<= /p>

SAP solutions address the needs of retail companies in a variety of areas: grocery, speci= al hard goods, do-it-yourself, convenience, and department store sales, as wel= l as fashion and wholesale. SAP works with many of the industry's leading compan= ies to ensure that its solutions meet the unique requirements of retail compani= es. SAP solutions handle high-volume requirements and specific needs of the ret= ail industry by linking complex business processes into a logical flow.<= /span>

Business Benefits<= /span>

SAP solutions for the retail industry offer customers these business benefits:

· = Increased efficiency through implementation of industry best-practices

· = Seamless collaboration with external partners and suppliers facilitated by enterprise wide integration of business processes

· = Quick and effective execution, management, and measurement of critical business functions

· = Reduced total cost of ownership resulting from streamlined critical processes worki= ng on a single software foundation

· = Ability to accommodate growth and change as market demands shift<= /span>

· = Integrated operations based on a single information platform that allows merging compa= nies to rapidly achieve returns from new organizational structures

· = A strategic foundation of business software that supports retailers' core business processes, plus industry-specific applications that meet the unique requirements of the retail market

· = Ability to integrate and align the entire enterprise with a consistent business vis= ion

Work better with the complex distribution and supply systems associated with managing a great variety of products, a large number of suppliers, a large number of stores, and a variety of sales chann= els, including phone and Internet sales and mobile commerce.

Merchandise Management

SAP’s merchandise management application is a completely integrated retailing solution that covers the c= ore processes of a retail company. It maps the complete set of business process= es required for competitive assortment strategies, different retail formats, a= nd ECR-driven logistics and distribution. It provides all the functions necess= ary for modeling business processes in a retail company.

With SAP’s merchandise management system, SAP has endeavored to model the full "Value Chain", all t= he links in the logistics pipeline from consumer to vendor. Retailers can thus optimize the whole array of business processes and control checks in managi= ng the flow of merchandise and information among vendors, retailers and consum= ers.

Merchandise management comprises the procurement, storage, distribution and sale of merchandise. The key merchandise management proces= ses include:

= Management of Master Data

Provides efficient management for high volume retail master data such as SKUs, locations, vendors, vendor cost, delivery and order cycles and other retail relevant master data. Multiple consistency checks and automatic inbound routines are provided to reduce maintenance effort and insure consistent data, thereby increasing overall efficiency of business transactions.

= Merchandise and Assortment Management

Is a sophisticated and highly flexible application for structuring your merchandise ranges. A range consists of a number of SKUs which can be managed as a group and which can be assigned to= one or multiple locations for a specific timeframe for procurement, merchandisi= ng and sales.

Price and Revenue Management=

Allows retailers to stay profitable in highly competitive markets, faced with the challenge of low margins and bro= ad assortments. To better manage product lifecycles, in-season performance of merchandise dictates the pricing strategies needed to best achieve profitab= le goals, often at the store level.

Promotion Management

Comprises all processes, which retailers need for setting up their strategic merchandise budget plans, then buy and price= the promotional assortment as well as implementing the promotion program. This means all necessary steps starting with the planning, procurement of actual quantities, announcement and distribution of promoted items and prices to stores and customers as well as reporting and analysis of realized sales in= the target group.

Purchase Order Management

The supply chain costs can heavily be reduced by optimizing the company internal procurement processes. An integrated purchase order, allocation and distribution, and settlement process is mandatory to manage and control the complete procurement process.

DC and Store Replenishment

Replenishment = is a method of supplying distribution centers and stores with merchandise in line with the demand for the merchandise. In replenishment planning, requirements are calculated using the current stock situation. When this has been done, follow-on documents (for example, purchase orders or sales orders) are generated for supplying merchandise.

Inventory Management

Enables the retailer to manage and monitor stocks and values and hereby keep the balance of keeping inventory low and = at the same time make sure that there are less out-of-stock situations. Goods movements are made in real time and tightly integrated to the financial to = keep inventory up-to-date.

Warehouse and DC Management<= /o:p>

Helps to store and move go= ods efficiently and thus keeps the inventory low by guaranteeing a high service level. Picking and packing, controlling logistics documents, and in and outbound monitoring are all part of the process. One addition that facilita= tes warehouse management is the integration of mobile devices that provide reli= able information about goods stored and moved through warehouse locations in real time.

