For several years now, businesses have recognized the need to track and trace individual products around the globe. Real-time insights into where products are in a supply chain and what their status is, requires real-time access to data in the supply chain. In this context, two offerings from SAP play important parts: SAP Auto-ID Infrastructure (SAP AII) and SAP Object Event Repository (SAP OER), both of which can be used to set up serialization scenarios for a company.
One could define serialization” as the process which ensures that each product in a supply chain is assigned a unique number for identification. Using the serialization information (i.e. the unique number), one would be able to identify the manufacturer of a product, the kind of product it is, the integrity of the product, etc.
When setting up a serialization scenario, careful consideration should be given to requirements specific to the industry sector at hand. Also important to think about are which business processes (e.g. outbound, inbound, returns, etc.) should be supported? Are there special regulations and particular laws that should be taken into account?
SAP AII and SAP OER
SAP AII and SAP OER can be used in combination to support a company’s centralized control and visibility requirements. Here’s how it works:
- SAP AII provides the capabilities to integrate all automated communication and sensing devices – including radio frequency identification (RFID) readers and printers, Bluetooth devices, embedded systems, and bar-code devices to provide accurate, real-time information about items as they move through a supply chain. It can also be used to automate business processes.
- SAP OER allows for tracking any id or document in a database for which information has been sent from SAP AII. SAP OER has such aspects as preconfigured visibility processes in the areas of product tracking and authentication.
Learn More in a Dedicated Course from SAP Education
For anyone who wants to know more about serialization and the role that SAP’s products AII and OER can play, SAP Education offers a course called SAP course AII100: Auto-ID Infrastructure (SAP AII) and SAP Object Event Repository (SAP OER).
In this course, participants will get an overview on these topics and will learn how to work with SAP AII tools such as serial number range management, Auto ID mobile transaction, Auto ID cockpit, and the Auto ID test tool. The third training day will be used for an end-to-end extensibility exercise.
We hope to see you in class! And feel free to share your experiences right here in SCN.