Enterprise Architecture Knowledge Base

SAP S/4HANA Extended Warehouse Management vs. Stockroom Management

SummaryIn this enterprise architecture decision accelerator, you will learn how to decide between Extended Warehouse Management (EWM) on SAP S/4HANA and Stockroom Management (StRM) on SAP S/4HANA. Business RequirementsThe key assumption is that the c...

Navigating the SAP Business AI Landscape: Finding the Right Solution for Your Business

SummaryThe SAP ecosystem provides a comprehensive suite of AI capabilities designed to empower organizations to drive efficiency and optimize productivity. A critical responsibility for decision-makers is determining which AI functionalities align wi...

Application Choices and Decisions for Procure to Receipt Process

SummaryThis article seeks to provide guidance on deciding the most suitable target application architecture to support Procure to Receipt needs of an organization, in the context of Source to Pay end to end cycle.With SAP Ariba, SAP Fieldglass and S/...

Solution Options for Product Management (PLM)

SummaryIn this article we describe alternative options of an SAP application landscape that can provide Product Management capabilities according to the SAP Reference Architecture within the Products and Services enterprise domain (capabilities relat...

Solution Options for R&D and Engineering (PLM)

SummaryIn this article we describe alternative options of an SAP application landscape that can provide R&D and Engineering capabilities according to the SAP Reference Architecture under the Products and Services enterprise domain (capabilities relat...

SAP S/4 HANA Extended Warehouse Management Key Performance Indicator (KPI) Options

SummaryThe document discusses how to choose between different KPI monitoring tools for SAP Extended Warehouse Management (EWM). It presents three main options: integrated EWM capabilities with Fiori applications, the cloud-based SAP Warehouse Insight...

Operational Reporting on SAP S/4HANA live data

SummaryThis article describes architecture options for SAP S/4HANA operational reporting with live data needs. Analytical applications should access data directly from the application tables in SAP S/4HANA, avoiding data replication to another applic...

Strategic Decision Paths for Supply Chain Planning in Retail

SummaryThis accelerator provides businesses with a general guidance on making architectural decisions regarding the business capability of Supply Chain Planning specifically focusing on forecasting & replenishment business processes for the Retail In...

Application Decisions for HR Strategy and Planning

SummaryThis article seeks to provide guidance on defining the most suitable target application architecture to support HR Strategy and Planning needs of an organization in the Business Domain of Human Resources.With SAP SuccessFactors and SAP S/4HANA...

Application Decisions for Opportunity Management

SummaryAs part of the sales process in the customer experience domain, one of the initial and probably most important tasks is to manage opportunities. Without an effective and accurate opportunity handling, sales representatives won’t have a chance ...

Architecture Decisions for Supplier Payment Collaboration

SummaryWhen planning target architecture based on business capability assessments, the Supplier Payment Collaboration (Corporate --> Finance --> Payables and Receivables Management --> Supplier Payment Collaboration) capability under the SAP Referenc...

Architecture Decisions for Open Item Management

SummaryWhen planning target architecture based on business capability assessments, the Open Item Management (Corporate --> Finance --> Payables and Receivables Management --> Open Item Management) capability under the SAP Reference Architecture model...

Application Decisions for Service Request Management

SummaryA key part of the customer experience domain is the Service Request Management (Customer Service > Customer Service and Support) that records the initial contact from customers, and it is the starting point for a vast number of follow up proce...

Application Decisions for HR Time Management

SummaryThis article seeks to provide guidance on deciding the most suitable target application architecture to support Time Management needs of an organization in the Business Domain of Human Resources.With SAP SuccessFactors and SAP S/4HANA both del...

Strategic Decision Paths for Managing Corporate Carbon Footprint Calculations (SCT, SFM, EHS-EM)

SummaryThis article guides businesses through the architectural decision-making process regarding which SAP sustainability solutions to use for calculating corporate carbon footprints according to the Greenhouse Gas Protocol. It focuses on three SAP ...

Application Decisions for HR Talent Management

SummaryThis article seeks to provide guidance on deciding the most suitable target application architecture to support Talent Management (incl. processes for Recruiting / Talent Management / Learning / Rewarding) needs of an organization in the Busin...

Strategic Decision Paths for Managing Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and Plastic Taxes

SummaryThis article provides businesses with a comprehensive guide to making architectural decisions regarding SAP solutions for managing Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and plastic taxes. It specifically explores into two SAP solutions: SAP R...

