Describing SAP Fiori Analytical Apps for Sales (1BS)

Modern Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems are challenged by mixed workloads, including OLTP-style and OLAP-style queries, for example:

• OLTP-style: Create sales order, invoice, accounting documents, display customer master data, or sales order
• OLAP-style: Dunning, available-to-promise, cross selling, operational reporting (list open sales orders)

Today's data management systems are optimized either for daily transactional or analytical workloads, which store their data along rows or columns.

This separation leads to the following drawbacks:

• The OLAP system does not have the latest data.
• The OLAP system only has a predefined subset of the data.
• A cost-intensive ETL process must synchronize both systems.
• Data redundancy is introduced.
• Different data schemes introduce complexity for applications that combine sources.

Business applications started out decades ago as a means of capturing systems of record, sales orders, trouble tickets, journal entries, and other records of business operations. Line-of-business personnel needed access to this information to decide, for example, how to price, plan, and set priorities. IT then built separate analytic decision support systems on completely different platforms. In theory, having separate systems for the various workloads offered on different platforms sounds logical. For many years, having separate platforms was the accepted approach to ensure good performance for transactions and analytics, given the different requirements for capturing data versus analyzing data. In practice, however, the requirement to transfer data between the two platforms underlying the two types of systems causes information delays and reduces the ability to connect insight to action because of a disconnect from analytics to source data. This leaves the enterprise at risk when decision makers are forced to rely on stale or insufficient data, or when they cannot connect analytic insights to source data.

SAP S/4HANA Cloud can couple transactions with analysis in real-time, within a single blended environment to determine the best way to get live insight about a fast-breaking situation. Rather than using separate transactional and analytical applications built on separate platforms, a single data management environment for both systems of record and systems of decision (assuming good performance can be achieved for both) can yield the following benefits:

• Users can access and analyze the latest data as soon as it is captured rather than waiting for data transfer, which eliminates a major source of information delay. By reducing the overhead of multiple platforms, IT data management tasks and business data governance functions can be simplified.
• With instant access to data, business personnel can make business decisions faster, based on the latest information. Business processes can also be accelerated. As an example, during an interaction, contact center employees have the latest customer data available. A cross-sell recommendation can be made on the most recent customer orders, or even on an order that is in process.

SAP S/4HANA Cloud blends transactions and analytics allowing operational reporting on live transactional data. With SAP S/4HANA Cloud, this concept is supported using SAP Core Data Services (CDS) for real-time operational reporting. The content is represented as a Virtual Data Model (VDM), which is based on the transactional and master data tables of SAP S/4HANA Cloud. CDS views are developed, maintained, and extended in the ABAP layer of the SAP S/4HANA Cloud system. The system generates SQL-Runtime-Views in SAP HANA to execute the data read and transformation inside the SAP HANA database layer.

The advantages of this approach include full ABAP integration, allowing for instances to re-use existing reporting authorizations, and so on. Also, SAP can make use of the analytical engine (embedded BW functionality) to support an elaborate hierarchy display. These advantages allow for the creation of many more use cases for the VDM. SAP S/4HANA Cloud analytics support not only generic operational OLAP reporting, but also scenarios of embedded analytics for hybrid transactional and analytical applications (such as embedded SAP BI or SAP Smart Business Cockpits) based on the same models. Read access for search/fact sheets is also supported.

Multidimensional reporting includes all explorative analysis tasks that focus on unexpected business questions. Ad-hoc filtering, pivoting, sorting, and rearranging of data in tabular or graphical UIs is supported. A Web Dynpro grid is used in this context.

• Analytical and transactional display of the sales order processes such as sales quotations, sales order fulfilments, customer returns, back orders, demand fulfillment and delivery performance.
• Filter the KPIs according to the different business attributes, such as sales organization, sales document type and sold-to-party.
• Navigate from the KPI insights to the corresponding smart apps for detailed analysis.
• Share high-level process KPIs and high-level process information with persons responsible for process execution in a sales organization.

