handling inquiries, quotations, order generation and processing, as well as contract and billing-cycle management.
Use the e-commerce platform in SAP ERP Operations to help you rapidly turn the Internet into a profitable sales and interaction channel.
Develop effective incentive programs, including sales and brokerage commissions, profit sharing, and bonuses.

Aftermarket sales and service

Address the basic requirements for customer support, such as the management of installations, service contracts, warranties, service requests, and orders.
Manage all aspects of service-order processing within the service organization, from responding to the customer's initial inquiry to confirmation and billing.

Professional-service delivery

Manage all aspects of service delivery, including tracking activities, recording time spent on services, and analyzing profitability.

Information on Microsoft, SAP and Infor ERP

2010-02-18T05:32:00.001-08:00

Microsoft, SAP and Infor are the leader in ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning). The software revolution ushered in an era of data centralization and seamless flow of integrated information within the organizations. Today, from small, medium to big companies belonging to diverse fields use enterprise software to efficiently and cost effectively manage their information and business processes in lesser time. An array of ERP software is available in the market but before choosing any of those you must know which would be the best and easiest for you to install and operate. You will be in a better position to find out which ERP would fulfill all your needs if have clearly defined your requirements beforehand. Lastly, you must analyze what extra benefits the new ERP would give you over your existing management system.

1. Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009

Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 is the best ERP software for mid-sized and larger companies. It is an effective business management tool that works by consistently and drastically improving the productivity of a company. Especially, Microsoft fans would love using it as they would be able to manage it with ease. It has a user-friendly interface that allows accurate and reliable decision making. By flawlessly connecting employees, customers and partners, its synchronization tools effectively help in information sharing and business planning.

2. SAP R/3

SAP R/3 was developed and introduced in the ERP industry by SAP AG. It is also known by the name of SAP ERP. This integrated enterprise resource planning system can be successfully implemented in midsize and large organizations. Its collaboration tools helps in linking the internal and external public in a better way. Its unique features and tools helps a company stand out in global marketplace as it can support important business operations without any hassles. It helps in safety management by letting the teams study changing market and industry trends and warning the company about possible risks. It offers a secure platform for other products of the company to function upon.

3. SAP Business One

SAP Business One successfully connects accounting, inventory control and human resource within an organization. It is tailored to meet the specific software needs of both small and medium sized enterprises. Its 15 core module structure includes every important module from Administration to e-commerce.

4. Infor ERP XA

Advanced ERP software Infor XA has been developed to fulfill the unique requirements of distinct manufacturers only. It is an IBM System i-based solution. The latest version has prominent features like upgraded inventory management processes and mixed-mode processes that include repetitive, engineer-to-order, configure-to-order, manufacture-to-order and assemble-to-order. Most importantly, it also contributes to high system speed offering enhanced service and quick maintenance procedures to the company professionals.

SAP NetWeaver

2010-02-17T05:31:00.001-08:00

is SAP's integrated technology platform and is the technical foundation for all SAP applications since the SAP Business Suite. SAP NetWeaver is marketed as a service-oriented application and integration platform. SAP NetWeaver provides the development and runtime environment for SAP applications and can be used for custom development and integration with other applications and systems. SAP NetWeaver is built using open standards and industry de facto standards and can be extended with, and interoperate with, technologies such as Microsoft .NET, Sun Java EE, and IBM WebSphere.

SAP NetWeaver's release is considered as a strategic move by SAP for driving enterprises to run their business on a single, integrated platform that includes both applications and technology. Industry analysts refer to this type of integrated platform offering as an "applistructure" (applications + infrastructure). It is widely held that this approach is driven by industry's need to lower IT costs through an enterprise architecture that is at once (1) more flexible; (2) better integrated with applications; (3) built on open standards to ensure future interoperability and broad integration; and, (4) provided by a vendor that is financially viable for the long term.[citation needed]

SAP is fostering relationships with system integrators and independent software vendors, many of the latter becoming "Powered by SAP NetWeaver".

SAP NetWeaver is part of SAP's plan to transition to a more open, service-oriented architecture and to deliver the technical foundation of its applications on a single, integrated platform and common release cycle.

Composition

NetWeaver is essentially the integrated stack of SAP technology products. The SAP Web Application Server (sometimes referred to as WebAS) is the runtime environment for the SAP applications -- all of the mySAP Business Suite solutions (SRM, CRM, SCM, PLM, ERP) run on SAP WebAS.

Products

The core products that make up SAP NetWeaver include:

SAP NetWeaver Application Server
SAP NetWeaver Process Integration (PI)
SAP NetWeaver Enterprise Portal (EP)
SAP NetWeaver Master Data Management (MDM)
SAP NetWeaver Mobile
SAP NetWeaver Business Intelligence
SAP NetWeaver Composition Environment (CE)

SAP has also teamed with hardware vendors like HP, IBM, Fujitsu-Siemens, and Sun to deliver appliances (i.e., hardware + software) to simplify and enhance the deployment of NetWeaver components. Examples of these appliances include:

BI Accelerator
Enterprise Search

SAP ERP

2010-02-17T04:53:00.001-08:00

For more than 35 years, SAP has been honing the tools and methodologies that help our customers adopt new business software functionalities. The result: optional enhancement packages that enable you to take advantage of the ongoing innovations you need – when you need them.

The enhancement package for the SAP ERP application provides new or improved software functionality that you can implement in a modular fashion. There's no need to run a major upgrade project. And, you keep your core software stable while you activate only the new features and technical improvements you want – on your own timetable – to add the most value to your business.

Innovate According to Your Schedule: Benefit from a Selective, Nondisruptive Approach

SAP designed the enhancement package for SAP ERP to easily deliver business- and industry-specific functionality, enterprise services bundles, and other functions that enhance and simplify the use of the SAP ERP application through improvements to the user interface and processes.

You can activate the latest enhancement package via the switch framework, which gives you the flexibility to choose what you want to implement, helps isolate impacted objects, and minimizes testing requirements. This rapid, nonintrusive deployment of selected improvements enables you to innovate benefit from superior solution fit without risking side effects to other parts of your applications.

Enhanced Functionality as Enterprise Services: Streamlining Basic Business Processes

Our enhancement package for SAP ERP delivers functionality that streamlines basic business processes, improves employee productivity, sharpens business insight, and enables you to adapt quickly to changing industry requirements.

The enhancement package includes collections, or bundles, of enterprise services. Each bundle provides new services, as well as documentation on how the services can help extend and reconfigure processes or groups of related processes. Each bundle includes explanations of relevant processes, groups of processes, and roles, along with descriptions of business objects and tips on how to put the new services to work.

SAP is the first software provider to use SOA to deliver new functionality, enterprise services bundles, and simplified user interfaces through enhancement packages. Enterprise services are one of the ways that SAP is implementing a program of service as part of our strategy to provide SOA across all products. SAP customers and partners can suggest ideas for new services and help develop them by participating in the Enterprise Services Community program.

SAP Supply Chain Management

2010-02-17T04:51:00.000-08:00

You face enormous pressure to reduce costs while increasing innovation and improving customer service and responsiveness. SAP Supply Chain Management (SAP SCM) enables collaboration, planning, execution, and coordination of the entire supply network, empowering you to adapt your supply chain processes to an ever-changing competitive environment.

SAP SCM is part of the SAP Business Suite, which gives organizations the unique ability to perform their essential business processes with modular software that is designed to work with other SAP and non-SAP software. Organizations and departments in all sectors can deploy SAP Business Suite software to address specific business challenges on their own timelines and without costly upgrades.

SAP SCM can help transform a linear, sequential supply chain into a responsive supply network – in which communities of customer-centric, demand-driven companies share knowledge, intelligently adapt to changing market conditions, and proactively respond to shorter, less predictable life cycles. SAP SCM provides broad functionality for enabling responsive supply networks and integrates seamlessly with both SAP and non-SAP software. The application:

Delivers planning and execution functions that are integrated by design
Supports best practices and provides preconfigured software for enabling collaborative business, accelerating implementation, and reducing costs
Is recognized by key industry analysts as the market-leading SCM application

Real-time demand and signal-based replenishment need to drive supply chains. Companies need to balance supply and demand and run their businesses based on actual-versus-forecasted demand.

With SAP SCM, you can model your existing supply chain; set goals; and forecast, optimize, and schedule time, materials, and other resources with these planning activities:

Demand planning and forecasting
Safety stock planning
Supply network planning
Distribution planning
Strategic supply chain design

Key Planning Benefits of SAP Supply Chain Management

SAP SCM enables you to:

Increase demand accuracy and order fulfillment satisfaction levels
Reduce inventory levels and increased inventory turns across the network
Increase profitability and productivity
Integrate sales and operations planning process

SAP ERP Operations

2010-02-17T04:49:00.001-08:00

With SAP ERP Operations, you can:

Automate and streamline operational processes with greater adaptability.
Increase productivity in your operations with a role-based solution and centralized information.
Extend collaboration to all value chain partners.
Improve operations performance with strategic business insight.

Is Your ERP System Provider a Psychopath?

2010-02-17T04:44:00.001-08:00

Here’s an often overlooked factor in ERP software selection, and it’s got nothing to do with ERP functions or features:

Personality.

That’s right, personality. No, I’m not talking about the personality of your presumptive ERP systems (see also: pathetic fallacy).

Nor am I talking exclusively about the personality of the ERP vendor sales reps, say, or of the software demo team.

I’m talking about the vendor’s corporate personality (or corporate culture) as a whole.

For example, some ERP vendors are perceived as being arrogant. Some are perceived as being consummately professional, if a little unfriendly. Some are perceived as being just a bit, well, quirky. I’m not mentioning any names, you’ll notice. That’s because I like my lifestyle. It’s a quiet, lawsuit-free lifestyle.

Is Your ERP System Provider a Psychopath?

2010-02-17T04:44:00.000-08:00

Here’s an often overlooked factor in ERP software selection, and it’s got nothing to do with ERP functions or features:

Personality.

That’s right, personality. No, I’m not talking about the personality of your presumptive ERP systems (see also: pathetic fallacy).

Nor am I talking exclusively about the personality of the ERP vendor sales reps, say, or of the software demo team.

I’m talking about the vendor’s corporate personality (or corporate culture) as a whole.

PLM (Vendors) and Lean Product Development

2010-02-17T04:42:00.000-08:00

guess you may have an idea about who will be the third vendor I’m going to discuss concerning the relevance between its product lifecycle management (PLM) offerings and the lean product development (LPD) concept. Yes, it is PTC. Like Dassault Systèmes and Siemens PLM Software, PTC is also located in the CAD-PLM camp (read this article if you want to know more about how I categorized major PLM vendors into two categories) that provides both PLM tools and PLM as the management platform.

Recently, I had a close look at PTC’s PLM solutions during the certification process for PTC Windchill. My overall impression is that Windchill is a well-built PLM solution for discrete manufacturing industries. It is one of the most comprehensive PLM solutions that I have ever seen. Besides its longevity within the core PLM area (i.e., the base foundation of PLM covering design and product-related aspects of PLM such as management of material specifications, product structures, documents, classifications, design collaboration, etc.,), Windchill’s advancements on product development, portfolio management, and project management are also impressive.

Besides my overall impression, the following two elements are what I will use to relate PTC to LPD.

Product Sustainability

Being “lean” requires companies to reduce unnecessary use of resources and non-value-added activities, but within product development, the efforts in developing compliant and environment-friendly products can’t be treated as something unnecessary. Without regulatory and compliance capabilities embedded into product development processes, an organization can’t meet the increasing product sustainability requirements from customers.

PTC was able to strengthen its capability in helping develop more sustainable products through acquisitions:

In December 2008, PTC announced its acquisition of Synapsis Technology, Inc., a vendor focusing on environmental regulatory compliance solutions.
In June 2009, PTC acquired Relex Software Corporation, another specialized software and service provider for product reliability and safety.

In my opinion, material compliance, product reliability, and product safety all lead to one direction—product sustainability.

Social Product Development

Social product development is not a new concept within the PLM domain but it can’t reach the prosperity unless social computing technologies are widely adopted. Generally speaking, having a broader range of product stakeholders’ (including customers’ and end-users’) opinions as the input in the earliest possible stage of product development is an exemplary approach to making downstream processes leaner.

In December 2008, PTC started offering Windchill ProductPoint (a PLM solution built on top of Microsoft SharePoint) with social product development as one of the main selling points. This approach shows PTC’s efforts of using SharePoint’s Web 2.0 features for internal socialization among product designers and developers. I hope PTC will go further and include more participants in product socialization, and incorporate the social product development features into its other Windchill offerings.

On PTC’s Web site—categorized under business initiatives—there is a page dedicated to LPD. Personally, I’d like to see more information than it currently provides, but at least it shows the company’s belief that LPD is one of the top business initiatives related to PLM adoption.

ERP Implementation KPIs

2010-02-11T02:08:00.000-08:00

ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system cost is divided into two major parts: software cost and hardware cost. Software cost is depends upon many factors, number of users, implementation, customization, user training etc. After investing a huge amount on ERP project organization wants quick and better ROI. For SME, it is a significant decision.

Key Performance Metrics (KPIs) of ERP Implementation Investments in ERP project for organizations in the SME segment is an important decision. Hence the evaluation of an implementation and benefits accrued is an important factor in the overall success of an implementation project. Effectiveness of an implementation can be somewhat gauged by KPIs of business processes. KPIs are benchmarks with qualitative or quantitative values that help an organization assess the effectiveness of the processes that have been implemented in the ERP system. However it may not be suitable to expect important improvement in these values immediately after the implementation. An organization needs to give itself the time to take up the changes brought about in by the ERP system to practically achieve the KPI targets.

Examples of these metrics are as follows:

• What is the financial input necessary for achieving the targeted key performance level?
• What benefits the organization derives from a certain level of performance?
• Are the internal processes effective and efficient in assuring of performance?
• Does the new ERP system have sufficient potential for possible future customer needs?
• Measuring the monetary perspective, customer perspective, internal process perspective and human resource perspective goal
• Measure budget compliance hardware, software, training, and consulting goal
• Measure gamut of processes reduce bottlenecks
• Reduce Operational Problems: problems with customer order processing, problems with inventory processes, problems with standard reports
• Availability of the ERP system: average system availability, average downtime, and maximum downtime

Reasons of ERP Projects Failure

2010-02-11T02:07:00.000-08:00

The defining element in the success or failure of an ERP implementation is mainly one of project management. The presenter draws on observation, past experience and research to build a best practice based strategy, or approach that will lead to a successful experience.

Most of the times organization have seen ERP projects fail for the following reasons:

1. Software selection was wrong
2. The software does not work as promised by vendor
3. Too many customization or interfaces to the software were attempted.
4. Lack of top management sponsorship for the project
5. Lack of a proper project plan and their execution
6. Poor or no training was provided to the user
7. Lack of business or technical resources committed to the ERP project
8. Lack of effective change management strategies
9. User refuse to use new system, it is again due to improper training
10. A business merger terminates a existing implementation

Here, I will attempt to share through consultant's experience, observation and research various strategies that give you the best chance of achieving a successful ERP implementation experience.

Critical factors toward achieving a successful ERP implementation are:

1. Selection of the right software
2. Manage organization's expectations
3. Mitigate risks
4. Exploit the best business practices built into the ERP software
5. Get the step by step phase wise implementation
6. Prepare proper blueprint
7. SRS study - this will help you in selection of software
8. GAP analysis to map organization process and software
9. Selection of experienced vendor- new company or vendor may not be able to give you proper support and service even after Go-live.

Take a systematic approach. It is also important to point out early on in any discussion about successful ERP implementation some important points and realities about ERP implementations in general. This can be:

1. The ready to use or perfect ERP system does not exist.
2. ERP implementations are different in every organization - it never be the same as previous
3. There is no perfect ERP project
4. No implementation is ever complete- It requires support and services, upgrades and updates, technological changes, etc.

Organization should be open for these situations and ready to adopt new challenges and opportunities.

NetSuite Accpac and Epicor ERP Soft

2010-02-11T02:06:00.002-08:00

NetSuite Exact Syspro Accpac Epicor and Excel ERP system have capabilities to centralize all business process into single database and provide better control. Read brief information about all these enterprise software below:

1. Net suite

Net suite ERP solution is one of its kinds. It is the only on-demand ERP solution which can manage and control back-office operations. It is an all-inclusive business suite that can support operations like financial, order fulfillment, purchasing, inventory, time and billing, payroll, employee self-service, Web presence, etc. It is best suited to diverse enterprises and nonprofit organizations, which need to customize their systems for specific needs. It can be installed immediately.

2. Exact Software

This revolutionary ERP system is best for organizations that crave for impeccable connectivity. Exact Software equally connects both internal and external links and employee of a business. It teams up conventional ERP with a number of operations such as customer relationship management (CRM), business activity monitoring, electronic workflow management, project management and business intelligence. It helps in analyzing and predicting the business operations and the results can be used to formulate future plan of action. Thus, it eliminates complications from the processes.

3. Syspro

Syspro is among the leading enterprise resource planning software vendors. SYSPRO solutions' enable companies to exercise complete control over different aspects of their workflow by directing planning and management functions. It permits the organizations to create their own exclusive manufacturing process that can successfully meet all their needs and new challenges that arise in the industry.

4. Accpac

The Sage Group has designed Accpac ERP software to suit the business requirements of the small and medium sized enterprises. This software can accomplish tasks like accounting, Customer relationship management and business management. USP of Accpac is that it employs Web Services as basic foundation for operating business applications.

5. Epicor

Epicor is a comprehensive ERP solution providing a number of real-time business utilities. It is targeted to manufacturing, distribution, retail, hospitality and services companies located in U.S. It offers business- specific solutions as it consists of ground-breaking service-oriented architecture (SOA) and Web services technology.

6. Excel ERP

Excel ERP is amongst the most user friendly ERPs. It requires trouble-free, organized and risk free implementation. Moreover, it can be customized as per the short/long term goals and objectives of the company.

