This document provides an overview of SAP, an enterprise resource planning (ERP) software package. It describes SAP R/3, the main ERP application, its modules for areas like sales, procurement, production, and finance. It also explains the typical client-server architecture used to implement SAP R/3, including 2-tier and 3-tier configurations. Additional topics covered include customizing the software to model a business, reporting tools, and system messages.

1. SAP Overview

2. SAP?
• Company
• ERP Software package
– R/2
– R/3

3. Why ERP
• Integration
• Best business practices
• Standardization

4. Why not ERP?
• Complexity
• Cost
• Inflexibility

5. SAP R/3 System Business Modules
Sales &
Distribution
Materials
Mgmt.
Production
Planning
Financial
Accounting
Controlling
Fixed Assets
Mgmt.
Quality
Mgmt.
Plant
Maintenance
Human
Resources
Workflow
Industry
Solutions
R/3
Client / Server
ABAP/4 Project
System
Logistical Financial

6. R/3 System: Hardware/Software Views

7. Typical Client Server Architectures
Central System
Two - tier
Distributed System
Two - tier
Client/Server
Three - tier
Client/Server
Multi-layer
Cooperative
Client/Server
Presentation Application Database

8. Database and
Application
R/3 System Configurations
Central System
SAP
2-Tier Configuration 3-Tier Configuration Web-enabled
Presentation
Database,
Application,
Presentation
Database
Application
Presentation
Internet
Transaction
Service/Web
Service
In a central R/3 System configuration, one host is responsible for all processing
tasks.

9. Database and
Application
R/3 System Configurations
Central Systems
SAP
2-Tier Configuration 3-Tier Configuration Web-enabled
Presentation
Database,
Application,
Presentation
Database
Application
Presentation
Internet
Transaction
Service/Web
Service
Two tier R/3 System‑ configurations are usually implemented using special
presentation servers that are responsible solely for formatting the graphical interface.
Many R/3 System users use PCs with Microsoft Windows installed, for example, as‑
presentation servers.

10. An alternative two tier‑ configuration is to install powerful desktop systems and to use
these for presentation and applications (two tier client/server). This type of‑
configuration is particularly useful for expensive applications (such as simulations) or
for software developers.
Database and
Application
R/3 System Configurations
Central Systems
SAP
2-Tier Configuration 3-Tier Configuration Web-enabled
Presentation
Database,
Application,
Presentation
Database
Application
Presentation
Internet
Transaction
Service/Web
Service

11. In a three tier‑ configuration, you use your own host for the three tiers. Using data
from the database server, several different application servers can operate at the same
time. To ensure that the load on individual servers is as even as possible and to
achieve optimal performance, you can use special application servers for individual
application areas such as sales planning, distribution or financial accounting.
Database and
Application
R/3 System Configurations
Central Systems
SAP
2-Tier Configuration 3-Tier Configuration Web-enabled
Presentation
Database,
Application,
Presentation
Database
Application
Presentation
Internet
Transaction
Service/Web
Service

12. Database and
Application
R/3 System Configurations
Central Systems
SAP
2-Tier Configuration 3-Tier Configuration Web-enabled
Presentation
Database,
Application,
Presentation
Database
Application
Presentation
Internet
Transaction
Service/Web
Service
To web enable‑ the SAP Applications, a Web Server and an ITS (Internet Transaction
Server) are needed. The web service and the services for the ITS can run on one‑
server or on two dedicated servers. The presentation in this configuration is provided
by an Internet Browser. The new SAP Web platform is NetWeaver.

13. Basis System: Three-Tier Computer Hierarchy
Input / Output
of data to users
Access to Dataase:
(Read / Write data)
Central Database
(Storage of all data)
Database
Application
Presentation
Processing of data
using application logic
Presentation of the
processed data to
the user

14. Client/Server Overview
Client
Server
LAN/WAN
TCP / IP

15. Client/Server Overview (Logical Structure)
Presentation
Data Storage
Application
Logic
Client
Server

16. ©SAP AG
R
What does an R/3 Database Contain?
R/3
System
database
Repository ObjectsRepository Objects
Customizing ObjectsCustomizing Objects
ClientClient ClientClient ClientClient
Global SettingsGlobal Settings

17. © SAP AG
R
What is a Client?
“A client is an autonomous unit in the R/3 System with
regard to commercial law, organization, and data.”
ClientClient
User Master
Customizing
Application
user recordsuser authorization
client-dependentcustomizing data
transaction datamaster data

18. Common Client Roles
CUST
QTST
PROD
Development &Development &
CustomizingCustomizing
Quality AssuranceQuality Assurance
ProductionProduction
Configuring of client settings and
creation of new functionality
Functionality testing and
verification of configuration
Productive activities and business
data

19. Additional Client Roles
SAND
PPRD
SandboxSandbox
TestTest
TrainingTraining
Pre-productionPre-production
Sampling of customizing
transactions and settings
Testing of configuration settings
with data
Configured environment for the
load of legacy data prior to the
start of productive activities
TRNG End-user customer training
environment
TEST

20. Sample SAP System Landscape
Development Testing Production
Database
Servers
Application
Servers
Presentation
Servers

21. Object Migration
Program A
Table A
Screen A
Program A
Table A
Screen A
Program A
Table A
Screen A
Development QA Testing Production
Corrections and Transport

22. Object Migration
Program A
Version 1
Program A
Version 1
Program A
Version 2
Program A
Version 2
Program A
Version 3
Program A
Version 3
Program A
Version 1
Program A
Version 1
Program A
Version 2
Program A
Version 2
Program A
Version 3
Program A
Version 3
Originals
Development QA Testing
Corrections
and
Transport
?
?

