SAP Internet-Anwendungen

SAP Internet Applications

Use

As of Release 3.1G SAP's Internet Application Components (IACs) have enabled R/3 functions to be directly managed and carried out over the Internet. Internet Application Components have enabled you to use the Internet to perform business processes within your company and beyond.

Since Release 3.1G the scope of SAP's Internet applications has been extended. Many more Internet Application Components have been developed, whilst Internet Application Components for different enterprise areas have been packaged into complete, ready-for-use Internet solutions. SAP also provides a stand-alone component for developing procurement processes in your company - the SAP Business-to-Business Procurement.

Benefits of SAP Internet Applications

From a customer's perspective, business processes performed on the Internet offer the following advantages:

Customers and other interested parties have round-the-clock access to the Internet 365 days a year.

Customers can communicate with systems in any company across the globe.

Customers can navigate easily in the Internet, thanks to the user-friendly Web browser interface.

Data transfer costs are low. Browser software is either inexpensive or free of charge.

For companies too, there are many reasons to offer services through Internet Applications in the Internet:

Business transactions can be performed at relatively low cost.

Business processes can be extended far beyond company boundaries. This is achieved by applications, such as, direct warehouse management

Direct data entry by customers or employees speeds up the business processes.

The user interface of an Internet Application can be designed in such a way that it is both clear and self-explanatory, thus enabling users to perform simple tasks. Time-consuming and costly training courses are no longer necessary,

Features

SAP's Internet Applications allow you to perform business functions in R/3 using a World Wide Web browser. Presently, their application area includes:

Standard Internet Application Components

Standard Internet Application Components, available since Release 3.1G, are example applications that enable the R/3 System to be easily connected to the Internet. You can either use the standard Internet Application Components and make the appropriate modifications (for example, configure the Web user interface to suit your corporate identity), or you can use them as templates to develop your own Internet Application Components.

For further information see Standard Internet Applcation Components. For technical information on the development and implementation of standard Internet Application Components, see IAC Programming.

Complete Solutions

Internet Application Components in Employee Self-Service

The Employee Self-Service (ESS) is a complete solution in the Human Resources area with which employees can create, change and display their personal data in the company Intranet. By enabling employees to access their own data you can standardize and simplify personnel processes and free up HR personnel to work on other tasks.

For further information see unter Employee Self-Service. For technical information about enhancing Internet Application Components, see IAC Programming.

Internet Application Components in SAP Retail Store

Users in the SAP Retail industry solution can implement SAP Retail Store to use certain R/3 functions directly in branches of the retail company. SAP Retail Store is also a complete solution based on IAC technology.

For further information see SAP Retail Store. For technical information about enhancing Internet Application Components, see IAC Programming.

SAP Business-to-Business Procurement.

SAP Business-to-Business Procurement (SAP B2B Procurement) is a stand-alone SAP component used to map the entire procurement process for materials not used in the production process, such as C materials (goods and services) in an Internet solution.

For further information about SAP B2B Procurement, in the documentation on the SAP B2B Procurement component or in SAPnet under www.sap.com/internet.

Prerequisites

SAP Internet Applications are based on the technology of the Internet Transaction Server (ITS). When you call an Internet Application, the Internet Transaction Server is the interface that controls communication and data exchange between the R/3 System and a HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) server. This type of interface is required because the R/3 System cannot be accessed directly from a Web browser or via an HTTP server. This is due to the different protocols and data formats used in the systems.