Getting the Best Results From Your Office Refurbishment

2010-02-11T02:06:00.001-08:00

An office refurbishment can provide enormous benefits to staff productivity and morale when completed but it can also sap time and enthusiasm from your staff whilst the process is being considered, planned and finally underway.

Maybe an office refurbishment is required to improve space ratios and take advantage of smaller footprint workstations, or just to bring your office environment up to a modern standard and to rearrange existing team structures.

Or possibly an office refurbishment project is necessitated due to a relocation, or the opening of a new office or the merger of two companies or two previously discrete locations.

Whatever your reasons for undertaking an office refurbishment there are a number of steps to overcome to ensure that your project creates the:

Right outcome
In the right timescale
And for the right price

If you can achieve all these then you should be well on the way to a successful refurbishment project and advance planning and attention to detail throughout the project will help achieve all three of these objectives.

Staff can also feel threatened by the change a refurbishment and reorganisation project brings and these emotions need to be expected and anticipated. By focusing on the positive aspects and keeping staff informed and involved, it is possible to minimise these fears, but the time required should not be underestimated, and this liaison process should start as early as possible.

It is likely that you will want to bring in external teams to advise and manage the day to day running of the project but with some simple strategies and proper expertise you can ensure your staff can continue to focus on their business of running your business during what is a time consuming and challenging period.

Information on Microsoft, SAP and Infor ERP

2010-02-11T02:04:00.000-08:00

1. Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009

2. SAP R/3

3. SAP Business One

4. Infor ERP XA

SAP Resume Preparation

2010-02-11T02:02:00.000-08:00

1. Your Domain Experience Counts: For functional folks, if you do not have tons of IT experience in the module, you don't need to sweat it. Domain expertise counts a lot. For example, if you are applying for an SAP SD or CRM functional job, typically 6 to 7 years of IT functional experience in is mandatory. However, you can easily slip in a couple of years of actual domain experience - say as a Sales Manager or a Marketing Manager. This is especially useful for folks who come from industry background with domain expertise but who are just getting trained in the actual module itself.

2. Focus on Problems Solved: Actually this is true for any kind of resume. Specifically more so for SAP resumes. Try to focus on how you resolved a particular functional issue. For example, an SAP FICO resume could say - "Configured dummy company codes to deal with Special Logistics Processes " as opposed to just saying "Configured company code, credit control area.. etc ". The interviewer will then ask you, what kind of "special logistics process" did you deal with. You can explain more on the actual business problem and your solution.

3. Focus on your most recent project: Most interviews do not go beyond the past 2 or 3 projects. So focus 50% on your current project, 30% on your second project and 10% on the third project. Don't bother too much beyond that.In rare situations they go beyond the third project, but only when the interviewer does not understand your first 2 pages.

4. Restrict your resume to 3 or 4 pages: Some people have the habit of expanding their resume beyond 5 or 6 pages. This is totally unnecessary. Interviewers do not have time to read so many pages. Each interview (at least contracting jobs ) do not last for more than 30- 45 minutes. And the focus as discussed before will be on the first 2 pages.

5. List Logos of your clients if they are well-recognized. For example, if you have worked with "Johnson & Johnson" or "Google" 8 years ago, try to at least put a logo of these clients in the first page with the heading "Major Clients worked with". This will add a professional touch. For further Professional Tips and SAP Resume Preparation Tips visit us.

6. Use Most-Searched Keywords: Recruiters try to only pick resumes that match the keywords in the requirements. For example, if a recruiter is looking for resumes that contain keywords "Campaign Management" in SAP CRM Resumes, and if you have worked on CRM campaign management, try to list the keyword in the resume. Do not just say worked in "campaigns". The better the match the better the match of the resume being picked up by the recruiter. However, try not to stuff the resume with all possible keywords.

7. Maintain Multiple Resumes: Yes - This might sound very strange, but its true. Candidates with multiple resumes stand a better chance of getting an interview call than someone with a single resume. But you will have to do a fine balancing act here. Over-do it and you will be penalized as a fake. The primary reason why you need to maintain multiple versions is to ensure that you are covering potentially complementary areas if you are really qualified. For example, if you are an SAP Basis, Security, GRC/Virsa consultant, you can maintain 2 resumes - one focussing on your general Basis/Netweaver/Security skills and another focussing on Basis and GRC skills in more detail.

8. Avoid Grammatical and Spelling Mistakes: It looks highly unprofessional to have grammatical or spelling mistakes in your resume. Not everybody is very good in English - Find a good friend and ask him/her to review it or get professional resume preparation help. Either way, don't let a bad resume go out.

9. Eliminate "Not-So-Necessary" details: These days recruiters/employers do NOT look at your "other" interests. Please avoid listing your hobbies that are not related to your area of work. For example, if you are looking for a job in SAP, you can list your language proficiency in German or list your proficiency in Spanish or Japanese - Sometimes recruiters look out for functional consultants with specific language skills. However, plese do not list your skills in Kite flying or classical music.

Review on Tally ERP

2010-02-11T02:01:00.001-08:00

Tally is a well known product for accounting software. But when it comes in ERP there are few pros and cons, which you must know. After an effective application of Tally 9, there were still a few problems that were experienced. User conflicts due to multi-users of the system were thought to be permanent.

The major disadvantage of Tally ERP is- it starts from accounting whereas business starts from sales. Even tally has faced so many problems to launch Tally ERP. They want to give same flexibility in their ERP like Tally accounting software, because Tally existing customers have the same expectations.

TDS calculation has become simpler in Tally ERP it can be done with great ease. The overall data for the same is generated in the software system, and updates the bank account and is included in the report generation. This single feature makes it extremely good. The installation process of Tally ERP has been made easy as compared to other ERPs available in the market. Once installed it lets tones of information accessible throughout the day. It also provides incremental implementation which allows many functions to be run at the same time from even different locations. The problem with the EVAT computations with the vast collection of files into a quick and easy step preparation is possible without any ignore. Payment of water, electricity, telephone bills and other bills from any location and generating business report or stock status is made easier.

Moreover, this software enables powerful remote capabilities that enhance collaboration. It has enabled finding qualified personnel. Customization in this software is easy and faster. Great support, good brand, faster implementation and Tally integrator has made the software reduce cost of ownership, hence better equipped to be used in businesses. It is highly recommended a trail for any business needs. Also for those who want to experience the most easy and convenient way of keeping the business data on complete cycle, all key reports, cash, receivable, and month end bank reconciliation, from human resources information to each performance report, all is traceable in fast effective step. Forecasting and predicting future business performance is also possible.

Tally ERP is good to buy for small and medium size organization. But if your organization is based on process manufacturing, discrete manufacturing or any other process which Tally may not support, you should think twice before buying it. Take proper consultation before finalizing ERP for

The SCM Push Upward

2010-02-10T20:07:00.000-08:00

Supply chain vendors of the past only provided a single product that addressed one aspect or function within the supply chain. However, certain business requirements have become the norm, such as vendor collaboration, changes in workflow, event management, performance management, PLM, labor requirements, key performance indicator (KPI) analysis, real-time inventory, manufacturing execution systems, WMS, transportation requirements, advanced planning and scheduling, and partner-supplier collaboration. SCM vendors feeling the tightening of the market have started to address their shortcomings, and are including more ERP-like modules to expand their solutions.

SCM software traditionally employs a strategy of covering everything within the four walls of the warehouse. The addition of ERP modules aims at tying into the entire supply chain and its collaborative aspects. Trading partners (and now logistic companies) are coming together with manufacturers to unite services, products, and customer experience. Demand management and SRM are intricate parts of SCE, and tier one vendors like HighJump, RedPrairie, and Manhattan Associates have now included very detailed iterations of this module.

Since detailed information is required, most tier one WMS vendors, and even the smaller vendors (ASI, Radio Beacon, RF Pathways, and Scancode) within the SCM space, have also added and developed new functionality to compete with this shift in business model.

The Downward Push of ERP Vendors

2010-02-10T20:04:00.000-08:00

ERP vendors are expanding their market share at the expense of SCM vendors. ERP solutions encompass a wide range of functionality that includes most of the business processes of an organization. Traditional modules like accounting, BI, customer relationship management (CRM), advanced planning and scheduling, manufacturing, warehousing, and shipping are all standard ERP offerings today.

Most ERP functionality is usually stronger within a particular function of the enterprise (such as financials), while accommodating the other functions within its infrastructure. Other business functions within the ERP infrastructure are incorporated within the same platform, and there is no need for additional interfacing between each operation. Although ERP software covers many modules, its functionality within a module may vary widely, and may not incorporate an adequate level of detail for a particular function like an engineered-to-order product.

Many organizations have elected to implement best-of-breed SCE software on top of their current ERP system to address the shortcomings of functionality within the supply chain. An example where additional functionality was needed in the warehouse is Indigo Books & Music. Indigo implemented SAP corporate-wide, and then had to install an additional WMS (HighJump) to cater to its warehousing requirements. This is common for other companies, such as Nike, Daydots, and 99 Cents Only Stores, where ERP systems have been installed along with WMS solutions to manage the warehouse.

Companies like Catalyst, HighJump, Manhattan Associates, and RedPrairie have all interfaced to SAP successfully, and Catalyst is even approved by SAP for its interface between the WMS and the ERP. Generally speaking, new SCM functionality now incorporated into the ERP products is more detailed and stable from a platform and functionality aspect.

This new level of functionality incorporated within ERP may be the element that is currently missing to handle today’s increasing need for real-time information and accuracy. Tier one vendors, aware that their solutions were lacking in detailed supply chain functionality, have spent extensive research and development resources to improve these shortcomings. SAP, for instance, has dramatically increased functionality within its WMS offering.

SAP Crystal Reports

2010-02-09T05:58:00.000-08:00

Crystal Reports software enables you to easily design interactive reports and connect them to virtually any data source. Your users can benefit from on-report sorting and filtering – giving them the power to execute decisions instantly.

And with Crystal Reports Visual Advantage, you can gain even more functionality for compelling reports. This bundled product includes Crystal Reports and Xcelsius Engage, giving you the power to create highly formatted reports with what-if scenario models, interactive charts – and deliver them via the Web, e-mail, Microsoft Office, Adobe PDF, or embedded in enterprise applications. As a result, you can leverage your reports to make better operational and strategic decisions.

With Crystal Reports, you can:

Leverage professional reporting - priced for everyone
Empower end users to explore reports with on-report sorting and parameters
Minimize IT and developer effort with interactive reports
Develop powerful data mashups
Save valuable report design time
Embed professional-looking reports in Java and .NET applications
Tailor your solution by adding report management and viewing tools

SAP Real-Time Offer Management

2010-02-09T05:56:00.001-08:00

The SAP Real-Time Offer Management software is an advanced analytical real-time decision engine that enables you to optimize any decision-making process, such as for cross-sell and up-sell offers, retention, service-level adherence, and lifetime value boosting. The software takes into account all relevant information, including up-to-the-moment interaction information, to help you to take the most appropriate next action to enhance customer relationships on all customer interaction channels.

SAP Real-Time Offer Management supports the following processes, including:

Offer management

Centrally create and manage offers across all interaction channels.
Easily define offer targets, eligibility rules, and policies.
Simulate and test offer effectiveness before putting it into production.
Create and deploy offers without IT dependence.

Real-time decision making

Make intelligent real-time recommendations for cross sell, up sell, retention, and next-best actions.
Take into account all relevant customer information, including session information and other factors such as agent skills and an offer's value, to make the optimal recommendations.
Leverage advanced optimization and arbitration real-time analytics accompanied with personalized decision support.

Self-learning

Automatically adapt offering prioritization to shifting market trends, customer tastes, and seasonality effects.
Learn from every customer interaction to anticipate future customer demands.
Experiment and automatically learn from responses to recommend offers with highest likelihood of being accepted.

Offer analytics

Gain insights into offer effectiveness by understanding how and why offers are performing.
Review your agents' effectiveness in promoting offers and their conversion rates.
Gain a more thorough understanding of your customer segments by seeing their reactions to various offers.
Leverage the insights to build more effective and targeted offers.

Terminal Server specification if required

2010-02-06T21:22:00.000-08:00

It is recommended to have a dedicated Terminal Server/Citrix Server. There may be performance losses if Microsoft SQL Server is running on the Terminal Server/Citrix Server.

*Operating System*
	Windows 2000 server	Service pack (latest)
	Windows 2003 server	Service pack (latest)
	Windows 2003 server	Required for business portal for GP
	Windows 2000 SBS	Service pack (latest)
	Windows 2003 SBS	Service Pack (latest)
	SQL 2000	Service Pack (latest)
	MSDE
	SQL 2005 Sp1	GP V9.0 Sp1
*Citrix (Optional)*	Citrix Metaframe
*System Specification*
Speed	Dual PIII 500Mhz or larger. Single processor e.g. Xeon
Disk Space	2 x 18 Gb minimum
RAM	1 GB	Virtual Memory should be set to 1.5 x Ram
Video	Minimum 800X600
CD	Required
Network card	Required	100mb or 1Gb
Backup Drive	Required

Large company –30 users plus.

2010-02-06T21:20:00.000-08:00

Workstation specification

Below are details of the minimum suggested specification.
It is possible to run on lower specified machines but performance may be affected.

*Operating system*
	Windows XP
	Windows 2000
PC Specification
Speed	PIII 500Mhz
Disk Space	Available 500MB
RAM	512 MB
Video	Minimum 800x600
CD	Required
Network Card	Required	100 MB or 1 GB

Medium company – 10 - 30 users. Database for Great Plains – SQL Server

2010-02-06T21:15:00.000-08:00

*Operating System*
	Windows 2000 server	Service pack (latest)
	Windows 2003 server	Service pack (latest)
	Windows 2003 server	Required for business portal for GP
	SQL 2000	Service Pack (latest)
	SQL 2005 Sp1	GP V9.0 Sp1
*System Specification*
Speed	Single Xeon processor 2.4 GHz or higher. Dual processor capable	Or equivalent dual processor
Disk Space	Raid 1 (2 disk ) (2 x 9 Gb)	Depending on data volumes and resilience required. This would be for Operating systems and application programs. These disks should be mirrored so that a hard disk failure would not cause a serious problem.
	Raid 1 (2 disk ) (2 x 18 Gb)	Depending on data volumes and resilience required. This would be for transaction log files. These disks should be mirrored so that a hard disk failure would not cause a serious problem.
	Raid 5 (3 x 18 Gb)	Depending on data volumes and resilience required. This would be for data. Raid 5 would mean that any one disk could fail, be removed and replaced without any significant interruption to processing. (Hot Swappable)
RAM	2-4 GB	Windows server many need custom configuration
		Virtual Memory should be set to 1.5 x ram
Video	Minimum 800X600
CD	Required
Network card	Required	100Mb or 1Gb
Backup Drive	Required

Small company – 1-10 users.

2010-02-06T21:13:00.000-08:00

*Operating System*
	Windows 2000 server	Service pack (latest)
	Windows 2003 server	Service pack (latest)
	Windows 2003 server	Required for business portal for GP
	Windows 2000 SBS	Service pack (latest)
	Windows 2003 SBS	Service Pack (latest)
	SQL 2000	Service Pack (latest)
	MSDE
	SQL 2005 Sp1	GP V9.0 Sp1
*System Specification*
Speed	Dual PIII 500Mhz or larger. Single processor e.g. Xeon
Disk Space	2 x 18 Gb minimum
RAM	1 GB	Virtual Memory should be set to 1.5 x Ram
Video	Minimum 800X600
CD	Required
Network card	Required	10/100 or greater
Backup Drive	Required

CCS PERFORMANCE SPECIFICATIONS SECTION 15940

2010-02-06T21:08:00.000-08:00

3.1 Panel Definitions

.1 Stand-alone panels ( SAP's ) shall be considered to be any panel connected to a primary communication network.
In addition, SAP's shall control central plant equipment ( i.e. air handling unit equipment, boiler plant equipment,
chiller plant equipment ).

.2 Terminal unit controllers ( TUC's ) shall be considered to be any panel connected to a SAP through a
sub-communication network. In addition, TUC's shall control HVAC terminal devices serving one single
thermostatic zone (i.e. VAV terminal unit, dual-duct terminal unit, fan-coil terminal unit, water-loop heat pump unit).

3.2 Power Conditioning

.1 Provide filters to protect the system from power line surges and voltage transients.

3.3 Power Failure Protection

.1 Provide automatic retention of RAM and real time clock from any power failure of at least SEVENTY-TWO (72)
hours duration. This feature will be checked during the commissioning phase.

.2 Provide for automatic restart of the system upon power return.

3.4 Hardware Failure Isolation

.1 Any component malfunction shall not damage any of the remaining components.

.2 Provide over voltage protection on inputs and outputs.

3.5 Ease of Hardware Replacement

.1 SAP and TUC replacement shall be possible without any hardware modification.

3.6 Database Back-Up and Off-Line Storage

.1 The system shall have the capability to be taken off line in the event of failure or for maintenance and returned to
operation without the need for entering any portion of the software program manually. To accomplish this, an
off-line disk storage device shall be utilized to provide software backup and reload.

.2 On-site backup and verification of the entire system, with full applications software, shall be less than TWO (2)
seconds per real point. This feature will be checked during the commissioning phase.

3.7 Memory

.1 Each SAP on the main network proposed shall have enough random access memory (RAM) for all of the
following:

.1 Trend Logs - One and a Half (1.5) TL for each input and output point connected to the SAP with 100
samples each.

.2 Totalizers - ONE (1) for each digital point connected to the SAP.

.3 Time Schedules - ONE (1) for every 3 output points connected to the SAP.

.4 Annual Schedules - ONE (1) for every 6 output points connected to the SAP.

.5 Controllers - TWO (2) for each analog output point connected to the SAP.

.6 Software Points - THREE (3) for each output point connected to the SAP.

.7 Operator Control Language (OCL) - TWENTY (20) syntactically correct lines each with at least 4 operators,
for each output point connected to the SAP .

