In this lesson, you’ll discover the roles involved in the product compliance processes.
The target users of most apps for product compliance core processes are users who have the following roles:
- Product Stewardship Specialist - Product Compliance;
- Master Data Specialist - Product Compliance;
- Dangerous Goods Specialist - Product Compliance.
From a value-chain oriented point of view, other business specialists dealing with compliance-relevant products are addressed as users, such as sales representatives, shipping specialists, transportation managers, purchasing specialists, specialists for product master data, and marketing specialists.
Integration of product compliance in the value chain is one of the key objectives. This means:
- Compliance information must be easily accessible for any user.
- Product compliance must be integrated in the value chain, for example, by using automated processing of compliance checks or provision of compliance documents. In case of issues, the automated information must be sent to product compliance specialists.
Putting this together, there are two groups of target users:
- User roles are involved in the core processes of product compliance.
- User roles are affected by the business integration of product compliance in the value chain. These users are the primary target for compliance information, so the product's app can easily access compliance information.
Product Stewardship Specialist - Product Compliance
The Product Stewardship Specialist - Product Compliance uses the following SAP S/4HANA for product compliance apps: Process Requests from Logistics, Manage Basic Compliance Data, Compliance Information, Assess Products for Markets, Assess Marketability Requirements, Analyze Marketability, Assess Marketability Requirements, and Manage Customer Compliance.
Responsibilities
- Performs day-to-day operations that ensure product compliance.
- Review product compliance data and check its correctness and completeness.
- Creates the necessary compliance documents and keeps them up to date.
- Participates in product reviews.
- Answers inquiries from sales or customers.
Goals
Ensure that products are compliant so that they can be sold or transported.
Needs
- Impact analysis of product changes, as well as changes in raw materials, changes in regulations, new sales areas, and new applications of products;
- An overview of the compliance statuses of products;
- Up-to-date information on chemical regulations.
Master Data Specialist - Product Compliance
The Master Data Specialist - Product Compliance uses the following apps in SAP S/4HANA for product compliance: Manage Substances Compliance, Assess Marketability Requirements, Monitor Substance Volumes, Manage Basic Compliance Data, Manage Suppliers Compliance, and Assess Marketability Requirements.
Responsibilities
- Manages substance and raw material data.
- Collects and updates regulatory data from suppliers.
- Updates regulatory data such as registration or notification information.
- Supports or performs substance registration activities.
Goals
- Ensure that the compliance data for raw materials is available and current.
- Verify that suppliers fulfill requirements.
- Ensure that raw materials fulfill the product's requirements.
Needs
- Impact analyses of changes in suppliers and changes in raw materials, regulations, and requirements that the product must fulfill;
- An overview of the compliance statuses of raw materials and suppliers;
- Up-to-date information on chemical regulations.
Dangerous Goods Specialist - Product Compliance
The Dangerous Goods Specialist - Product Compliance uses the following apps in SAP S/4HANA for product compliance: My Packaged Dangerous Goods, My Unpacked Dangerous Goods, Manage Regulation Updates, Manage Regulation Updates, Analyze Packaged Dangerous Goods, Analyze Unpackaged Dangerous Goods, and Compliance Information.
Responsibilities
- Determines and maintains the classifications of dangerous goods for products in the system.
- Monitors changes in dangerous goods regulations and updates the products to stay compliant.
- Coordinates the changes in dangerous goods regulations with operations.
- Safeguards compliance regarding packaging and completeness of dangerous-goods-relevant master data.
- Participates in new product reviews.
- Answers inquiries from sales or customers.
- Provides dangerous goods data for safety data sheets.
Goals
Ensure that dangerous goods classification data is available and up to date for all products.
Needs
- Impact analysis of product changes, such as changes regarding packaging, target markets, and dangerous goods regulations;
- An overview of shipping and distribution options;
- Up-to-date information on dangerous goods regulations;
- Easy and efficient data entry.
Master Data Specialist - Product Data
The Master Data Specialist - Product Data uses the following apps in SAP S/4HANA for product compliance: Manage Product Master Data, Mass Maintenance Material, Product List, Manage Product Hierarchies, Manage Mass Maintenance, and Export Master Data.
Responsibilities
- Coordinates product data.
- Ensures product data quality.
- Creates, maintains, and displays product master.
- Copies the product master and chooses parameters for the copy.
- Flags a product master for partial or complete deletion.
- Flag products as compliance-relevant to trigger follow-up processes in Dangerous Goods, Product Marketability, and Safety Data Sheet Management.
Goals
- Create and maintains the product master data.
- Ensure that only consistent product master data will be available in the system.
Needs
- An easy tool to maintain the product master data;
- A work list with all the products;
- Possibility to display the product master.
Internal Sales Representative
The Internal Sales Representative uses the following apps in SAP S/4HANA for product compliance: Create Sales Orders, Manage Sales Orders, My Inbox, Sales Order Fulfillment, My Sales Overview, Customers Overview, Customer-360 View, Sales Volume.
Responsibilities
- Creates sales orders and provides information on processing status.
- Completes sales orders with necessary data regarding dangerous goods, such as applicable quantities or calculating packages, pallets, containers, or weight.
- Monitors, troubleshoots, manages, and collaborates on critical open issues from sales order fulfillment.
- Manages backorders and general sales support for the outside sales force.
Goals
- Work effectively and efficiently.
- Keep an up-to-date overview of the process status and degree of fulfillment to identify where action is needed easily.
Needs
- Quick and easy access to relevant Product Marketability, Safety Data Sheet, and Dangerous Goods status information;
- An easy-to-consume, clear representation of the context, relationships, issues, and process steps to take the proper measures.
Shipping Specialist
The Shipping Specialist uses the following apps in SAP S/4HANA for product compliance: Manage Freight Units, Manage Freight Orders, Manage Ocean Freight Bookings, Manage Air Freight Bookings, Monitor Calculation Errors, Monitor Execution, Monitor Accrual Postings, Manage Freight Cost Allocation Documents, Monitor Freight Cost Allocation Document Items, Create Deliveries, Schedule Document Release.
Responsibilities
- Handles group orders for shipment to destinations and carriers as required, considering dangerous goods regulations regarding mixed loading restrictions, transport permissibility, and the marketability and Safety Data Sheet status.
- Answers inquiries from sales or customers and edits deliveries in case of missing data.
- Coordinates the changes in dangerous goods regulations with the dangerous goods expert.
Goals
- Ensure that customers receive their deliveries on time.
- Be compliant regarding legal requirements for dangerous goods, marketability, and Safety Data Sheet status.
Needs
- Analysis of sales orders regarding shipping schedules and Dangerous Goods restrictions;
- View delivery-relevant master data, including Dangerous Goods information regarding marking, labeling, and documentation.
Summary
Product compliance processes involve two main user groups: core process specialists (Product Stewardship, Master Data, Dangerous Goods) and business users impacted by compliance requirements (Sales, Shipping, Purchasing).
Core process specialists ensure product compliance through data management, document creation, risk assessment, and regulatory compliance monitoring.
Business users rely on easy access to compliance information to perform their roles effectively, such as creating sales orders, managing shipments, and maintaining product data.