For sales and distribution scenarios, this scope item provides key information needed for a sales manager or internal sales representative about the different stages of a sales order. The analytical apps provided here highlight the back orders, demand fulfilment, sales order fulfilment and delivery performance in the sales process. A SAP Fiori Overview page is also available that provides the different insight to actions about objects such as sales quotations, customer returns, and sales order fulfilment.

The following are the main elements in the Process Diagram:

• My Sales Overview

• Sales Management Overview
• Sales Quotations - Flexible Analysis
• Quotation Conversion Rates
• Sales Contract Fulfillment Rates
• Incoming Sales Orders
• Analyze Confirmations of Sales Orders
• Delivery Performance
• Customer Returns - Flexible Analysis
• Customer Return Rate
• Sales Volume - Flexible Analysis
• Sales Volume - Detailed Analysis
• Sales Volume - Check Open Sales
• Sales Volume - Credit Memos

• Sales Volume - Profit Margin

• Sales Scheduling Agreements - Product Demand
• Customer Returns Overview
• Order to Cash Dashboard

• Perform daily activities smoothly using a dashboard of information for the internal sales representative or sales manager from the SAP Fiori Overview Pages
• View delivery performance and sales order fulfillment as a mix of the table and chart visuals on the sales order process in the Analytical List Pages
• Understand key numbers with high-level insights for the sales manager to drill down to action
• Provide status of the sales orders, sales quotations, back orders and unconfirmed orders
• View strategic and operational overviews for the end-to-end sales order processes

The My Sales Overview app provides information such as sales order data, performance figures, and quick actions using actionable cards in a dashboard format. An Internal Sales Representative can use the app to search for, create, modify, or view sales information.

You can access the following information:

• Blocked credit memo requests
• Open sales quotations
• Open Sales Orders
• Customer returns
• Customer contacts
• Sales order fulfillment issues
• Sales quotation pipeline
• Incoming sales orders compared to month of previous year
• Quick actions

Cards that display sales document information allow you to view more detail. For example, the Blocked Credit Memo Requests card displays the status of credit memos and also provides additional detail for a particular credit memo request.

The global filter makes it possible to filter results by sold-to party, sales organization, distribution channel, division, and more. This impacts all cards except the Quick Actions card.

Cards that display graphs and analytics also provide aggregated data and data by status.

You can also specify default sales area filters (Sales Org., Distr. Channel, or Division) as well as your default currency settings (Display Currency) in the Default Values option of your user settings.

Using the quick actions, you can create various sales documents, such as:

• Sales Orders
• Sales Quotations
• Credit Memo Requests
• Customer Returns

The Sales Overview app can also be used as a specialized launchpad that is designed to reach all customer service-oriented SAP Fiori apps.

For further information, you can access the reference App documentation at SAP Fiori Apps Reference Library: My Sales Overview.

With the Sales Volume – Profit Margin app, you, as a sales manager, can check your sales volume against your profit margin for your sales organizations. The tile of the app displays the profit margin for the top three sales organizations in percentage, but you can also use other selection criteria.

The app enables you to see at a glance whether your profit margin is low for a particular sales organization or, for example, for a particular product. The profit margin is an indicator of your company’s pricing strategies and how well you control costs.

You can collaborate with your team by email, or with other sales managers, to gain further insights. For example, regarding prices or discounts, and to take the necessary action to increase your sales volume, and as a result, your profit margin.

For further information, you can access the reference App documentation at SAP Fiori Apps Reference Library: Sales Volume - Profit Margin.

With the Sales Volume – Credit Memos app, you, as a sales manager, can gain insights into the number of credit memos resulting from returns and complaints, and cancellations, that is, invoices that have been canceled due to internal errors in your company. From there, you can investigate the reasons for the returns and complaints.

• The app provides the following N displays:

  • Sales volume
  • Credit memos
  • Cancellations
• Drill down on further dimensions, for example, sales office, product hierarchy and material
• You can navigate to billing documents to review prices and costs
• You can display related objects for material
• Navigate to the material and customer to display further information

For further information, you can access the reference App documentation at SAP Fiori Apps Reference Library: Sales Volume - Credit Memos.

