Addresses play an important role in a large number of business processes. In Accounting, for example, addresses are part of the customer master data. The addresses are collected and then used in follow-up processes such as sales orders. Further examples include address data of banks, vendors, and contacts. There are many areas in which it is natural to enter, change, or use addresses for correspondence or other types of communication (e-mail, telephone, fax).

Considering these aspects, a central organization of addresses in components of the SAP System provides the following advantages:

• Standardized interfaces can be used centrally by all components. This makes address maintenance easier.
• Consistent encapsulation of the functions and data reduces the maintenance effort in the components that use the Business Address Services.
• New functions related to address management can be implemented on a central basis. This is especially important with regard to globalization (for example, mail addresses must meet international requirements).

The SAP System has been benefiting from the advantages of the Business Address Services (BAS) since Release 4.0.

This documentation is primarily designed for employees in the areas of Customizing and development.

None of the other units are designed for a specific target group.