Sunday, August 24, 2008

Further checking of broken BEx queries


From time to time it is usual that there is an error of query while checking it (button Check Query in toolbar) in BEx Query Designer. This function is checking the query definition for errors. It is the same whenever you use Quit or Use Query function system is doing same check function automatically.


If there is an error like:
Unable to generate query XYZ without errors
Message no. BRAIN125

You need to check ABAP report which is behind your broken query. Query has a ABAPs called like GP* (GP means Generated Program) followed by some hash string e.g. GP44ZX6QULYHYDO4R27HWIHRIQ8. Once there is an error system copies GP* to ABAP report called RSR_BAD_CODING. Afterwards you need to investigate this ABAP report. You can use transaction SE38 (ABAP Editor) for that. Once you reach this transaction hit Display button to display source code of report. Then check syntax of report by Check button on toolbar (CTRL+F2). This functionality tells you exactly the line of report there error is. Using the type of syntax error returned you need to realize if you need to adjust your query back in BEx Query Designer or you can apply an SAP Note to correct this problem. 


This story continues in second part here: Further checking of broken BEx queries 2

Monday, August 18, 2008

No clue between: mySAP BS, ERP, ECC, BBD, A1S, AIO, SBO?


Here are some key differences between several SAP’s solutions:


1. SAP Bussiness Suite (former mySAP Business Suite (BS)) is a new platform of former SAP flagship system SAP R/3. This system covers needs of big enterprises of diverse industries in variety of managing. Speaking in marketing language it is a suite of adaptable business solution for optimization of key business processes. mySAP BS is built on NetWeaver platform and is integrated to other SAP/non SAP solutions. This product fits to horizontal enterprise’s solution. Following see mySAP BS applications (former term in R/3 terminology was module and in terms of mySAP.com there was a term called component):
CRM - Customer Relationship Management
ERP – Enterprise Resource Planning covers core business software requirements like:
Financials (FI), Human Capital anagement Resources (HCM, former HR module of R/3), etc. ERP is basically successor of what we know as SAP R/3. ERP consists of ERP Central Component (ECC) and its EnHancement Packages (EHP).
PLM – Product Lifecycle Management
SCM - Supply Chain Management
SRM - Supplier Relationship Management



Some renaming within mySAP BS/ERP applications occurs as follows:


Old name:                                             New name:
mySAP ERP                              ->          SAP ERP
mySAP ERP 2005                      ->          SAP ERP 6.0
mySAP ERP Financials                ->          SAP ERP Financials
mySAP ERP HCM                       ->          SAP ERP HCM
mySAP ERP Operations               ->          SAP ERP Operations
mySAP ERP Corporate Services    ->          SAP ERP Corporate Services


For more information see official SAP BS pages.

2. Business ByDesign (BBD) is former SAP All-in-One (A1S) product. It is kind of software as service (SaaS) product. SAP trying to pursuit fast growing market while customers is subscribing for this software according real needs. BBD is hosted by SAP by providing technology infrastructure and services. It is targeting middle size companies. For more information see my previous posts on BBD topic or official SAP pages.

3. SAP Business All-in-One (AIO) is targeting small enterprises (SME or SMB). Solution is surrounded by 60 best practices (sometimes called baseline packages) available for SAP partners to build products on top of them. Other bundled staff is configuration tools, accelerators, product documentation and pre-sales demonstration scripts. It can be considered that AIO is SAP Business Suite (see point no.1 - above) delivered with preconfigured content for industry specific areas. SAP Business All-in-One includes:
Enterprise resource planning (ERP)
Customer relationship management (CRM)
Business analytics
SAP Best Practices
SAP NetWeaver technology platform

For more information see official SAP Business All-in-One pages.

4. SAP Business One (SBO) is solution for small enterprises (SME or SMB) market built from scratch on MS Windows platform. It has following functional areas:
Financials
Sales opportunity management
Sales – A/R
Purchasing – A/P
Business partner management
Banking
Inventory
Production
Material requirements planning (MRP)
Service management
Human resources management
Reporting

For more information see official SAP SME pages.

-  update 22/01/2010 -
Here’s picture with SAP software portfolio approximately as of year 2008: