This week the next set of enhancement packages for the SAP Business Suite core applications SAP ERP (EHP 7), SAP CRM (EHP 3), SAP SCM (EHP3), and SAP SRM (EHP3) became available to our customers immediately. Enhancement packs allow benefit from functional enhancements of existing releases without doing a release upgrade reducing costs of IT. Instead only those business functions are selected within a so-called switch framework that are of interest.
The enhancement packages consolidate all innovations for the SAP Business Suite powered by HANA that have been delivered in180 quarterly shipments over the last two years. It also contains significant innovations for Commodity Management and Billing and Revenue Innovation Management.
The new enhancement packages are generally available effective immediately because most of the innovations have already been included in quarterly shipments and are already in productive use. This means that there will be no ramp-up program, but we offer customers the participation in the "SAP Business Suite on HANA Care Program" to ensure fast and smooth implementations for those who want to install the Business Suite on HANA which is possible now from these Enhancement Pack Levels. There is an exception regarding Ramp-Up: Customers who need the new Commodity Management or the new Billing and Revenue Innovation Management functionality will have to participate in a ramp-up program.
You can find more information about the innovations included in the enhancement packages in the help portal and linked release notes (SAP ERP 6 EHP 7, SAP CRM 7 EHP 3, SAP SCM 7 EHP3).
From an industry specific point of view here is my top 3 for Chemicals:
1) SCM: APO can now be deployed as Add-On to ERP as well. As of now it had to run on SCM server. Please note that some functional restrictions may apply when deployed on ERP. The release note is covering that.
2) PLM: Newly developed Recipes can now fully be handed over to Manufacturing. As of now you could synchronize Bill of materials only. Now you can hand over the process description as well so that Master Recipes in PP-PI can be created out of Recipes of Recipe Development application. Hand over means in this context transfer of data but more important resolving conflicts. Also of interest here is introduction of building blocks concept into Recipe development.
3) Global Label Management: The existing Labale management solution was enhanced by automation of label print requests, introduction of a label print workbench for better execution and enhancements on WWI server for easier creation of labels and higher print performance.
With EHP 7 for ERP upcoming versions of Best Practice for Chemicals ERP implementation template will also be available for HANA. In blogs to come I will explain the PLM improvements, the enhancements of Label management and the value of running Best Practices for Chemicals on HANA. Please stay tuned. What are your favorites for Chemicals in the mentioned Enhancement Packs?