Integration of Store Processes (e= .g. POS Integration)

Supports connectivity to store and POS systems through standardized interfaces. Inbound processing of TLOG data, including sales audit as well as outbound processing of price/item informat= ion via ARTS compliant interfaces is provided. Inventory data and other merchandising information is provided to support de-central store systems.<= o:p>

In combination with the analytics capabilities of the Business Information Warehouse Retailers are enabled to control and coordinate the whole value chain, and thus react swiftly to cha= nges in consumer behavior.

Item Management=

SAP Re= tail provides an integrated merchandise management solution that helps retailers overcome their pain points. For example, if a retailer is using many point solutions and multiple item databases this may lead to inconsistent master = data. Furthermore, retailers also often struggle with large volumes of master data records as a result of many item= s, many locations, and frequent changes.

With S= AP Retail, retailers can create and manage large numbers of master data using user-friendly mass maintenance tools; exception-based management; referenci= ng logic to limit data creation; manual input matrices; and electronic import/export mechanisms to collaborate with vendors, bring in data from planning applications, and access industry data pools. Master data maintenance screens ca= n be tailored to meet simple or sophisticated requirements.

As par= t of that solution, item management means that you only need to set up your items once in one place and all areas of your organization that require access to that information can access it immediately. The finance department, distribution center, merchandisers, buyers, etc. can all view the same consistent data. Since invent= ory transactions and adjustments, as well as item maintenance (pricing, promoti= ons, UPCs, etc.) are updated in real-time, retailers will always have an accurate view of performance.

&= nbsp;

Item Management:

o&nb= sp; Multiple Item Types

o&nb= sp; Single Item; Displays, Sets; Fashion; Samples

o&nb= sp; Item Attributes

o&nb= sp; Standard Attributes – Product Status; Sea= son; ABC; Commodity Code; Origin; Hazmat; Import/Export Attributes

o&nb= sp; Product specs – document management<= /o:p>

o&nb= sp; Cost, retail, margin, markup<= /p>

o = Vendor (w/ multi-vendor capability)

o&nb= sp; Unlimited customer-defined attribute assignment= s

o&nb= sp; SKU creating characteristics – fashion in= put matrix

o&nb= sp; Item Control

o&nb= sp; Comprehensive data control – UPC, EAN, GT= IN, Internal Assignment, multiples

o&nb= sp; Unlimited units of measure - eaches, inner, cas= e, tier, pallet, etc.

o&nb= sp; Required vs. optional fields<= /p>

o&nb= sp; Create items with reference – auto popula= te fields

o&nb= sp; Forecast reference SKUs

o&nb= sp; Interface to space optimization

o&nb= sp; Manage serial numbers

o&nb= sp; Full discontinuation process (item, store, DC, = and vendor)

o&nb= sp; Item Hierarchy

o&nb= sp; Multiple hierarchy capabilities

o&nb= sp; Unlimited merchandise hierarchy levels

o&nb= sp; Asymmetrical hierarchies allowed

o&nb= sp; Ability to reclassify items to new hierarchies<= o:p>

o&nb= sp; Assign attributes to hierarchies – items = will inherit hierarchy level attributes.

o&nb= sp; Inventory Control

o&nb= sp; Assign and authorize items to stores/store grou= ps

o&nb= sp; Maintain and track inventory units by sku/locat= ion

o&nb= sp; Maintain and track inventory valuation by sku/ location

o&nb= sp; Vendor Communication

o&nb= sp; Delivered electronic interfaces to receive vend= or catalog information – new items, UPC, pricing, description, etc.=

o&nb= sp; Portal capabilities to share vendor performance, inventory positions, etc.

o&nb= sp; Security

o&nb= sp; Authorization profiles gives access to only the right people at the right time

o&nb= sp; International Operations

o&nb= sp; Multi-currency

o&nb= sp; Multi-language

o&nb= sp; POS Integration

o&nb= sp; POS interface to send item data (UPC, pricing, valid period, text for POS, etc.) to the stores

Item Set-up Process:

Merchandise Categories:

Merchandise categories enable you to classify and structure all aspects of the merchandise for efficient merchandise category management. Each item is assigned to a specific merchandise category, which= is valid throughout the enterprise.

Merchandise categories can be assigned to stores and store departments. Furthermore, they can be grouped into hierarchies.<= /o:p>

Item Hierarchies:

The item hierarchy is an alternative, parallel struc= ture which enables you to group items using a customer-oriented structure for planning, management, or reporting purposes. You can then map any grouping = of items, in particular the consumer decision tree (CDT). The CDT is oriented around consumers and their needs and, as far as possible, it reflects how, = and according to what needs the consumer takes into account during a purchase decision.

