Hi
SCM 7 Enhancement Pack 3 has been released early August. This is in line with ECC 6 EhP 7 release.
There is not a lot of new functionality in EhP 3 - but what sets it out from earlier EhP releases is that now HANA can be used as underlying database similar to Oracle, DB2, MS SQL Server etc. It is technically also possible to have integrated liveCache running on HANA DB instead of separate MaxDB instance. For the current version however there is no optimisation available other than what is natively applicable with DB now being In-Memory. Note most of the planning related APO transactions access data using LCApps (liveCache applications - compiled C++ routines) from liveCache that itself is an In-Memory Object-Oriented Database. So you cannot expect significantly enhanced response or runtimes for APO. However background jobs like SNP Heuristic Run, SDP Background Jobs, Alert jobs, Back Order Processing is expected to gain (run faster) with HANA database.
This is the first step towards a different future state of SAP SCM application and sets the foundation for newer functional innovation powered by HANA. Already SAP has plans for new functionality development in GATP module that will be available only for APO on HANA.
In addition EhP 3 introduces a Web Application (can be powered by NWBC for HTML or Desktop) for interactive production planning called Enhanced Product Planning or EPP. EPP combines Product View, Product Overview, Product Planning Table related information in single UI. EPP provides enhanced flexibility in the selection of location products, creation and management of orders (including navigation to ECC), switch between simulation versions, create / assign notes to order lines and product-location level, tracking of alerts and KPIs along with detailed location-product-specific views.
Additionally Side Panel can be added in main screen of APO applications when NWBC for Desktop is used as the UI.Side panel provides contextual display of Product Master, PPDS KPI, Stock Overview, Stock Projection and Forecast Consumption data in Chart format. These Side Panel Master Data content blocks can be configured by individual users to display specific master data fields they would like to use. This provides a simple yet powerful functional innovation to business where traditionally they wanted to see certain location-product master data values in relation to requirement / receipt transaction data. In Product View they had to navigate to Product Master Tab and then sub tabs for the necessary master data (say Lot Size Method, Stock norms). Now the user can set Side Panel (on right hand side of screen) to display all the fields he / she wants without the need to navigate elsewhere.
Finally APO on ERP is released that allows occasional usage of APO customers to knock off one system for hosting APO. Technically APO (DP, SNP, PPDS and GATP) can be deployed on ERP 6 (EhP 6 or 7) and accessed through regular APO transaction in the ECC system itself. Note LiveCache and Optimiser servers are still required and need to be connected with the ECC system in this scenario for APO to use it. CIF function is as-is even though both APO and ECC application is sitting technically in same system.
Apart from the new functionality above in terms of existing functional enhancement - there are eBOPI enhancements done in EhP 3 as mentioned below.
- Display original order documents in SAP ERP
- Fix and unfix confirmations in sales order items
- Cancel multiple confirmations
- Sort and filter lists according to icons and alerts
- ATP Check - custom interactively (differing from that stored for item)
- Product Availability Overview
- Detailed Lock Information
In addition logs are generated for Interactive BOP activities done by user through Interactive BOP or eBOPI.
Sunil
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