SAP Linkage Solutions

Tenon offers a linkage solution services for SAP ERP and peripheral systems essential for enterprise business work (EDI, WMS, MES, BI, forms, rebate calculation, etc.).

Costs related to inter-system linkage are said to account for 30% to 40% of total costs in the implementation and operation of enterprise business systems. Although the integration of enterprise business system functions has advanced through ERP, the presence of multiple peripheral systems is indispensable to companies’ shift to enterprise business systems. For this reason, achieving optimal linkage of SAP ERP-centric enterprise business systems is seen as a top priority in IT.

Although inter-system linkage is a key topic in the implementation of enterprise business systems, in many cases action is delayed or construction is not performed through appropriate methods for reasons including the following.

  • Companies are unable to take a bird’s-eye view of enterprise business systems incorporating peripheral systems and to consider individual system functions and data layout
  • Companies do not proceed with study of specifications from the perspective of two-way systems, under the thinking that work on interfaces cannot begin unless individual systems’ specifications have been finalized
  • Companies undertake interface specification consideration with insufficient collection of information on targeted systems, resulting in a need for reworking
  • Companies are unable to deploy engineers with knowledge of work, application, infrastructure, and other multifaceted elements required for consideration of system linkages

To solve issues like the above in SAP ERP-centric enterprise business system linkages, from the early phases of a project it is important that a proven team organizes and operationalizes points for consideration including the following.

Business process linkage (process integration)

  • Methods of linkage that ensure data integrity in business processes
  • Business event-driven real-time linkage
  • System integration at the transaction level

Data linkage (data integration)

  • Data aggregation and distribution for purposes of analysis and cleansing of collected information
  • Schedule-driven batch linkage
  • System integration at the data type level
  • Complex linkages across multiple sources and multiple partners

Our SAP linkage solution organizes the considerations required for SAP linkage and makes use of varied SAP linkage technologies to implement the following sort of targeted systems and SAP linkage functions.

Examples of target systems for SAP linkage

  • External systems: Business partners, VAN services, logistics operators, financial institutions
  • External services: Web services of business partners and other parties
  • Enterprise business systems: CRM, SCM, MES, personnel, accounting, expense settlement
  • Inter-company linkage: Linkages among enterprise business systems (global/local, etc.), consolidated accounting
  • Business support systems: WMS, electronic forms, labeling systems, workflows
  • Information systems: BI/DWH, MDM
  • Front-end: POS, mobile devices

Examples of SAP linkage technologies

  • Application linkage: BAPI, IDOC, RFC, SOAP, general-purpose modules, batch input
  • File linkage: EDI software, EAI tools, file transfer tools

Examples of topics in the consideration of SAP linkage

  • Functional requirements: Business processes, messaging, conversion requirements, data volume, linkage frequency/cycle
  • Non-functional requirements: Means of communication, protocols, scalability, serviceability (recovery), security
  • Environment: On-premise/cloud, network (closed, VPN, Internet)

Since our inception, we have provided diverse SAP integration solutions to over 50 customers.

  • Examination and implementation of appropriate functional deployment and linkage methods in enterprise business system usage, through teams composed of not only senior consultants familiar with SAP systems but also experts in the EDI/EAI system experts that achieve data linkage, experts in the BI tools that achieve data usage, and other experts
  • Support for the achievement of appropriate business processes in work design that spans systems, by leveraging knowledge of experts in the pharmaceutical, medical device manufacturing, chemical manufacturing, apparel, and other industries
  • Achievement of seamless, no-programming linkages between SAP and external applications through provision and use of SDX, our SAP linkage middleware product
  • Minimization of add-on development and optimization of TCO not only in terms of development man-hours during implementation but also in operation and maintenance, through the adoption of a system linkage method that makes optimal use of the standard functions of SAP ERP
  • IDocAchievement of solutions based on SAP’s business processes through the adoption of I/F methods adapted to SAP business processes, such as iDoc and BAPI

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