Strategic Decision Paths for Managing Hazardous Substances: SAP ECC to SAP S/4HANA Migration

SummaryThis article guides businesses through the architectural decision-making process regarding SAP solutions for managing hazardous substances. It focuses on two specific SAP solutions: Hazardous Substance Management (HSM) and EHSM-Worker Safety -...

Solution Options for Supply Network Planning

SummaryThis article describes main options of an SAP application landscape that can provide order Supply Network Planning capability. A list of questions is intended to help evaluating the options and to make the right choice for a customer, taking ...

Application Decisions for HR Payroll

SummaryThis article seeks to provide guidance on deciding the most suitable target application architecture to support Payroll needs of an organization in the Business Domain of Human Resources.With SAP SuccessFactors and SAP S/4HANA both delivering ...

Architecture Decisions for Real Estate Management

SummaryWhen planning target architecture based on business capability assessments, the Property Management, Occupancy Management and Workspace Management (Finance - Real Estate Management) capability under the SAP RBA (Reference Business Architecture...

Architecture Decisions for Treasury Management

SummaryWhen planning target architecture based on business capability assessments, the Financial Service Provider Management, Debt and Investment Management and Commodity Risk Management (Finance --> Treasury) capability under the SAP RBA (Reference ...

Application Decisions for HR Personnel Administration and Organization Management

SummaryThis article seeks to provide guidance on deciding the most suitable target application architecture to support Personnel Administration (PA) and Organization Management (OM) needs of an organization in the Business Domain of Human Resources.W...

SAP Yard Management and SAP Yard Logistics Deployment Options – embedded vs. side-by-side

In this decision accelerator, you will know how to decide between embedded SAP Yard Logistics (SAP YL) on SAP S/4HANA and side-by-side SAP YL on SAP S/4HANA Private cloud or on-premise edition. Business RequirementsThere are two major business scenar...

Solution Options for Production Planning and Scheduling

SummaryIn this article we describe alternative SAP application landscape options for Production Planning and Scheduling and provide guidance on deciding the most suitable target application architecture. The primary focus is Constraint-based Planning...

Architecture Decisions for Cash and Liquidity Management

SummaryWhen planning target architecture based on business capability assessments, the Cash and Liquidity Management (Finance -> Treasury) capability under the SAP RBA (Reference Business Architecture) model has the SAP Analytics Cloud solution in ad...

Solution Options for Manufacturing Engineering

SummaryIn this article we describe alternative options of an SAP application landscape that can provide Manufacturing Engineering capabilities and provide guidance on deciding the most suitable target application architecture. The broader PLM (R&D) i...

Solution Options for Manufacturing Performance Management

SummaryIn this article we describe alternative options of an SAP application landscape that can provide Manufacturing Performance Management capabilities and provide guidance on deciding the most suitable target application architecture. The primary ...

Application Choices and Decisions for The Inbound Supply Planning and Optimizing Process (Updated)

SummaryUpdated Content as of February 2025: Scenarios covered in the Section -- Capability Distribution Across E2E Process VariantsThis article seeks to provide guidance on deciding the most suitable target application architecture to support Inbound...

Application Choices and Decisions for The Contract Management Process

SummaryThis article seeks to provide guidance on deciding the most suitable target application architecture to support Contract Management needs of an organization.With SAP Ariba and S/4HANA both delivering solution capabilities around Contract Manag...

SAP EWM Deployment Options – embedded vs decentral warehouse management

SummaryIn this enterprise architecture decision accelerator, you will know how to decide between embedded Extended Warehouse Management (EWM) on SAP S/4HANA and decentral EWM on SAP S/4HANA. Business RequirementsYou have the following two business sc...

Application Choices and Decisions for The Sourcing Process

SummaryThis article seeks to provide guidance on deciding the most suitable target application architecture to support Sourcing needs of an organization.With SAP Ariba and S/4HANA both delivering solution capabilities around Sourcing, enterprises now...

Solution Options for Manufacturing Operations Management

SummaryIn this article we describe alternative options of an SAP application landscape that can provide Manufacturing Operations Management (MOM) capabilities. A list of criteria is intended to help evaluating the options and to make the right choice...