With the Sales Volume - Check Open Sales app, you, as a sales manager, can check your sales volume in comparison with previous months, with the additional insight of open orders and open deliveries for the current month, in comparison with previous months.

The app enables you to see at a glance how the current month’s sales volume relates to the previous month. Additionally, by showing your open sales at a glance, the app helps you to identify where you can take action to increase your sales volume.

You can navigate directly to the Sales Order Fulfillment app to either resolve blocks or issues yourself, or you can collaborate by email, for example, with the shipping manager, to clarify why open deliveries could not be invoiced.

• The app uses the following KPIs:

  • Sales volume
  • Open Deliveries
  • Open Billing Requests
  • Open Orders

• Drill down on further dimensions, for example, sales organization, customer group, product category and material

• Navigate to the customer and material

For further information, you can access the reference App documentation at SAP Fiori Apps Reference Library: Sales Volume - Check Open Sales.

With the Sales Order Items – Confirmed app, you, as a sales manager, can analyze your availability situation to ensure customer satisfaction, by checking whether your sales order items have been confirmed for delivery on the date requested by your customer, without any restrictions or delays. The app shows you whether the percentage of confirmed sales order items has increased or decreased.

• Drill down on further dimensions, for example, plant and material, and many more
• You can branch to the material and sales order, and the sales order object page
• Select the relevant sales document for the material, and display the sales document schedule lines to see detailed information on the order confirmations.
• You can filter according to various criteria, such as week or year, sold-to party, material, plant, delivery status and sales order type

For further information, you can access the reference App documentation at SAP Fiori Apps Reference Library: Sales Order Items - Confirmed as Requested.

With the Sales Order Items – Backorders app, you, as a sales manager, can identify backlogs or bottlenecks regarding your customer's requested quantity and delivery date. The app allows you to see where you can increase future sales volume and customer satisfaction, for example, by collaborating with your team to transfer order confirmations from a C customer to an A customer.

Backorders are orders that cannot be confirmed due to a lack of product availability, for example, if order items are not confirmed, or partially confirmed, for the requested delivery date.

The app shows you where the number of backorders has increased or decreased, and whether business is going well with the right customers. For example, is it going well with C customers, and are your A customers being neglected? If so, you might want to transfer order confirmations from C to A customers.

You can analyze the availability situation for specific products in specific plants. You can display backorders for a specific material or material group.

• Display the total number of backorders, with a top N list of:
  • Delayed orders 
  • Partially confirmed orders 
  • Unconfirmed orders
• Drill down on further dimensions, for example, plant and material
• Branch to the material and sales order, and the sales order object page
• Filter according to various criteria, such as week or year, sold-to party, material, plant, delivery status and sales document type

For further information, you can access the reference App documentation at SAP Fiori Apps Reference Library: Sales Order Items - Backorders.

With the Sales Orders – Demand Fulfillment app, you can identify bottlenecks that hinder you in fulfilling your customer's requirements, by not delivering their goods by or before the requested delivery date. The app provides you with a basis for collaborating with your demand planner, for example, to solve issues regarding the availability of specific products.

The app provides the monetary value of the following KPIs:

• Confirmed sales orders

• Delayed sales orders

• Unconfirmed sales orders

The KPIs used in this app are derived from the KPIs used in the Sales Order Items – Confirmed app, and the Sales Order Items – Backorders app, with a specific view on your demand fulfillment situation:

• Confirmed (demand)

  • All order items that have been confirmed as requested, without any restrictions in quantity or time

  • Parts of delayed order items that are on time as requested

  • Parts of partially confirmed order items that are on time as requested

• Delayed (demand)

  • Parts of delayed order items as requested

  • Parts of partially confirmed order items that are delayed as requested

• Not Confirmed (demand)

  • Parts of partially confirmed order items that are not confirmed as requested

  • All order items that are not confirmed as requested

• Drill down on further dimensions, for example, plant and material
• Collaborate with your demand planner, for example, via SAP CoPilot, to solve issues with the availability of specific products
• Branch to the material and sales order, and the sales order object page
• Filter according to various criteria, such as week or year, sold-to party, material, plant, delivery status and sales document type

For further information, you can access the reference App documentation at SAP Fiori Apps Reference Library: Sales Order - Demand Fulfillment.

