Reliably Steering Processes with
SAP ECC
SAP ECC is the world’s leading on-premise ERP system, which companies in a wide range of industries have been using successfully for years. It also allows to implement SAP innovations, such as the new general ledger and new asset accounting. In order to be prepared for the future, it is advisable to switch to the successor system SAP S/4HANA in the long term.
SAP ECC for All Business Processes
For a long time, SAP ECC (SAP ERP Central Component) was the ERP system of choice. Unlike its predecessor system SAP R/3, it combines all business functions in one software. Ten functional components, also called modules, map all essential business processes – from financial accounting to cost accounting and materials management to sales and distribution. SAP guarantees maintenance and support for SAP ECC until 2027.
The next step is a migration to the ERP system SAP S/4HANA, which was introduced in 2015 as a replacement for SAP ECC. It is based on the HANA database and thus differs fundamentally from the previous versions. SAP ECC no longer meets today’s requirements such as Industry 4.0 or cloud computing – this means that SAP S/4HANA is the future-proof software for intelligent companies.
Enhancement Packages for SAP ECC
SAP has been providing Enhancement Packages (EHP) that add new functions to SAP ECC since 2006. The effort required for conventional system upgrades is eliminated. The latest enhancement package, EHP 8, fulfils SAP’s extended maintenance obligation for ECC 6.0 until 2030 and facilitates the transition to SAP S/4HANA. Unlike the previous EHPs, this is an upgrade because the system must be converted to Unicode, to NetWeaver 7.50 – a prerequisite for SAP S/4HANA.
SAP Business Partner – Simplify Your Data!
Master data of customers, suppliers or employees, for example, was stored separately in SAP ECC: a business partner was either a customer or a supplier. This meant that many contacts were entered twice, as customers could also be suppliers or vice versa. The concept proved to be outdated and too labour-intensive.
With SAP S/4HANA, there is now only one data record, the business partner. Depending on the role in which the business partner appears, it receives a partner function with its own identification code in the form of supplementary data records. The data of each business partner only has to be created once in the system, which considerably reduces the maintenance effort. The conversion to SAP Business Partner is a prerequisite for implementing SAP S/4HANA – an ideal opportunity to review your company own data and improve its quality.
SAP New General Ledger – Getting to the Bottom Line Faster
The SAP New General Ledger (SAP New GL) has been available since the introduction of SAP ECC 6.0 and significantly accelerates and simplifies processes in both finance and controlling. It interlinks internal and external accounting and impresses with numerous new functionalities, such as the real-time integration of controlling into financial accounting or the automation of many tasks.
Postings to sub-ledgers are automatically reconciled with the general ledger – for much faster monthly and annual financial statements. Parallel ledgers enable parallel accounting according to different accounting standards, an advantage especially for international companies.
New Asset Accounting – Easy Asset Management
Companies need to keep track of and manage their fixed assets over their entire life cycle – from acquisition and depreciation to disposal or sale. With the SAP ECC 6.0 release, SAP offers New Asset Accounting, an enhanced, modern and simplified version of the previous SAP module. The prerequisite for this is the new general ledger.
Real-time integration with the general ledger and comprehensive asset reporting at the push of a button make asset accounting fast, effective and transparent. Thanks to country-specific standard solutions, it is also suitable for international use. It can map different accounting methods such as US GAAP or IFRS and can be quickly adapted to new legislation.
Our Approach
If you want to make your company fit for digitisation, you should migrate to SAP S/4HANA as soon as possible. Whether you are a medium-sized or large company, strictly domestic or international – with our tried-and-tested methodology in five steps and our experience from numerous SAP S/4HANA migrations, we will work with you to develop the ideal path and bring you safely to your goal.
SAP guarantees SAP ECC support until the end of 2027 and offers extended maintenance until the end of 2030. We will continue to support you in keeping your SAP ECC system up-to-date and secure. Various add-ons can help improve and automate the programme for transparent as well as efficient business processes. We advise you comprehensively about the possibilities.
Interested in SAP S/4HANA?
Your existing ERP system no longer covers all your requirements? Would you like to position yourself for the future and are considering migrating to SAP S/4HANA? Learn more about the latest generation ERP.
We will be glad to help.
Do you need support with your existing ECC system or are you considering switching to SAP S/4HANA? You are welcome to contact us!
