Learning curve SAP TM vs. other SAP modules

[former_member194808]

Dear All,

I am working for a while now in SAP TM and have a background in SAP SRM, ECC and BW. I was expecting that my back-ground in the different SAP modules and my interest in logistics would help to get acquainted in SAP TM within a reasonable time. However I must admit it took me a lot longer than expected. I have experienced that SAP TM works quite different than the other SAP modules e.g.:

• Not only using SAP GUI but also webdynpro(FPM) and FBI views
• Use of BOPF
• Use of PPF (post processing framework) and knowledge where it is used in standard SAP TM
• Strong use of BRF+ (conditions)
• Other handling of CRUD(Change controller and Trigger table)
• Event Management
• Many scenario's for different usage levels (carriers/shippers/LSP's)
• Difficulty to predict and thoroughly test what the impact is of certain settings in for example the optimizer

To my experience these differences cause that the learning curve for TM is less steep than for other SAP Modules. I am wondering what the experiences of the rest of the community are or is it just me getting old? 🙂

[Former Member]

I am with you...I just joined a SAP TM implementation from 20 years of strong ECC technical...I find it difficult too...I think 1st of all there isn't much documentation available as ECC...I am struggling to find out how to consume EDI Inbound interfaces into TM given that they don't have or support IDOC's...

Any help from you learning curve that can shorten my pain?

[former_member194808]

Did you already found this document?

https://help.sap.com/http.svc/rc/5037aa4908c54f3c941cbab87df7f749/9.1/en-US/Enterprise_Services_for_...

It describes the services that can be created in XI which is the standard interface to communicate between different SAP systems like ECC, but can also be used to send for example a booking to a carrier. In the latter case the booking is sent through the PPF(Post processing Framework), but it takes some testing to find out what the standard behavior is(in this case the button "Subcontracting -> Send Booking" will lead to a XML message to the carrier) and if you want the system to behave differently you will end up with discovering how BOPF works.

I don't think it is particularly bad documented, it is just a lot. To get a good overview of the (non)capabilities of SAP TM you will have to read the TM book, listen to the podcasts and go through the configuration guides, as well as the enhancement guide(see link below):

https://help.sap.com/doc/PRODUCTION/c7dab057b713442294901f1f7cbe069d/9.5.0/en-US/TM9xEnhancementGuid...