Distribution of Business Partner Master Data

You distribute business partner master data between SAP CRM and SAP ERP using CRM Middleware. When you use a business partner in a business transaction in SAP CRM, the business partner master data is exported to SAP ERP for further processing. In SAP ERP, customer master records are created from business partner master data that has been distributed from SAP CRM. Existing customer master data is imported from SAP ERP for use as business partner master data in SAP CRM.

In addition, data can also be exchanged with other systems, such as SAP NetWeaver Business Warehouse.

For information about the distribution of business partner data between SAP CRM and SAP S/4HANA, on-premise edition, see SAP Note 2285062.

Prerequisites

You make the necessary settings for the distribution of business partner master data (upload and download) in the plug-in for the current release in the transaction PIDE.

Features

Distribution from SAP CRM to SAP ERP

How business partner master data from SAP CRM is distributed as customer master data to SAP ERP depends on the following:

Classification
The following classifications specify the ERP account groups with which customer master records are created in SAP ERP from distributed business partner master data:
- Consumer (company or individual)
- Customer
- Prospect
- Competitor
Number assignment
Determines whether the respective account group has internal or external number assignment. If number assignment is external, the customer master record is created in SAP ERP with the same number as the business partner master record in SAP CRM.

Example

CRM Classification

ERP Account Group

Number Assignment

Customer

0001

Internal

Prospect

0005

External

Customer master records are created with the account group for customers and internal number assignment in SAP ERP. Master records for prospects are created with the account group for prospects and external number assignment in SAP ERP. If you have not assigned an account group for business partner master records, the data is not distributed.

End of the example.

CRM Classification	ERP Account Group	Number Assignment
Customer	0001	Internal
Prospect	0005	External

Distribution of Customer Master Data from SAP ERP to SAP CRM

You can distribute customer master data from SAP ERP for use in SAP CRM. For each account group in SAP ERP, you specify the following for creating business partner master records in SAP CRM:

Classification
Indicates how the business partner is used in SAP CRM.
Grouping
Determines the number range. The entry in the grouping field determines whether and how an entry is made in the business partner number field. If you use the grouping to set number assignment to external, the business partner master record is created in SAP CRM with the same number as the customer master record from SAP ERP.
Example

ERP Account Group

CRM Classification

Grouping

0005

Prospect

0001

0006

Competitors

0002

0003

Customer

Not applicable

0170

Consumer

0002
- Customer master records with account group 0005 in the ERP system are created as business partner master records with the classification Prospect and the grouping 0001 in CRM.
- Customer master records with account group 0006 in the ERP system are created as business partner master records with the classification Competitorand the grouping 0002 in CRM.
- Customer master records with account group 0003 in the ERP system are not created as business partner master records in CRM.
- If you have not established a grouping for an account group for customer master records, the data is not distributed.
- Customer master records with the account group 0170 in the ERP system are created as business partner master records with the classification Consumerand the grouping 0002 in CRM.
End of the example.

ERP Account Group	CRM Classification	Grouping
0005	Prospect	0001
0006	Competitors	0002
0003	Customer	Not applicable
0170	Consumer	0002

Consistency Check for Mandatory Fields

You can check for discrepancies in the mandatory setting for business partner fields in SAP CRM and customer fields in SAP ERP. You perform the check in preparation for data distribution between the applications, to ensure that the mandatory fields in both systems are identical.

You can find the check report in Customizing for Customer Relationship Management, under Start of the navigation path CRM Middleware and Related Components Next navigation step Compare Mandatory Fields for Business Partner/Customer Master End of the navigation path .

To use this function, you must activate the business function Reduction of Implementation Time (CRM_TCI_1).

Distribution of Consumer Master Records

Distribution from SAP CRM to SAP ERP

For business partner master data that you create in SAP CRM as consumers, it is decisive whether the business partners are companies (organizations) or individuals (persons). Companies are distributed to SAP ERP as business partner master data for customers, while individuals are distributed as business partner master data for consumers. The latter case concerns true consumers.

In the case of companies, the sales area data transferred from the reference business partner is also distributed. In the case of individuals, this data is not also distributed, but is rather determined from the reference customer in SAP ERP.

Distribution from SAP ERP to SAP CRM

To distribute consumer master records from SAP ERP to SAP CRM maintain the reference business partner and the sales area data belonging to it in Customizing for Customer Relationship Management, under Start of the navigation path Master Data Next navigation step Business Partner Basic Settings Maintain Reference Business Partner for Consumers End of the navigation path . Alternatively, you can download the reference customer from SAP ERP.

Customer master records with the account group for consumers who are people, are created as real consumer master records in SAP CRM, because the sales area data is transferred from the reference business partner.

Distribution of HR Master Data

In Customizing, you can make the necessary settings for creating business partners from HR master data distributed from SAP ERP to SAP CRM by ALE. You do this in the Customizing for Customer Relationship Management, under Start of the navigation path Master Data Next navigation step Business Partner Integration Business Partner - Employees End of the navigation path .

Note Note

If you want to assign business partners who are employees to business partners for partner function types (for example, Employee Responsible) you must distribute master data from SAP ERP in the following sequence:

Distribute HR master data by ALE
Execute the initial download of customer master data using Middleware

End of the note.

External Interface

The external interface allows you to communicate with external systems. You can exchange business partner data and relationship data using this interface.

Data Exchange with Mobile Clients

You can exchange business partners and their relationships directly between mobile clients and the SAP CRM server. This means, for example, that you can exchange prospects directly between the mobile client and the SAP CRM server without these prospects having to be transferred to a connected SAP ERP system.

More Information

For more information about replicating business partner data, see the Basic Settings for SAP CRM section in SAP Solution Manager.