Search Results for: sap-apo

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    The Brightwork Research & Analysis Honest Vendor Rating for SAP

    ByPrimary Researcher

    Executive Summary

    This is the Honest Vendor Rating for SAP.
    SAP ranks as one of our lowest-rated vendors in topics ranging from SAP’s sales tactics to their value.

    Introduction
    SAP is the world’s largest enterprise software company. However, as a company, like the most significant consumer software company in the world, Microsoft, SAP lives in a bubble. In SAP’s world, they make the best software it contains all of the best practices. Best practices is a circular concept which is applied by many vendors, but which has become a marketing fixation on the part of SAP …

  • How to Extract the Supply Network Master Data

    ByPrimary Researcher

    Executive Summary

    Background on Master Data Extraction.
    Using MASSD, the Mass Data Transaction in SAP.

    Background on Master Data Extraction
    Unlike the configuration data or the master data from the product location master, some, but not all, of the master data of the supply master data, can also be migrated to the new region. Of course, the locations will be different; however, many of the settings can be leveraged. This means gaining an understanding of these settings. The first step is understanding the supply network at a high level so that the person doing this work can know the proper …

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    The Problem with the In Transit Key Figure

    ByPrimary Researcher

    … Network is apparent on this point: I quote from Sunitha Lankela at SAP Community Network.
    Stock in transit key figure will display only EI orders (in case of a VMI scenario) and AH orders (if you create inbound delivery). If you integrate stock, CS orders only will be available in /sapapo/RRP3. The root of the problem is in the setting from Intransit key figure: from a planning area management point of view it reflects the setting used in the standard SNP planning area but the customizing of the category group used there is different from the one used in …

  • How to Improve SAP Help

    ByPrimary Researcher

    … could be significantly improved by merely allowing Google to perform the site search. We use a Google Site search for all of our sites, and it works better and provides better results than what SAP search provides.
    SAP’s articles need to be updated. It seems like many in the SAP APO space have not been updated for years.
    SAP should use more screenshots. Screenshots are critical for understanding applications and how to configure the application. However, SAP uses no screenshots.
    SAP appears to have made some navigational changes to the Help documentation. We can’t put our finger on …

  • Using The Folders for Transaction Favorites in SAP

    ByPrimary Researcher

    Executive Summary

    Favorite organization in SAP.
    Importing and exporting favorites.

    Introduction
    It’s common to see people use the favorites functionality within SAP. However, it’s much less common to see people use folders. I find folders to be very beneficial because first, it takes time to scan many favorites, and secondly, I end up creating so many favorites that I need some way to organize them. You can see below I have several folders created that hold my favorites.
    Favorites are probably more important in APO and SAP ERP because APO transactions are always a longer and a pain …

  • Efficiency Issues With SAP Configuration

    ByPrimary Researcher

    Executive Summary

    Why configuration is so problematic in APO.
    What are some of the major issues?
    How the configuration effort in APO compares to the best of breed solutions.
    A far superior approach to configuration, which could significantly improve implementations.

    Pre Reading
    The previous article I wrote highlights an issue I am increasingly noticing in SAP configuration.
    Introduction
    I have long felt that the configuration screens in SAP could be significantly simplified and improved. On the IMG side, essentially, all that is being done is parameters are being defined. However, there are far too many screens and objects to navigate …

  • How to Understand The Storage Buckets Profile and The Planning Buckets Profile

    ByPrimary Researcher

    Executive Summary

    The Storage Bucket Profile is assigned to the Planning Book.
    We cover the Planning Bucket and periodicities and how they are mixed.
    We cover when to use CTM.

    Introduction to Storage and Planning Buckets
    The Storage Bucket and Planning Buckets are used to control the timings within APO. You will learn the logic for and how these timing controls are set up in APO.
    Two Types of Timing Profiles
    There are two types of timing profiles related to buckets used in APO.

    Storage Bucket Profile = How the data is stored
    Planning Buckets Profile – How the data is planned …

  • New Book on SAP SCM

    ByPrimary Researcher

    Well, it was a lot of work, but my new book is now available.
    Discover SAP SCM
    The book is titled Discover SAP SCM and is published by SAP Press. It provides an overview of the entire SAP SCM suite and is a good book for those new to SCM, for those who work in SCM, but looking to get a broader view. It is also useful for decision makers as a guide for which specific modules in SCM offer their companies the highest opportunity. It includes an overview of all the modules in SCM, but also chapters on how …

  • How to Understand The Differences Between SAP ERP and Advanced Planning

    ByPrimary Researcher

    … is future based and deals in different scenarios, presenting them to planners, picking the best alternative. In advanced planning, the plan may be recreated several times before it is firmed and sent to the execution system. True advanced planning systems cannot execute recommendations; they can only make recommendations. 
    The plan may be recreated several times before it’s firmed and sent to the execution system in advanced planning. True advanced planning systems can’t execute recommendations; they can only make recommendations. While SAP had supply chain applications for some time before SAP APO, SAP APO was SAP’s first venture

  • The Benefits of Using a Simulation and Archival Blog For Supply Chain Planning

    ByPrimary Researcher

    Executive Summary

    What is simulation?
    Simulation on separate hardware or the same hardware as production.
    Why simulation is so important.
    Is APO a naturally good simulation environment?
    How simulation is generally presented.
    How difficult is a simulation?
    What is a simulation archival blog?
    Tags and Categories for Simulation Runs
    Developing Simulation Prioritization
    How Prevalent is Simulation?
    Simulation and S&OP

    What Is a Simulation Archive Blog?
    Supply chain simulation is the offline alteration of master data and sometimes transaction data to see how changes affect the plan’s output (separated into planning models and versions in SAP APO).
    Simulation on …