SAP S/4 HANA Event Management (EM) Deployment Options – stand-alone vs S/4 HANA add-on

SummaryIn this decision accelerator, you will know how to decide between S/4 HANA Event Management (EM) to be deployed as stand-alone or as an add-on on SAP S/4HANA in on-premise or private cloud.Business RequirementsSAP Event Management on SAP S/4HA...

SAP Transportation Resource Planning (TRP) Deployment Options

SummaryIn this decision accelerator, you will know different deployment options for SAP Transportation Resource Planning (SAP TRP).SAP Transportation Resource Planning is a solution for planning, managing, and optimizing the use of your transportatio...

SAP TM Deployment Options – embedded vs side-by-side Transportation management

SummaryIn this decision accelerator, you will know how to decide between embedded TM on SAP S/4HANA and side-by-side TM on SAP S/4HANA Private cloud or on-premise edition.Business RequirementsThere are two major business scenarios for transportation ...

Architecture Decisions for Revenue and Cost Recognition Capability

SummaryWhen planning target architecture based on business capability assessments, the Revenue and Cost Recognition capability under the SAP RBA (Reference Business Architecture) model lists the SAP Revenue Accounting and Reporting solution capabilit...

Architecture Decisions for General Ledger Accounting Capability

SummaryWhen planning target architecture based on business capability assessments, the General Ledger Accounting capability under the SAP RBA (Reference Business Architecture) model lists the SAP Account Substantiation and Automation by BlackLine pro...

Architecture Decisions for Transfer Price Management Capability

SummaryWhen planning target architecture based on business capability assessments, the Transfer Price Management capability under the SAP RBA (Reference Business Architecture) model lists the SAP Profitability and Performance Management solution in a...

Solution Options for Material Requirements Planning

SummaryThis article describes alternative options of an SAP application landscape that can provide Material Requirements Planning (MRP) capability. A list of questions is intended to help evaluating the options and to make the right choice for a cust...

Architecture Decisions for Financial Analytics Capability

SummaryThis article seeks to provide guidance on choosing the most relevant architecture to support financial analytics needs at an organization. With the SAP Intelligent Suite and specifically based on the Universal Journal in SAP S/4HANA, organizat...

Which Solutions to Use for Financial Closing

SummaryIn this article I describe alternative options of SAP solutions to cover Financial Closing out of SAPs product portfolio.Business RequirementsThe monthly, quarterly, or yearly financial closing process of a company requires the execution and s...

Practical guidelines to create great architecture artifacts

“A Diagram is (Sometimes) Worth Ten Thousand Words” - Larkin and SimonSummary:Creating exceptional enterprise architecture artifacts is pivotal in driving successful digital transformations. These artifacts serve as the cornerstone of a company's tec...

Solution Selection for Financial Master Data Management

SummaryIn this article we describe alternative options of SAP solutions to cover Financial Master Data Management.Business RequirementsAs Financial master data we consider objects like cost centers, profit centers, accounts and their groupings and hi...

Solution Selection for Overhead Cost Accounting

SummaryIn this article we describe alternative options of SAP solutions to cover Overhead Cost Accounting.Business RequirementsAbility to perform cost center accounting and to record and summarize overhead costs by area of responsibility. This also i...

Supporting Service Parts Planning with Deployment options - Embedded or DSC Edition

SummaryIn this article we describe alternative deployment options of SAP S/4HANA eSPP application landscape to provide Service Parts Planning Capabilities. Business RequirementsIf your business requires a network-based planning and distribution solu...

The Right Choice of an Application Landscape to Provide for Financial Consolidation

SummaryIn this article I describe alternative options of an SAP application landscape that can provide cover the requirement for consolidation and give the list of questions to answer to make the right choice for a customer, taking his situation and ...

Product Compliance: Transition to SAP S/4HANA

SummaryYou are currently using Product Compliance (Product Safety and/or Product and REACH Compliance) in SAP ECC. You are now considering to move to SAP S/4HANA.Business RequirementsProduct Compliance comprises the following main components:Product ...

Deciding on SAP Instance Strategy

SummaryIn this article you will get to know typical approaches to making a decision about the number of production instances of an ERP system (e.g. SAP S/4HANA) or other major SAP enterprise solution.Business RequirementsThe current system architectu...

When to use SAP S/4HANA Embedded Analytics?

SummaryIn this article, I describe characteristics and boundary conditions of SAP S/4HANA embedded analytics and decision criteria when to use it, but also when not to use it and instead using SAP Business Technology Platform (SAP BTP) or other adeq...

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