The grouping of items in a customer-oriented structu= re supports the eight-step-process for business planning in Category Managemen= t. This business planning process was developed by SAP, together with Roland Berger – Strategy Consultants and it follows the findings of the ECR Category Management Best Practices Report.

There are no restrictions as to the depth of an item hierarchy. Howe= ver, experience has shown that a structure depth of a maximum of seven levels is recommendable.

Inventory Management

Invent= ory management in SAP Retail provides control over all inventory activity and a real time view of inventory positions for every location in the organization. All relevant inventory transactions update the stock ledger and financials as they occur= , so you always have a clear picture of your business.

Stores= are assigned and authorized specific assortments during the planning process and inventory requirements are calculated. These assortments control wh= at items a store can order and sell. The distribution center fulfills the store requirements and SAP Reta= il calculates any requirements for the distribution center.<= /p>

SAP Re= tail provides Business Intelligence with merchandise management reporting. It allows you to set inventory performance alerts to take proactive steps and enabling you to find invento= ry concerns before it is too late. The alerts can be sent to your e-mail, desktop, or even PDA to notify you that = there are overstock, insufficient stock, or other situations that need corrective action. Alerts can be driven = off of any of the metrics important to your business – e.g., inventory margin concerns, sales vs. plan, inventory vs. plan, late deliveries, weeks or day= s of supply, excessive inventory adjustments, etc.

&= nbsp;

Overview of Inventory Management Features:

o&nb= sp; Flexible control and consolidated view of all s= tock movements

o&nb= sp; By DC, division, region, location

o&nb= sp; By stock position in the supply chain

o&nb= sp; Goods available

o&nb= sp; Goods on order

o&nb= sp; In transit

o&nb= sp; Returns

o&nb= sp; Complete RTV process

o&nb= sp; Identify quantities in store/DC

o&nb= sp; Create return orders from Store to DC or Store = to Vendor

o&nb= sp; Consolidate returns at DC – RTV centrally=

o&nb= sp; By inventory movement type (update near real-ti= me)

o&nb= sp; Sales – POS, trickle polling

o&nb= sp; Transfers – DC to store, date-driven=

o&nb= sp; Transfers – Store to store, date-driven

o&nb= sp; Receiving – Item check, no check

o&nb= sp; Inventory adjustments, including shrink

o&nb= sp; Breakdown gift sets/packs to saleable units

o&nb= sp; Tolerance controls

o&nb= sp; Reason codes: Damaged, donation, spoilage, thef= t, etc.

o&nb= sp; Consignment stock

o&nb= sp; Cross-dock/Flow-through/Direct to Store deliver= y

o&nb= sp; Full audit trail of all goods movements and adjustments (system document created with every event)

o&nb= sp; Tight financial integration (for both internal = and external transactions)

o&nb= sp; Stock overview and inventory performance report= ing

o&nb= sp; Returns – consumer, store to DC, vendor; financial integration

o&nb= sp; Full control of stock availability

o&nb= sp; Available for sale

o&nb= sp; Reserved (promotion, customer, etc.)=

o&nb= sp; Storage locations

o&nb= sp; Blocked (e.g., for quality inspection

o&nb= sp; Full control of physical inventory

o&nb= sp; Full physicals

o&nb= sp; Cycle counting – ABC classification, importance for counting

o&nb= sp; Full edit and review process prior to posting

o&nb= sp; Full view of inventory history

o&nb= sp; Store level access

o&nb= sp; Full execution at store level=

o&nb= sp; View inventory position in local store and surrounding stores

o&nb= sp; Create transfers at store level with authorizat= ion

o&nb= sp; Valuation and inventory accounting

o&nb= sp; Manage inventory at location/item or location/merchandise hierarchy level

o&nb= sp; Inventory valuation at both cost and/or retail<= o:p>

o&nb= sp; Tight integration to financials

o&nb= sp; Define which events and costs impact inventory values and how they are taken into account

o&nb= sp; Replenishment and demand-based planning

o&nb= sp; Calculate replenishment requirements based on demand forecast and stock on-hand

o&nb= sp; DC and store replenishment

o&nb= sp; Assortments

o&nb= sp; Control which assortments — and which ite= ms — a store can purchase or sell.

o&nb= sp; Use assortment groups or “modules” = to simplify the process of building local assortments

o&nb= sp; Authorization periods

Purchasing Management

SAP for Retail supports the entire retail procurement process for a global supply chain. It enables automation, optimization, and controls. I= t is tightly integrated from planning and forecasting requirements all the way through to settlement and reporting.

