Get to know SAP S/4HANA and SAP S/4HANA Cloud


SAP S/4HANA  is a series of ERP businesses that are based on a database in SAP HANA memory that allows companies to conduct transactions and analyze business data in real-time.

SAP released S/4HANA  in February 2015. S/4HANA  aims to provide ease of use and management, as well as help solve more complex problems and handle a much larger amount of data than its predecessor. It is available in on premise, cloud, and hybrid with SAP strongly encouraging its customers towards cloud options.

History of S/4HANA  and the difference between HANA and S/4HANA

SAP S/4HANA  is short for SAP Business Suite 4 SAP HANA, which means that this is the fourth version of SAP Business Suite, but is designed to run only on SAP HANA. S/4HANA  comes from SAP HANA, a database in memory that was released in 2011. SAP HANA makes it possible to process large-capacity operational and transactional business data in real time. In 2013, SAP launched the SAP Business Suite at HANA, an HANA-based ERP system that includes modules for CRM, SRM, PLM and SCM. The suite on HANA is basically a front end SAP ERP business application that runs on a database in HANA memory.

SAP S/4HANA  needs to rethink the concept of database and rewrite 400 million lines of code. According to SAP, these changes make the ERP system easier to understand and use and faster for developers. SAP sees S/4HANA  as an opportunity for businesses to rediscover business models and generate new revenue by utilizing the internet from various things and Big Data by connecting people, devices, and business networks.

Also, because S/4HANA  does not require batch processing, businesses can simplify their processes and direct them in real time. This means that business users can get information about data from anywhere in real time for planning, implementing, predicting and simulating, according to SAP.

S/4HANA  and SAP Fiori UX

One of the keys to S/4HANA  is that it uses SAP Fiori UI rather than the traditional SAP GUI. SAP Fiori is a collection of commonly used S/4HANA  functions displayed in simple tile designs that are ready for consumer use and that can be accessed on a variety of devices, including desktops, tablets, and mobile devices.

S/4HANA  Module

One of the main components of S/4HANA  is SAP Finance (formerly Simple Finance) which aims to streamline financial processes and enable real-time analysis of financial data. SAP Finance helps companies adapt their financial and non-financial data into what SAP calls a source of truth. Some Business Suite users use SAP Finance as a first step towards S/4HANA . SAP has added more modules and functionality for the next release, such as:

S/4HANA  1511 - released November 2015 - which introduces a logistics module called Materials Management and Operations (MMO).
S/4HANA  1610 - released in October 2016 - which includes modules for supply chain management, including Advanced Available-to-Promise (aATP); Inventory Management (IM); Material Requirements Planning (MRP); Extended Warehouse Management (EWM); and Environment, Health and Safety (EHS).
In January 2018, SAP announced S/4HANA  HCM, an alternative on-premise Human Capital Management (HCM) application for SAP SuccessFactors, the company's HCM SaaS application. SAP describes S/4HANA  HCM as a companion application that runs side by side or integrated with S/4HANA , but is not a module that is included. S/4HANA  HCM will be available in 2023 and will be supported by at least 2030, according to SAP.

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SAP S/4HANA  Cloud

In March 2017, SAP released S/4HANA  Cloud, a cloud-based version of S/4HANA . S/4HANA  Cloud is best suited for organizations with 1,500 or more employees who might want to run a two-tier ERP system, where corporate entities run a complete business chain such as SAP ERP Central Component or S/4HANA  on-premise and implement S/4HANA  Cloud at the level division or subsidiary.

HANA S / 4 Cloud includes new generation technologies such as machine learning through a tool called SAP Clea, and a conversational digital assistant bot called CoPilot.

S/4HANA  Cloud is a SaaS application with a new edition released every quarter. The naming follows the local model year and month of release, so SAP S/4HANA  Cloud 1709 was released in September 2017.
SAP S/4HANA  embedded analytics

S/4HANA  includes embedded analytics that allow users to carry out analytics in real-time on direct transactional data. This is done through Virtual Data Models, prebuilt models, and reports based on the SAP HANA Core Data Services that analyze HANA operational data without requiring a data warehouse. Analytic functions are equipped with S/4HANA  software and do not require a separate installation or license.

SAP S/4HANA  Cloud

SAP S/4HANA  Cloud is the SaaS version of SAP S/4HANA  ERP, a series of integrated business applications. SAP S/4HANA  Cloud was launched in February 2017. According to SAP, the aim is to provide a "Next Generation Intelligent ERP" system that enables companies to achieve digital transformation. SAP S/4HANA  Cloud is built on SAP HANA and utilizes processing in HANA memory and data accessibility in real-time, but makes it available in the SaaS model.

Implementing SaaS means users can access all S/4HANA  functionality without committing resources to hardware, databases, or IT staff. S/4HANA  Cloud includes technology that can help bring "intelligence" into ERP applications, including machine learning, virtual and augmented reality, blockchain, and technology that supports sound. The main functions of the S/4HANA  Cloud include finance, procurement, sales, professional services and manufacturing.

The three pillars of smart S/4HANA Cloud ERP

SAP S/4HANA Cloud includes three technologies that form the foundation of intelligent ERP, according to SAP:

Digital Assistant. SAP S/4HANA Cloud uses SAP CoPilot, a digital conversation assistant (or virtual assistant) for companies that allows users to interact with ERP applications and functions. SAP CoPilot uses contextual data about users and the tasks they perform to provide information relevant to that task.
Machine Learning. SAP S/4HANA Cloud includes technology that automates repeated actions or tasks, which can be repeated and error-prone when done manually, and learn how to do it more efficiently.
Predictive Analytics. S/4HANA Cloud has included analytics that can help predict the outcome of actions. Analysis tools can be configured for user needs and can be developed into applications, such as inventory management applications that can predict when stock will arrive or sales quotation applications that allow sales managers to determine the probability of converting sales quotas.
Implement, configure and run SAP S/4HANA Cloud

SAP S/4HANA Cloud is available as SaaS with various subscription options from SAP, which owns and operates the platform. This is intended to reduce implementation time, costs and risks. SAP handles all back-end management, including upgrading, security and governance. All users generally need to do is integrate their data, then turn on the processes they need and turn off what they don't need.

SAP S/4HANA The cloud version is scheduled to be updated quarterly, according to SAP. Users access SAP S/4HANA Cloud from a web browser, and all business applications are launched from SAP Fiori Launchpad. To access it, users only need an internet connection, URL and access rights.

Benefits of SAP S/4HANA Cloud

SAP identifies five ways companies can benefit from implementing S/4HANA Cloud, including faster ROI, increased business agility, lower total cost of ownership, better governance, and smarter ERP that increases efficiency.

As a series of next generation cloud ERP business suites, S/4HANA Cloud prepares businesses for the digital future. This is expected to be able to integrate business processes, be able to turn real-time data into actions and increase employee productivity, thus enabling companies to change existing business processes and develop new things.


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