.8 Descriptor - ONE (1) for each user definable point, real or software, in the SAP. In addition, on multi-SAP
systems, every descriptor in the system must be accessible from every operator interface device.

.9 In the event there are TUCs networked to the SAP, which do not have their own memory meeting items .1
through .7, the SAP must have full memory for all TUC points as well as points connected directly.

.10 Provide with shop drawing submittal, calculations which confirm the foregoing RAM requirements are met for
each SAP.

3.8 SAP Processing Speed

.1 Effective SAP Processing Speed - Maximum permissible execution time is TWO (2) seconds. Execution time is
defined as the time it takes the SAP CPU to execute all application software in the SAP, with no system timing
errors, from some point in the software back to the same point, assuming full memory usage, as defined in Clause
3.7 above, while simultaneously responding to operator or terminal display requests and carrying out normal inter-SAP communications averaged over a ONE (1)-minute period. This will be done during the commissionary phase by setting up a counter in each SAP and monitoring their counting rate.

3.9 System Display Speed

.1 The minimum time to change from one dynamic screen to another is 7 seconds. This test will be carried out from a remote site with the Corporation's standard modem and will be the average of 10 typical displays for the project.Test will be carried out with the specified system configuration, excluding multi-user and alarming functions.

Citrix XenApp and SAP Scalability on IBM System X

2010-02-06T21:06:00.000-08:00

This scalability analysis for SAP running on IBM System X hardware provides Citrix XenApp architects, System Integrators, and project managers with data to help design and capacity plan a XenApp environment.

Implementing SAP using the Citrix Access Suite enables organizations to better serve its employees and customers by providing the flexibility to access the latest SAP applications from virtually anywhere, on any device via any network, while administrators gain financial flexibility from lower IT operating costs and enhanced data security.

SAP uses Citrix internally to provide access to SAP and 40+ other applications and, as a result, have lowered their total cost of ownership by over 35%. Citrix and SAP are global partners and collaborate around a number of technology and customer facing initiatives.

The scalability analysis for SAP running on IBM System x hardware provides Citrix Presentation Server architects, System Integrators, and project managers with data to help design and capacity plan a Citrix Presentation server environment.

This study also provides a description of the testing environment as well as the workflows executed to gather the scalability data. By leveraging the methodology and workflows used in this analysis, similar testing scenarios can be performed to benchmark future or alternative hardware platforms.

This Citrix white paper looks at:
- Test methods
- Scripted test
- Real user test
- Real users with task list
- Combination
- Scalability test methods summary
- SAP scalability testing method on IBM System X
- Test environment
- Hardware specifications
- Software specifications
- Windows server 2003 environment
- Citrix presentation server configuration
- SAP configuration
- Mercury loadrunner configuration
- Scalability methodology
- Testing process
- Planning the test
- Creating vUser scripts
- Benchmarking
- Creating the scenario
- Running the scenario
- Monistoring the scenario
- Analyzing test results
- Measurements
- Scalability Analysis for Citrix Presentation Server 4.0 32b
- Scalability Analysis for Citrix Presentation Server 4.0 x64
- Workflows

Service-oriented architecture

2010-02-02T03:01:00.000-08:00

Service-oriented architecture (SOA) is a blueprint for an adaptable, flexible, and open IT architecture for developing services-based, modular business solutions. SAP makes it easy to adopt SOA – enabling companies in diverse industries to quickly differentiate their businesses and optimize processes in their business networks. SAP enables businesses to adopt SOA at their own pace as part of their SAP solutions.

SAP's open-standards approach to SOA improves IT productivity and business value at the same time. At the heart of our approach to SOA is the concept of enterprise services – highly integrated Web services, combined with business logic and harmonized semantics, that can be accessed and used repeatedly to enable end-to-end business processes.

Using enterprise services, you can leverage SAP solutions in conjunction with partner solutions and homegrown solution landscapes to build new, flexible, and innovative solutions based on a consistent integration concept.

SAP and our partners can help your IT organization adopt SOA in a low-risk manner by delivering SOA-based technology, service-enabled applications, and prepackaged enterprise services grouped as business scenarios. SAP delivers SOA seamlessly via the service-enabled software (SAP Business Suite) and SOA-based, open technology platform (SAP NetWeaver). SAP consultants deliver services that complement SAP applications and accelerate SOA adoption.

We offer comprehensive methodology for design and development as well as operational SOA governance. This helps ensure high service reuse, reliable execution, efficient IT operations – and a reduction in cost. Modeling and implementation guidelines for service developers increase development efficiency. Moreover, SAP's enterprise services follow the enhancement package concept, so you can add new functionality continuously, without extended upgrade cycles.

Successful CRM Deployment

2010-01-29T04:03:00.000-08:00

One of the most common challenges reported by midsized businesses is that departments within an organization operate and depend on many disparate systems. Sales may be using a sales automation system; operations may be accessing data through a proprietary tool; and, employees across the company might rely on the Microsoft® Outlook® messaging and collaboration client for e-mail communications. Functionally, individuals can complete daily tasks with relative success. However, collectively, these same individuals cannot make the best use of important information both intra- and interdepartmentally. Ultimately, the result is inconsistent or inaccurate communication with customers, which may compromise the ability to obtain repeat or new business.

Not surprisingly, since its introduction customer relationship management (CRM) has evolved to become a widely embraced tool for uniting critical business and customer information into one data source. CRM does not supersede data generated by each department; rather, it becomes a window into those departments that is accessible and usable by all parts of the organization.

Naturally, as the number of CRM implementations has grown, so has speculation about why implementations fail and what can be done to ensure a successful deployment.
While CRM software itself allows companies to establish customer management practices, two important success factors ensure the true utility and benefit of the software: methodology and training.

More than just concepts, these two factors play a significant role in whether a CRM solution is considered good or bad. Again, the technology of a CRM solution cannot be undermined; a CRM system equipped with the right balance of functionality, usability, and a true collaborative view of customers can be employed to great success.

But a poorly crafted system, with weak features, too many unnecessary features, or features that can't support an entire organization, can be the cause of its own demise. Likewise, a stable system with strong and useful features that was poorly implemented has the potential of being nothing more than a desktop icon. In these cases, users don't care to distinguish between the merits of the technology versus the merits of the implementation process; rather, users are simply disenchanted with the system and thus don't use it.

To avoid this pitfall, sound methodology and targeted training help guide implementation by enrolling an organization in the change process and by quickly empowering users to know how to use the new solution.

Good Tips for Evaluating and Purchasing New Accounting Software

2010-01-29T04:01:00.000-08:00

The first step to implementing a new accounting system is evaluating your company"s readiness for change. Before you begin looking at new features and setting fast-track time lines, take time to set realistic goals and build momentum. Pre-production planning is the key to success.

1. Change before you have to.

By the time you are certain that your current systems are inadequate, you"re probably already losing money to reduced productivity, lost opportunities, and inferior data. Don"t wait until that happens. If you"re receiving warning signs that your system can"t keep up (data frustration, slow turn-around, time-consuming or manual processes), begin your needs analysis now. Many professional systems analysts use the steps below. Keep them in mind as you evaluate your system needs.

2. Accept the fact that improvements cost money.

Implementing new accounting software will require an investment of time and money. But the hidden costs of antiquated systems are sapping your productivity and softening your competitive edge. Remember that the right system will pay for itself with process improvements and better data for decision-making. Many businesses are choosing more modern, automated systems for faster processing of accounting transactions, easier retrieval of accounting information, and better formatting of accounting reports. Keep these benefits in mind when considering return on your investment.

3. Don"t ignore hard-to-quantify benefits.

A new system will deliver broad improvements whose overall impact may be difficult to calculate with precision. Consider all the benefits of more reliable and faster access to data. Think about how much it is worth to your company to improve strategic planning. How much will it cost you if your next audit doesn"t stand up to scrutiny? How will your company"s reputation improve if your new system gives your customers better, faster, and more professional service?

4. Compromise is a good thing.

Your final choice of software probably won"t satisfy everyone, but through clear communication and patient education, most people will recognize that the decisions being made are fair and reasonable. Plan to spend more time than you"d like handling objections, especially in the early phases of the project. Plus, have a strategy for fine-tuning the system once it"s installed. Count on a new system to satisfy about 90 percent of your needs and wants, and figure out how you are going to deal with the remaining 10 percent. You may need to consider some staffing changes or revising your policies and procedures.

Features & functions of information system for retailers

2010-01-29T03:59:00.002-08:00

RMM, MMS, retail systems, and retail ERP all designate information systems used by retailers. Essentially, RMM solutions can record product performance to allow buyers to purchase merchandise according to this information and to make accurate merchandise decisions. To achieve this objective, communications to third party systems play an integral role in an RMM system. Successful retail operations generally require communication between the SCM or ERP solutions and the RMM system.

Due to the diversity of the retail market, a one size fit all approach to MMSs does not work. Depending on the retail segment and strategy, different features and functions are needed for every retailer. Banks and hotels may both be considered retailers, but they have different requirements. For instance, an apparel retailer such as Louis Vuitton is product-oriented; a service retailer is usually client-oriented; and an e-tailer is likely transaction- or security-oriented. Therefore, customizing retail systems according to the functionality required by different verticals is a common task for MMS vendors.

Core Area Definition

Categorizing the requirements of various types of retailers into five main areas will aid in the understanding of the components of a merchandising system. The following categories can be considered as the core or "must have" areas of a retail system.

1. Inventory management
2. Inventory optimization
3. Revenue management
4. Sales management
5. Reports and inquiries

Note that this nomenclature is not an industry standard. Different merchandising software vendors have different naming conventions. However, all the capabilities categorized under these main areas are core components of a retail solution.

1. Inventory management. No matter which proprietary title (e.g., merchandise management, merchandise inventory and analysis, or merchandise operations) inventory management goes by, this area covers basic functionality that relates to the inventory on hand or in transit. Inventory management tracks the ins and outs of a product down to its color and size level, using capabilities such as purchase order process, receipt process, allocation process, distribution process, transfer process, style consolidation process, physical count process, and inventory freeze process. The schematic below reveals why efficient inventory management is the first rule of thumb for a retailer.

# Inventory optimization. Inventory optimization consists of tools used by merchandisers to make important buying and selling decisions regarding inventory. Though vendors employ varied terms, such as strategic merchandise management, merchandise and assortment planning, planning decision support, and replenishment, to describe inventory optimization, all these terms refer to software that helps merchandisers make accurate decisions and that ensures products are placed at the right time, price, and place. The tools inventory optimization uses to do this often include planning, forecasting, replenishment, and stock optimization. These functions help users determine both where items have the best sell through rate and sales treends, so that the system can replenish stores appropriately. However, planning and forecasting capabilities are not necessarily integrated in all the retail systems available on the market. Some vendors instead choose to integrate with best-of-breed solutions specialized in those areas of interest.

# Revenue management. Due to increased awareness among customers, product prices must be equitable; they cannot be higher than the competitor's prices, but cannot be lower than the products' cost. Thus, revenue management's main purpose is to ensure that inventory is sold at the right price. It does this by looking at sales history and trends, sometimes with the help of a planning and forecasting tool. Revenue management also aids in creating promotional events, such as "two for one sales", to attract more consumers into the store. In addition, it is responsible for determining markdowns, which allow retailers to liquidate discontinued or out of fashion products in order to lessen losses. Also known as price change management, retail profit optimization, or price management, revenue management's functionality includes markdown creation, markup creation, price change simulations, promotion creation, vendor discounts, and allowances.

# Sales management. By definition, a sale is an exchange of goods (tangible or intangible) for money or its equivalent. Sales transactions are thus the primary objective of a retailer, and a sales management system structures these transactions. Sales management therefore handles sales entry, sales audit, consignment sale entry, and stock ledger aspects of the retail system. Retailers use the sales management system to close the month, a process also known as period end or stock ledger closing, by calculating the total profit for the merchandising period.

Point-of-sale (POS) is also classified in the sales management area. Unlike the stock ledger or sales entry functionality, the POS system is part of the front-office system. It is this system that is used at the cash register where the sales transaction is entered. The POS system will transfer sale transactions data to the MMS, where the merchandiser can validate sales before the business day closing period. Retailers with only one or two stores can use a POS system, which is less expensive than an MMS, as their main system for tracking inventory and processing sales.

Not all retail system vendors include a POS in their package. Many MMS vendors will have a partnership with a third party POS system company, allowing them to offer a best-of-breed application. This situation generally occurs when the vendor's target market is a retailer with over one hundred stores, where the business needs are greater. Vendors that aim for smaller retailers' business usually have a POS system integrated into their retail software, though the functions and features are usually not as complete.

The Realities of Manufacturing

2010-01-29T03:59:00.001-08:00

EU member countries have had to meet WEEE recycling targets in that the rate of recovery for IT, telecommunications, and consumer equipment is at least 75 percent, which is measured in terms of average weight. Manufacturers must now state the weight of the electrical and electronic waste entering and leaving treatment and recovery or recycling facilities. Member states must draw up a register of manufacturers along with the quantities and categories of electrical and electronic equipment placed on the market, collected, recycled, and recovered in their territory. Each member state must also transpose the WEEE legislation into local law, which is where local differences create WEEE compliance reporting issues even though there is general adherence to the EU level directive. The task of monitoring manufacturers' sales in volumes to each country (for the purpose of establishing recycling quotas) will fall to a member state's agency working under the direction of its national Office of the Environment as the managing authority for WEEE. On their side, manufacturers must register up front with each country's authority for the purpose of reporting recovery and recycling results. The initial recycle quota is set at a relatively low bar of 4 kilograms per capita per year, although countries such as the Netherlands have had established programs that exceed this volume for years.

Although the WEEE directive has jurisdiction only over the EU, most multinational electronics and telecommunications companies will implement the infrastructure and IT necessary to manage compliance processes on a global basis. They do this in anticipation of similar legislation in other regions and to maintain worldwide process standardization. With legislation like WEEE, supply chain management (SCM) and product lifecycle management (PLM) have become cradle-to-grave endeavors with significant depth and complexity added to the reverse logistics process. But an even bigger burden might be the requirement for manufacturers to recycle a portion of electrical and electronic waste made way back when, which seems a daunting task, and the specifics of how it will work exactly are still largely unknown.

Focus Area in ECM

2010-01-29T03:57:00.001-08:00

Over the last few years, ECM vendors have expanded their functionality and capabilities by partnering with niche players in the market, developing the features themselves, or acquiring and integrating the capabilities of niche vendors.

When we look into the future and see what things the market is asking for and what vendors are focusing on, several subjects that come to mind. We will touch on a few topics that we see as being market scopes. A market scope is a view of the market and where vendors are currently focused. We'll use this Donald Norman's categorization, to identify the phase each topic is in, in the market life cycle.

(Norman, Donald A. The Invisible Computer. The MIT Press: 1998)

* Web services are increasingly being used. They consist of components and resources that are used by ECM suites to communicate and integrate with other content rich applications. Often Web services, which are becoming the standard in the market, are used in third-party portals and portlets and can enable businesses to integrate more easily with third-parties. Web services are in a late majority stage within the ECM life cycle.

iECM, which stands for interoperable enterprise content management was started by The Association for Information and Image Management (AIIM), the international authority on ECM. AIIM started a collaborative work space to create an international standard composed of service oriented architecture (SOA) and Web services, with the cooperation of organizations such as EMC, Adobe, and the US Federal Aviation Authority (US FAA). AIIM's objective is to produce a single set of functional requirements for process-oriented, Web services that enable disparate enterprise content management functions and systems, portals, and enterprise applications to interoperate. It enables content (unstructured and semi-structured data) to be exchanged, integrated, and managed securely between systems. This standardization is still in the innovators cycle.

* Information extraction is the process of retrieving elements of data from unstructured data, often text. Vendors will focus on this feature in the future to enable the end user to map and consolidate data, give easier access to information, and even provide competitive intelligence. Verity, one of the market leaders in search software, has already integrated this capability in its technology. This feature is still in the early adapters' cycle.

* Advanced search and information retrieval is becoming a greater necessity for organizations because large amounts of content is divided among different applications and repositories, making it harder to find the right information on time. Vendors, such as Verity and Autonomy, are addressing this by offering the capability to search multiple repositories using keywords, and semantic and syntactic queries. A sophisticated taxonomy, which is a hierarchical classification of information components, plays a big part in making this functionality work. Advanced search and information retrieval is also still in the early adapters' cycle.

* Content integrattion is the capability to combine (part of) the content of several repositories spread out through the organization, to provide content in one repository used by ECM suites. It offers better interoperability between organizations, departments, and processes. This concept is mostly used by vendors that have integration architectures such as IBM and Day. This is in a late stage of early majority, probably moving soon to late majority.

* JSR 168 and 170 are specifications defined by the Java Community. Java Specification Requests (JSR) 168 and 170 specifically focus on the ECM market. JSR 168 enables interoperability among portlets and portals. This specification defines a set of APIs for portlets and addresses standardization for preferences, user information, portlet requests and responses, deployment packaging, and security. JSR 170 specifies a standard API to access content repositories in Java independent of implementation.

These standards being adapted by the majority of the ECM vendors, which will increase the functionality to integrate between applications. Even though JSR 168 has been adapted by more users than JSR 170, both can be classified as being in the early majority phase.

* Rich site summary, or really simple syndication (RSS) is a method of providing news or other content through RSS feeders that bypass the Web browser. RSS is an application that uses XML technology and is often used in web blogs and for less important, but nice-to-know content. It is highly adaptability and is easy to use in environments where content changes rapidly. The media market, in particular, will be interested in using this technology to spread news to its readership.

* Personalization, through portal software provides tailored content based on the role of the user, the user's previous visits, or other statistics. Through this technology, organizations are capable of targeting content more precisely on the needs and interests of their employees or their visitors. Vendors such as BEA, Plumtree, BroadVision, and Hummingbird have already included this with their solutions. Personalization is already the majority stage, but most ECM vendors are still in early majority stages of including it in their solutions.