With the Sales Management Overview app, you, as a sales manager, can get a graphical overview of your various sales data on analytical cards. You can further analyze the data by navigating to related analytical apps from the cards. Using this app, you can gain comprehensive insights into your current sales situation and respond quickly.

• Incoming Sales Orders: use the dropdown to select the incoming sales orders, either by number of orders or by net value. To navigate to the Incoming Sales Orders -Flexible Analysis app, choose the header of the card or the graph bars.
• Profit Margin: Display the net value of sales volume by month, compared to the profit margin of each month. To navigate to the Sales Volume -Profit Margin app, choose the header of the card or the graph.
• Incomplete Sales Documents : Shows the number of incomplete sales orders by inquiries, quotations, orders, credit and debit memo requests, returns, orders without charge, and contracts. To navigate to the Incomplete Sales Documents app, choose the header of the card or the specific pie chart section to navigate with a set filter.
• Backorder Items: Shows status for the delayed, partially confirmed, and not confirmed items by top critical plants. To navigate to the Sales Orders Items -Backorders app, choose the header of the card or on the graph bars to navigate with a selected filter.
• Blocked Sales Orders: Displays a list of sales orders that are blocked and have to be checked. Entries on the card will be displayed by issue. To navigate to the Sales Order Fulfillment app, choose the header of the card or specific issues.
• Overdue Sales Orders: Shows overdue sales orders by shipping issue in delivery, delivery issue in sales orders, and invoicing issue in delivery. To navigate to the Sales Order Fulfillment -Analyze Issues app, choose the header of the card or the specific issues.
• Customer Returns: Shows the net value of customer returns of the current year compared to the net value of customer returns of the previous year. To navigate to the Customer Returns app, choose the header of the card or the graph.

For further information, you can access the reference App documentation at SAP Fiori Apps Reference Library: Sales Management Overview.

The Delivery Performance app provides you with insights into delivery performance, and, in the case of a deterioration, enables you to navigate to the relevant sales document and master data object pages for more detailed information. You can also collaborate with your plant manager, or communicate with your customer, to discuss or clarify a situation.

The app compares the customer requested delivery date of sales order items with the actual delivery date of the corresponding outbound deliveries.

The app tile shows the ratio of sales orders delivered as requested for the last three weeks, giving you an instant insight into the current delivery situation.

The app itself shows you the sales order items delivered as requested, represented by number of and net value, and ratio to the total number of sales order items. It also shows you the average delivery performance, that is, the total number of delays of all sales orders divided by the total number of all sales orders, and the total and maximum delay of delivery in days in relation to the requested delivery date.

• A filter bar, in which you can toggle between visual filters and compact filters
• Charts, in which you can visualize your results, such as donut or bar charts and from where you can drill down on further dimensions
• A table in which you can hide and show further fields, and from which you can navigate to the relevant sales documents and master data object pages
• Links to collaborate with your plant manager and communicate with your customer

The following dimensions are particularly important for this app:

• Item Delivery Fulfillment Status: The processing status of sales order item delivery fulfillment

• Requested Delivery Date: The earliest requested delivery date in the case of partial deliveries

• Planned Goods Issue Date: The earliest planned goods issue date in the case of partial deliveries

Delivered as Requested (Sales order items that have been delivered by the customer's requested delivery date):

For further information, you can access the reference App documentation at SAP Fiori Apps Reference Library: Delivery Performance - Delivered as Requested.

The Sales Contract Fulfillment Rates app displays the Key Performance Indicator (KPI) Sales Contract Fulfillment Rates, which indicate the percentage of the target value that has been released in a sales contract. As an internal sales representative or a sales manager, you can use this KPI to analyze how well the contracts in your responsible sales area are being fulfilled. You can quickly identify contracts that must be renewed soon, as well as contracts that are not being fulfilled as expected.

