These days, most software discussions include how intelligent technologies will help companies become faster, smarter, and more profitable. This is the promise when an enterprise becomes intelligent.
Strengthening the Foundation for Intelligent
Enterprises in a World That Never Stands Still
Stand Apart with Intelligent ERP from SAP
The SAP S/4HANA Cloud 1908 release continues to set the standard for effective application of intelligent technologies, incorporation of embedded analytics to make companies smart, and integration of intelligent enterprise resource planning (ERP) into line-of-business capabilities to streamline end-to-end processes.
Intelligent Robotic Process Automation is Core to Building an Intelligent Enterprise
I have talked in the past about SAP’s major focus and investment in what we call intelligent robotic process automation (RPA). It is this technology that allows us to embed intelligence and automation into end-to-end processes in a scalable way.
With the 1908 release, we are incorporating intelligent RPA into many new capabilities across SAP S/4HANA Cloud. These include bank statement reprocessing in finance, predictive manufacturing resource planning (MRP) in manufacturing, and purchase order confirmation in procurement. A new capability called “my situations” takes intelligent RPA a step further by providing a notification framework that informs users where action must be taken once the system has identified an issue.
Embedded Analytics Enable Real-Time Insights, Immediate Action
Integration of SAP Analytics Cloud into SAP S/4HANA Cloud continues to be a major focus. With the SAP S/4HANA Cloud 1908 release, embedded analytics advances from responsive to proactive support. With integration of SAP Analytics Cloud into the finance data model enabling easy transfer of information between the two applications, the finance team can now derive and plan sales prices, simulate and plan sales quantities, and much more.
Intelligent Enterprises Need Integrated End-to-End Processes
Building robust integration capabilities that will enable easy management of end-to-end processes across the enterprise has always been a high priority. With the 1908 release, we provide integration between SAP S/4HANA Cloud and SAP SuccessFactors solutions to deliver dashboards for combined human resources (HR) and finance insights into areas such as workforce diversity and workforce performance.
With SAP S/4HANA Cloud, Subsidiaries Work in Harmony with On Premise
Many companies are finding that they will continue to need a sophisticated on-premise intelligent ERP at corporate, but their subsidiaries may be better suited to a cloud solution. The key to being an intelligent enterprise, in a multiple ERP environment, is ensuring that all organizations collaborate effectively. This can only happen with robust integration between corporate and its subsidiaries, a clear delineation of roles and responsibilities, and real-time visibility across the company.
SAP continues to invest heavily in capabilities that give companies the flexibility to choose which intelligent ERP solution is best for each organization within their enterprise. Building on a very strong set of corporate-to-subsidiary integrations, the 1908 release delivers additional capabilities to help corporate manage subsidiaries. These include the ability to manage pricing centrally, manage services purchased from a subsidiary, and a centralized financial close. Country versions, key for the subsidiary ecosystem, go from 40 to 42 with the addition of Czechia and Thailand.
Industry Depth You Need, Cloud Benefits You Want
Building on the solid end-to-end business processes in finance, procurement, and HR, we are excited to announce the release of U.S. funds accounting and budget management for public sector organizations in the U.S. This will help government organizations drive rapid finance transformation and achieve better monitoring while reducing organizational risk.
The 1908 release also brings additional capabilities to the professional services industry, including usage-based billing, more flexibility to manage engagement pricing, improved management of cost rates, and better ways to manage staff resources. Discrete manufacturing and supply chain benefits from predictive MRP, improved capabilities for available to promise, tighter alignment with repetitive manufacturing processes, more effective management of goods in transit, and better capacity planning.
SAP Customers Are Thriving with Intelligent ERP
I want to conclude by highlighting three customer stories.
DEE GmbH
DEE GmbH is a German manufacturer of apparel for organizations that want to display their company logos. As a small business, it’s crucial for DEE to process orders quickly while striking the balance between inventory levels and demand. To stay competitive, it needed a faster, more flexible ERP system that would provide greater transparency into stock, sales, and material movement, and would allow it to communicate more effectively with customers and suppliers. SAP S/4HANA Cloud was the intelligent ERP the company turned to in its journey to become an intelligent enterprise.
New Sega Textile Company
New Sega Textile Company is a China-based private label manufacturer of soft furnishings for global retailers. By implementing SAP S/4HANA Cloud, New Sega created a smart manufacturing environment. The company automated manual processes and enabled data-driven decision-making, which helped manage supply chains based on real-time customer requirements, reduce inventory, improve efficiency and collaboration, standardize procurement processes, and minimize human intervention — another testament to the game-changing value of intelligent ERP.
Netatech Engineering Pte Ltd
Singapore-based Netatech Engineering Pte Ltd is pioneering sustainable and safe farming practices for global impact. Working closely with Singapore’s government agencies, Netatech specializes in integrated solutions for rain, sun, and crop harvesting spanning different areas such as water reuse treatment, telemetry remote sensing ,and open field irrigation. Netatech chose SAP S/4HANA Cloud as its ERP platform to integrate processes from production planning to operations to finance with the goal of optimizing its food production process.
SAP S/4HANA Cloud 1908 continues to deliver what is needed to build a foundation for your intelligent enterprise and empower you to be more responsive and better prepared to operate in today’s complex world. Talk to you next quarter.
For more details on the release, read “Intelligent ERP Update: SAP S/4HANA Cloud 1908 Release.”
Sven Denecken is senior vice president for SAP S/4HANA Product Management and Co-Innovation at SAP.