Retail= ers can procure for a variety of product types:

o&nb= sp; Replenishable products

o&nb= sp; Non-replenishable, seasonal products=

o&nb= sp; Fresh-items

o&nb= sp; Services

Purchase Order Processing

Suppor= ts the daily operations involved in the procurement of merchandise and settlin= g up with vendors. The functions i= n this area enable you to order articles for which requirements were determined in= the planning run. It comprises qu= antity calculation, supply source determination, conversion of purchase requisitio= ns to purchase orders and order monitoring.&n= bsp; The purchasing functionality can be used both centrally in the head office and locally in stores.

Features:

o&nb= sp; Maintain and monitor vendor confirmations<= /o:p>

o&nb= sp; Monitor fulfillment status of purchase orders

o&nb= sp; Planned-based purchasing

o&nb= sp; Business rules

o&nb= sp; Document approvals

o&nb= sp; Flexible cost calculations (landed cost versus domestic cost calculations)

o&nb= sp; Workflows, alerts, authorizations, and audit tr= ails

o&nb= sp; Mass maintenance

o&nb= sp; Integration to forecasting and replenishment

o&nb= sp; Analytics

Order Optimizing

In ord= er to find the most economic order quantity, costs resulting from stock keeping and from purchasing have to be taken into consideration. The aim of optimal lot-sizing procedures is to group requirements in such a way that costs are minimized. If you order often, the result is low storage costs, but the ord= er costs will be high due to the high number of orders. If you don’t pla= ce orders often, order costs remain very low, but storage costs will be very h= igh since warehouse stock must be large enough to cover requirements for a much longer period. The system then adds successive quantities to this lot size until, by means of the particular cost criterion, optimum costs have been established. The system can optimize the quantities of orders to make the m= ost out of agreements with vendors who grant better conditions when complete logistics units (such as entire pallets) are ordered. The quantity optimizi= ng function rounds off quantities according to flexible rules that are predefi= ned. It is possible to round either up or down. The system can also take differe= nt units of measure of a product into account.

o&nb= sp; Investment (Forward) buying

o&nb= sp; Automatic load-build

o&nb= sp; Manual load-build

Invoice Matching

A 3-way match between PO, goods received, and the invoice is carried out in invoice matching. Invoices can be input and matched online, manually keyed in quickly for batch processing, or received electronically via EDI or XML for automatic matching. The incoming invoices are verified= in terms of their content, prices and arithmetic and apply matching logic and tolerances. Exceptions are ki= cked out to be managed separately. When the invoice is posted, the invoice data is saved in the system and he procurement cycle, inventory positions, and financials are updated.

Features:

o&nb= sp; Preliminary posting

o&nb= sp; EDI and XML enabled

o&nb= sp; Batch processing

o&nb= sp; Tolerances

o&nb= sp; Management by exception

o&nb= sp; Evaluated Receipt Settlement (ERS)

o&nb= sp; Consignment/pipeline settlement

o&nb= sp; Prepayments

Vendor Request for Quotation

This component enables you to manage and compare requests for quotation (RFQs) i= ssued to vendors and their responses.

In purchase order management, the RFQ and the quotation form a single document. Prices and conditions quoted by vendors are entered in the original RFQ. If= you have issued an RFQ to several vendors, you can have the system determine the most favorable quotation submitted and automatically generate letters of rejection to the unsuccessful bidders. You can also store the prices and te= rms of delivery from certain quotations in an information record for future accessing.

Features:

o&nb= sp; RFQ processing

o&nb= sp; Release of RFQs

o&nb= sp; Vendor quotation processing

o&nb= sp; Transmission of RFQs/quotations

Collective Purchase Order

Collective purchase orders are used to plan merchandise distribution= s. You can use a collective purchase order to combine the requirements of recipients – that may exist in the system as warehouse orders or sales orders – to create a single order for a vendor ("pull" process).

Features:

o&nb= sp; Collection of store/customer requirements<= /o:p>

o&nb= sp; Pre-packing

Vendor Rebates and Settlement

Manage vendor rebates and deal terms, automatically track progress, = and settle periodically or at the end of the contract with vendors. Agreements can be based on purchas= es from the vendor or customer sales and can be associated with promotions.