* Integrated document archive and retrieval systems (IDARS) is a combination of document management systems and records management systems. It provides a system for storage, managing, retrieving, and distributing content in any form, from documents to digital images. This technology has been around for a decade, and in the beginning, databases were put on laser discs. Currently, the Web is often used as a common source to access databases. This provides organizations with the ability to retrieve information, and store high volumes of content in a more efficiently and in a fashionable order., which is often critical to meet regulatory requirements for legislations like the US Sarbanes-Oxley Act. IDARS is currently in a late majority phase, but still very demanding in the market.

* Knowledge management is not really a module of ECM, but it uses the information that is provided by ECM suites. Knowledge management is a separate solution, used at the business level to provide an overview of an organization's information. It is more than just content; it is actually information that is useful to the company. This technology has been around for several years, and is becoming an important part of integration with ECM suites. It will become an additional module for ECM suites, made available by the vendor or by integrating with a third-party solution.

'Collaborative Commerce': ERP, CRM, e-Procurement, and SCM

2010-01-29T03:55:00.000-08:00

Kate visits www.skateboardingismyworld.com. She prowls the web site for her favorite skateboard, which she busted up pretty good in a bad fall at a recent X-Games event. She's been to this site many times to purchase much skateboarding paraphernalia, and the site greets her by name. She finds the skateboard that she needs, but realizes that it's the new version of her old standard, and she's worried about the new, larger-size wheels they have as the standard configuration for it. She clicks on the Talk To Me Now button, and via Voice over IP, she connects immediately with a knowledgeable customer service rep. She explains that she'd like the skateboard with the original size wheels. The customer service rep, through collaborative web browsing, shows Kate how she can custom order the skateboard with her preferred wheel size on the web.

Kate hangs up with the rep, and adds the customized skateboard to her online shopping cart, and proceeds directly to checkout. Since she's a regular, the site automatically discounts her purchase 20%, and presents a full screen with her Billing and Shipping address and credit card information pre-filled in. She selects same-day shipping, since she can't skip a beat practicing for the next competition. She confirms the order and the price on the next screen, her credit card transaction is processed, and she's off to school in time for homeroom.

A local vendor of skateboarding equipment gets an electronic order for Kate's skateboard, and the request for same-day delivery. They put on the original wheels, and deliver it to Kate's door by 2 pm, just when Kate returns from school and is ready to once again hit the local boarding course.

Meanwhile, skateboardingismyworld's logistics package is notified that they just dipped beneath the pre-set threshold for stock on that skateboard. An order is automatically sent to all component manufacturers of the board for re-stock.

Features & Functions of SREM

2010-01-26T05:13:00.000-08:00

With tools to streamline and manage every stage of the real-estate portfolio life cycle, SAP Real Estate Management provides strategic and operational support for effectively managing property and real-estate investments. Key features and functions support the following activities:

Portfolio management – Support for managing real estate portfolios enables property managers to define real estate infrastructure and manage business partner relationships. SAP Real Estate Management supports these business processes with tight integration with SAP software for business partners and business information warehouse.
Commercial real estate management – Commercial real estate managers, such as managers of retail, office, industrial, and residential property, need a solution based on an ERP solution to cover their core business processes. SAP Real Estate Management supports real estate search, lease administration, rent escalation, common area maintenance reconciliation, and percentage rent management.
Corporate real estate management – Corporate real estate managers, such as those who mange corporate offices and branches, help core business operations deliver goals for enabling growth, reducing costs, and providing a high-quality environment for their employees. SAP Real Estate Management supports space management, work-space assignment and movement of employees, and room and services reservation.
Facilities management – SAP Real Estate Management supports all processes related to building operations, construction, modernization, maintenance, repairs, and services, which are integrated with SAP software for project systems and enterprise asset management.
Support processes – SAP Real Estate Management is tightly integrated with enterprise-wide business systems and processes that offer powerful tools to analyze and evaluate real estate portfolios and define investment strategies through accurate cost and revenue performance data. The application improves management of integrated property portfolios and provides complete cost visibility.

Sap treasury applications

2010-01-25T07:14:00.000-08:00

Using treasury applications from SAP, your treasury and cash managers gain insight and control over hedging transactions, pooling and allocating cash globally, and enabling straight-through-processing of banking, corporate treasury and financial accounting processes.

Treasury applications from SAP include the following:

SAP Cash and Liquidity Management
- Helps you monitor and manage cash flow and liquidity
- Generates comprehensive and timely cash forecasts and plans
SAP In-House Cash
- Enables centralized control of banking balances, cash management, and payments
- Reduces costs of interunit payments, transfers, and bank fees
SAP Treasury and Risk Management
- Models risk scenarios and executes mitigation strategies
- Reduces your organization's financial risk levels and ensures regulatory compliance
SAP Bank Communication Management
- Streamlines and optimizes your corporate-to-bank communications
- Provides straight-through processing, improved payment control, and lower processing costs
SAP Integration Package for SWIFT
- Enables direct connection to SWIFTnet, the secure bank payments network
- Reduces complexity by providing a single point of connectivity to multiple banks

CRM for Financial and Insurance Markets

2010-01-25T06:20:00.000-08:00

What Is CRM for Financial and Insurance Markets?

Financial and insurance companies have special needs. As such, their CRM solution should satisfy those needs. Their systems must adhere to strict requirements due to the highly sensitive information they contain, and the privacy laws that govern such markets—some of which are covered in the areas of securities, insurance, agency management, data standards, and e-commerce.

CRM for Financial and Insurance Markets Business Drivers and Benefits

In the competitive financial services industry, profitability and growth is largely dependant on client loyalty—thus making the client one of their most valuable assets. In order to distinguish themselves from the competition, build client loyalty, and gain a competitive edge, these companies are looking to client relationship management (CRM) solutions. To support their client-driven business strategies, they are turning to CRM to help improve business processes and deliver exceptional customer service.

Manage client data, including preferences, transactions, and communications history, in a manner that enables executives and management to have a 360-degree view of the client.
Increase data accuracy with a common repository of client information that ensures all departments within the organization are working with the same data.
Increase customer satisfaction, loyalty, retention, and profitability using efficient tools that lower service costs.
Comply with the privacy and security requirements of the current regulatory environment.
Eliminate inefficiencies with a solution that customizes and integrates the company's roles and workflow.

Why Use the CRM for Financial and Insurance Markets Evaluation Center?

Compare which products adequately support the right mix of your securities, insurance, agency management, data standards, e-commerce and other typical CRM features.
Evaluate factors that support a methodical approach to financial and insurance markets.
Understand how each product supports your Internet sales and analytics requirements.
Compare the advantages and disadvantages of hosted solutions versus on-site CRM implementations.
Access listings of vendors you may not know about, or may not have considered.

CRM for Financial and Insurance Markets Risks

To successfully deploy a CRM application, it is imperative that IT objectives are aligned with business objectives.
Customers are the driving force behind every business. Driving CRM processes from the outside in will ensure that CRM objectives are truly customer-focused.
CRM solutions must meet stringent protocols set forth by regulatory agencies who track business activities within the financial and insurance sectors.
The cost of performance testing a CRM solution prior to deployment can be relatively high, but the risk of not doing so, could be measurably higher—and can mean the difference between the implementation's success or failure.
Increased application customization can magnify performance and availability problems.

SAP Supply Chain Management

2010-01-25T05:16:00.000-08:00

ou face enormous pressure to reduce costs while increasing innovation and improving customer service and responsiveness. SAP Supply Chain Management (SAP SCM) enables collaboration, planning, execution, and coordination of the entire supply network, empowering you to adapt your supply chain processes to an ever-changing competitive environment.

Delivers planning and execution functions that are integrated by design
Supports best practices and provides preconfigured software for enabling collaborative business, accelerating implementation, and reducing costs
Is recognized by key industry analysts as the market-leading SCM application

Real-time demand and signal-based replenishment need to drive supply chains. Companies need to balance supply and demand and run their businesses based on actual-versus-forecasted demand.

With SAP SCM, you can model your existing supply chain; set goals; and forecast, optimize, and schedule time, materials, and other resources with these planning activities:

Demand planning and forecasting
Safety stock planning
Supply network planning
Distribution planning
Strategic supply chain design

Key Planning Benefits of SAP Supply Chain Management

SAP SCM enables you to:

Increase demand accuracy and order fulfillment satisfaction levels
Reduce inventory levels and increased inventory turns across the network
Increase profitability and productivity
Integrate sales and operations planning process

SAP MULTICHANNEL RETAILING SOFTWARE

2010-01-25T05:15:00.000-08:00

In today's fast-paced retail economy, customers can gain access to the same products from many sources. You can increase customer satisfaction – and profitability – by providing opportunities for multichannel retailing and marketing to your current and potential customers.

Multichannel customer interaction and multichannel retailing services can help you enhance customer loyalty and increase lifetime spend – disposable income a customer spends on goods from a retailer – of each customer. By linking touchpoints – multichannel retaining buying opportunities via multiple stores, the Internet, catalogue, phone – you can personalize each contact to make sure each customer feels valued – and inspire them to shop again and again at your retail channels.

Each customer access to a retail channel needs a consistent and personalized contact to increase loyalty to a brand and to increase sales. By maintaining one set of customer data for the following multichannel retailing avenues and processes ensures that your customers can place and return products from the most convenient channel – stores, the Internet, catalogue, phone – providing true cross-channel shopping experiences:

Each location the customer shops
Cross-channel order management
Returns and payments

SAP warehouse management

2010-01-25T05:13:00.000-08:00

With SAP solutions for warehouse management, you can optimize warehouse activities – including inbound and outbound processing, facility management and storage, physical inventory, and planned and opportunistic cross docking. You can take advantage of data collection technologies such as radio frequency identification (RFID) and voice and new workload balancing tools.

SAP solutions for warehouse management support inbound processing and receipt confirmation with RFID technology – so your company can receive and process externally procured goods into warehouses with a single radio frequency scan. You can capture detailed and overview information, including process details of inbound deliveries. Outbound processing can leverage RFID technology to manage distribution and proof-of-delivery activities.

Using SAP solutions for warehouse management, employees can direct inbound goods through cross-docking processes. These processes can help you:

Minimize duplicate goods movements within warehouses
Optimize flow of goods inbound to outbound and shorten routes within warehouses
Optimize internal movements and storage of goods within a warehouse
Plan and execute physical inventory or cycle counts

To help you maximize the use and productivity of your warehouse workforce, SAP provides labor management functionality to track employee performance against engineered labor standards or other performance metrics. You can measure employee activities by tracking direct and indirect labor and providing an accurate overview of all warehouse employee activities.

SAP BusinessObjects Financial Information Management

2010-01-23T04:19:00.001-08:00

Financial consolidation and other enterprise performance management applications require vast amounts of data – data that typically reside in numerous source systems and general ledgers (GLs) distributed throughout the enterprise. With disparate information, the process of accessing, mapping, verifying, and loading financial data can present serious logistical challenges and require manual re-keying of data or the use of intermediate text files. More than being labor-intensive and time consuming, these methods are highly susceptible to poor data quality and may lead to inaccurate results.

Organizations need a reliable, transparent, and repeatable data management process that maximizes productivity, provides transparency to minimize the cost of compliance, and ultimately increases overall confidence in the results.

SAP can help.

With the SAP BusinessObjects Financial Information Management application, finance professionals can manage the process of accessing, mapping, and loading information from source systems to the SAP BusinessObjects Financial Consolidation and SAP BusinessObjects Profitability and Cost Management applications. The software combines ease of use with functionality that facilitates full compliance, builds trust, and helps ensure data reliability – from source to disclosure. SAP BusinessObjects Financial Information Management provides extensive connectivity to both SAP and non-SAP applications. As a result, you gain robust data collection capabilities combined with strong finance controls, data validation functions, and comprehensive auditability. Helping you ensure the delivery of quality financial data.

With this powerful software, your financial business users can reap rewards that include:

Greater confidence in your financial data
Lower compliance costs
Higher staff productivity in the finance department
More accurate, consistent information
Faster reporting, reduced closing cycles, and shorter audit time frames

SAP BusinessObjects enterprise performance management solutions

2010-01-23T04:18:00.001-08:00

In today's increasingly global and competitive business environment, you must plan faster and do more – often with less budget and fewer resources. At the same time, you must be incredibly efficient and precise with every decision, while complying with regulatory requirements. Everyone in your organization needs access to the right information at the right time in order to gain a competitive edge and ensure greater control of business operations.

To succeed, you need to close the gap between strategy and operational execution by cascading corporate goals down into department-relevant metrics; ensuring accountability; enabling intuitive modeling, monitoring, and analysis; and streamlining execution of strategy-guided plans.

Drive Financial and Operational Performance

SAP BusinessObjects enterprise performance management solutions can help your company capitalize on the value of your existing data assets. With these solutions, your organization can become more agile – gaining organizational alignment, visibility, and confidence that give you optimal control and competitive advantage. These solutions can integrate with SAP Business Suite applications; SAP BusinessObjects governance, risk, and compliance solutions; SAP BusinessObjects business intelligence solutions; and SAP BusinessObjects information management solutions. As a result, you can maximize business profitability, manage risk and compliance, and optimize corporate systems, people, and processes.

SAP BusinessObjects enterprise performance management solutions offer comprehensive functionality for:

Strategy management – Set your goals, map your strategies, and then monitor and manage performance from high-level objectives down to operational metrics.
Planning and consolidation – Increase accuracy in planning at every level in your organization, while reducing budget cycles and associated costs. Accelerate and improve your financial and management reporting and decision making.
Financial consolidation – Complete your financial consolidation and reporting cycles faster – with complete confidence in your data.
XBRL publishing – Simplify and accelerate the preparation of XBRL documents to communicate financial and business data.
Financial information management – Leverage powerful connectivity, mapping, and loading functionality designed for business users.
Intercompany reconciliation – Accelerate your close by enabling your business units to debate and reconcile balances directly with one another and eliminate delays at the corporate and divisional levels.
Profitability and cost management – Identify the causes of underperformance, and take action to reduce costs and optimize profitability across dimensions such as product, customer, and channel.
Spend performance management – Maximize cost savings and reduce supplier risk by gaining continuous visibility into company-wide spending patterns, savings potential, and external market factors.
Supply chain performance management – Measurably improve supply chain effectiveness by focusing on actionable, operational process metrics that impact supply chain performance.

SAP Supply Chain Management

2010-01-23T04:16:00.000-08:00

Delivers planning and execution functions that are integrated by design
Supports best practices and provides preconfigured software for enabling collaborative business, accelerating implementation, and reducing costs
Is recognized by key industry analysts as the market-leading SCM application

Real-time demand and signal-based replenishment need to drive supply chains. Companies need to balance supply and demand and run their businesses based on actual-versus-forecasted demand.

With SAP SCM, you can model your existing supply chain; set goals; and forecast, optimize, and schedule time, materials, and other resources with these planning activities:

Demand planning and forecasting
Safety stock planning
Supply network planning
Distribution planning
Strategic supply chain design

Key Planning Benefits of SAP Supply Chain Management

SAP SCM enables you to:

Increase demand accuracy and order fulfillment satisfaction levels
Reduce inventory levels and increased inventory turns across the network
Increase profitability and productivity
Integrate sales and operations planning process

Sap Global Trade Services

2009-08-09T06:13:00.000-07:00

To conduct business globally, companies need to comply with local laws, satisfy trade security measures, meet documentation requirements, understand complicated tariffs, and coordinate various parties. Handling these tasks manually increases the risk of failure – which can be costly when trading across borders. In fact, the inefficient administration of customs processes accounts for 7% of the cost of international trade, according to a United Nations study – U.S. $420 billion annually.

Lower Cost and Risk of International Trade while Streamlining Processes

With the SAP BusinessObjects Global Trade Services application helping to support international expansion of your business, you can lower the cost and reduce the risk of conducting business globally. By enabling you to establish a single, corporate-wide standard for trade processes across SAP and non-SAP systems, SAP BusinessObjects Global Trade Services helps ensure reliable and compliant trade activities.

The application provides a comprehensive platform for managing all foreign trade processes. Centralized management ensures trade compliance, expedited cross border transactions, and optimum utilization of trade agreements – replacing high-maintenance manual processes and providing one global view of trade across your enterprise.

SAP BusinessObjects Global Trade Services helps your business:

Ensure full regulatory trade compliance – Use standardized, enterprise-wide trade compliance processes in supply chain, human resource, and financial processes for proactive trade management.
Accelerate cross border transactions – Leverage improved transparency, and automation throughout the supply chain to share timely cross-border trade information with partners, such as freight forwarders, brokers, insurance agencies, banks, and regulatory entities.
Mitigate financial risk and maximize profit – Avoid supply chain bottlenecks, production downtime, and errors that can result in costly penalties by using comprehensive letter of credit management, preferential product treatment using trade agreements, and comprehensive analytics based on daily business data.

You can implement SAP BusinessObjects Global Trade Services quickly for a rapid ROI, and can easily adapt the application to meet changing business and regulatory requirements. SAP BusinessObjects Global Trade Services provides the tools to succeed in the competitive global marketplace.

Sap Treasury applications

2009-08-09T06:12:00.000-07:00

Treasury applications from SAP, components of SAP ERP Financials, comprise a comprehensive suite of cash, liquidity, and financial risk management solutions. These applications provide the ability to conduct sophisticated risk scenario modeling – and execute strategies to mitigate the risks inherent in multinational operations and volatile financial markets.

Treasury applications from SAP also provide comprehensive cash and liquidity management capabilities – including cash forecasting, global cash management, and connectivity with banks via secure electronic payment networks. So you can obtain complete insight into global cash balances, real-time bank statement reconciliations, and straight-through payments processing.

These applications enable more precise cash forecasting, liquidity management, and greater control over financial risk – resulting in reduced operating costs, risk, and banking fees. Complete integration with SAP ERP ensures the most accurate and up-to-date reporting and regulatory compliance.

