SAP Business One extension - what to look out for.
16 June

SAP Business One extension - what you should consider

As a company that SAP Business One Sooner or later you will come across the topic of extensions. An SAP Business One extension may be necessary or desired for various reasons. Requirements of your industry or your specific business model need Add-ons. Or you live one or the other special process in your process that you cannot or do not want to change. 

An SAP Business One extension has its justification 

Should you invest in a solution that was not developed by SAP itself? 

As a rule, companies go to their (future) SAP Business One Partner. They will recommend one or more solutions to you. These solutions are usually developed by a third party, a so-called Software Solutions Partner (SSP). This is often where the first concerns arise. Should you invest in a solution that was not developed by SAP itself? There are at least a few valid reasons for doing so.  

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SAP Business One is a really strong standard software. The restriction is derived from the partial word ?default? to derive. Whenever you standardise, you can't take into account some circumstances. And SSPs usually have a deep understanding of the specific type of business they serve, so you can really get the best of both worlds: An international brand solution with a very specific extension designed for your type of business. For this, SAP offers a far-reaching Development environment and excellent support for SSPs. 
 

It's the how that counts 

On the other hand, when choosing your extensions, you should know that not all of them are the same. This is not just about functions. It is also important to know how the SAP Business One extension has been implemented. As an SSP, there are some rules that should be followed here to guarantee that your system works cohesively. There is some information you should collect before you have SAP Business One 'upgraded'.  

Where is the data stored? 

A single database ensures easier management of the system.

Extensions for SAP Business One either have their own database that works together with the SAP Business One database, or they simply use the SAP Business One database. SAP Business One allows extensions within its Database to hold all extension data. A single database makes it easier to manage the system. It is easier to ensure data integrity throughout the system. Working with two databases bears the risk that data located in two places may be inconsistent. 

However, you should not completely write off an SAP Business One extension with its own database. Some even derive their very own advantages from it. However, it must make deeper sense for you and your company. 

When SAP Business One extensions slow down 

 SAP Business One may be SAP's smallest ERP solution, but it is still a full-blown business software with thousands of links. If you 'meddle' in the wrong place, you risk painfully slowing down the application. The best additional functions will not make the user happy if he has to wait an unduly long time for them to appear. Here it is important to test extensively. How does SAP Business One behave with and without the extension?  

Is the provider keeping pace with SAP Business One releases? 

It is also important that the SSP keeps pace with the SAP Business One releases. If you don't want to risk being stuck on old versions of SAP ERP, it should be understandable that the SAP Business One extension always keeps up with the SAP update cycle.  

Is the manufacturer understaffed? Or does the development team need to focus on stabilising the solution or fixing bugs

Apart from the limitations of using an older version of SAP Business One, the fact that the vendor is behind can also be a warning sign: Is the vendor understaffed? Or does the development team need to focus on stabilising the solution or fixing bugs instead of keeping up with SAP Business One? Such difficulties will end up in your company sooner or later. 

What is planned for the SAP Business One extension 

 The world is constantly changing. The needs of companies change analogously. This is precisely why the software that manages all the important processes of the company. Check whether the add-on provider is actively developing the solution. If there is no plan to add new things in the future, this does not necessarily mean that the solution is "complete". There could be other reasons (see above).  

It's nice when there's an ambitious road map are available. But one should also check whether future features will only be available at extra cost.  

In which environment is the SAP Business One extension developed? 

 SAP Business One supports multiple SDKs. This is a fully developed development environment that offers a lot of flexibility for own extensions and adaptations. However, there are providers who do not develop with the SAP tools. This makes the SSP the only instance that can make adjustments. In case of doubt or emergency, this can be a disadvantage.  
If the manufacturer also keeps pace with the development tools, future changes in the standard software will also be easier to track in the SAP Business One extension.  

Different code for Microsoft SQL and SAP HANA? 

With SAP Business One, you can choose between SAP HANA and Microsoft SQL Server as a database. The advantages and disadvantages of the two systems would be a blog in itself. The SAP Business One extension should ergo also be executable under the chosen platform.  

But you should check whether the HANA and MS SQL version of the add-on has an underlying code base.

But you should check whether the HANA and MS SQL version of the Add ons a code base underlies it. Firstly, there are and have been SAP Business One users who have switched from one version to another after a certain period of time. Due to a different basis, this path can be arduous or even impossible. Furthermore, you as a user may be the sufferer of the parallel development. Features that are only available for one version or the other, high costs that the user has to bear in the end and a slow pace of development can be the consequences. 

What other extensions are compatible with this one? 

 Many users of SAP B1 want to use more than one add-on. After all, there are a lot of extensions to choose from. Now, these extensions are all based on SAP Business One, but they are not necessarily coordinated with each other. So the first thing to do is to keep a sense of proportion. What is really necessary and what does the standard offer, perhaps only at second glance! Furthermore, some SSPs already cooperate with each other, so that the SAP Business One extension of one not only runs in parallel, but even integrates the functions of the other.  

Who can support you with the SAP Business One extension?  

 If the manufacturer has to be consulted for every question, this can quickly turn into a costly hanging game.  

An SAP Business One extension can sometimes not only have a large range of functions, but also require good advice for implementation and operation. Not every SSP has earmarked resources for this and prefers to rely on the SAP partners to provide this service. So a partner concept should be lived in which not only SAP knowledge but also add-on know-how is demanded of the integration partners. If the manufacturer has to be consulted for every question, this can quickly turn into a costly hanging game.  

The big picture around the SAP Business One extension counts 

Choosing the right SAP Business One add-on for your business depends heavily on your needs. You need to consider your own priorities and then find out which SSP offers an add-on that suits you. So what may be right for one company may be completely wrong for another, even within the same industry. A thorough look behind the scenes at SAP partners and SSPs is definitely in order. Don't make the mistake of drawing up a list of functionalities and choosing SAP Business Extension that simply fulfils most of the points mathematically. Also look at the big picture and you should be able to come up with a complete ERP solution that works optimally in the long term and grows with your company, and one or two add-ons that help.

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