with MariProjectthe SAP Business One extension for project-orientated business and plant constructionThe "project" umbrella term can be used to describe a number of tasks that you might not initially expect. This also includes the rental of equipment and machinery. On closer inspection, it is only logical to regulate the rental of software in addition to the service and maintenance of machines and equipment.
"Renting" challenges for SAP Business One
One of these challenges is for "classic" ERP solutionsIn fact, there is only one problem that is difficult to solve: the rental of equipment and machines. Most ERP solutions are designed to sell products. On the surface, it is not necessarily difficult to deliver an item and charge a rental fee instead of a sales price. However, this is where the trouble starts in the warehouse: The goods only leave the warehouse physically, but they remain in the warehouse in terms of value. To maintain an overview, you also need to know where each item of rental equipment is currently located and, if it is in use, when it will be available again. Last but not least, there are "downtimes" during which the device is undergoing maintenance.
These were just some of the requirements that are also placed on SAP Business One in a rental solution and cannot really be represented here in the standard version.
The MariProject approach
MariProject is taking a consistent approach to rental by adding a cost type, or more precisely a rental period, to the existing equipment and machine base. Document chains can be used. In addition, consumption items, operating times etc. can be stored for all appliances and machines. So you are not offering an item that you have converted into a rental, but actually the machine rental with all its "additional costs".
If you use such a "rental period", you also have the option of specifying a "from-to" duration in the item.
The capacity utilisation and distribution can be displayed very clearly in the planning and can also be rescheduled directly there. Last but not least, other resources, such as operating personnel, can of course also be factored in.
The billing of all rental-related components is carried out using the convenient billing functions familiar from MariProject. Accounting assistants.
Conclusion:
Other SAP partners would probably have turned the solution described into a stand-alone add-on for SAP Business One, which would then be called "Rent One" or something similar. With Maringo, the rental functionality is simply added on top of the already wide range of functions offered by MariProject. In any case, it should be worth a look for anyone who wants to use SAP Business One in the rental industry.
