Phần 1.3 Kiến trúc R / 3

Before entering into project implementation activities every one of the project related, should at least know the R/3 architecture. It gives an immense knowledge over the implementation activities. The Sap system environment is called as Client Service approach. There are different views to understand the client server approach. The client server may be embedded in a single system or in different systems. As per the requirement of the project we can decide the system environment. Basically there are 3 types of clients are used in the project implementation. The first one is development client, the quality client, and the production client.

The three clients are specified for different activities. The development client is used to do the configurations by the Jr consultants as per the business blue prints. We can make and define the configurations as per the requirements. The configurations will be tested in another client (depending on the system environment) i.e. Quality client. The configurations made in development client will be transported to the quality client with the help of transport management (dealt by basis administration). And the configurations will be checked and ensure that they are in tuned with business blue prints. Once the quality checking is completed, the configurations will be transported from development client to Production client. This is client of end user. Generally no changes can be made to the configurations in this client. In exceptional cases if any changes made has to be documented perfectly ‘as the changes made in Production client’ However, SAP discourages to make changes in Production client, make the changes in development client and test it quality then again transport to production. This is best business practice of the Implementation. The R/3 architecture can be viewed as the following way. This type of R/3 view is considered as a development view. We can have a birds view over the total development activities in implementation process. Generally a client is considered a work area where the user master data is available or configured.

With a view to remember the work areas or the clients, SAP suggested to name the client with 3 character Ids. There are no had and fact system of number of clients. We can name it as per the convenience of the project. However, to maintain the standardization SAP suggests the consultants 000 client name should be accredited to Production client only.

As an application consultant we do the configurations in development client, and ensure the initial quality checking of the configurations as on going process. All configurations have to pass through the quality testing phase in quality client. Here in the quality client all types of testing, like intra module testing, business process tests, integration testing, will be done and finally confirms the customization and integration. Then the customized settings will be transported to production client. Before transporting into production client the final test called User Acceptance Test will be done.

Hard ware view of R/3 Architecture:

The above is called a development view, the view of the R/3 architecture, is hard functionality, or we can the process functionality of information with in the sap environment.

The above diagram is flow chart in R/3 structure. The end user queries first of all processed in the application server (with the help of abap) and sent to data base.(understands only sql language) In turn the data base server responds the queries and sent back the necessary information again to application server in turn to Presentation server. This also can be considered a Client server system with in a client. The flow of information in the diagram is defined with the numeric numbers.

I think the readers of this book, might have got an overview functionality of R/3 architecture by this time. The most complex activity for a consultant is to under the Organizational structure in the legacy system and mapping up with the Organizational units in SAP environment. This is the hard core problem for the jr.consultants. Hence mapping of organizational units and mapping of business process are generally dealt by the senior consultants.

The Implementation approach vs. learning approach:

The implementation approach in real time is some what different from the learners approach. However, the end product is same for the two approaches. The Implementation Approach is coined by me as Parallel approach. The Learners Approach is called as Horizontal Approach. If you take up the Implementation approach in the class room may cause a little bit confusion among the students. Hence I am taking up the Horizontal Approach for the students who have attended for work shops or training classes.

Learners Approach or Horizontal Approach:

In Horizontal approach each component wise master data, transactional data and end user data and related activities will be configured, this methodology is more reachable for the students in class room environment.

Implementation Approach in real time:

In real time the implementation of the project is slightly differs with the horizontal approach. The methodology is mentioned under the table.

In the implementation approach is suitable for real time project implementations, all the master records, will be defined simultaneously and useful for automatic assignments and default assignment purposes. And further it is good methodology to ensure the end to end tests and integration tests. Hence this methodology is followed in real time projects. However, the Horizontal Approach is exclusively useful for the class room environment for better understanding of the concepts.

If you familiar even with the horizontal approach method also, we can easily under stand the implementation approach in real time. Hence I used to take the classes in Horizontal approach for the students. Now you are equipped with enough overview for taking up the project configurations as defined below.

As a part of the implementation of ERP we have to choose an experienced implementation partner for a project. The selection of implementation partner will be dealt separately. As far as the implementation of the project, the client company has formed a group of people (Core team) to look after the implementation of the project. This group is called core team vested with predefined goal of project implementation. The Group or Core team (down the line) members are rich in experience in various activities of an organization. The core team represents the organization in the transformation business processes into ERP environment in the organization. These core team will not only interact with the consultant teams but also interact with people within the organization .They will create the suitable environment for change management and smooth sailing of transformation to SAP environment. They are the best resources from the organization to finalize the best business practices and internal business process functionalities of our business. They exclusively deputed for this implementation of the project. The core team is headed by the project manager who has 25 years of experience in cross functionalities. He will be assisted by the IT manager, as far as the IT requirements of the project. The Core team members are also having good functional knowledge in various activities of the company. They can represent the company’s requirements while customization and configuration of business processes in SAP environment.

The success of an implementation mainly depends on the integrity and involvement of the people in the organization. They should try to extract the exploit the required business processes from the consultant team. If they in show any laxity in proactive, the end results of the new product will not come the organization. Besides they have to face lot of problems while dealing with the business transactions in the new environment. It may some times lead to chaos in the organizational work flow.

The consulting company prepares business blue prints by coordinating with the core team. Accordingly the configuration will begins. In the process of configuration every one of the core team members must know the functionalities of sap screens and also the Jr. Consultants ensure the familiarity of sap screens as under. The first screen is the entry screen through which we enter in SAP environment.