Treasury applications from SAP provide the following:

Cash and liquidity management
- Helps you monitor and manage cash flow and liquidity
- Generates comprehensive and timely cash forecasts and plans
In-house cash
- Enables centralized control of banking balances, cash management, and payments
- Reduces costs of interunit payments, transfers, and bank fees
Treasury and risk management
- Models risk scenarios and executes mitigation strategies
- Reduces your organization's financial risk levels and ensures regulatory compliance
Bank communication management
- Streamlines and optimizes your corporate-to-bank communications
- Provides straight-through processing, improved payment control, and lower processing costs
Integration package for SWIFT
- Enables direct connection to SWIFTnet, the secure bank payments network
- Reduces complexity by providing a single point of connectivity to multiple banks

Financial Supply Chain Management

2009-08-09T06:11:00.000-07:00

The SAP Financial Supply Chain Management (SAP FSCM) set of applications provides a complete, integrated solution for managing electronic customer billing disputes, receivables, collections, and customer credit risk. SAP FSCM helps you more effectively control your company's accounts receivable processes and ensure cash flows through online billing, more streamlined handling of billing disputes, and collections.

Complete integration with core SAP ERP applications ensures that your receivables and collections professionals have the most up-to-date data. So they can resolve issues quickly – resulting in accelerated cash flow and lower operating expenses.

SAP FSCM includes the following applications:

Credit management
- Employs sophisticated tools to analyze customer credit worthiness and establish policy
- Helps you avoid overdue accounts and bad debt losses by proactively managing customer credit risk exposure
Electronic invoicing and payments
- Enables customer access to invoices, account status, and payment information over the Internet
- Integrates seamlessly with your existing customer or supplier facing portals
Dispute management
- Resolves invoice disputes faster and more systematically
- Reduces days sales outstanding (DSO) and improve cash flows
Collections management
- Enables the more effective management of past due accounts
- Ensures faster collection of delinquent payments though prioritized collections efforts

SAP Developer Network

2009-08-09T06:06:00.000-07:00

A growing community of over one million members, the SAP Developer Network (SDN) is the largest of the SAP Communities of Innovation. SDN is the site where SAP developers, analysts, consultants, integrators, and administrators connect and co-innovate with their peers, using a combination of active discussion forums, blogs, and wikis.

SDN provides an environment where members can collaborate, find answers to technical questions, get expert advice on handling day-to-day technical issues, follow up on business opportunities, and learn about leading-edge technologies.

As a member, you have access to:

SDN subscriptions, a program that offers developers, software architects, and consultants the opportunity to purchase an annual development license for the SAP NetWeaver technology platform
A technical library of articles, white papers, and documentation
Software downloads and code samples
Relevant education via an extensive e-learning catalog
Active, moderated forums and Web logs that provide expert answers to your questions quickly
Single sign-on to pertinent SAP portals and systems

Metatrader Expert Advisors based on FOREX Neural

2009-07-29T07:41:00.001-07:00

Neural forex network is an algorithm, which imitates nervous activity of living beings (with some part of inaccuracy). Using neural forex network we can identify and use large amount of interconnections in data that are usually hidden from our eyes because of complexity and nonlinearity of data. It is corroborated by the fact that neural forex networks are used in many spheres of our life including trading. However, you have to decide for yourself whether they are useful for you or not.
Not a single neural forex network (even the best one) can predict future price by means of simply pressing of a button. However, you can use neural forex network to make predictions with a certain probability and thus it will help you to make better trading decisions. The limited capabilities of neural forex networks do not prevent them from being effective tools of market analysis, especially, when there are a lot of noise and non-linear connections. Neural forex network won’t solve all your problems, but since neural forex networks are powerful technological methods of technical analysis, they can be invaluable tool in your trading arsenal. They also have a unique quality to track barely detectable interconnections in accessible data; other methods do not allow you to do this. The ability to create patterns based on analysis data makes neural forex network method absolutely unique among other methods and tools.
You can effectively use neural forex network for:

- Evaluating probability of trend continuation
- Classification of market phases
- Temporary prediction of maximum and minimum formation for different timeframes
- Predicting the probability of fluctuating movements after trends and following corrections
- Inter-market interconnections tracking

In other words, you will get the tool that is much more effective than classic methods of technical analysis for cases when there is a lot of noise on the market or when data interconnection is not obvious and linear.

Forex trading strategies

2009-07-29T07:39:00.002-07:00

System trading is a unique way to correctly operate your work in the Forex market.

Effective trade on Forex without application of any system or strategy is absolutely impossible. Certainly, each person can casually make one-two lucrative transactions, but the stable profit for such trader is more dream, than the daily reality.

All professional traders know that only Forex together with competent management of capital, Forex presumes to earn effective trading strategy in the market. It is obvious, as only the good trading system explains as when should be made in any market situation.

When traders use trading system, they save the time and efforts making necessary trading decisions, know precisely what actions will protect their money from excessive risks and what actions are necessary for commercial profit increase.

It is better for you to get acquainted with Forex trading strategies that already exist and know the tactics of work in the Forex market.

Any expert in his area must have sufficient knowledge. First, it helps to communicate with other traders, and secondly, knowledge bases and terminology will climb up in the wilds such trading, as many did not guess but that may prove very useful.

If you do not want to learn, you can open an account immediately and play in the Forex-roulette. But then your chances of success are low.

Anyone who has a computer with Internet connection and desire to spend part of their time for training. First you must get to know the market and second you must teach how to trade. It is very important to create your own trading system which works in real examples. Anyone who has even $ 1 can try themselves in the real Forex trading. Of course, one can not earn a significant amount money starting trade with $1, but it is enough for education and the accumulation of invaluable experience in creating personal forex trading system. The most important thing for you is to learn the basics and understand how the market works, what is the Forex trading system, how to create your trading system. The next step is to learn how not to lose, and you must be ready to lose much at first.

Online Forex Trading Platform

2009-07-29T07:39:00.001-07:00

Forex Trading Platform provides an online foreign exchange trading. Online Forex Trading Platform provides an online Forex trading system which gives an feature to trade hands free. Usually this software includes forex charts, analysis, and forecasts. You should only get acquainted with this systems.

On the right course of trade Forex, Forex learning is not difficult at all. Just make sure it is fully investigated various options that are available. You can explore a few tips and strategies, reading the articles in the websites of Forex. Some suggests e-books, and other accounts demonstration example Forex.

Dependent on the kind of education you want, Forex seminars become more popular nowadays. In addition, you can get useful knowledge from Forex mentorc, a broker or dealer, because of their personal commercial experiences. There is also the home and online courses available Forex. Those are just a few of the many ways to get excellent Forex tips.

You want a course of Forex trading system, that will teach you how to determine what causes reactions of currency at any given economic situation. Good fx education can leave you making educated and informed decisions during all your trades.

It’s important to have a good system set up. Smart Forex traders have a reliable system, then tweaked to their personal preferences. Before they begin any trade, they are carefully studying the current market movements. Because of the constant changes, predicting what is going to happen is not always easy. If you want to keep your profits that you’ve accumulated during a trade, do not rely on luck alone. Be prepared for the surprises that will likely occur.

What makes the market at this point? If it moves up now or down? Your choice of time is everything. Learn how to gauge the market before you start any trade.

Your course Forex trading system should include the timing. You do not want to spend a lot of time analyzing one area at the time of trade. Take sound, rapid decisions. Turning too early or too late, and your profit disappears. How do you sell and learn, experience will allow you to quickly identify opportunities to enter or trade in the best time to increase your profits or significantly reduce your risks.

It is important that you start your career Forex with a decent number of Forex knowledge. If you hope for huge profits and reduced losses, you really need a very good course of trading Forex. Take a few tips and tricks that you find here and there with a little grain of salt. If you do not have a sound strategy, your luck is sure to end soon.

Introducing mechanical trading strategies

2009-07-29T07:38:00.001-07:00

Most peoples after working on Forex market discover that it is difficult to make money with Forex. They could not make a full-time income with Forex using old methods and concepts. They dream of perfected Forex trading system. This is simple and easy system that will tell you exactly when to enter and exit the market - removing the decision making process for you. Decision already exists in form of mechanical trading systems. These are “set and forget” systems that can generate an easy and consistent income for the ones who couldn’t make “the old methods” like indicators and others work.

They require just few minutes per week of your time and are easy to work with. You don’t must to teach and understan complicated financial laws, difficult mathematical formulas, useless terminology and charts to use such systems. Systems that are is 100% mechanical doesn’t make you to think about what to do next and does it for you. They spit out the numbers for you to enter into your trading platform and that’s it.

You don’t have to nervous and feel sick, you don’t must to waste precious time watching market dynamics and lose your money because of inadequate decisions made because of heartache or hurrying. This revolutionary new way is perfect for those entering the forex market for the first time and for those who have wasted their time with other forex day trading systems.

Online Forex trading

2009-07-29T07:36:00.000-07:00

The Forex market trading is made by market-makers. Market-makers are large banks whose branches located throughout the world. The amount of transactions on Forex market among the market makers typically exceeds the amount of 5 million dollars , U.S., the amount of ad hoc deals of market makers with its customers also quite high. Typically, these amounts are available only to large companies.

In the 80’s medium-sized and small investors began to receive access to the market through so-called margin trading conditions, and more recently in connection with the massive development of Internet technology it has become affordable for everyone. Dealing companies provided them access to it. Dealing companies give customers a credit lever (also referred to as the “shoulder” (leverage), or lending arm). The essence of leverage is that dealing company provides customer trust credit for trade in the Forex market, and a customer makes a deposit under the loan, which is called margin. Often in the market Forex, where the volume of currency fluctuations on the day of up to 2% of the loan is given in the amount of leverage “up to 200″.This means that the client can operate in the market amount to no more than 200 times greater than its own funds. Margin itself (the amount made by the client) becomes a kind of deposit insurance broker for the company in the event that the customer will suffer losses in the market. Such a scheme of work is called margin trading.

Automated Forex trading system

2009-07-29T07:34:00.000-07:00

Only effective Forex trading system with successful money management strategy can help to make stable revenues on Forex market. This is because only good Forex trading system explains what and when should be done on the market in any trading situation.

When traders use Forex trading system and have to take a decision: they save time and efforts only when they know what actions will prevent them from risking the traded capital and what actions must be done for maximizing trading income. This is what a good Forex trading system gives - set of effective rules to make more money on Forex market.

Such comprehensive set of rules making complex algorithms can be used in autotrading system i.e. system that allows you to trade on your account automatically by means of computer software. Automated Forex trading systems are pre-programmed strategies that automatically execute trades on your account based on the rules of one of the Forex trading strategies. Automated trading systems can run on your home computer, on hosted servers, through autotrading platforms or as managed accounts.

Forex as a kind of business

2009-07-29T07:33:00.000-07:00

Forex, or international market of currencies, endures popularity peak today. It is an important and legitimate foreign currency business. This business of trading in cash currency around the world is necessary and has been a viable way for major banks and businesses to protect themselves from exchange rate risk for probably hundreds of years.

Forex trading strategies are used by millions of people around the world, successfully increasing their capital. Everyone who has access to the Internet, small financial savings and an analytical mind can take part in the Forex system. Online Forex trading allows you to effectively manage your money, earning only on the difference in exchange rates.

Forex Market is as a matter of fact a subset of the financial world market whose daily cash flow is more than 3 trillion dollars. Thanks to the rich opportunities and the minimal requirements to participants, working with Forex became a special form of business. World central banks, companies putting the investments into Forex, importers and exporters, brokers and Forex traders interacts in it. All of them, participating in the bidding, make monetary operations and aspire to get profit.

Anyone who want to earn on Forex must have relevant information about the financial market – indicators and quotations, forecasts and other news.

Forex Trading System

2009-07-29T07:32:00.000-07:00

Trading system is a set of different rules that allows to decide when to buy or to sell it and what exactly to buy or to sell. Anotherwords it is the algorithm of trading. You can operate yourself be means of different indicators or entrust computer with this task. In such case trading system will be a kind of a “black box” for you making decisions by itself using complicated algorithms. Trading systems are typically generated by complex computer software (but not always). Each is organized around a general set of principles: “buy undervalued stocks,” “sell futures when price movements accelerate,” “buy Yen when Euros are overvalued,” etc.

Good trading system allows you to trade with profit and gives you a chance to earn money on Forex market. Mechanical trading system does not require any human intervention. Expert advisor can make a market analysis, select a profitable strategy and apply it delivering to its owner a pure profit and no losses.

But to become a professional we recommend you to create your own trading system. You must choose those indicators that you better understand. Also choose the signals that you are most evident for you. You may need to experiment with time intervals: someone wants to trade for five minutes ticks, someone will use daily. There are thousands of options, but to succeed you must find your own Forex trading strategy. Before using the method of any trader, pass it through the prism of your consciousness, ask yourself questions and try to answer them. You shouldn’t to use the system if you do not have been able to fully understand it.

SLP Trading Group

Forex Robos

2009-07-29T07:29:00.000-07:00

A forex robot is an automated trading platform that allows the trader to make trades no matter what time it is. With this, you can transact anywhere in the world 24/7. They are very useful especially when one is in need of assistance in making trades. This software helps the trader to analyze every movement in the market that is necessary for a trader to know. Since you will be the one to enter the settings that is required in your transaction, the robot will simply follow your orders. Thus, it will be no good without you but it can transact even when you are not present.

These systems are always a part of the forex strategies of the trader. They do not necessitate that you trade utilizing the mechanical system often. If you are wondering how you will be able to use it, you will find that it is very easy. It is just like all the other programs you have been using except that you are making money with it. The most common and probably the most popular of these forex robots is the Metatrader expert advisor or often called the EA. Metatrader is the name that every broker company trusts. These EAs are the ones that are responsible for the management of accounts of the trader as well as the trading depending on the parameters that you have defined for it.

There are now a lot of forex robots out in the market today and you will wonder whether they are indeed profitable. When you come across a company that offers a forex robot, you will definitely hear or read them claiming that their product is the ultimate source for gaining profits. Now, if you really want to get more money out of them, you should be able to test them and be acquainted with them. You can never make use of them if you do not understand what they are for.

Actually, there are plenty of free forex robots that can be downloaded today. These are the demo accounts and they are truly helpful because you can get accustomed to the environment of the forex robot. What you have to do here is to make sure that you spend some time to test the robot that you want to purchase. If they prove to be useful for you, you should definitely grab the chance and get the full version of the program.

Now, as a word of advice, these forex robots should not be used in order to substitute human evaluation. Your skills are needed so that you will be able to make more money. Learning how to trade and giving your best to maximize your profits are essential in dealing with the forex market. Technical analysis is what these robots provide for the user. This is because you can make smart choices and decisions in forex trading. You can now be confident in the judgments you have made. This is a good way for you to learn the core of forex trading.

SAP FI - Foreign Exchange

2009-06-28T08:27:00.001-07:00

SAP FI - Foreign Exchange is a document provided by SAP AG. This SAP FI document is intended for SAP System Administrators, Finance and Controlling (FICO) developer and SAP technology Consultants.
This SAP FI article explains SAP treasury system component Foreign exchange, its function in trading process and transferring data to SAP Financial Accounting (FI). Moreover this SAP FI article explains you about Foreign Exchange integration and features such as spot exchange, Forex swap transactions and OTC currency options, etc.
Following are the few topics covered in this SAP FI document.

Foreign Exchange
Trading
Spot/Forward Transaction
Standard Option
Exotic Option
Order
Offer
Simulation
Transaction Management
Utilities
Back Office
Documentation not Available in SAP R/3 Release 4.6B
Transaction Management
Correspondence
Netting
Reference
Accounting
Posting
Payment
Valuation
Master Data
Business Partner
Standing Instructions
Information System
Transaction
Position Management/Position Trend
Revenue Analysis
Accounting
Risk Settings
Master Data
Environment
Market Data Management

SAP Financial Accounting (FI-CO)

2009-06-28T08:26:00.000-07:00

1. What is the difference between Bank Accounting & Treasury? Are both
same? What are the thing we can do in Bank accounting vs. Treasury.
2. I am learning consolidation. Please reply with some documents for
configuration or presentation. Or please let me know couple of
configuration steps.
3. What is the t-code or procedure to to copy an existing or standard
SAP report in controlling and modify it for new requirement?

Thanks in advance for the answers.

solution:Bank accounting is basically day to day accounting like contrac / BP/BR/interest etc but treasury is different from Bank Accounting it's relate to Forex or it's related like Bank Gurantee / foreign remittance / letter of credit and it's related entry i.e interest on term loan / disbursement of loan / panalty etc ............ these are the different concept

Why Are Currencies And Forex So Popular

2009-06-28T08:21:00.000-07:00

It is called a pip and its value is the equivalent of 0.0001 of a dollar, in most currency pairs, and it is the smallest increment on the Forex market. A pip in the Japanese Yen is 0.01. Now you might find yourself wondering what the Forex market actually is and why anyone would possibly think chasing pips was ever going to be a profitable endeavor. However, with almost $2 trillion dollars being exchanged on the Forex each and every day it is open (from Sunday through Friday, the market trades 24 hours a day), those pips can quickly add up to big profits-or big losses-really quick. This makes it one of the most exciting, volatile, and engaging markets in the investment world.

So what exactly is the Forex anyway? Well, the Forex is just a big market where corporations, nations, and investors can exchange money. For instance, if an American corporation wanted to fund their payroll account for an office in Paris, they would need to convert U.S. dollars into Euros. However, one U.S. dollar does not equal a Euro.

To convert the money, the business would need to buy Euros with dollars on the Forex. The USD/EUR currency pair is what the company would need to buy in order to raise the money for payroll. A typical transaction on the Forex is called a lot and is $100,000 and the USD is behind 90% of all trades on this volatile market. So, if the currency pair was valued at 1.2500USD, that means that the business would receive 80,000 Euros for every $100,000 lot of the USD/EUR currency pair at that exchange rate.

