SAP offers pick’n’mix enhancement downloads for SAP ERP
1 min read
SAP customers are being encouraged to pick and choose the flexibility and technology improvement facilities they want for their SAP ERP implementations, rather than go for traditional system upgrades.
SAP says that enhancement package 4, just released, includes all previous capabilities from the first three packages, as well as hundreds of new functions and improvements – and that customers should pick what they need.
Users and analysts agree it’s an important step forward. It means, for example, an end to the considerable disruption of traditional system upgrades – allowing IT teams to improve and update their SAP ERP incrementally, in a shorter timeframe and with more discrete testing cycles.
“Customers no longer have to wait 24 to 36 months for critical functionality,” comments Albert Pang, research director of enterprise applications at analyst IDC.
“They can pick and choose which enhancements to deploy, and activate the new functionality as they see fit to continue to improve their on-premise systems. Currently, SAP plans to leverage the switch framework to provide enhancement packages for the rest of the SAP Business Suite in the future,” he adds.
And power and automation technology group ABB’s CIO, Vivek Deshpande, agrees, saying that the firm is harnessing the capabilities of SAP enhancement packages to further improve its operational excellence.
“SAP enhancement packages support our push to increase innovation, process improvements and efficiency, and further broaden our global sourcing, production and sales activities in a non-disruptive environment,” says Deshpande.
“This type of innovation delivery not only strengthens and simplifies our business processes, but it allows us to achieve a significant return on investment by having the control to activate only the enhancements we need based on our own corporate timeline.”
Improvements available include: enterprise asset management and a new solution for recycling administration; support for supplier and customer returns and sales order entry via customer relationship management; work order integration for outsourced manufacturing; and new industry-specific capabilities for aerospace and defence, automotive, oil and gas, mill products, mining and utilities.
