SAP Business One for the global midmarket

A roadmap for the IT departments of SMEs

Business One as a system for global players

With SAP Business One, SAP has rounded off its portfolio and not only created an ERP system (SAP ERP) for global players, i.e. corporations, but has also been offering a powerful ERP system for small and medium-sized companies since 2002, which is now used in more than 40 countries.

In the luggage SAP Business One the required integration platform B1if with, which among other Add ons is supplied free of charge. However, this integration platform is not only used for integration in SAP ERP, but also provides the Connection to third-party applicationsthat you cannot or do not want to replace.

Versino Financial Suite for SAP Business One Finance

Integration projects as a challenge

In the Group environment, the deployment of SAP Business One in subsidiaries and branches With more than 20,000 installations worldwide, this is no longer a novelty. Nevertheless Integration and rollout projects the IT departments of medium-sized companies are always faced with major challenges. The basic prerequisite for the success of such projects, particularly with regard to cost and time frames, is the Determining, checking, answering and - last but not least - documenting of complex issues and solutions. The solid relationship of trust between the client and the consulting firm is fundamentally important for the success of the project.

So what do you need to consider in order to be well prepared for the implementation of ERP projects?

At the beginning there is the target question

At the beginning you have to sensible use principles define and formulate the requirements of the new ERP system. It applies Clarity about the project objective to create. Questions such as the following serve to fence off the field of action: Which ERP system is the parent company using? Do you want to replace another legacy system? Which subsidiaries do you want to equip with an ERP system?

At the same time, this creates the basis for deciding whether SAP ERP or SAP Business One, for example, should be introduced in the subsidiary. If the subsidiaries are multi-layered, a categorisation workshop is recommended. During its course, the Condition of the master data determined and set, how and to what extent these should be harmonised are. If necessary, a detailed master data concept will be prepared in any case before the start of the project.

Now and later: analysis and concept

Once the initial situation has been established, the next step is to determine the necessary Total licence requirement per licence type to be calculated. Depending on the location of the server, it must be clarified whether licences Global or local must or can be acquired. This applies not only to the software to be introduced, but also to the operating systems required for the servers and the workstations to be connected. To answer technical questions As-is analysis and target concept therefore indispensable! For later Avoid cost explosionsmaster data harmonisation and the master data to be mapped. processes also included in the analysis and conception.

It also needs to be clarified which programmes and systems will be connected to the future integration platform, which intercompany processes The master data to be made available to the individual subsidiaries and which analysis tools are to be used are mapped in the master data management system.

Here we go!

The task now is to use the knowledge gained before the start of the project and in a Specifications to document that also Country-specific legal requirements for financial accounting taken into account. The Specifications is the basis for the time, technical and resource-related project plan, including go-live dates.

It accompanies the project work from the development of the prototype, the so-called template, which covers all identical processes/functionalitiesThe system is then rolled out to the company's offices worldwide by making country-specific adjustments to the system.

This approach very quickly shows Savings potential and guarantees reliable success also larger international projects.

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