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This blog provides you an overview of key innovations in Service as a part of SAP S/4HANA Cloud 2208. I would describe the focus of Service in 2208 is to enhance user experience on various service processes.
Watch this 4 min video for top highlights.
I have updates on the followings. You can go to the section directly.
With the integration to ARM (Accelerated Returns Management), In-house repair process offers now the capability of triggering the return process from In-house repair. Customer service representative will have a new option to create a return order by using ‘Returns Order’ tile. This helps to reduce overall processing time by working on the repair quotation during the logistical steps of repair object.
Capabilities
Create customer returns orders by service representative on ‘Perform Precheck’
Trigger logistics process such as returns delivery and goods receipts
Reduce the processing time by managing of repair quotations while the returns order is in process
Track the availability status for devices in the return process on In-house repair
‘Perform Precheck’ provides Logistics Info after creating a returns order
- Availability
- ‘Customer RMA number’
<Return Order Number>-<Repair Object number (Item number)>
Figure1: Two areas with blue box are newly introduced in In-house repair process.
Figure2: A new tile ‘Returns Order’ is enabled on ‘Perform Precheck’
Figure3: In-house repair provides the logistics info for the device after creating a returns order
Demo1: Enabling the Return Process in In-House Repair
Introducing Chargeable Diagnosis in In-House Repair
In-house repair enables an optional process of performing Chargeable Repair Diagnosis. It is possible to trigger the diagnosis process by service representative for devices which require professional analysis. The time of analysis can be billed to the customer. The detailed results support service representatives to plan the next repair steps. This increases the quality of repair quotations with a detailed analysis of the required repair activities by an expert.
Capabilities
Provide process steps in case a professional diagnosis in In-house repair process is required
Use ‘Actions’ on repair orders to trigger the diagnosis process
Document required service products to be used for repair quotations
Enable repair confirmations for diagnosis items for billing
Figure4: Use ‘Actions’ on repair orders to trigger a diagnosis process
Demo2: Chargeable Diagnosis in In-House Repair
Service Order Management
Forecasting Full Stock Availability of Spare Parts on Service Orders
'Check Availability' on service orders simulates the ATP check for stock spare parts in service orders when using the scenario. When requested spare parts are in shortage, 'Available On' column now calculates the upcoming date of full stock availability. Customer service managers can then plan the service date accordingly in order to deliver services on time.
Capabilities
Check the full stock availability of the required stock during ATP check
New column ‘Available On’ displays the date when the requested stocks are fully available
Forecasting from the expected delivery date of spare parts (e.g. purchase order)
Figure5: A new column ‘Available On’ shows the expected date for spare parts to be fully available in stock based on existing purchase orders
Demo5: Full Stock Availability Date for Spare Parts in Service Orders
Enhanced Accounting Indicators for Different Service Types
In Service, Accounting Indicator determines the final price of a product by considering discount rates. Enhanced accounting indicators enable to apply various types of discounts like Goodwill, VIP Discount, Family Discount, etc. With Accounting Indicator, you can also calculate incurred costs and profits.
Capabilities
Configure the user own definition of Accounting Indicators for discount rates
(e.g: Goodwill, VIP discount, Family discount)
Provided as Feature Toggle ID: CRMS4_SRVC_ACCOUNTING_IND
Influence service order price calculation based on warranty or good-will coverage
Support for financial reporting based on coverage (accounting indicators) in the service process
Figure6: This shows the various accounting indicators for different discount rates when creating a service order.
Configuration required
You need to first activate this toggle feature. When the feature toggle is off,
‘S1’ is the standard value for accounting indicator. S1 is to be deprecated
from 2208 onwards. A new configuration app is available that has ‘S2’
as a standard value for Accounting Indicator, where customers can change
or delete the values they create.
Configure Your Solution - Activate New Features
- ID: CRMS4_SRVC_ACCOUNTING_IND
Configure Your Solution - Accounting Indicators For Service
Manage Prices – Sales
Duplicate the condition master data (DAI2) from Accounting indicator S1 to S2
Demo3: Enhanced Account Indicators on Service Orders
Support for Configurable Service Products in Service Orders (6GS/6HY)
The integration with Advanced Variant Configuration enable service providers to use configurable service products in service orders. It is possible to define maintenance/service tasks, parts, dependent on configuration options maintained in the related service contract, e.g. visit frequency, duration of required work, required spare parts, specific expenses. This is required to define maintenance for highly configurable equipment.
