WHITE PAPER How to assure a successful SAP/EDI implementation?

Transcription

1 WHITE PAPER How to assure a successful SAP/EDI implementation? November

2 Through a new ERP implementation, many companies decide to improve their supply chain by automating their EDI and unfortunately the EDI implementation quickly becomes a painful experience. Not because the technology is difficult but because of a lack of know how on either the EDI side or the SAP side. By definition EDI means Electronic Data Interchange. EDI can be defined as the exchange from computer to computer, Data concerning transactions by using networks and standardized formats. In a SAP landscape it means an interface between SAP R/3 and an EDI subsystem USA - France - Germany - Hong-Kong - Morocco - Singapore p:2

3 Index Introduction... p: 3 If any of these pain points sound familiar?... p: 4 EDI implementation is no more no less than a technology project... p: 4 Why EDI implementation is so painful?... p: 5 Expertise, Education and Testing are among the main keys of your EDI project success... p: 7 USA - France - Germany - Hong-Kong - Morocco - Singapore p:3

4 If any of these pain points sound familiar? No integrated EDI. Which Idocs to choose? Which fields to use? How to fill the control record? How to set up a connection between my SAP and my EDI software? How to monitor my EDI within SAP? What about Idocs statuses? What about workflow? Implementing EDI within SAP could be a very painful experience if poorly planned, with poor resource allocation without the sufficient level of knowledge on each area impacted by EDI: application levels, technical set-up, SAP customizing, choice of Idocs, testing. At the end the implementation could be very costly or a total failure but why? First of all implementing EDI is not plug and play like lot of people may think. EDI implementation is no more no less than a technology project In fact a SAP EDI project needs to be addressed phase by phase: Project Preparation Project planning and Scope Definition Development and customizing Testing Training Production set up Go live and support An EDI scope clearly defined is a key target before implementing EDI: How many customers? What about EDI suppliers? Which documents to integrate in SAP? USA - France - Germany - Hong-Kong - Morocco - Singapore p:4

5 Why EDI implementation is so painful? In an EDI project there is many different intervenient -SAP implementing consultants, EDI software consultant, ABAP developers - but each of them own a piece of knowledge on their specific area and the result is miscommunication, misunderstanding and the result is nobody take full leadership of the EDI process because nobody knows what to do. Most common pain points identified on a SAP/EDI implementation are SAP functional and technical configuration for EDI, SAP/EDI mapping and testing. SAP technical configuration Beyond the set up of a port, RFC connection and Idocs version to use, it could be very interesting to activate the SAP Workflow; SAP Workflow plays a critical role in EDI error handling and notification handling. SAP application configuration Now here comes a pain point for lot of people, configure SAP Idoc interface to exchange EDI with your partners. Something you may need to know is Idoc processing call standard SAP program and behave the same way as if you enter the document manually. Idoc process always uses the same inbound process sequence and the same outbound process sequence regardless of message type and SAP module area. You also use the same tools for reporting, monitoring and reprocessing. However in some cases, standard SAP will not cover all your expectations and you may have to write custom user-exits, use custom Idocs or even write custom module functions. Like EDI is not tied to a specific functional area, it is hard at the beginning to find SAP transactions linked to EDI. You can use transaction WEDI which give you a EDI menu with all SAP transactions linked to EDI. Idocs are identical for inbound and outbound processing, partner independent, EDI standards independents meaning that you will use the same idoc ORDERS05 for a partner sending a 850 version 4010, for a partner sending 850 version 4050 or a partner sending Edifact Orders d96a. Message type is dependant of the Idoc type and in some cases you can have more than one Idoc for the same message. The choice will be driven by your Industry area, your SAP version and package and your partner edi requirements. Ex of Idocs Note: x is the version number of the Idoc IDoc Type Logical Message Type Description ORDERS0x ORDCHG Order change ORDERS0x ORDERS Order ORDERS0x ORDRSP Order response DELVRY0x DESADV ASN SHPMNT0x SHPMNT ASN INVOIC0x INVOIC Invoice USA - France - Germany - Hong-Kong - Morocco - Singapore p:5

6 It always better to use the latest version of the Idoc that will have more segments and fields than previous versions and will give you more flexibility. There are Idocs available that support many SAP documents like orders, shipping notices or invoices. The choice of Idoc is driven by the SAP document you want to use but the SAP document choice should be chosen regarding the meaning of the EDI transaction. For example, in the automotive industry it means that you need to understand the meaning of a stand alone order sent by an aftermarket customer versus a Just in time shipping schedule with Kanban information. On the inbound process flow you will have to set up: Partner profile which allows you to define which partner information Idoc would need to have and which process code (SAP program) you want to use to process the incoming Idoc Business rules related to the business document (partner and sales organization data for an Order, Company code for a supplier invoice ) On the outbound side you will need: A SAP document Set up Message control (output type + output determination + output condition) for this document where you will specify to send the output via EDI EDI will be created on a specific event (Post goods issue, Accounting document creation, Purchase order creation ) Partner profile allows you to define the EDI-specific information the system needs when generating the outbound Idocs It is highly recommended to set up statuses Idocs between your EDI subsystem and SAP by using Idocs SYSTAT01. A SAP function module will take the SYSTAT01 and updates the status and control records of your original outbound Idoc with a new status value (translated or not, sent or not, acknowledge by the partner or not ). It allows SAP users to know what went right or wrong during the Idoc process within the EDI subsystem. By using the workflow, you will be able to receive alerts when an erroneous status is received from the EDI subsystem. EDI mapping Once you select your Idocs, EDI mapping need to be done. Mapping defines the relationship between SAP Idoc data fields and the target EDI standard message fields, and vice versa. Best is to specify all mapping rules in mapping specification document that you will provide to your EDI mapping consultant. At this step you really need both SAP Idoc documentation, which you can obtain through WE60 transaction, and the partner EDI message guideline. You should first test your EDI mapping manually by creating a test Idoc according to your mapping transaction and try to post it in SAP. If at this step, you are not able to post your Idoc don t be surprised that later you are not able to full integrated tour EDI within SAP. USA - France - Germany - Hong-Kong - Morocco - Singapore p:6

7 Testing When your mapping is coded in your EDI software you are ready to test. Testing is one critical part of your EDI implementation success. Do as many tests needed with tests messages from your current production messages or provided by your partner if you starting using EDI. During these tests some mappings adjustments or SAP configuration may have to be done to meet all expectations. But at this step unit testing is not enough, you must do integration testing, here some thoughts: Do I have all information on the sale side? What about the logistic side: do I have all label information needed coming from EDI? Generation of Outbound messages from inbound: ASNs, Invoices. Do I have all information required from my partner? Be careful, in the inbound process, if you have an Idoc successfully posted in 53, it doesn t means that your test is successful; you need to verify carefully the SAP business document created, it may missed some critical information for your business. Expertise, Education and Testing are among the main keys of your EDI project success Implementing EDI is not so hard or so painful like lot of people use to say. The truth is that implementing EDI is not plug and play and its implementation tasks are unknown and new for many people involved in the project. The main key is to rely on an experienced resource using a proven methodology that will give you a road map to follow step by step, a resource that will leads all parties involved. As long as the EDI scope is clearly defined, your EDI goals can be achieved, as long you can provide your business and customer requirements and as long you spend enough time on testing, your implementation will be successful. USA - France - Germany - Hong-Kong - Morocco - Singapore p:6

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