combine SAP/BI and SAP/CRM

[Former Member]

Hello,

i have a question about SAP/BI and SAP/CRM. I actually don't understand why a costumer need a BI-Module to expand his CRM. I know that the combination from these two Moduls are an analytical CRM, but where are the difference, where is the benefit? Could someone give me some background information why it´s necessary or useful?

thanks for your help.

Regards, Peter

[Former Member]

Hi Peter,

where are the difference?

At most CRM can provide reports based on the fields that are available with in the CRM only.

Where as BI can extract data from different system such as SD, CRM, APO and present a report based on combination of fields from each different system.

BI can also perform:

1. Modeling and Optimization

2. Consolidation

3. Predictive Analytics. Budget / Plan forecast

4. Statutory Reporting

where is the benefit?

1. Enabling of accurate, faster and actionable information

2.„ Compliance with industry regulation thus mitigating business risks

3.„ Connecting Corporate Goals, Objectives and Strategies to an individual contributor level

4.„ Information Democracy and Self-Service

5.„ Predictive analytics and smarter applications to grow the business

6.„ Quick wins and faster Return on Investment

Hope this will answer your query.

Rgds

Hari

[Former Member]

Hello Peter,

I would say the reasons are like this:

- In CRM you have very limited reporting functionality on CRM-data. CRM is just not built to be used as a reporting systen.

- In CRM you have more or less no reporting functionality on ERP-Data like SD-deliveries or invoices and combine them with CRM-data in reports (except maybe the customer fact sheet which is like a report on one specific customer)

- In SAP you have the concept of seperating reporting functionality from your operating systems. Also because of perfomance reasons. So you report ERP-data in BI and CRM-data in BI. Also the database structure is tuned for reporting in BI and tuned for transactions in the transactional systems ERP and CRM. There are rumors that this might be changed with HANA like it was said that you can report more in the source system as HANA enables you to do that.

- In addition you have the possibility to use BI-queries in the segment builder in CRM or to use the data mining functionality of BI.

Best regards,

Thomas Wagner