SAP CRM-ECC Integrated Sales Document Flow

[Former Member]

SAP CRM-ECC Integrated Sales Document Flow

Summation, multiplication, differentiation, integration – All in one!

Summation, because the resulting sum of systems is greater than the parts! Multiplication, because the resultant benefits – tangible & intangible – multiply, much to the delights of an organization! Differentiation, because the systems bind together the difference of similarities in scope, design, and configuration! Integration, because the systems find solace in perfect synchronization!

There is no denying that when we and/or organizations evaluate options to create an integrated system built around the key business processes, we always look at the resulting recognizable value – a value worth investing and realizing.

Systems and applications are always built to fulfill definitive scope of business processes and functionality of an organization. For instance – SAP CRM – is built to address customer facing functions and manage lasting relationships through better customer insights. Similarly – SAP ECC – is built to deliver efficiency in overseeing day-to-day business operations across different functions like sales, logistics, procurement, finance etc. Here is an illustration (See Figure 1) of the two systems along with their primary functionality in addressing key processes and the relevant system applications within.

SAP CRM and ECC systems are built with inherent provisions and capabilities to integrate and create a unified end-to-end process flow. In the subsequent part we will highlight one such connecting process – CRM Opportunity-to-ECC Quotation-to-ECC Order – between the two systems and aspects that are necessary to integrate the business processes.

The Opportunity Management in SAP CRM helps and guides us to manage an identified business opportunity with the potential possibility of it into a sale. The preceding document for such an opportunity could be a campaign, a lead or an activity. Here, we will consider lead as the preceding document for an opportunity. The Transaction History assignment block in Opportunity Overview Page provides the information on the preceding and succeeding documents – all the document flows are updated here. When we create follow-up documents all the necessary data from the original document is copied to the new document.

In SAP CRM, when we create a follow-up ECC Quotation from CRM Opportunity, the ECC Quotation is directly created in the integrated SAP ECC system with all the essential data being copied to the new sales document automatically. The CRM Opportunity will have the required data such as customer, relevant partner functions, sales area data, products, pricing, expected sales volume, net value, status etc. We can directly navigate to the ECC Quotation in SAP ECC from the Opportunity Transaction History in SAP CRM. All the subsequent processes like billing, logistics and financial realization can happen in SAP ECC.

To create this integrated process flow, we need to map all the necessary master data – SAP CRM Transaction Types, SAP ECC Sales Document Types, Item Category, and Number Ranges etc. – in both the systems through customizing and configurations. Also, one needs to ensure that we have created the preceding document without any errors.

Here is a specific scenario of customizing for creating a unified sales document flow (See Figure 2). It essentially provides synopsis of the integrating key connecting business process and synchronization of their relevant yet unique master data essential to create an integrated sales document flow between SAP CRM-ECC. In this scenario the data exchange between SAP CRM and ECC happens through CRM Middleware.

The functional structure of the Sales Organizational Model in SAP CRM is based on SAP ECC system. This data is then used for the organizational data determination in sales documents. Synchronization happens through a mapping of organizational structure.  For all the organizational data, ECC system is closely linked to SAP CRM system.

The concept of business partners in both the systems, are altogether different however. In SAP ECC customers are organized based on the account groups with pre-defined partner functions, however in SAP CRM the business partners are grouped through a classification. A two-way mapping is necessary for business partner data between SAP CRM-ECC for replication and synchronization.

The product master data is replicated from SAP ECC system. The materials management in SAP ECC system will have all the materials defined along with the number ranges and item categories and groups. The opportunities are created in SAP CRM system with products and relevant pricing data replicated from SAP ECC system.

For successful document flow between the systems all these essential master and transaction data needs to be mapped as shown in the illustration. The complexity of integration depends on the complexity or simplicity of scope & design and extent of integration. However, the integration scenario does provide all the possibilities to create a streamlined document flow between SAP CRM-ECC system.