Now remember those pips? Although a pip is a very small number, the sheer size of the lot means that a 1 pip movement equals $10 ($100,000 X .0001). Thus, an investor can get in and out of a position very quickly if the price fluctuates by only a few pips and still make a profit (Forex scalping). It is very possible for a Forex trader to double their investment in a very short period of time-but they can lose it just as easily!

Until recently, retail Forex investors did not exist. Because of the size of the transactions, traders on the Forex used to be limited to large investment firms, central banks, etc. Now, however, a Forex investor can typically secure a position for as little as $1,000 (or 1/100th of the total transaction amount). However, because there are always interest charges associated with any leveraged position, that means that an investor can quickly lose their capital if things swing the wrong way.

Of course, no one has a crystal ball and can predict the future but Forex traders use a number of strategies to help them determine when to exit and enter positions. While profit potential is unlimited, stops are typically placed on orders to prevent unacceptable losses. No matter what investment strategy you choose to use when trading on the Forex-it is very wise to place stops on every order because the volatility of the market can sap a highly leveraged account very quickly.

Trading currencies on the Forex is so popular because the action is non-stop and the opportunity for profit is unlimited. However, because of the margins and volatility of the market itself, the Forex can make or break an investor quickly. New investors are highly encouraged to start out with mock accounts or even mini-lots ($10,000) in order to learn the market better before jumping in with both feet.

SAP NETWEAVER IDENTITY MANAGEMENT

2009-06-16T07:43:00.000-07:00

SAP NetWeaver Identity Management helps companies manage users' access to applications securely and efficiently, while meeting audit and compliance requirements. The software provides a central mechanism for provisioning users in accordance with their current business roles, and it supports related processes such as password management, self-service, and approvals workflow.

SAP NetWeaver Identity Management is designed to work not only with your SAP applications but with all systems, instances, and applications in a heterogeneous global IT environment. It is also designed to work as an integrated component of your strategic application platform and delivers identity services to support a service-oriented architecture (SOA) landscape. Integration with SAP Business Suite applications and SAP BusinessObjects governance, risk and compliance (GRC) solutions results in a true business-driven, compliant identity management solution.

With SAP NetWeaver Identity Management you can:

Increase efficiency and reduce operational costs with:
- Central management of user identities across multiple, heterogeneous applications
- User self-service capabilities and a rules-driven workflow and approvals process
Improve flexibility and respond to changing business needs with:
- Standards-based technology platform and integration framework
- Identity services that enable access in an SOA environment
Deliver greater insight and fulfill compliance requirements with:
- Extensive audit trail, logging, and reporting capabilities
- Integration with SAP BusinessObjects GRC solutions for end-to-end compliant, role-based control

SAP NetWeaver Identity Management is role-based, so it knows what systems to which each user requires access to do his or her work. If a user changes positions, SAP NetWeaver Identity Management can change access rights accordingly. Administrators set up the roles, and the software synchronizes permissions across different systems and directories.

Self-service is another important feature of SAP NetWeaver Identity Management. Not only can it reduce the administrative and support costs associated with IT support, but it can also help improve user productivity. Self-service provides users with one place to go to manage their information and take care of tasks such as resetting a password.

All SAP NetWeaver Identity Management functionality is delivered as a component of an integrated, open platform – so access and identity information can be correctly linked with systems, Web services, and business processes. And whether the systems are SAP systems or not, SAP NetWeaver Identity Management enables an uninterrupted flow for your business processes across a heterogeneous landscape.

ACCELERATE RECEIVABLES. IMPROVE CASH FLOW AND STREAMLINE FINANCIAL PROCESSES.

2009-06-15T03:51:00.000-07:00

Cash is the lifeblood of your business. Today's tough credit environment brings a renewed focus on cash flow and liquidity.

Are you using best practices to manage your receivables and collections, customer credit risk, and global liquidity? And are you effectively managing inherent cash flow risks to protect your profit margins?

SAP provides market-leading software and services to help you make better customer trade credit risk decisions, accelerate dispute resolutions, manage collections intelligently, improve insight and control over company liquidity, and electronically integrate your billing and payment processes with your financial institutions.

With SAP software and services, you can:

Realize straight-through processing across the order-to-cash cycle, reducing administrative costs while accelerating cash collections
Analyze customer credit risk using real-time information, reducing counterparty risks without jeopardizing customer relationships and sales
Improve dispute resolution and analysis; lower days sales outstanding; accelerate cash flow; and increase collaboration between finance, line-of-business managers, and operating units

Solutions for Optimizing Working Capital

Collections and Dispute Resolution

SAP's financial management solutions feature a fully integrated set of process-collaboration applications to improve your dispute and collections processes, trade credit, and cash and inventory management. As a result, you can optimize working capital through multiple strategies – each of which can be independently achieved based on the needs of your organization.

SAP Financial Supply Chain Management applications improve coordination across company functions to streamline customer receivables and collections – and cash flow. In addition, we have enhanced our treasury applications to allow you to improve cash management and enable greater integration between your corporate treasury and financial institutions.

Developed in partnership with the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunciations (SWIFT), enhanced electronic integrations enable more efficient and cost-effective connections to connections to over 8,100 banks worldwide – enabling greater automation of payment and banking processes to reduce costs and improve liquidity management.

CREATE A FOUNDATION FOR FINANCIAL EXCELLENCE.

2009-06-15T03:50:00.000-07:00

Efficient finance operations provide the foundation for financial excellence. Without effective and streamlined financial business processes that enable you to reduce costs and resource demands, it's difficult to achieve the more advanced objectives of your enterprise.

Manual processes prevent Finance from becoming a strategic partner to the business.

SAP software and services enable you to streamline and improve accuracy of financial processes, such as reporting cycles and receivables; control and manage corporate spend; and realize economies of scale through shared-service deployments.

With SAP software and services, we can help you:

Streamline your financial close cycle through improved automation and collaboration, improving period-end closing cycle time
Increase finance productivity, enabling your finance teams to manage global operations with fewer resources, while maintaining your cost structure
Automate receivables, invoicing, and cash reconciliation processes – improving order-to-cash cycle time

Solutions to Gain Efficiency in Finance

Fast Close

SAP's financial management solutions provide the foundation for you to automate critical finance processes that span sales, procurement, supply chain, and your financial institutions – with the flexibility to configure processes according to the best practices of your industry. The "fast close" solution combines leading applications from SAP and our partners, such as the SAP Central Process Scheduler application by Redwood, which enables you to preserve your investment in existing systems by scheduling and monitoring the financial close process across mixed-system environments.

Best-Practice Implementations

To provide you with a clear path to improved efficiency in finance, SAP Services and consulting partners offer a portfolio of services to review financial processes and help establish industry best practices. Our services deliver an established roadmap to ERP migration services and help you streamline financial reporting and month-end closing – giving you the information you need to guide operating units to better performance.

FINANCIAL EXCELLENCE

2009-06-15T03:49:00.000-07:00

Financial excellence is achieved when resources, people, and technology are leveraged to ensure strong cash flow and liquidity, compliant and accurate financial reporting, while maximizing the profitability.

With SAP solutions, companies can accurately manage liquidity and cash, streamline processes and lower costs, ensure the financial health of the enterprise, as well as reduce the cost of compliance and risk in the face of a challenging economy and regulatory landscape.

SAP ERP Financials, an application of SAP Business Suite, helps deliver greater insight and visibility across organizations, operational efficiency and effectiveness, and flexibility to help you enable efficient and compliant accounting and reporting. No matter the industry or size of your business, you can implement only the software you need to solve your unique business challenges in your own time and without expensive upgrades.

By enlisting the help of SAP Services before, during, and after any implementation, you can optimize your IT investments. And with SAP Enterprise Support, companies take full advantage of the integration of SAP and non-SAP solutions, minimize risk, enable the acceleration of innovation, and address application life-cycle management.

Furthermore, the SAP BusinessObjects portfolio is designed to help you optimize business performance by connecting people and information across business networks to provide a unified view of all business activity, manage regulation and policy compliance cost-effectively, and enable your business to be more agile and competitive in today's dramatically changing business environment.

How Do Value Scenarios Drive Business Improvements?

Discover how value scenarios can help you:

Gain efficiency in finance to streamline financial processes, such as reporting cycles, receivables, and payments
Drive strategy and growth and improve the quality of business decisions for all employees, bridging analysis and planning with strategic execution
Manage risk and compliance through embedded controls and real-time monitoring and exception-based analysis
Optimize working capital to accelerate cash flows, manage liquidity, and improve control over cash balances

Business Benefits

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SAP NetWeaver is the open integration and application platform that aligns people, information, and processes. Business benefits include:

Flexible business strategies – With SAP NetWeaver, you have the flexibility, visibility, and control to effectively execute, monitor, and refine corporate strategies.
Innovative business processes – The platform powers innovative, industry-specific software and allows you to recompose existing systems to support innovative processes.
Superior business value – SAP NetWeaver provides a business-focused infrastructure that supports continuous improvement of processes. It minimizes the risk and cost of introducing new processes, because existing systems remain unchanged while you leverage them for end-to-end enterprise processes.
Improved business performance – SAP NetWeaver helps you aggregate and analyze information across the organization, so you can gain the insight needed to make the right changes.
Unmatched user experience – Solutions built with SAP NetWeaver provide an efficient user experience through a role-based portal interface. With SAP NetWeaver, you can extend business processes to all employees, suppliers, and customers.

Unique IT Benefits

SAP NetWeaver also delivers a broad range of IT benefits, including:

Sustainable cost structure – SAP NetWeaver reduces total cost of ownership across the IT landscape. It enables you to leverage your existing IT investments, including SAP and non-SAP systems. Flexibility reduces the cost of change, while integration knowledge reduces the need for consulting services.
Improved development – With SAP NetWeaver, you can compose new business processes on top of existing systems by using an enterprise service-oriented architecture based on Web services, Java, and other industry standards.
Reduced TCO across the entire IT landscape – SAP NetWeaver technology components are integrated in a single platform and come preconfigured with business content, which reduces complexity and supports IT standardization and consolidation. The components also integrate readily with SAP applications, which reduces the need for custom integration.
Easy development of extensible best practices – SAP NetWeaver supports communication, knowledge management, and collaboration across existing systems. You can take advantage of existing skills to improve current practices or develop new functionality.

SAP NETWEAVER PORTAL

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SAP NetWeaver Portal unifies key information and applications to give users a single view that spans IT silos and organizational boundaries. It allows you to take full advantage of all your information resources – and maximize the return on your IT investments. And, its predefined business content accelerates implementation and reduces the cost of integrating your existing systems.

With SAP NetWeaver Portal, you can quickly and effectively integrate SAP solutions, third-party applications, legacy systems, databases, unstructured documents, internal and external Web content, and collaboration tools. It uses open standards, Web services, and tight integration with other SAP NetWeaver components to support heterogeneous systems from all major technology providers. And it comes with built-in support for Java 2 Platform Enterprise Edition (J2EE) and Microsoft .NET technology.

SAP NetWeaver Portal is flexible and secure, and enables you to take full advantage of your information assets. Features and functions include:

Portal-infrastructure management – SAP NetWeaver Portal provides a personalized, secure interface that unifies enterprise applications, information, and processes from both SAP and third-party sources into a coherent, role-based portal experience. The portal supports both UNIX and Microsoft Windows servers and is localized to support more than 20 languages. Its field-tested capabilities deliver the security, scalability, and performance that SAP customers expect, along with easy user and content administration.
Collaboration – With SAP NetWeaver Portal, users can access and share information and applications in a collaborative environment. Virtual collaboration rooms allow users to work together efficiently, regardless of where they are located. Integrated tools, such as discussion forums, enable the powerful flow of communication and information across organizational boundaries while enforcing security requirements. Integration points for third-party collaboration capabilities (such as instant messaging, Web conferencing, or groupware) further extend the functionality of the SAP NetWeaver Portal and afford you the opportunity to leverage existing investments.
Knowledge management – SAP NetWeaver Portal provides a shared set of user services for finding, organizing, and accessing unstructured content stored in third-party repositories and SAP content management systems. Classification tools automate the organization of information. Subject-matter experts and content managers can publish information to distinct user audiences through Web-based authoring that simplifies the publishing process.

SAP Auto-ID Infrastructure

2009-06-06T23:00:00.001-07:00

Radio frequency identification (RFID) technology electronically captures, stores, and transmits data about assets and materials via radio waves or other nonphysical transmission technology – digitizing physical objects that can be interpreted transparently by IT systems.

SAP Auto-ID Infrastructure, the key component of SAP NetWeaver that provides RFID capabilities, provides SAP applications with a gateway into RFID data. SAP Auto-ID Infrastructure gives you the capabilities you need to integrate all automated communication and sensing devices – including RFID readers and printers, Bluetooth devices, embedded systems, and bar-code devices. SAP Auto-ID Infrastructure also integrates intelligent controls such as programmable language controls and Savant technologies, ensuring comprehensive device integration.

SAP Auto-ID Infrastructure senses and controls automated signals in real-time. It connects directly with business processes requiring signal data to drive faster and better business decisions. With SAP Auto-ID Infrastructure, SAP has achieved an important milestone in realizing its vision of an adaptive supply chain network.

One of the first applications of SAP Auto-ID Infrastructure is the integration of RFID technology with supply chain processes. SAP Auto-ID Infrastructure provides out-of-the-box functionality to fulfill requirements for RFID compliance in the logistics applications of the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and large retailers such as Wal-Mart. With SAP Auto-ID Infrastructure, you can meet current market needs and be ready for future automatic identification requirements.

SAP Auto-ID Infrastructure is:

Comprehensive – Enables complete integration of RFID readers and printers and other automated sensing devices
Scalable – Handles the vast amounts of data generated by scanning millions of RFID and other automatic identification items
Fast – Handles multiple tag reads simultaneously, ensuring rapid tag reads and data consolidation
Connected – Integrates with existing enterprise applications, including legacy systems, to enable end-to-end synchronization and business process management

SAP ENTERPRISE MODELING APPLICATIONS BY IDS SCHEER

2009-06-06T22:57:00.000-07:00

Need tools to document business intelligence (BI) metadata? Measure the performance and visualize the structure of business processes? These enterprise modeling offerings combine Web-based components that support the process lifecycle for business process design, analysis, optimization, and implementation.

The offerings extend the goals of enterprise modeling – including business process analysis, process governance, and standardization – plus process simulation and optimization to a corporate architecture. Process performance management capabilities enable you to establish continuous process optimization.

Benefits of SAP Enterprise Modeling applications by IDS Scheer include:

Decrease of process costs and resource requirements
Accelerated process times
Improved process quality and transparency
Continuous evaluation of process performance indicators and visualization of bottlenecks
Improved documentation and communication of organizational changes and system landscape optimization
Reduced SAP software upgrade and implementation project times
Process-driven benchmarking and identification of best practices
Reduced risk of compliance failure due to transparency
A basis for enterprise services-oriented architecture (enterprise SOA)
Lower total cost of ownership (TCO)

SAP Business Designer by IDS Scheer

The SAP Business Designer application by IDS Scheer helps you design business processes and connect with the SAP Solution Manager application management solution. SAP Business Designer helps you ensure corporate modeling standards by enabling intuitive business process design. The application also provides global availability for Web-based process design.

SAP Business Process Optimization by IDS Scheer

The SAP Business Process Optimization application by IDS Scheer adds quantitative process analysis to Web-based modeling with the help of extensive simulation functionalities. You can realistically simulate process hierarchies and interlinked business processes – taking into account organizational structures and other resources.

With SAP Business Process Optimization, you can optimize business-process handling times, reduce costs, and increase process quality. To aid in corporate decision making, you can use a Web-based tool to optimize key figure-based processes.

SAP Business Server and Publisher by IDS Scheer

The SAP Business Server and Publisher application by IDS Scheer provides permanent, low-cost availability of process information through Web-based portals. A database server enables central access and management of all Web-based products.

The business publisher component supplies process information through Web-based portals, rights-based and role-based access to process models, and dynamically generated portal content.

SAP Enterprise Modeling by IDS Scheer

Your company's business processes are often based on complex IT landscapes that call for order and transparency. You need a holistic enterprise services-oriented architecture (enterprise SOA) to identify mission-critical IT systems and align them with the requirements of the business processes.

With the SAP Enterprise Modeling application by IDS Scheer, complemented by enterprise architecture management, you can have a clearly structured, easily understandable description method that covers all relevant elements in today's architecture standards. The software supports all necessary planning processes for establishing the target architecture geared to business processes.

With the BI modeling capabilities of SAP Enterprise Modeling, SAP offers integration with the SAP NetWeaver Business Intelligence (SAP NetWeaver BI) component. This application supports IT managers, BI experts, and specialists in end-to-end redocumentation, conception, and modeling required for BI rollout, harmonization, or consolidation projects.

SAP Process Performance Management by IDS Scheer

Process performance management (PPM) is becoming increasingly important if your company wants to maximize efficiency in your business operations. The SAP Process Performance Management application by IDS Scheer analyzes processes running in SAP solutions and automatically generates graphic documentation. At the same time, the application uses previously defined process performance indicators to help you evaluate the current process performance.

SAP Process Performance Management provides intuitive cockpit displays of the current process performance indicators. An integrated, early warning system automatically monitors all ongoing processes and displays a warning if these deviate from the plan. You can use the application decisively to continuously improve and sustain efficient and innovative SAP solution-based business processes.

SAP Central Process Scheduling by Redwood

2009-06-06T22:56:00.000-07:00

Process automation enables companies like yours to efficiently manage the increasingly complex technical requirements demanded by real-time business processes. You can achieve maximum productivity, agility, and resource utilization through intelligent, centralized management of application workload across all environments. Event-driven automation ensures immediate and appropriate responses to business requirements – enabling you to take a dynamic approach in managing unpredictable workloads.