Features:

o&nb= sp; Flexible deal setup and periods

o&nb= sp; Scaled rebates

o&nb= sp; Interim and subsequent settlement

o&nb= sp; Retro-active deal setup and calculation

o&nb= sp; Off-invoice discounts or periodic settlement

o&nb= sp; Compare to vendor totals before settlement=

o&nb= sp; Automatic tracking and settlement (debit or cre= dit memos)

o&nb= sp; Integration to PO management and financials

o&nb= sp; Integration to promotions

Price Management and Execution

As retailers operate in an increasingly competitive and complex environment, t= hey cannot rely on outdated methods and technology to be successful. Coming up with the right price is = not easy, yet it is a critical lever of profit and conveys a particular image to consumers. Furthermore, retai= lers need to be able to manage pricing throughout the entire product lifecycle.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> SAP offers retailers the ability t= o get the right price at the right time at the right stores using a rules-based retail pricing solution that helps retailers accomplish a variety of objectives, including:

o&nb= sp; Improve gross margins=

o&nb= sp; Monitor, react and succeed in a highly competit= ive market

o&nb= sp; Communicate a consistent, attractive price imag= e

o&nb= sp; Align and manage multiple formats and regions

o&nb= sp; Achieve better pricing controls

o&nb= sp; Better position private label brands=

o&nb= sp; Measure sales and profitability performance

o&nb= sp; These objectives can be met using SAP’s retail pricing tools to carry out a variety of strategies and tactics, such= as:

o&nb= sp; Formats and Price Zones

o&nb= sp; Hi-Lo Pricing

o&nb= sp; Every Day Low Pricing (EDLP)<= /p>

o&nb= sp; Category Roles and Pricing

o&nb= sp; Relational Pricing

o&nb= sp; Competitive Pricing

o&nb= sp; Margin Targets

o&nb= sp; Rounding Rules

o&nb= sp; SAP also provides critical controls to the proc= ess: authorization profiles, workflow, and audit trails.

Pricing Features:

o&nb= sp; SKU/Store-based pricing

o&nb= sp; Company, regional, zone pricing

o&nb= sp; Validity dates

o&nb= sp; Flexible selection criteria

o&nb= sp; “What-if” pricing simulation tool

o&nb= sp; Rules-based pricing

o&nb= sp; Cost-plus

o&nb= sp; Competitive response strategies

o&nb= sp; Markup/-down % or value

o&nb= sp; Valid periods

o&nb= sp; Pricing spreads

o&nb= sp; Product family controls

o&nb= sp; Last digit rounding rules

o&nb= sp; Unit pricing

o&nb= sp; Pre-priced (MSRP)

o&nb= sp; Custom formulas, rules, and tolerances

o&nb= sp; Pricing control

o&nb= sp; Recommended pricing based on cost change

o&nb= sp; Landed cost, moving average cost, DC transfer price, or scaled-based cost used as cost-plus basis

o&nb= sp; Pricing/margin tolerances

o&nb= sp; Workflow approvals

o&nb= sp; Mass maintenance

o&nb= sp; Audit trail (pricing documents)

o&nb= sp; Price change cancellations

o&nb= sp; Integrated with promotional planning and markdo= wn planning

o&nb= sp; Integrated with POS – prices sent to rele= vant stores at the right time

SAP Promotion Management Overview

As retailers face increasing competition and find that customers have become more price-sensi= tive and are trained to wait for promotional deals, many retailers have resorted= to spending more money on promotions and have increased the frequency of them.= In certain segments, like grocery and drug, there is usually a promotion runni= ng every week. Although some ret= ailers pursue an everyday low cost pricing strategy and don’t promote very m= uch, some retailers opt for a Hi-Lo pricing strategy, where promotions are a key component of their business model. SAP supports a variety of retail business models and provides retail= ers with tools to plan, execute, and analyze promotions.

