This comprehensive guide uses a case-study approach to teach consultants how to deliver fast and successful SAP SRM implementations.The book is based on SAP SRM 2007 and SAP SRM 5.0, but is also compatible with version 4.0.

Explore the problems faced by consultants during an implementation from the perspective of the transitioning roles assumed over the course of the project. Beginning with your role as a business consultant in the blueprint phase, the book progresses through to your role as a techno-functional expert during the realization stage. This approach helps you anticipate challenges and gives you the tools to handle them. Going beyond the standard SAP SRM scenarios, this book gives you practical tips for enabling complex customer requirements by leveraging SAP NetWeaver and SAP Business Suite applications. You can also use this reference as a troubleshooting guide to quickly resolve potentially costly implementation challenges.

If you need practical direction for your SAP SRM implementation, then this book is ideal for you.

Highlights

• SAP SRM Overview
• Operational Procurement
• Catalog Management
• SAP NetWeaver for SRM
• Contract Management
• Strategic Sourcing
• Supplier Enablement (SUS)
• Business Workflow
• Complex Customer Scenarios and Enhancements
• FAQs and Troubleshooting Tips

About the Author(s)

Padma Prasad Munirathinam has implemented SAP solutions for ten years. A key member of the SAP SRM Regional Implementation Group, he is currently Development Manager at SAP Labs, Bangalore. Ramakrishna Potluri has worked with ERP solutions for over ten years. He was the SRM team lead for SAP Consulting in India before taking on his current role of leading the SRM Regional Implementation Group.

Table of Contents

1 Supplier Relationship Management ... 29
... 1.1 The Evolution of Procurement ... 29
... 1.2 Factors Affecting Purchasing ... 36
... 1.3 Summary ... 43

2 An Overview of SAP Supplier Relationship Management (SAP SRM) ... 45
... 2.1 Sourcing ... 46
... 2.2 Operational Procurement ... 48
... 2.3 Supplier Enablement ... 50
... 2.4 Contract Management ... 52
... 2.5 Category Management ... 54
... 2.6 Catalog Management ... 54
... 2.7 Analytics ... 55
... 2.8 Deployment Scenarios ... 58
... 2.9 Summary ... 59

3 SAP SRM Basic Settings ... 61
... 3.1 Case Study: Procurement Automation at Besttec Industries ... 62
... 3.2 System Landscape ... 64
... 3.3 Master Data in SAP SRM ... 70
... 3.4 Basic Technical Settings and Maintaining Product Master Data ... 71
... 3.5 Defining the Organization ... 85
... 3.6 Configuring an Organizational Plan ... 90
... 3.7 External Business Partners ... 95
... 3.8 Common Basic Technical Settings ... 97
... 3.9 Summary ... 101

4 SAP SRM Deployment Scenarios ... 103
... 4.1 The Standalone or Local Scenario ... 104
... 4.2 The Classic Scenario ... 106
... 4.3 The Extended Classic Scenario ... 109
... 4.4 The Decoupled Scenario ... 112
... 4.5 Deployment Scenario Implementation Settings ... 114
... 4.6 Comparison of Deployment Scenarios ... 115
... 4.7 Summary ... 117

5 Operational Procurement ... 119
... 5.1 Scenarios in Operational Procurement ... 119
... 5.2 An Introduction to Self-Service Procurement ... 120
... 5.3 Configuration of Self-Service Procurement ... 125
... 5.4 Summary ... 181

6 SAP SRM Plan-Driven Procurement ... 183
... 6.1 Case Study for Centralized Procurement: Automotive Industry ... 183
... 6.2 Overview of Functionalities ... 184
... 6.3 Configuration of External Requirements ... 188
... 6.4 Enable Catalogs with Plant Maintenance or Project Systems ... 192
... 6.5 Summary ... 196

7 Advanced Topics in Invoicing ... 197
... 7.1 Invoice Management System ... 197
... 7.2 Procurement Cards ... 212
... 7.3 Summary ... 220

8 SAP SRM Business Workflow ... 221
... 8.1 Old SAP SRM Business Workflow ... 221
... 8.2 The New SAP SRM Business Workflow ... 229
... 8.3 Summary ... 247

9 Catalog Management ... 249
... 9.1 Evolution of SAP SRM Catalog Solutions ... 249
... 9.2 SRM-MDM Catalog Overview ... 251
... 9.3 Implementing SRM-MDM Catalog ... 254
... 9.4 Summary ... 281

10 Sourcing ... 283
... 10.1 Case Study: OBECO Oil and Gas Corporation ... 284
... 10.2 SAP SRM Sourcing - A Brief Overview of Functionalities ... 286
... 10.3 Implementing Sourcing Functionalities ... 300
... 10.4 Summary ... 315

11 Service Procurement ... 317
... 11.1 Case Study: Techedge Inc. ... 318
... 11.2 SAP SRM Service Procurement - A Brief Overview of Functionalities ... 319
... 11.3 Implementation of Service Procurement ... 323
... 11.4 Summary ... 328

12 Contract Management ... 329
... 12.1 SAP Contract Management Applications ... 330
... 12.2 Case Study: Centralized Contract Management ... 333
... 12.3 SAP SRM Contract Management - A Brief Overview of Functionalities ... 334
... 12.4 Implementation of Contract Management ... 339
... 12.5 Summary ... 353

13 Supplier Self-Services with Materials Management Integration ... 355
... 13.1 Supplier Enablement Overview ... 356
... 13.2 Case Study: Supplier Collaboration ... 357
... 13.3 SRM SUS with SAP Materials Management - Overview of Functionalities ... 358
... 13.4 Implementation of Supplier Self-Services with Materials Management Integration ... 362
... 13.5 Summary ... 399

14 Supplier Self-Services with SRM Enterprise Buyer Professional Integration ... 401
... 14.1 EBP-SUS Scenario - A Brief Overview of Functionalities ... 401
... 14.2 Implementing the EBP-SUS Scenario ... 405
... 14.3 Summary ... 421

15 SAP NetWeaver for SAP SRM ... 423
... 15.1 SAP SRM on SAP NetWeaver - A Brief Overview ... 424
... 15.2 Implementing SAP NetWeaver Components for SAP SRM ... 435
... 15.3 Summary ... 439

16 FAQs, Troubleshooting Tips and Tricks in SAP SRM ... 441
... 16.1 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) ... 441
... 16.2 Troubleshooting Tips and Tricks ... 448
... 16.3 Useful SAP Notes ... 459
... 16.4 Summary ... 465

17 Customer Scenarios and Enhancements ... 467
... 17.1 Little-Known SAP SRM Scenarios ... 468
... 17.2 Enhancement Framework ... 475
... 17.3 BAdI Implementations and Customer Fields ... 476
... 17.4 Complex Customer Scenarios ... 486
... 17.5 Summary ... 490

18 Conclusion ... 491

Appendix ... 493
A Commonly Used Abbreviations ... 495
B References ... 499
C Useful Links ... 501
D Author Biographies ... 503

Index ... 505