The SAP Central Process Scheduling application by Redwood delivers adaptive, real-time, event-driven job scheduling and process-automation capabilities. Specifically designed to integrate process automation for SAP and non-SAP application environments across distributed and heterogeneous platforms, SAP Central Process Scheduling by Redwood provides a central point of control for all processing. You can effectively use the application to:

Reduce administrative overhead of managing critical application workload
Increase the efficiency of end-to-end, business-process workload execution
Integrate SAP and non-SAP business application processes
Reduce application workload completion time
Improve adherence to service level agreements
Optimize utilization of existing IT resources

With SAP Central Process Scheduling by Redwood, you can create a dynamic scheduling environment that provides a core-infrastructure component, which enables an approach to enterprise service architecture compatible with enterprise-wide automation.

SAP Central Process Scheduling by Redwood, integrated with and powered by the SAP NetWeaver platform, provides a central point of control across the IT environment.

SAP Remote Application Operations Services

2009-06-01T07:53:00.000-07:00

a global provider of software consulting services for SAP® ERP software. With successful installs and upgrades in the US and overseas, Eno is capable of addressing multi-site, multi-lingual, and multi-national SAP® clients’ requirements. We provide enterprises with flexible, rapidly deployed ERP, CRM, and Supply Chain solutions.

We are dedicated to your success and achievement of your vision. With every client, Eno’s value proposition is to apply best practices in reducing operational and consulting costs while extending the value of your SAP® software. With Eno, you have the partner who understands the business aspects of best-of-breed software and how to help organizations achieve world-class business performance levels.

When you look at Eno you will see that at the core of our organization is the fact that we are all SAP team members, we all have worked on multiple environments around the USA and we all drive to create a successful SAP environment for you and your team. We will remotely operate your SAP environment. Wrap a circle around the Database, The Operating System and the R/3 environment and you have our SAP remote Operations Package on a 24x7x365 duration with ONLY Senior team members and only with American employees with secured access and with American Business Knowledge.

Through the Remote Application Operations service, our experts will manage your SAP solutions remotely. They will provide you with Senior-level support, round the clock. And since our specialists are involved with development projects on SAP, they'll be able to share their experiences directly with you & document all aspects of your environment. So you'll always have the latest information about SAP software.

Remote Application Operations will bring you the knowledge of SAP, product developers, and support staff. Putting you one step ahead of your competitors.

Pricing begins at nearly ½ the price of your typical 1st shift BASIS administrator costs, and that is to run your environment 24 hours a day!

Conversion from non-SAP® Systems and Gap Analysis
• Technical and Functional Upgrades
• Implementation Services
• Performance Tuning
• System Customization
• Post-Implementation Maintenance and Support
• Module Implementation including BW, APO, CRM
• Self-Service Development and Web-Enablement
• System Documentation/End-User Training
• Integration with Legacy Systems
• Supply Chain Integration
• Business Intelligence – Cognos®

Creating ASP Web Applications

2009-05-27T05:15:00.000-07:00

Creating an ASP .NET Web Application Using the SAP .NET Connector

SAP.NET Connector along with Microsoft.NET can be used to create Web Applications. The following example illustrates creating .NET project using Microsoft Visual Studio. NET. Here, a client application reads and displays customer data from an SAP System using a search value and then displays it in a data grid.

The example uses the function module RFC_CUSTOMER_GET, which requires that customer data exist in the target SAP System, for example, in IDES. Although it is possible to rename all development objects and generated proxy classes, default names are used in this example. This example is provided as part of the connector sample code (DNCWebApp).

Procedure of Creating an ASP .NET Web Application Using the SAP .NET Connector:

1. Open Microsoft Visual Studio .NET.

2. Create a new C# Web form project:
Choose New. New Project. Visual C# Projects. ASP .NET Web Application.

You can also create a project in any other common programming language for .NET, for example, in Visual Basic .NET. In this case, you must add the SAP .NET proxy classes as a separate project in the Microsoft Visual Studio .NET solution.

3. Rename the form Webform1.aspx to Default.aspx.

4. Add Web controls to your Web form.

5. Add proxy classes to connect the Web applications to your SAP server.

a. In the Solution Explorer, right-click on your project.

b. Choose Add. Add new item.

c. Select Web Project Items.

SAP Connector Class and choose Open.

The SAP .NET Connector Wizard opens.

d. Decide from where you want to generate the proxy classes.

Proxies can be created from

- Web Services Description Language (WSDL) files that originate in an SAP interface repository (IFR)
- An SAP server
- Standard WSDL files
e. Select the client proxy object type and select beautify names option.

f. Select the Remote Function Modules (RFM) you want to use in your proxy object.

You can use search filters to look for the Remote Function Modules. In the example, enter the search argument RFC_CUST* in Name-Filter and select RFC_CUSTOMER_GET.

g. Add the modules to your proxy object and choose NEXT.

The proxy classes for the referenced table and structure types are automatically created and added to the project.

6. Build the solution with Build. Build Solution.

7. Create an SAP Login page to support user name and password authentication

a. In the Solution Explorer, right-click on your project.

b. Choose Add. Add new item.

c. Select Web Project Items. SAP Login Form

Leave the name as SAPLogin1.aspx.

8. Set the system connection information in the destination object of the SAPLogin1.aspx page:

a. In the Solution Explorer window find the item SAPLogin1.aspx and double-click on it to bring it up in the designer.

b. Look for the component destination1 on the bottom of the form.

c. Click on the destination component and set the properties for connecting to your SAP system (for example AppServerHost and System Number). The other properties like client, Password and username will be set from the login page.

9. Data bind the data grid to BRFCKNA1Table:

BRFCKNA1Table is the parameter of RFC_CUSTOMER_GET that contains the list of customers.

a. Select SAP Table Wizard from the SAP proxy toolbox and Drag Drop it to your working area. In the dialog box, select BRFCKNA1Table.

b. Select the data grid, and under Properties change Data Source to BRFCKNA1Table using the drop down list.

c. Customize the list of columns displayed on the data grid by modifying the Columns collection property.

10. On the default.aspx page, double-click the Button control you added earlier to create an event handler for the control.

11. Add the connect code to your project:

Select Connect code from the SAP proxy toolbox.

Drag Drop it in the source code of your event handler. A fragment of sample code is then inserted. It connects to the SAP server using the authorization settings from the Proxy Wizard. Normally, you must change these settings.

The syntax for the application will be

private void btnSearch_Click(object sender, System.EventArgs e)

{

// Declare parameters here

SAPProxy1 proxy = new SAPProxy1();

try

{

proxy.Connection =

SAP.Connector.SAPLoginProvider.GetSAPConnection(this);

// Call methods here

proxy.Rfc_Customer_Get("", txtCust.Text, ref brfcknA1Table1);

// Now update Data Bindings. On WinForms this will be automatic, on

// WebForms call the following line

this.DataBind();

}

catch(Exception ex)

{

// If SAPLoginProvider.GetSAPConnection(this) cannot get a connection,

// we might get an error.

// Normally this can be ignored as it will automatically will force a

// relogon.

}

}

12. Build and run the application.

The browser window opens and you are redirected to your SAPLogin1.aspx login page.

13. Enter connection data (for example user, password and client).

If you select SAVE this login information will be stored as an encrypted cookie on your computer and will provide an alternative single sign-on capability the next time you wish to access the site. If you do not select SAVE, the login information will still be saved in the ASP .NET session state but will be lost once the browser is closed.14. Enter a search argument, for example A* in the Textbox field and choose Search. Thus we create an ASP.NET Application using Visual Studio .NET using Proxy classes to connect to the server and Binding the DATA GRID. Your application connects to the SAP System and displays the requested data in the Data Grid.

Changing the IP address of your SAP Server

2009-05-27T05:13:00.001-07:00

Where do you need to change the IP address on the oss site, and how can you configure the saprouter?

You need to check your RFC connections in SM59 and your hosts file.

If you have set up any external ftp connections to your system, you also need to check if they use IP address or hostname.

If the SAProuter runs on the server you are changing the IP address, you must create a customer message for SAP and ask them to change the IP at their site. The IP address of a SAProuter must be from an official range. You must also update your SAProuter data and change the IP on SAPNet (system-data).

In saprouttab you need to adjust the IP as well.

How to Connect to your SAP System via SAPRouter?

On your SAPRouter, edit your saproutab file,
add P xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx yyy.yyy.yyy.yyy zzzz password) example:

P 192.168.145.130 10.240.7.10 3200 basis ---> Where 192.168.145.130 is your computer ip address on the internet, change this to * so that your saprouter will accept any ipaddress from the internet.

10.240.7.10 ---> is your SAP Server IP Address
3200 ---> 32 is constant, 00 is your PRD system number
basis ---> is the your password.

P * * * * ---> entry if you permit all

issue comman saprouter -n to reload the new saproutab file.

On your SAPGui logon screen (Remote Computer)

Description : Production Server
Application Server : 10.240.7.10
SAP Router String : /H/192.168.240.35/W/basis/H/
System number : 00

Note: (192.168.240.35 is your SAPRouter Public IP Address / basis is your password)

How SAP Router Works?

2009-05-27T05:12:00.001-07:00

SAProuter examines any incoming data packets, checks the route and authorization and then sends them to their specified targets. The partner that sets up the connection specifies the route (from SAProuter to SAProuter and to the target). This procedure is known as source routing.

If you want a connection, from a SAPgui to an R/3 System for example, to run through a SAProuter, then you need to enter the route in the SAPgui command line.

You can use SAProuter if there is no direct IP connection between the communication partners. SAProuter must be running on a host that is connected to both IP networks. It can then receive data from the SAPgui in one IP network and relay it to the R/3 server in another IP network, and vice versa. Normal IP routing is used between the application programs and the SAProuters.

Connections established using SAProuter have the additional advantage that no end-to-end connections between the participating system are necessary on network level. For example, if accessing a frontend PC on an R/3 server with an intermediate SAProuter, it is not necessary to define the complete path between the two systems at TCP/IP level. It is
sufficient if both parties can reach the SAProuter. From an SAP communication viewpoint, this represents a point of concentration in your network that serves as a starting point for each subconnection.

Each subnetwork stored logically behind a SAProuter is therefore reduced to the network address of the SAProuter.

Without SAProuter, the Internet Protocol (IP) addresses must be unique, which cannot always be guaranteed, particularly on international networks.

With SAProuter it is possible to connect two points that have unofficial,or even identical, IP addresses. Therefore, it is rarely
necessary to adapt existing address topologies using official IP addresses.

SAP Online Service & Support now only supports SAProuter connections due to these advantages. Because SAP routes all accesses to internal systems (such as SAPNet - R/3 Frontend) and all service connections via SAProuter, the connection between SAP and the customer is reduced to a single SAProuter - SAProuter connection.

FI Configuration Considerations

2009-05-27T05:05:00.000-07:00

Business Area Business Area is optional and is equivalent to a specific area of responsibility within your company or business segment. BA (Business Area) also allows for internal and external reporting.

Another configuration requirement for set-up in SAP are the Basic settings consisting of the following:

Chart of Accounts(COA)
Fiscal Year Variants.
Currencies

The COA(Chart of Accounts)

The COA(Chart of Accounts) lists all General Ledger accounts that are used by the organization. It is assigned in configuration to each company code and allows for daily General Ledger postings.

The General Ledger accounts
The General Ledger accounts are made up of such data as account number, company code, a description of the account , classification of whether the account is a P & L Statement Account or a Balance Sheet Account.

Control data of the GL Account is where currency is specified, Tax category (posting without tax allowed) , marking the account as a reconciliation account ( e.g. Customer, Asset, Vendors, Accounts Receivable) or not.
Marking the G/L Account as a �reconciliation� account allows for postings to an Asset Account ( for example) as well as automatic update to the G/L Account.
Configuration prevents direct postings to reconciliation accounts thereby assisting in maintaining integrity of the data.
This allows reconciliation between the sub-ledger and general ledger to always be guaranteed.
Within the General Ledger control data , you can also designate whether line item display is possible in the account. The system then stores an entry per line in an index table which links back to the account. (Display of line item details are then available for reporting purposes ,etc.)
Open Item Indicators can be set on the G/L Account allowing for better management of open items. Examples include: Bank Clearing Accounts, GR/IR Clearing Accounts, Payroll, etc.

Fiscal Year configuration
Fiscal Year configuration is a must and can be defined to meet your company�s reporting periods whether Fiscal (any period combination that is not calendar) or Calendar( Jan-Dec).

Posting Periods are defined and assigned to the Fiscal Year.
Within the periods you specify start dates and finished dates.
SAP allows for 12 posting periods along with specially defined periods that can be used for year-end financial closing.

Currencies
Currencies are another basic configuration setting requirement which defines your company�s legal means of payment by country.

It is recommended that all Currency set-ups in SAP follow the ISO Standards.
The ISO Standards ensure Global conformity across businesses worldwide utilizing SAP.

SAP FICO Module

2009-05-27T04:53:00.000-07:00

Once a business has decided to use the SAP FI(Financial Accounting) Module, there are several Configurations prerequisite steps that must be completed.Determining the organizational structure is one of the first steps in setting up the business functions in SAP as well as your reporting requirements.

The Organizational structure is created by defining the organizational units consisting of the following:
Client
Company
Company Code
Business Area

Client is the highest unit within an SAP system and contains Master records and Tables. Data entered at this level are valid for all company code data and organizational structures allowing for data consistency. User access and authorizations are assigned to each client created. Users must specify which client they are working in at the point of logon to the SAP system.

Company is the unit to which your financial statements are created and can have one to many company codes assigned to it. A company is equivalent to your legal business organization. Consolidated financial statements are based on the company’s financial statements. Companies are defined in configuration and assigned to company codes. Each company code must use the same COA( Chart of Accounts) and Fiscal Year. Also note that local currency for the company can be different.

Company Codes are the smallest unit within your organizational structure and is used for internal and external reporting purposes. Company Codes are not optional within SAP and are required to be defined. Financial transactions are viewed at the company code level. Company Codes can be created for any business organization whether national or international. It is recommended that once a Company Code has been defined in Configuration with all the required settings then other company codes later created should be copied from the existing company code. You can then make changes as needed. This reduces repetitive input of information that does not change from company code to company code as well as eliminate the possibility of missed data input.

When defining company codes, the following key areas must be updated:
Company Code Key- identifies the company code and consists of four alpha-numeric characters. Master data and business transactions are created by this key.
Company Code Name- identifies the name of the business organization within your organizational structure.
Address- identifies the street address, city, state, zip code for the company code created. This information is also used on correspondence and reports.
Country- identifies the country to which your business is based. Country codes within SAP are based on ISO Standards.
Country currency- identifies the local currency for the company code that you have defined.
Language- identifies the language to be used for you company code and is also used for text in your documents. SAP unlike other applications, offers over thirty languages including EN( English) , ES (Spanish), FR (French), DE (German), EL (Greek), IT(Italian), AR( Arabic), ZH (Chinese) , SV (Swedish) , and JA (Japanese) to name a few.

More FI configuration considerations:

Business Area, COA, GL, Fiscal year and Currencies

Business Area is optional and is equivalent to a specific area of responsibility within your company or business segment. BA (Business Area) also allows for internal and external reporting.

Another configuration requirement for set-up in SAP are the Basic settings consisting of the following:
Chart of Accounts(COA)
Fiscal Year Variants.
Currencies

The COA(Chart of Accounts) lists all General Ledger accounts that are used by the organization. It is assigned in configuration to each company code and allows for daily General Ledger postings.

The General Ledger accounts are made up of such data as account number, company code, a description of the account , classification of whether the account is a P & L Statement Account or a Balance Sheet Account.

Control data of the GL Account is where currency is specified, Tax category (posting without tax allowed) , marking the account as a reconciliation account ( e.g. Customer, Asset, Vendors, Accounts Receivable) or not.
Marking the G/L Account as a “reconciliation” account allows for postings to an Asset Account ( for example) as well as automatic update to the G/L Account.

Configuration prevents direct postings to reconciliation accounts thereby assisting in maintaining integrity of the data.
This allows reconciliation between the sub-ledger and general ledger to always be guaranteed.
Within the General Ledger control data , you can also designate whether line item display is possible in the account. The system then stores an entry per line in an index table which links back to the account. (Display of line item details are then available for reporting purposes ,etc.)

Open Item Indicators can be set on the G/L Account allowing for better management of open items. Examples include: Bank Clearing Accounts, GR/IR Clearing Accounts, Payroll, etc.
Fiscal Year configuration is a must and can be defined to meet your company’s reporting periods whether Fiscal (any period combination that is not calendar) or Calendar( Jan-Dec).
Posting Periods are defined and assigned to the Fiscal Year.Within the periods you specify start dates and finished dates.
SAP allows for 12 posting periods along with specially defined periods that can be used for year-end financial closing.
Currencies are another basic configuration setting requirement which defines your company’s legal means of payment by country.
It is recommended that all Currency set-ups in SAP follow the ISO Standards.
The ISO Standards ensure Global conformity across businesses worldwide utilizing SAP.
Contents taken from

SAP Enterprise Support

2009-05-27T04:47:00.000-07:00

To operate in IT landscapes shaped by business networks, globalization, and integrated business functions, you need holistic, solution-oriented support that helps you integrate your solutions.

With such support, you can manage continuous and accelerated innovation – without disrupting business operations. And you can control complexity while reducing risk and total cost of ownership.

SAP Enterprise Support is a key enabler for leveraging built-in innovation (PDF). Our consultants can help you integrate and standardize your end-to-end solution operations via SAP enhancement packages, support packages, and overall maintenance strategy.

