Supply Chain Network App

Supply chain network visualization use cases include the following:

• Data validation and topology validation

  • Because the network visualization chart is drawn from the master data provided to SAP Integrated Business Planning (IBP) for Supply Chain, such as product, location, sourcing, and bill of materials, it provides a user-friendly approach to data and supply chain network validation.

  • Planners can filter on products, locations, or other attributes of their interest, and perform the validation on a subset.

• End-to-end supply chain visualization

  • Planners can see a graphical representation of the end-to-end supply chain, so supply chain complexity and the flow of materials can be presented in a visual way that is easy to navigate.

  • Filters can be used to simplify the picture and look at demand, sourcing and distribution, as well as production, either independently or together.

• Visualization of the distribution of different key figures across the supply chain

  A heat map view can be used to understand how a key figure (for example, safety stock) is distributed across the supply chain.

With this app, a general planner can analyze and visualize the flow of inventory through a supply chain network, from customer facing locations to supplier facing locations.

The Supply Chain Network app allows you to build a graphical representation of your supply chain, from supplier facing locations to customer facing locations. You can then use the resulting network chart to verify the accuracy of the modeling of your supply chain in SAP IBP. You can also review the values of input and output key figures for products at locations.

Information can be displayed either as a network map, or as a table that can be downloaded to Excel.

The Supply Chain Network app is available for all SAP IBP applications, but only planning areas with supply chain data can be used to visualize supply chain networks.

Key Features

• Create supply chain charts
• View supply chain charts
• Validate supply chain network data and topology
• View data from nodes and arcs
• Save the chart
• Save chart to a dashboard
• Export data to Excel

Supported Device Types

• Desktop
• Tablet

When you create a supply chain network chart, the app renders a chart that includes products and locations, as well as attribute and any selected key figure information.

Each element of the chart represents a part of the supply chain, either a supplier, manufacturer, warehouse, or customer, as well as the paths (or arcs) along which items (materials or finished goods) traverse. Selecting a graphical element displays names and values of the attributes associated with the element, if you have permission to view that information. Nodes can be dragged into different locations for easier viewing. A plus sign (+) next to a product node allows you to extend the rendered chart from that node without editing filter selections.

The app automatically generates a heat map and legend for any selected key figures. You can toggle between horizontal and vertical layouts, and between a chart view and a table view. The figure below illustrates a supply chain visualization:.

The following table describes the elements of the network visualization chart. These icons are displayed in a legend to the right of the chart:

Element Name	Element	Description
Customer		Denotes the end-point for the supply chain, where products are available to the customer.
Customer Group		Denotes the end-point for the supply chain, where products are available to the customer.
Processing/Manufacturing		Denotes a location where raw materials are transformed to finished goods. May be an originating or intermediary node.
Stocking		Denotes a location in the supply chain where items (finished goods or raw materials) are stored. May be an originating or intermediary node.
Non-Stocking		Denotes a location in the supply chain that does not hold any inventory. For example, a production plant or a cross-dock.
Product		Denotes a product within the supply chain that is a component for a finished good or a product.
Location		Denotes the name of the location.
Vendor		Denotes the origin of raw material (as opposed to products) into the supply chain.
Decoupling Point		Denotes that the node is also a DDMRP decoupling point. Note This icon is only available for planning areas based on the SAP8 sample planning area, and only displays if the MRPTYPE attribute for the Location Product master data type is set to D1.