SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition, AI-assisted back order processing [BOPAI]

[ArvindSharma]

Order Promising plays a critical role in the sales process, providing confirmation on product availability, order quantity, and expected delivery dates. Backorder Processing (BOP) is an essential capability that helps Order Fulfillment Managers resolve confirmation bottlenecks. By applying BOP strategies, the system ensures that high-priority or time-sensitive orders are fulfilled first, while lower-priority orders are processed afterward.

With the BOP AI use case, the Order Fulfillment Manager no longer needs to learn the entire sequential process required to schedule a BOP run. Instead, the system simplifies the workflow by aligning order fulfilment with customer priority through intuitive, AI-driven interaction.

To simplify and automate these tasks, the BOPAI use case enables users to execute BOP through a simple, conversational interaction with Joule.

The solution operates in two modes:

(a) Fast Track – Minimal user intervention is required, allowing BOP to run quickly and efficiently.
(b) Guided – The user is prompted to provide inputs such as names and strategy selections, offering greater control and flexibility

Steps of Execution:

• The user logs into the Fiori Launchpad and initiates Joule to begin an interactive chat.
• As shown in the below screenshot on the left, the user is presented with a chatbot interface that includes predefined prompts to help kickstart the conversation.
• The user can either select the “Configure Backorder Processing” option or type any relevant prompt to initiate the interaction process.

When the user clicks the Configure Backorder Processing prompt, two options are presented:

• Fast Track
• Guided

Fast Track:
As the name suggests, this option is designed for users who want quick results without getting into the details of each input. The user simply provides the material and plant information, and the system handles the rest, delivering fast and efficient output.

Guided:
This option takes the user through a step-by-step process to create a segment and variant. The user can specify names for both the segment and the variant, and also choose the strategy to be applied for the BOP execution. This mode offers more control and customisation throughout the workflow.

If Fast Track option is selected, the prompt asks the user to provide the product, plant, and simulation status. As shown, the strategy is automatically set to Improve, and the system requests confirmation before proceeding.

The user can now see that the simulation has completed successfully, and the relevant details are displayed for review. If the simulation results are satisfactory, the user can proceed with the actual run. Once the actual run is finished, the updated confirmations are shown, including the processed requirements and any changes to confirmed quantities. With these steps completed, the BOP - Fast Track execution concludes successfully—with minimal user intervention.

Having walked through the BOPAI Fast Track use case, we will now explore the Guided scenario. When the Guided option is selected, the user is prompted to provide the BOP segment name, along with the product and plant details. Once these inputs are entered, the subsequent steps of the guided process are initiated.

At this stage, the segment has been created. The user can either navigate to the Create BOP Segment app to review the newly created segment or proceed directly to the next steps. Before selecting a strategy during variant creation, the user may also choose to explore the available confirmation strategies to make an informed decision.

The next step is to create a variant. When the user selects Create BOP Variant, they are prompted to provide a name for the variant and choose the desired strategy. A simulation is then displayed, allowing the user to verify the details before proceeding. If everything looks correct, the user continues with the variant creation. In this example, the Win strategy is selected. With the combination of the created segment and variant, the system reshuffles confirmations to achieve improved allocation results.

The updated confirmation statuses are displayed for reference. This concludes the process flow of the Guided AI use case. With the BOPAI usecase depicted above, complex backorder decisions become simple, guided, and efficient.

This AI feature is now made available with the Joule Base license without any additional charge from Cloud Edition 2511 (November 2025) release onwards. Experience the BOPAI usecase and feel free to drop-in your feedback to ar.sharma@sap.com