Key elements of SAP Enterprise Support

Innovation – Delivers SAP enhancement and support packages that accelerate innovation, protect your IT investment, and help lower total cost of ownership
End-to-end solution operations – Provides an overall blueprint to optimize the operation of your SAP solutions and helps ensure the availability of your mission-critical business processes by managing performance and volume and improving data transparency and consistency across your entire landscape
Run SAP methodology – Offers a proven methodology and clear roadmap for using SAP standards to implement end-to-end solution operations
Mission-critical support – Provides continuous quality checks that help you perform several critical activities: analyze technical risks, implement continuous improvement activities, maintain custom codes, access the mission control center, communicate via a channel that delivers 24/7 mission critical support through a support advisory – and generate service-level agreements involving initial reaction on corrective action for priority one messages and initial reaction on commitments for priority two messages
Global support backbone – Facilitates support – via the enterprise edition of SAP Solution Manager – for implementing distributed systems, providing the quality management methodology, processes, and tools needed to perform advanced testing and implement solutions deployment, operations, and continuous improvement initiatives

Through this service, which reinforces SAP's long-term commitment to partnering with customers, SAP consultants work with you to help you holistically manage your IT landscape throughout the life cycle of your SAP-centric solutions.

Benefits of SAP Enterprise Support

Our consultants can help you realize several significant benefits:

Protect your IT investments while enabling innovation.
Manage the integration of solutions throughout each solution's life cycle.
Leverage industry-leading standards to perform operations.
Provide consistent quality management processes for your entire SAP landscape and across your entire technology and code base.
Support mission-critical operations.
Control – via enhancement packages – the fast pace of innovation and integration while lowering total cost of operation for customers.
Manage custom code via root cause analysis and additional checks to help avoid conflict between custom code and enhancement packages.

Financial Excellence

2009-05-27T04:42:00.000-07:00

Global competition, market turbulence, and rising shareholder expectations are transforming the responsibilities of finance. Your new role as business strategist is to realize a vision of financial excellence.

How can you achieve financial excellence? By aligning your resources, people, and technology in ways that optimize financial processes, decrease operating costs, drive business performance, and mitigate risk.

But how do you translate financial excellence into improved business performance? By using solutions from SAP and our partners to realize business critical objectives:

Deliver faster, more accurate financial reports
Manage profit, cost, and risk more strategically
Provide employees with opportunities to transform information into effectively executed and strategically aligned business activities

With SAP Services, you can gain transparency into your systems and processes. Our consultants can work closely with you to streamline your financial reporting and month-end closing – and provide your financial team with the information it needs to guide your operating units towards better performance. As a result, you can more effectively review your financial processes and adopt industry best practices.

Financing of SAP Solutions

2009-05-27T04:41:00.000-07:00

To compete in today’s increasingly volatile global markets, and to respond to the shifting customer demands and emerging economic trends arising from this volatility, your company needs an integrated business management application that can help it improve productivity, increase quality, and expand offerings.

But the upfront costs of investing in such a solution are often prohibitive. And dealing with third-party financing companies is usually inconvenient. Add to this the unforeseen expenses involved in implementing a new system, and the financial risks in upgrading your IT landscape may prove too numerous and too daunting for your organization’s decision makers to accept.

You have, however, an option: SAP Financing.

Offered by SAP and administered globally with our trusted SAP Financing partners, SAP Financing can provide companies – of all sizes – with affordable, all-inclusive, and predictable financing options that cover the entire cost of your SAP solution, including expenses related to hardware, software, customization, implementation, training, and first-year maintenance.

Our financing options can help you simplify your budgeting process, lower your total cost of ownership, and plan your predictable IT investment-related expenses – for up to seven years. Our customer-focused options also accommodate your particular financial needs – such as allowing you to defer payments until after your SAP solution proves productive and generates revenue.

SAP Financing offers you numerous benefits:

Competitive finance rates
Manageable, fixed monthly payments that cover your entire IT solution
Optimized cash flow
More capital available for other strategic investments
Payments that you can offset against taxable profits – and that are unaffected by interest rate changes
Accelerated return on your investment
Financing arrangements customized to your individual needs
Wide range of innovative financial products and reliable, customer-driven services, provided by SAP Financing Partners, accomplished in providing both financial and technological expertise

To learn how SAP Financing can help you, contact your SAP representative or one of our SAP Financing partners. With SAP Financing, you can surmount your financing barriers, achieve financial transparency, and identify the predictable costs and low-risk options in using – across entire life cycles – the SAP solutions you need to succeed.

SAP Application Hosting

2009-05-27T04:40:00.000-07:00

Has the volatile global economy driven you toward reducing your investments in IT infrastructure and IT-oriented personnel training? SAP Services understands your challenge – and can help you resolve it without compromising your operational competitiveness.

We offer long-term hosting of your SAP systems in high-performance data centers, which are equipped with the innovative hardware platforms that provide you with high availability to your SAP solutions. To support your business activities effectively, SAP experts will be assigned to work closely with you – via customized levels of global, 24/7 support – in providing you with the infrastructure, system, and SAP components that can help you meet your IT performance objectives:

With the help of SAP application hosting experts, you can perform six critical IT-related activities:

Use your resources to perform your core business activities
Access your hosted SAP systems with high availability
Optimize your resources via innovative virtualization and automation systems
Adapt your SAP solutions quickly and flexibly
Reduce your infrastructure investments and cut training costs
Predict your IT costs via fixed-prices contracts

Services for SAP Hosting

2009-05-27T04:39:00.000-07:00

How can you increase agility and responsiveness while gaining the capacity to overcome roadblocks? By teaming with SAP Hosting Services.

Our hosting experts can help reduce operating costs and increase flexibility and visibility – without requiring you to invest in an infrastructure that depletes your capital and in a personnel training program than exhausts your resources.

SAP Application Hosting – Offers assigned SAP experts – delivering customized levels of global, 24/7 support – and long-term hosting of your SAP systems in high-performance data centers equipped with the innovative hardware platforms that can provide you with high availability to your SAP solutions
SAP Implementation Hosting – Provides the expert support you need to understand the dynamics of implementation, such as enabling you to adjust the term of your contract (from four months and up) and identify a hardware quantity schedule
SAP Ramp-Up Hosting – Helps you avoid committing to hardware or sizing at an early stage, enabling you also reduce your project’s duration
SAP Upgrade Hosting – Provides you with the IT infrastructure you need – within a matter of weeks – to stay ahead of competitors

SAP Hosting

2009-05-27T04:38:00.000-07:00

Changes in the global economy are breeding much volatility and uncertainty in the world’s marketplaces. Now, more than ever, organizations – of all sizes and in all industries, and all under immense internal and external pressure to thrive – are seeking solutions that can improve performance and boost productivity by optimizing existing business processes and IT systems and infrastructure. Many are selecting SAP Hosting Services to gain the proven expertise and value-generating benefits that can enhance their capacity to compete.

Our experts provide a comprehensive range of timely, on-demand hosting services for helping you integrate business processes and derive maximum value from your SAP solutions. With SAP Hosting Services, you gain freedom from your IT challenges: While our experts are planning, building, and running your SAP systems, you can direct your attention and resources toward realizing your business objectives and strengthening your market position.

Experience

Our more than 10 years of experience in operating SAP solutions has enabled us to expand our offerings to include a broad range of hosting support, from the routine to the innovative. We offer reliable and scalable service, up-to-date support, and cost transparency for projects ranging from small, straightforward initiatives to long-term service partnerships.

Flexibility

With SAP Hosting Services, you can access applications and infrastructure that go live quickly, adapt to increasing requirements, and help your critical business systems deliver expected results for your organization. And to help your business processes run smoothly and reliably, around-the-clock and around the globe, we guarantee system availability, rapid response times, and assigned experts who can provide the tailored support you require.

Services for SAP Hosting – Reduces your operating costs and increases your flexibility and visibility – without requiring you to invest in an infrastructure that depletes your capital and in a personnel training program than exhausts your resources

Business Process Outsourcing

2009-05-27T04:24:00.000-07:00

To become leaner and more efficient, companies often review their value propositions and restructure their operations. An increasing number of organizations are also choosing to outsource their peripheral activities – selecting business process outsourcing (BPO).

By working with external providers, you can also realize cost-cutting alternatives to internally implementing such non-core business processes as human resources and procurement. As a result, your organization can focus on developing its core competencies and better allocate and leverage the resources that drive growth and innovation.

SAP-Enabled BPO Services

SAP is not a BPO provider. Instead, it supports BPO providers by setting up services that can generate sustainable business benefits – reduced costs, fewer risks, and improved process quality.

Using delivery platforms based on SAP solutions, BPO providers can differentiate their services from traditional BPO offerings. These platforms are based on the latest versions of SAP applications and deployed to provide cost-effective and standards-compliant solutions. In selecting our dedicated services of solution design, delivery, and management support, you can gain up-to-date support and state-of-the-art performance that complement your core business function.

As a global solution provider for shared-service centers, SAP can also support many BPO segments. Our customers benefit from implementing such BPO-aligned applications as SAP ERP HCM and SAP SRM as well as industry-specific processes.

BPO Powered by the Market Leader

SAP powers dozens of large, complex BPO operations worldwide through the services of our select BPO providers.

BPO Providers Powered by SAP

By working closely with our providers, and providing them with our BPO certification and other services like SAP Enterprise Support and SAP Safeguarding, SAP can help our providers maintain a high level of technical expertise in SAP solutions and proven support capabilities.

Business Benefits

How does SAP technology – and its BPO-specific deployment – provide better BPO? Through lower costs, better risk management, and improved process quality.

SAP Data Protection

2009-05-24T06:19:00.000-07:00

SAP data protection, SAP high availability, and SAP disaster recovery. LifeKeeper for SAP was the first commercially available clustering solution for SAP on Linux and continues to be the leader in both the breadth and depth of SAP protection with the latest version of LifeKeeper supporting SAP R/3 4.6C, SAP R/3 4.7, SAP NetWeaver 2004, and SAP NetWeaver 2004s).

SAP NetWeaver and earlier versions have no native method to provide protection of SAP data. The databases the SAP use to store its data provide native tools that can be difficult to manage and many times do not meet all of your SAP data protection requirements. The SteelEye Protection Suite for SAP includes SteelEye Data Replication, which provides the "3 R's of SAP Data Protection: Replicate, Rewind and Recover"

Replicate

SteelEye Data Replication is the real-time synchronous or asynchronous data replication engine that assures your SAP data is safely replicated to one or more targets across a LAN or WAN. SAP file systems (which contain SAP profiles, executables, etc.), the database data files, log files, and archive log files can all be replicated, guaranteeing you the highest level of recoverability.

Rewind

SteelEye Data Replication provides true CDP functionality as defined by SNIA, including any point in time rewind on the target system. Using the integrated Data Recovery Wizard, administrators have the ability to easily rewind the SAP file systems and database to any point in time, providing another level of data protection in the event of file system or database corruption, virus outbreak, user error, etc.

SAP Recovery

The SAP data recovery process can be completely automated, as is the case in LifeKeeper HA clusters, or can be triggered in manual fashion as is often the case in LifeKeeper Disaster Recovery configurations. Either way, SAP recovery takes just a few minutes and involves a very simple process where LifeKeeper unlocks the target drives and starts the database and SAP. When you are ready to bring the original SAP server back into service, the switchback process involves a simple push of a button to initiate the recovery.

SAP Disaster Recovery

2009-05-24T06:18:00.000-07:00

SAP recovery in the event of a complete site loss is often the worse nightmare of an SAP administrator. The SAP recovery process takes much time and planning and is generally very hard to test. In addition to the downtime involved, the recovery could involve a significant amount of data loss due to the fact that the databases need to be restored from the latest available backup. Using The SteelEye Protection Suite for SAP, you are able to easily and quickly resume operations in the event of a disaster with little to no data loss.

WAN Optimized Replication

SteelEye Data Replication is optimized for replication across WAN links. Having nine levels of compression allows you to customize your environment to get the best WAN efficiency, host workload and data throughput. In addition, SteelEye Data Replication is architected is such a way that it is already optimized for the WAN, therefore the use of hardware based WAN accelerators is not necessary to achieve optimal throughput, regardless of the speed or latency of the WAN link.

Unattended or Manual Failover

Disasters can strike anytime, anywhere. Some disasters are localized to a particular room or building, and others are more regional in nature. In times of disaster, it is not always possible to have every staff member available to assist in the recovery process. To help you guarantee SAP recovery regardless of who is available, the SteelEye Protection Suite for SAP can be configured in one of two ways: unattended or manual recovery.

When configured with unattended or "automatic" failover, a prolonged outage of the primary site would automatically trigger SAP recovery in the DR site with no intervention. For those who want more control over when your DR site comes into service, automatic failover can be disabled and manual recovery can initiate with a simple push of the button in the LifeKeeper GUI.

Automated DR Testing

Having a disaster recovery plan in place is only half the solution. It is important that this plan be tested on a regular basis. The SteelEye Protection Suite for SAP allows administrators to easily switch SAP to the DR site for testing purposes and then easily switch SAP back to the primary site when testing is done.

Alternatively, you may wish to leave SAP in service in the primary site while still completing DR testing. In this case, you can simply unlock the target data, bring SAP into service on the backup system and using the tools provided by LifeKeeper, simply redirect a single test user or subset of users to verify recovery. This method allows you to confirm the recoverability of SAP, with minimal impact to your production network.

SAP High Availability

2009-05-24T06:17:00.001-07:00

Proactive Monitoring of Resources

LifeKeeper actively monitors and protects all resources required SAP, including volumes or file systems, file shares or NFS, IP, the database (Oracle, DB2, MaxDB, or MS SQL Server) and SAP itself.

LifeKeeper's active monitoring helps to ensure the highest level of availability; going beyond just checking whether the server is alive, as seen in many other products. LifeKeeper also verifies that SAP is running, file shares or NFS exports are available, and databases are mounted and available and that clients are able to connect.

Protection of additional SAP Components

The SteelEye Protection Suite for SAP provides the user the ability to not only protect SAP, but also any other SAP or third-party applications that may be dependent upon the SAP system. Using the LifeKeeper Generic Application recovery kit and the sample recovery scripts, LifeKeeper provides complete protection for your entire SAP infrastructure.

Flexible Configurations

LifeKeeper for SAP server can be configured in any one of the following configurations:

Replicated or shared storage clustering
2-node active/passive cluster
N+1 cluster (multiple active with single backup)
Cascading failover (up to 32 nodes)
Cross subnet clustering supported (failover across data centers)

Connect mobile, wireless devices to your SAP system.

2009-05-14T06:02:00.001-07:00

SAP system with a new or improved wireless network and mobile computers, for real-time data collection in your warehouse or manufacturing facility.

Mobile solutions for SAP R/3 include:

Console Connect for SAP R/3 - Three-tier architecture appropriate only for "SAP always up" implementations. This solution offering is normally associated with a character mode translator (i.e. SAPConsole) functionality used in conjunction with a VT/ANSI telnet enabled device.
Web Connect for SAP R/3 - Three-tier architecture incorporating the use of SAP's Web Application Server (WAS) that is appropriate only for "SAP always up" or "SAP usually up" implementations. This solution offering is normally associated with the use of a graphical client in both a connected and sometimes disconnected fashion
Remote Connect for SAP R/3 - Three tier architecture appropriate for "off premise" or "disconnected" mobile applications. This solution offering is normally associated with the use of a graphical or palm device where SAP R/3 connectivity is established at limited intervals.

Project Service Offerings:

Structured Methodology
Project Justification Analysis
Project Specification
Project Implementation
System Integration
Go-Live Support
Multi-Site Rollout Planning and Support
Custom Application Development
PLC - Mechanical Interfaces

Application Solutions:

CRM
Field Service
Field Sales
SAP Console
Supply Management
Logistics Execution (LES)
Warehouse Management
Data Collection
Barcoding Solutions
SAP Web Application Server (WAS)
Real Time Solutions
Wireless / "Wi-Fi"(RF)
Disconnected Applications
Remote Connectivity
Multi-Platform (Dos, Palm, CE, other)

System Requirements

2009-05-14T06:01:00.001-07:00

Ethernet-equipped broadband connection for Access Point Mode
One computer with a web browser for configuration
802.11b compatible device for wireless clients
Ethernet-equipped device for Bridge Mode

Items	Specs
Frequency	2.4 Ghz Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum
Range	Approximately 12 miles dependent on environment
Radio Data Rate	11 Mps, with automatic fall-back rates of 5.5 Mbps, 2Mbps & 1 Mbps for increased operating range
11 Mbps maximum data rate	Provides Ethernet speed to mobile computers
Maximum Computers	200 plus. Limited only by available bandwidth.
Roaming	Unrestricted throughout coverage area
Interface	1 RJ-45 45 10/100Mb broadband port
Antenna Connection Electrical Properties	- Impedance: 50 Ohms nominal - Connector: N-Female
Compatibility	Broadband: Compatible with any broadband connection with an ehternet port (RJ-45 connectors). Wireless: Works with other IEEE 802.11b (Wi-Fi) complaint devices including all WIALAN Products Ethernet: IEEE 802.3 and 802.3u complaint
Warranty	1 year limited parts and labor
Support	Unlimited technical support in the US and Canada
Box Contents	- WG-SAP Wireless Broadband Gateway - 8db Omni Directional Antenna - Power over Ethernet injector/power supply.

features and benifits

2009-05-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

Features	Benefits
Dual compatibility with WIALAN Wireless LAN and backwards compatibility with cable, xDSL and dialup modems	Works inside and outside of WIALAN WANs as well as with popular broadband modems with available RJ-45 Ethernet port
802.11b compatible	Supports any wireless 802.11b compatible device, such as PC and PCI cards, and USB adapters
Web based configuration	Configurable from a Mac or PC
DHCP server and client support	Allows easy setup for both the broadband connection and the local network
Network Access Translation (NAT) support	Shares a single IP address from your ISP with multiple computers
Firewall protection	Protects your computer(s) from unwanted access via the Internet
PPPoE support	Compatible with ISP's that use PPP over Ethernet
User configurable TCP and UDP ports	Run special Internet applications, such as games, without exposing the computer on your local network to the Internet
Built-in VPN Server with 128bit hardware accelerated MPPE encryption and MS-Chap-v2 user Authentication.	Compatible with IPSec and PPTP virtual private networking client software (built-into all Windows versions).
Access control for individual clients or groups	Allows filtering of Internet content to either a single computer or a workgroup