SAP for Retail

SAP for Retail is an industry-specific software solution from the software company SAP SE for retail . As a total system network which is to enterprise software retailers in the design of product lines , the sales possibilities , the corresponding operations , the logistics on and checkout ( point-of-sale support).

There are more than 9,500 retail and wholesale customers of SAP SE worldwide .

The term SAP for Retail is often incorrectly used synonymously with SAP Retail . Under SAP for Retail , the complete solutions offered by SAP SE for retailers and is SAP Retail , the ERP system understood (Enterprise Resource Planning System). The latter is also known as an inventory control system.

The merchandise management solution is a part of SAP ERP - albeit initially invisible . Since the software requirements in retail are different from those in other branches of the economy, the ERP system must first be set for retail. The functions specially developed for this industry can only be used if the SAP ERP system is defined as SAP Retail. In a technical sense, this means that objects in the data dictionary such as B. Database tables can be extended by specific industrial fields. A major difference lies, for example, in the use of the master data . The specification replaces the material master with the article master, for example , since the majority of retail-specific functions are only used with articles and not with materials. In most of the other functions of SAP ERP that are also relevant for retail, however, articles and materials can be used as alternatives. One example is Fresh Item Management , which, in addition to specific functions for retail, also uses the functions of product planning. This form is also known under the term retail switch .

history

In 1994 SAP SE took over Dacos Software GmbH and renamed it SAP Retail Solutions in 1997. Before the takeover, SAP SE also used the MM (Material Management), SD (Sales and Distribution) and Warehousing modules for the retail sector. One of the most noticeable changes in the system after the takeover was a top-down menu in which additional functionality, data and additional organizational units could be added to the standard modules. In the course of time the material became the article master, more and more components and entire applications were added and further acquisitions completed the range.

In 1999 Campell Software Inc. in Chicago (USA) was acquired (1997 with sales of 11.9 million dollars). Campell Software Inc. itself was founded in 1989 and developed software for personnel deployment planning and time recording, which, thanks to the integration into SAP ERP HCM ( Human Capital Management ), allows almost any time accounts to be kept in order to deal with the complicated overtime and bonus regulations to be able to automatically settle various shell or house collective agreements.

In 2006, the acquisitions of Khimetrics from Scottsdale (USA) as a leading provider of demand management solutions and Triversity (Canada) as a provider of POS solutions were added. Today, demand management software supports retail companies in synchronizing their sales strategy with customer requirements. The POS solutions not only add up the items and calculate the VAT, but also enable store inventory management, customer relationship management and service solutions for store and multichannel processes.

In 2009 the last acquisition of SAF AG (Simulation, Analysis and Forecasting), which specializes in the development of automated ordering and forecasting software for retailers, took place. SAF AG was founded in 1996 and the main office is in Tägerwilen (Switzerland); further branches in USA and Slovakia. The acquisition was preceded by a long cooperation, because the ordering and forecasting software has long been part of the SAP forecasting and replenishment solution.

Retail systems, applications and products

In retail, goods have to be ordered, advertised, delivered, checked, paid for and booked - sometimes they are exchanged and returned or they are broken. These processes are supported by the SAP applications for retail, from the manufacturer or supplier to the end user. To a large extent, this is done with the help of the merchandise management or ERP system, but very specific functions are implemented using specialized applications.

Applications for range planning

With the help of the applications of this group, retailers are able to monitor the life cycle of goods , especially fashion goods, and at the same time continuously develop new service offerings for the sales channels.
Strategic planning: Defining the strategic direction and financial goals
Price and promotion planning : pricing - with and without promotions, compilation of the items that are suitable for an advertising measure, along with analyzes of the measures
Copy planning - Reduction of the inventory at the end of the season while avoiding the loss of copies or removing the article from the range of products

Applications in logistics

Supply chain management - management and control of the supply chain including forecast and optimization procedures

Supplier relationship management - supplier control and optimization of purchasing processes

Warehousing and transport - support of the supply chain by integrating warehouse management and transport

Applications for multi-channel distribution

Customer Relationship Management - Targeted addressing of customers, giving impulses, closing deals
Multichannel as a complete solution - cross-sales sales processes in area and distance business

Applications for branches

Checkout solutions - from checking out to evaluating receipts
Branch merchandise management - goods movement and evaluation in real time, execution and control of actions
Branch disposition - inventory overview in real time, ordering process and forecasts
Price optimization - consideration of the price image, calculation of the optimal price
Personnel planning - planning of resources, determination of requirements, calculation of costs

Applications for analysis

Using the so-called key performance indicators , the performance of the branches and the company as a whole, the attractiveness of the offer, the performance of the supply chain and the purchasing behavior of end customers can be measured and evaluated.
Retail Performance Management: Is implemented with the help of the acquired Business Objects software , which provides solutions for optimizing corporate performance.

Basic company-wide application

Financials: processing of banking transactions, administration of liquid funds, maintenance of general ledgers and subsidiary ledgers, implementation from the field of auditors, etc.
Human Capital Management (HCM): Identifying, recruiting, developing and retaining employees.
Operations Support: Administration and control of existing property and facilities in accordance with security regulations

literature

Heike Rawe: SAP for Retail . Galileo Press, Bonn 2008, ISBN 978-3-8362-1176-5
Jörg Becker , Wolfgang Uhr, Oliver Vering: Retail Information Systems Based on SAP Products . Springer Verlag, Berlin, Heidelberg, New York 2001, ISBN 3-540-67199-4
Jörg Becker , Oliver Vering, Axel Winkelmann: Software selection and implementation in industry and trade . Approach and experience with ERP and merchandise management systems. Springer Verlag, Berlin, Heidelberg, New York 2007, ISBN 978-3540474241

Web links

Individual evidence

↑ Company profile at inc.com ( Memento of the original from June 6, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , accessed September 26, 2009 @1@ 2

↑ Press release from SAP AG , accessed on September 26, 2009

↑ Press release from SAP AG ( Memento of the original dated July 16, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , accessed September 26, 2009 @1@ 2

↑ Press release from SAP AG ( Memento of the original dated July 16, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , accessed September 26, 2009 @1@ 2

[1] Company profile at inc.com ( Memento of the original from June 6, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , accessed September 26, 2009 @1@ 2

[2] Press release from SAP AG , accessed on September 26, 2009

[3] Press release from SAP AG ( Memento of the original dated July 16, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , accessed September 26, 2009 @1@ 2

[4] Press release from SAP AG ( Memento of the original dated July 16, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , accessed September 26, 2009 @1@ 2