Capabilities
Enabled configurable service products with advanced variant configuration (AVC)
Select the characteristics and characteristic values that are defined in the product master data
6GS (Service Management with Advanced Variant Configuration)
6HY (Solution Order Management with Advanced Variant Configuration)
Figure6: Service order enables the possibility of using configurable service products.
Enabling to add ‘Unplanned Items’ on Service Confirmations
Service order management enables to handle the requirements to add unplanned items (service hours, expense, and spare parts) on service confirmations.
Capabilities
Enables service technicians to put additional spare parts, expenses, and service items into the service confirmation that are not listed in the service order
New feature 'Add Unplanned Items' on service confirmations
Figure7: By activating the feature, you will be able to use 'Add unplanned item' on service confirmations.
Configuration required in 2208
Feature toggle function - Configure Your Solution - Activate New Features
ID: CRMS4_SRVC_TRANS_UNPLANNED_ITEM
Process Flow Overview for Service Order Transactions
Service order management offers ‘Process Flow’ overview in graphic view of related business documents. This increases transparency for users to have a holistic overview on the service order process
Capabilities
Visualize business documents in transaction history using the graphic view
Intuitively overview document linkages in the service order process including solution order, service quotation, service confirmation, billing documents
Figure8: Process overview on service orders visualizes business documents in transaction history using the graphic view.
Integration with SAP Field Service Management
Support for Execution Status of Service Items
A new field ‘Execution Status’ is enabled on Service Orders for the integration scenario with SAP FSM (Field Service Management).
Capabilities
Reflect the progress of a corresponding activity in SAP Field Service Management
Stay up to date on the current status of the activity and to act immediately if its completion is at risk
Figure 9: After closing an activity in SAP FSM, it is shown as ‘Execution Status - Execution Done’ under on a service order.
Demo4: Execution Status on Service Orders for SAP FSM integration scenario
Service Contract Management
Introducing Service Contract Templates
Service contract management provides service contract templates for users to create service contracts from predefined templates.
Capabilities
Creation of predefined service contract templates with data that is commonly reused in your service business
Development of a new manage app for search and select functionality
Ability to copy from the template to the service contract at creation of the service contract
Minimize the amount of time required to create a standardized service contract
Figure 10: Service contract management provides service contract templates for efficient processing
Demo6: Introducing Service Contract Template
Service Contract OData V4 API
Service contract management enables OData APIs for easy consumption in all channels such as browsers, mobile phones, etc.
Capabilities
Support totally stateless operations
Enable easy consumption in all channels such as browsers, mobile phones, and so on
Improved processing time and resource consumption through OData Version 4 API
API for create, read, update, and delete operations
Figure 11: Service contract management enables OData APIs for easy consumption in all channels such as browsers, mobile phones, etc.
Service Contracts Performance
Service contract performance provides insight into the services provided based on existing service contracts.
Analyze data on service contract items based on various key figures
Provide an overview and detailed view of service contract items
Timeline charts for service contract items expiring in next 6 months and expired in last 6 months
Provide trend charts for new and canceled/expired service contract items net value
List of service contract items which can be filtered using charts above
Figure 12: Service contracts performance provides an overview and detailed view of service contract items
Demo7: Service Contracts Performance
Cross topics (3MO/3D2/3XK)
SEPA enablement
Service management enables SEPA payments that are used widely in EU countries.
Capabilities
SEPA Payment methods made available service transactions such as service contracts, service quotations, service orders, service confirmations, In-house repair
Automatic payment method determination from customer master
Pass the SEPA payment information to Billing Document Request (BDR) and subsequent Billing documents
New My Home for Customer Service Manager
Personalize your home page to meet your business needs
Get my To Do list combining
My Inbox and My Situations items
Access my most critical pages quickly
Launch my most relevant apps
Monitor your business thanks to Dynamic or Smart Business tiles
Figure13: New My Home page is provided for customer service manager role to personalize tiles to meet their business needs.
This is what I prepared for highlights from Service in SAP S/4HANA Cloud 2208. Hope this helps you to have a good overview.