Business Partner

Creditors and debitors become business partners

Anyone who wants to switch to S/4HANA cannot get around the business partner. With the business partner, SAP is not really bringing a new concept into the ERP world. Those who already use other SAP solutions, such as GTS or CRM, are already familiar with it. But what does the Business Partner offer your company and what advantages does it already bring you?

Why Business Partner?

In today's SAP ECC, a business partner, i.e. a company, person or group in which you as a company have an interest, can appear in several processes. Unfortunately, the same master data source is not used for all processes, although there is information that is identical in each process. If you maintain both sales and purchasing relationships with an entity, a supplier as well as a customer must be created and maintained in the system. If generally valid data changes, both data records must be kept up to date accordingly. The maintenance of redundant data is no longer necessary thanks to the business partner. Where several transactions used to be necessary to keep master data up-to-date and of high quality, there is now only one. Knowledge about business relationships becomes more transparent and shifts away from the specialist departments.

Advantages of the Business Partner

The SAP business partner represents a centrally maintained entity with which your company maintains relationships. As a superordinate instance, it contains all generally valid information and writes this on to customers and suppliers that continue to exist. Maintaining redundant data is eliminated thanks to the Business Partner. Where previously several transactions were necessary to keep master data up to date and of good quality, there is now only one. Knowledge about business relationships thus becomes more transparent and shifts out of the specialist departments. Since creditors and debtors still technically exist, the question arises whether the business partner concept has already been fully implemented or whether it is merely a first step that will be taken further in the years to come. This is a speculation that may well have an influence on the way the business partner is implemented in one's own system.

An extract of our projects.

Traton

Traton


Creation of the BP concept

Determination of the business partner roles

Definition of the Customer Vendor Integration

Reflexa

Reflexa


Creation of the BP concept

Implementation of the BP concept

The CONSILIO Business Partner Conversion

You have deliberately decided against a greenfield approach and want to convert your old SAP ERP system to S/4HANA? The requirements of the SAP business partner are not yet completely clear to you and you are encountering problems in both the technical and business implementation? With our CONSILIO approach to Business Partner Conversion we can help you making the technical preparations and successfully activate the business partner on your system. The conversion can basically be played through in two scenarios.

Technical conversion

  • All master data to be converted is converted 1:1 to one business partner each. Any corrections are only carried out after conversion during operation.

Conversion with harmonisation

  • You check your master data for consistency and correct it if necessary. Customers and suppliers representing the same entity are linked (if not already done). Duplicates are identified and excluded from the conversion.


We would like to work out with you in a joint workshop which approach is best for you and which factors continue to play a role. Based on your system constellation and requirements, we can show you the optimal path towards S/4HANA and provide you with comprehensive support.

Our services

  • Activation of the Business Partner on your SAP system
  • Technical preparation of Business Partner conversion
  • Technical conversion:
    • 1:1 conversion of all necessary master data
    • Implementation of corrections during operation
  • Conversion with harmonization:
    • Consistency check of master data
    • Option to link customers and suppliers with the same entity
      Duplicate check

You want to carry out a Business Partner Conversion?

Let our experienced experts support you during the conversion process.

Contact us now