In recent years, the increasing complexity of products has led to increasingly complex development tools, such as computer-aided design (CAD) systems, and more advanced production processes, such as computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) systems. CAD and CAM tools have been used to optimize production times and quality.

As this process becomes more complex, the systems for managing the technical documents involved need to be more sophisticated. The many different procedures for describing products (such as design drawings, photographs, and texts) mean that there is a huge increase in digitally stored data.

The quality and availability of documentation is becoming increasingly important. The Document Management System (DMS) in the SAP System offers the following advantages:

• If you link document management to computerized development and production systems, you avoid data redundancy, maintain consistency of data, and minimize the workload involved in entering and updating your data.

• In order to use large databases to the full, you need to be able to exchange data quickly and securely. You can access your data directly using electronic search tools, or find documents using known parameters. You can also search for and display documents (original application files) via the Internet/intranet.
  By reducing access time and the workload involved in routine tasks, you can lower your costs considerably.
• You can use document distribution to distribute documents that are managed in the document management system (DMS) either manually or automatically according to company-specific processes. This ensures that the employees responsible or external partners can view or process up-to-the-minute information.

• Stricter product liability laws mean that it is becoming increasingly important to archive documents during the life cycle of a product. The quality of a product includes the production process and the whole organizational environment, as well as the product itself. A company that wishes to be certified for quality management (ISO 9000 to 9006) can only meet strict quality requirements by using high-performance document management functions.

SAP Document Management meets all these complex requirements. In addition to managing documents, it also coordinates document processing. You can automate the entire life cycle of a document: from document creation to document storage, from access to update. Each document can be accessed immediately from any computer in the network.

The SAP Document Management comprises a range of functions for managing documents that may be stored both in your SAP System and external systems.

The following graphic shows objects that you can maintain documents for in the standard SAP System.

SAP Document Management offers you a wide range of functions for managing product documentation and ensuring problem-free data exchange between different applications.

The integration of Document Management in many SAP System applications and its functions for interfaces to external systems, mean that you have many different ways of processing documents. Because of this deep integration, Document Management is one of the central functions within Logistics.

The following graphic shows the integration of Document Management in the SAP System.

Deep integration in the SAP System affords a wide range of functions and many options are open to you for configuring your system to meet your company’s specific requirements. Document Management can be adapted to suit the needs of different user groups and industry sectors.