Checklist

You can use checklists for step-by-step task processing.

You can now do the following:

You can also integrate checklists with SAP Business Workflow so that checklist step processors are notified when they have steps to carry out. If workflow is not enabled, step processors can find their assigned steps in the agent inbox or on the search page for their business role.

The new checklist function is available for the following business transactions:

Business Context

You can integrate service processes in the CRM Shared Services Center (SSC) with processes in back-end systems. As a result, agents can more effectively provide support for the back-end system processes affected.

In the SSC, you can now do the following:

Objects from the global data context of the interaction center (IC) are automatically linked to the business context of service requests created during the current session, but only if the object type has been configured as mentioned in the note above.

IC agents can search for objects from the agent inbox, and link those objects to the business context.

Transaction Launcher Enhancements

The support given by the shared services center for launch transactions has been enhanced to allow a parameter transfer from a back-end system to the CRM IC during a session. For example, contact data can be transferred during the use of SAP Collections Management, so that you do not have to end the session to enable the data transfer.

The transaction launcher and integration of multiple back-end systems have been improved. A new Customizing table and enhancement spot allow for the implementation of scenarios in which, for example, a customer installation has SAP ERP Financials and SAP ERP Logistics distributed in multiple logical systems and the launch transaction logical system is therefore different, depending on the target application.

A new local Internet Transaction Server (ITS) option is delivered, meaning that the ITS and SAP GUI for HTML only need to be set up on the SAP CRM server. Existing trusted RFC Connections are used to call SAP ERP transactions from the SAP CRM Server. This reduces the system setup steps and allows connected SAP ERP releases to benefit from the new SAP GUI capabilities, such as unified kernel-based rendering, available with the current SAP CRM release.

Employee Authentication

The CRM IC now supports employee authentication. Employee interaction center agents can identify a calling employee using the authentication information entered by the employee in Employee Self-Service.

Handling of Identical Business Partners

In the shared services center, the handling of business partner data from multiple back-end systems has been enhanced. When searching for a business partner, you are informed when there are several identical business partners (as derived from multiple back-end systems). From this result, you can easily access the merged data of all identical business partners, both in the account overview and in the fact sheet.

Auto-Suggest Knowledge Articles in the IC

An auto-suggest knowledge articles function is available in the IC. When users select a categorization for a business transaction, the system automatically checks for knowledge articles assigned to that categorization. If they exist, the system displays an alert from which users can navigate directly to the related knowledge articles.

Contact Person Role

You can now automatically create the contact person role for a selected number of employees. Once you have created the contact person role, you can assign multiple contact persons to a sold-to party. This is relevant for the full use of service-related functions, such as contract management and billing. The new functions are particularly useful for internal service management scenarios, where one organizational unit of a company provides services for another unit within the same company.

Integration of Internal Self-Service Applications with the Service Request

You can assign self-service processes to a service request category model. The category modeler is enhanced with a new self-service process assignment block.

Once you have chosen in a service request a category with an assigned self-service process, an additional entry in the business context of the service request allows you to start the self-service process. The self-service process is automatically linked to the business context once it is complete.

For more information, see Integration with Internal Self-Services (ISS).

Enhanced Document Search

You can search for external documents (documents stored in systems other than SAP CRM, including optical archives). The system provides a centralized, unified method for searching and viewing documents from back-end systems. This gives the IC agent a complete record of previous communication relevant for a service request.

For more information, see Searching for External Documents in the Shared Services Center.

Customer Survey for Service Request

You can use the CRM survey tool to evaluate service requests. Surveys can be assigned to service request categories, such as benefits or payroll, and they can be assigned to specific time periods. You can use survey templates, which are based on different sets of categories, time periods, and service request statuses, and create custom surveys. For example, you can create a survey for benefits enrollment that is only used during the enrollment period.

Flexibility for Telephone Calls

The business partner confirm function is enhanced to allow more flexibility for telephone calls that are transferred between IC agents. You can ensure, for example, that when a call is transferred from one IC agent to another, the second IC agent receives the same alerts as the first IC agent did when the business partner was originally confirmed. If an account was already confirmed by the first IC agent before the call was transferred, the account will be automatically confirmed when the call is transferred to the second IC agent. The system does not create a new interaction record once the call is transferred.

CAD Attributes in the Rule Modeler and Alert Editor

You can enable contact attached data (CAD) attributes for fact gathering in the IC. A new fact gathering service retrieves CAD attributes and adds them to the fact base. You can then use these attributes when creating alerts in the alert editor or when defining rules in the rule modeler.

Using these attributes, you can, for example, retrieve a service request number from the CAD attributes of an incoming call and set up a rule that displays an alert providing this information to the IC agent once the account has been confirmed. The IC agent can then click the service request number in the alert to navigate directly to the service order.

Incomplete E-Mails in the Agent Inbox for an Account

You can set up the IC so that IC agents can view the number of incomplete e-mails in the agent inbox that are linked to a particular account. This feature is available for inbound e-mails from the E-Mail Response Management System (ERMS) workflow.

A new action, Show Number of Incomplete E-Mails (AH_NO_CUST_MAIL), is available when you are creating rules in the intent-driven interaction context of the rule modeler. Using this action, you can create a rule policy that searches for incomplete e-mails for an identified account and displays an alert showing the number of incomplete e-mails found. An account must be confirmed before the number of incomplete e-mails can be shown. IC agents can then click the alert to navigate directly to the agent inbox, where only the incomplete e-mails from the confirmed contact person of the identified account are displayed. If no contact person has been confirmed, only e-mails from the e-mail address linked with the identified account are listed in the agent inbox. The search criteria in the agent inbox are collapsed; an information message is issued, showing IC agents the e-mail address of the incomplete e-mails displayed.

Roles for Shared Services

You can use the following roles for setting up and operating shared services:

For more information, see Users and Roles in SAP ERP and SAP CRM.

Integration of the Accounting Interaction Center with SAP ERP

Based on new business roles, the integration between the Accounting Interaction Center (AIC) and SAP ERP is realized for several applications:

Travel Interaction Center

Based on new business roles, you can operate a Travel Interaction Center (TIC). You can launch Travel Management applications from the TIC and link Travel Management objects to service requests. Service requests triggered by Travel Management applications include a linked object that allows service agents to launch the respective application with the respective trip number, personnel number and user name, in the respective ERP system. Managers can audit and approve expense reports. Travel administrators, for example, can list and edit expense reports in which the necessary details for the refund of value-added tax amounts are missing. The TIC contains all of the standard IC features. Service requests are displayed and processed in the agent's inbox. In addition, the TIC provides specific functions, such as TIC-specific account identification, a travel worklist, and TIC-specific transactions in the navigation bar.

For more information, see Travel Interaction Center.

Service Level Management

You can use information supplied by SAP in conjunction with your chosen third-party application to monitor shared services operations. To help facilitate service level management, two DataSources are delivered. You can use these DataSources, along with existing DataSources and your chosen third party application, to build Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that measure the effectiveness of your service level agreements (SLA).

For more information, see Service Level Management and BI Content for the Shared Service Center Framework.