SAP Enhancement Package 2 for SAP CRM 7.0 > Introducing CRM
Functions and Architecture > Key Capabilities of the SAP CRM
Application
SAP CRM is a solution for managing your customer relationships.
It supports all customer-focused business areas, including
marketing, sales and service, and customer interaction channels,
such as the Interaction Center, the Internet, and mobile clients.
SAP CRM is part of the SAP Business Suite software. It provides
leading front-office functions and end-to-end industry-specific
processes through marketing, sales and service, and various other
channels. It can be integrated into the SAP NetWeaver Portal
component.
SAP Enhancement Package 2 for SAP CRM 7.0 > Introducing CRM
Functions and Architecture > Architecture of SAP CRM
SAP CRM is part of SAP Business Suite and contains a central CRM
server that can be used to access the system using multiple
channels. The CRM server can also connect to other systems. The SAP
CRM application can be connected and fully integrated in the
following ways: SAP CRM as a central CRM server with its
application components SAP ERP as a back-end system with proven ERP
functions Business intelligence (BI) functions of SAP NetWeaver
incorporated into SAP CRM with comprehensive statistical and
analysis capabilities SAP SCM as a global solution for product
availability checks and demand planning
SAP Enhancement Package 2 for SAP CRM 7.0 > Introducing CRM
Functions and Architecture > SAP CRM Middleware
CRM Middleware is the primary device for exchanging data between
the CRM system and the connected SAP ERP system. A plug-in for the
SAP ERP system works as a counterpart to the R/3 adapter,
supporting the data communication between these systems. The data
exchange normally includes an initial transfer of Customizing data,
master data, and transaction data to the CRM system and a delta
replication of the master data and transaction data in both
directions. Note: SAP ERP Central Component 6.0 and later releases
contain all interfaces that are required for technical integration
with the other SAP components that were previously the components
of the SAP R/3 plug-ins.
Account Management > Managing Accounts > Business Partner
Roles
The business partner model in the SAP CRM system is different
from the SAP ERP back-end system (customer master). The business
partner role, such as contact, sold-to party, or supplier,
classifies the business partner according to the business function.
The roles that are assigned to a business partner are similar to
their functions and business transactions. A business partner role
is assigned to a business partner role category, on the basis of
which data distribution to SAP ERP is triggered. A business partner
role is used for classification purposes during data exchange with
SAP ERP. You can assign more than one business partner role to a
business partner. General information, such as name, address, and
bank details, has to be entered only once. All applications or
industry business solutions using the SAP Business Partner function
provide special business partner roles. You can define
customer-specific business partner roles in Customizing by choosing
Cross-Application Components SAP Business Partner Business Partner
Basic Settings Business Partner Roles Define BP Roles. Account
Management > Managing Accounts > Business PartnerAddress
Management
Account Management > Managing Accounts > Relationships
between Business Partners
A business partner relationship forms a business-relevant
connection between two business partners. Business partner
relationship categories describe these business partner
relationships. Each relationship category specifies the properties
of a relationship and characterizes it with attributes. Therefore,
to show a relationship between two business partners, you assign
them a relationship category. You can use the Business Data Toolset
(BDT) to assign additional relationship categories to business
partner relationships. Use the business partner relationships task
menu, which is called in the SAPGUI using transaction BUMR. To
assign a time limit on a business partner relationship, you can
specify a start and an end date. By assigning a time limit, you can
obtain an overview of the periods during which a particular company
operated as, for example, a shareholder of an organization. You can
maintain addresses in several parallel versions in the system. This
means that you can save the addresses in different international
display formats, such as kanji and Latin letters. Account
Management > Managing Accounts > Business Partner
Relationship Category Example
You create a contact person relationship with the relationship
category has contact person between a business partner that has the
business partner category Organization and a business partner that
has the business partner category Person. In SAP CRM 7.0, you can
have a time-dependent contact person relationship. To activate this
feature in Customizing, choose Cross-Application Components SAP
Business Partner Activation Switch for Functions. Activate
Development CRM_BUT050
The account hierarchy allows you to map complex organizational
structures of a business partner, for example, a buying group,
co-operative, or chain of retail outlets.In contrast to the
customer hierarchy in the SAP ERP applications, the nodes cannot be
equated with the business partners themselves. The business
partners are assigned to the nodes. You can assign multiple
business partners to a hierarchy node.You cannot transfer group
hierarchies that were maintained in the SAP CRM system to the ERP
system.Customer hierarchies from the SAP ERP system can be loaded
into SAP CRM; however, only limited changes can be made to customer
hierarchies in SAP CRM. You can process hierarchies from the ERP
system by assigning business partners to the nodes. These business
partners are used only in processes in SAP CRM. This data is not
transferred to the ERP system.