• View sales contract fulfillment rates: The tile displays the overall fulfillment rate of your sales contracts. In the app, you can drill down to analyze sales contract fulfillment rates by:
  • Sales organization
  • Customer
  • Employee responsible
  • Material
  • Top 10 contracts by target value
• View top 10 contracts by target value: You can analyze to what extent your top 10 contracts with the highest target values are being fulfilled. In the bubble chart, you can quickly identify contracts that have a high fulfillment rate in their early contract period, as well as those contracts with a low fulfillment rate in their late contract period.
• Navigate to contract related apps with necessary authorizations

You can display the target values in your preferred currency. For the currency conversion, exchange rate type M (average rate) is entered as a default. You can maintain exchange rates from your transactional currencies to your display currency using the Maintain Exchange Rates app.

• Calculation rule: The KPI measures the percentage of the released value, based on the target value of a sales contract.
• The KPI only considers the sales contracts that meet the following criteria:
  • The contract is valid on the current date
  • Total net value > 0 
  • The contract has an item
• Subsequent documents created for the release orders, such as credit memos and debit memos, are not included in the calculation of the released value for this KPI.

For further information, you can access the reference App documentation at SAP Fiori Apps Reference Library: Quotation Conversion Rates.

This analytical app displays the Key Performance Indicator (KPI) Quotation Conversion Rates, which indicates the percentage of net values converted from quotations into sales orders.

As an internal sales representative or a sales manager, you can use Quotation Conversion Rates to track to what extent your quotations are being converted to sales orders before expiring. By leveraging machine learning capabilities, you can gain predictive insights into quotation conversion by comparing actual and predicted results.

You can display net values in your preferred currency. For the currency conversion, exchange rate type M (average rate) is entered as a default. You can maintain exchange rates from your transactional currencies to your display currency using the Maintain Exchange Rates app.

For further information, you can access the reference App documentation at SAP Fiori Apps Reference Library: Quotation Conversion Rates.

With the Incoming Sales Orders app, you can gain an understanding of the monthly rolling trend of incoming sales orders.

• You can view the monthly rolling trend for sales as a graphic or a table.
• You can analyze the net amounts of aggregated sales order items with the display currency
• You can drill down to view detailed information for selected sales organizations, materials, material groups, sold-to parties and sales document types
• You can filter the items according to various criteria, such as year, month, sales organization, material group, and sold-to party
• You can change the displayed ID or description.
• You can save your selection as a variant.

The app provides the following key figures:

For further information, you can access the reference App documentation at SAP Fiori Apps Reference Library: Incoming Sales Orders.

With the Sales Volume - Flexible Analysis app, you can gain an understanding of the monthly sales volume.

• View the key figures as a graphic or a table on a monthly basis.
• Drill down to view detailed information for selected sales organizations, sold-to parties, bill-to parties, and so on.
• Filter the items according to various criteria, such as year/month, sales organization, sold-to party, and bill-to party.
• Change the displayed ID or description.
• Save your selection as a variant.

The app provides the following key figures:

For your analytical needs, we recommend that you use Sales Volume to analyze your achieved sales, instead of using Net Amount. The Net Amount sums up the original values of items in billing documents of all kinds, without considering analytical relevance.

For example, you cancel a billing document with a net value of 1000 euros. Correspondingly, the system creates a cancelation document with the same net value. The Net Amount adds up the net values of both documents to 2000 euros, whereas for the Sales Volume, you get an aggregate result of zero.

For further information, you can access the reference App documentation at SAP Fiori Apps Reference Library: Sales Volume - Flexible Analysis.

With the Sales Volume – Detailed Analysis app, you, as a sales manager, can drill down into your sales volume, that is, the total invoiced sales achieved during a specified period, from different perspectives. You can customize a step-by-step analysis path to help you identify the root cause behind sales volume fluctuations.

• View and drill down into sales volumes according to different dimensions such as time, sales organization, customer, material, and many more
• Analyze monthly, quarterly, or yearly trend of your sales volume
• Drill down even further into the list of billing document items
• Navigate to the billing document object page
• Navigate to the Display Billing Document - VF03 app if authorized

For further information, you can access the reference App documentation at SAP Fiori Apps Reference Library: Sales Volume - Detailed Analysis.