In comparing to other ERP and Small and Midsize Business Accounting applications, SB1 is more flexible and where traditional system may require programmer to code the custom logic and then integrate it with existing user interface and the database – SAP BO may have this custom logic to be easily set up in User Defined Tables and User Defined Fields, and SAP B1 software developers already supplied simple user interface to work with newly created objects, let’s us show you how. We will be assuming that you are on SAB BO version 2007A, international version 2007B should be the same if you translate our article to you local language, and if you are on SB1 2005A/B, you should be able to find the same functionality in slightly different menu paths:
1.OK, let’s assume that you need few new fields to be associated with Business Partner, such as Statement Type: email or mail. You will need new field on the Business Master table, the field should be named Statement Method, it should be Drop Down List with two options: Email and Mail. Please, open Tools->User Defined Tools->User Defined Fields-Management. Expand Master Data, Business Partner, highlight it and click add button at the bottom of the form. Name the field Statement Method, give appropriate description, alphanumeric, Structure: regular, mark Set Valid Values for the Field and click new to create Email and Mail options in this new DDL. Now, open Business Partner and pull out existing customer, for example. in Menu: View->User Defined-Fields and you should notice that New Small Windows is now open to the right of the Business Partner Master Data window, here you may select Email or Mail from DDL, when you will click on OK (or Add, if you are adding new Business Partner/Customer), Statement Method will be saved together with the regular Business Partner info. For those of you who are IT people or Software Developers, please click on View->System Information and then place your cursor over new field – you will see that it is created in OCRD table (Business Partner Master Table)
2.Let’s come out on the fresh air and between us, who are Corporate ERP consultants discuss, what we just saw. In other more traditional Corporate ERP, MRP, CRM, Sales Order Processing systems, etc., this is legitimate so-called “customization”, where programming is required or at least recommended. SAP Business One does the job in out-of-the-box install with five minutes long setup procedure. Please, relax and expect more surprises, let’s move on to new custom table creation
3.User Defined Tables. Tools->Customization Tools->User Defined Tables Setup, here give it the name, description, and select No Object if the table will be stand alone, or select Master Data if it is supposed to be linked to Master Data table, or Master Data Rows (in you plan to link it to Business Partner Address, which is Master Data Row classified table), Document (if you plan to link it to AR Invoice, or other legitimate document header), or Document Rows (if you plan to link it to AR Invoice Inventory Item or Service Line, for example). In our example, let’s try to be moderate and give you just simple example, we would like to create Non-Inventory Item Monthly Cost table, which is No Object. Give it the name, description, and then Tools-> Customization Tools->User Defined Fields Management, expand User Tables, highlight Non Inventory Item Monthly Cost and click Add: Add Year, Month and Cost fields (feel free to apply your judging on the type). Now, let’s enter the rows into newly defined table. User Defined Windows, select your newly created table and feel free to enter data there. Small comment, SB1 designers looks like were trying to make our life easier, so the created two mandatory fields: Code and Name, we recommend you to enter unique values there
4.SAP Business One Executive Demo or technical presentation. Via Web Session and Phone Conference you can request this service being USA, Canada Nationwide, in Europe, Brazil, Latin America and Internationally
5.Second Opinion on SB1 implementation or modules selection. This service is popular if your local SB1 reseller failed in challenging implementation, when you have to do complex Data Conversion, Integration to Legacy Systems, including Lotus Notes, Oracle Custom DB, legacy ecommerce
6.SAP B1 as Publicly Traded Multinational Corporation local branch ERP. SB1 licensing is relatively cheap and considering the fact that it is localized (translated to local languages in the majority of the countries: Brazil, Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia, Israel, Russia, China, to begin the long list; plus it is certified with foreign countries tax agencies). Special considerations to the customers, where their corporate ERP is not localized in the overseas branches. Good example is Dynamics GP Great Plains, it is only supported in USA, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Arabic countries, Spanish Speaking Latin America and English Speaking South East Asia. If you have Dynamics GP Great Plains as your Corporate ERP in USA or Canada, please consider SAP Business One in such country as Brazil, Russia, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, etc., for your local branch with GL or even full data consolidation to Dynamics GP via Great Plains Integration Manager. SAP Business One allows simple data export to Microsoft Excel, or you can do exported data marking on SB1 SQL DB level
7.How to get help? Please, call us: 1-866-528-0577,