23. Geography-based Clients
R/3
America
R/3
Europe
R/3
Japan
America Client 010America Client 010
Japan Client 030Japan Client 030
Europe Client 020Europe Client 020

24. Client Copies
Configuration
Development
Interface Testing
Quality Assurance
User Training

25. ERP: Integration
Integrate people, data and business
processes within and between
organizations.
Collaboration, non-redundancy, consistency
and internal process optimization.

26. Procurement Process
Outline
Agreement
Demand
Purchase
Requisition Vendor
Purchase
OrderGoods Receipt
& Inventory Mgmt.
Accounts
Payable
Invoice
Verification
Scheduling
Agreement

27. Production Process
Goods Issue Shop Floor
Goods ReceiptOrder Settlement
Schedule/Release

28. Sales Process — Trading Goods
Customer Order Picking
Goods IssueBillingAccounts Receivable
Packing

29. Sales Process Finished Goods
Customer Order
Availability
Check
Goods Issue
BillingPartial PaymentFinal Payment

30. Sales Process Finished Goods
Customer Order
Availability Check
- Insufficient -
Independent
Demand
MRP Run
Production
Scheduling
Purchasing
Dependent
Demand

31. Process Flow
Goods Issue
to Shop Floor
Goods
ReceiptProduction
Goods IssueBillingAccounts Receivable

32. Logging In
• Basics

33. Client
• This is a numeric field.
• This number defines a whole business
entity.

34. User
• Every SAP user has a user name.
• Users of SAP system are client-specific,
which means that having a user
identification on one client will only allow
access to that particular client.

35. Password Rules
• Letters
• Numbers
• Easy to remember
• 3-8 Characters long
• No 3 Characters can be the same
• Do not start with a ? or an !
• Do not use previous 5 passwords

36. Language
• SAP supports multi-national character sets
and languages on the same system, at the
same time.
• Default languages are English and
German.

37. Field Types
• There are three types of Entry Fields
– Required
– Default entry
– Optional entry field

38. Sessions
• An SAP session is a window in which the
user may perform a particular task.
• A User may have up to nine sessions
open at one time.

39. SAP R/3 Resource Management: The Dispatcher
Data base
Application
Presentation
BuffersWork
Process
Work
Process
Work
Process
Dispatcher
SAP GUI
Communications

40. SAP Memory BufferSAP Memory Buffer
Relational database systemRelational database system
SAP GUISAP GUI
SAP R/3 Resource Management: Data Flow
Data base
Application
Presentation
Work
Process
Dispatcher
Terminal
Process
Request queuesRequest queues
11
33
22
44
55
66
77
Roll
Page

41. SAP Dispatcher
SAP R/3 Resource Management: Work Processes
1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8 9 10 11
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
19 20 21 22 23 24 25
26 27 28 29 30 31
1999
Background Jobs
Spool
Enqueue
Dialog Update
Message
Sold to party: C100
Item Material Qty
10 6301 10
20 6412 10
30 1507 25
O r d e r
Sold to party: C100
Item Material Qty
10 6301 10
20 6412 10
30 1507 25
O r d e r
Sold to party: C100
Item Material Qty
10 6301 10
20 6412 10
30 1507 25
O r d e r
Sold to party: C100
Item Material Qty
10 6301 10
20 6412 10
30 1507 25
O r d e r
M
Gateway
R/2
R/3
G
AA
BB
CC

42. SAP R/3 Resource Management:
Lock Management by the Enqueue Work Process
Work
Process
Update
Work
Process
Enqueue
Dispatcher
Work
Process
Update
Work
Process
Enqueue
Dispatcher
Lock table in
main storage
Message
Server
Instance A
Instance B

43. SAP R/3 Resource Management: R/3 Instance
Dialog . . . . Update Spool
Back-
ground
Enqueue
Dispatcher
Database
Instance
Database
Instance Message
Server
Message
Server
SAP
Gateway
SAP
Gateway
Instance Profiles
(parameters)
Instance Profiles
(parameters)
SAP BuffersSAP Buffers
Start
or
Stop
Start
or
Stop
Central Instance

44. SAP R/3 Resource Management: Distributed SAP R/3 Processing
Dialog Update Enqueue Spool
Dispatcher
Mess-
age
Gate-
way
Instance 01
Enqueue Dialog . . .
Dispatcher
Instance 02
Dialog
Back-
ground
Enqueue
Dispatcher
Instance 03

45. Reporting
• Three basic steps to running a report
– Access the report
– Enter selection criteria
– Execute the report

46. System MessagesSystem Messages
 E - Error
– An invalid entry has been made.
– The cursor moves to the field where the
error has occurred.
 W - Warning
– A possible error has been made.
–The user can continue without changing.
I – Information
– Feedback from the system.

47. Customizing - Modeling the Business
–Organizational Structures in each module
–Master Data - Customers, Materials, …
–Rules - required entries, tolerances, …

48. Mapping
–Assignment of organizational structures
to reflect the enterprise model
–Establishes integration among modules