SAP continues to expand its capabilities with every new release of its SAP S/4HANA platform, making it possible for customers to fully benefit from all the latest innovations. There are new innovations in SAP S/4HANA Cloud and SAP S/4HANA 2021 that simplify the creation and processing of sales orders – and several ways you can leverage this new functionality.
1. IMPORT SALES ORDERS FROM EXCEL SPREADSHEETS
Scope Item: BD9 (Sell from Stock)
Application Component: SD-SLS-IMP-SPR (Sales Document Import from Spreadsheet)
Most SAP customers upload sales orders from spreadsheets. While this was previously possible with custom programming, it has become standard functionality in S/4HNA 2021.
A new app enables you to download and use predefined Excel templates to import multiple sales orders. The predefined template contains sales order header and item fields, including custom fields enabled by the custom field app. While uploading the spreadsheet, the app will automatically perform necessary checks for order entry and provide input on any upload failures that require correction. Users can correct the errors to complete the order entry.
How was it done in the past?
- Custom programming for mass uploading of sales orders
Now in S/4HANA 2021 …
- Download predefined Excel template (150+ fields for header and item details)
- Upload field template to create sales orders
- System will do the necessary validation and prompt for corrections during uploads
Key Benefits
- Mass creation of sales orders
- Automate the sales order creation process
- Increase user productivity
2. CREATE SALES ORDERS FROM PDF FILES
Scope Item: 4X9 (Create Sales Orders from Unstructured Data)
Application Component: SD-SLS-IMP-DOX (Sales Document Creation)
With this app, you can create sales orders from purchase orders that customers send as PDF or image files (unstructured data). After a file is uploaded, the system automatically extracts and imports the information into a sales order request and proposes values for sales order request fields (for example, by determining the sold-to party based on extracted data). You can later convert the sales order request into a sales order.
You can also use the SAP RPA (Robotic Process Automation) tools for extracting the unread purchase order data from your inbox and automatically uploading PDF files into the app.
How was it done in the past?
- Custom functionality with external tools
- Manual extraction of purchase order data and sales order creation
Now in S/4HANA 2021 …
- SAP-provided prebuilt solution for converting customer POs sent via email as PDFs
- Suitable for structured data but can also be made suitable for unstructured data
Key Benefits
- Automate the sales order creation process
- Make sales document information readily available
- Increase user productivity
3. PROCESS SALES ORDERS
Scope Item: BD9 (Sell from Stock)
Application Component: SD-SLS (Sales)
Internal sales users can now quickly and easily create sales orders containing basic details. You can open the new app using the ‘Create Sales Orders’ tile or from within the ‘Manage Sales Orders’ app. (This is not meant to replace the ‘Create Sales Orders – VA01’ app.)
A configuration expert must assign sales order types to use the ‘Process Sales Orders’ app. Customization is done under ‘Sales and Distribution > Sales > App-Specific Settings > Process Sales Orders.’
How was it done in the past?
- Create Sales Orders – VA01
- Add all details and master data for sales order create process
Now in S/4HANA 2021 …
- Faster app-enabled process with minimal manual data input
Key Benefits
- Increase user productivity
BRIJKISHORE MALANI
Principal, S/4HANA Functional
Bristlecone