Promotions Featu= res:

o&nb= sp; Plan promotional theme, items, quantities, and prices (special price, % off, $ off, BOGO and other deal types)<= /span>

o&nb= sp; End digit rounding rules

o&nb= sp; Flexible selection criteria

o&nb= sp; Assign stores or store groups=

o&nb= sp; Manage deals, discounts, incentives, coupons

o&nb= sp; Apply vendor deals

o&nb= sp; Control what items and phases (buying, delivery, and selling periods) of promo plan are active and when (linear, overlapping, ...)

o&nb= sp; Visibility to costs and key figures<= /span>

o&nb= sp; Store notifications

o&nb= sp; Optional versus mandatory store participation

o&nb= sp; Integration to procurement

o&nb= sp; Allocation strategies

o&nb= sp; Flexible ‘what-if’ simulations to achieve desired goals and margins

o&nb= sp; Mass maintenance – many items, multiple levels, concurrent users can work the same promotion

o&nb= sp; Reference historical promotions during planning process

o&nb= sp; Interface to 3d party content management tools<= o:p>

o&nb= sp; Analytics – create tailored reports to tr= ack KPIs, measure lift, look at planned vs. actual performance, and guide future promotional decisions

o&nb= sp; Discounts

o&nb= sp; Bonus buy deals for

o&nb= sp; Deal types:

o&nb= sp; Special price

o&nb= sp; % discount

o&nb= sp; $ discount

o&nb= sp; Free goods

o&nb= sp; Deals based on…

o&nb= sp; Certain items purchased

o&nb= sp; Certain quantities purchased<= /p>

o&nb= sp; Scales

o&nb= sp; Customer card, coupon presented

o&nb= sp; Min/max value of transaction<= /p>

o&nb= sp; Defined prerequisites

o&nb= sp; Deals applied to…

o&nb= sp; Single item

o&nb= sp; Item group(s)

o&nb= sp; All defined prerequisites

o&nb= sp; Entire transaction

o&nb= sp; Audit trail – who changed what and when

o&nb= sp; Integration to regular retail price management<= o:p>

o&nb= sp; Automatic download of promotion prices to POS systems on a specified validity date (and on demand) and automatic resettin= g of standard prices when the promotion is over

SAP Markdown Management Overview

For markdown planning, SAP helps retailers balance efforts to ensure that as li= ttle stock as possible remains at the end of a season while minimizing the loss = of profit due to price reductions. After planning your markdown strategy in SAP Retail (either pre-season or in-season), you can execute it and monitor the planned vs. ac= tual sell-through results to see how well the strategy is working. You control t= he markdown plan, so you can make adjustments at any time if you see that sales are doing better or more poorly than expected.

&= nbsp;

Features:

o&nb= sp; Plan markdown items, quantities, and prices

o&nb= sp; Assign stores

o&nb= sp; Use markdown rules and schedules to control whi= ch items are active at what prices during each phase

o&nb= sp; Slow-Seller Management tool automates markdown schedule based on inventory and timing

o&nb= sp; Pre-season or in-season planning and execution<= o:p>

o&nb= sp; Visibility to costs and key figures<= /span>

o&nb= sp; Flexible ‘what-if’ simulations to achieve desired goals and margins

o&nb= sp; Mass maintenance – many items, multiple levels, concurrent users can work the same markdown plan<= /p>

o&nb= sp; Analytics – create tailored reports to tr= ack KPIs, sell-through, and make adjustments, as needed

o&nb= sp; Integration to regular retail price management<= o:p>

Point-of-Sale and POS connectivity

SAP Triversity is able to offer our customers complete flexibility by deliverin= g 2 store solution alternatives: Transactionware GM and Transactionware Enterpr= ise.

Transactionware Enterprise is the most cost-effective, feature-rich J2EE POS solut= ion available on the market today.

= Designed for retailers who have embraced enterprise computing, Transactionware Enterprise is the first and only Java point-of-sale (POS) solution designed from the ground up to harness the power of J2EE (Java 2 Enterprise Edition) at all customer touch points. Its highly scalable, open architecture gives retailers virtually limitless deployment options ranging from wireless handhelds and true thin-client POS to thick-client POS system= s, on up to massively scalable enterprise server environments that handle bill= ions of transactions per year.<= o:p>

Advanced Enterprise Archite= cture

= Unlike first-generation Java applications, Transactionware Enterpris= e is fully architected on the J2EE standard - the most powerful, versatile and robust Java-based platform. The J2EE standard specifically addresses the ne= eds of enterprise applications to ensure that all the benefits of Java are available at the enterprise level. This includes faster delivery of code, “write once/run anywhere” application development, and simplifi= ed connectivity of enterprise applications.

= SAP Triversity’s enterprise POS platform greatly simplifies application development and decreases the need for system programming, allo= wing your IT staff to concentrate on creating business logic rather than infrastructure services such as middleware. Transactionware Enterprise runs= on leading operating systems and middleware.

= As a true J2EE application, Transactionware Enterprise enables transactions, enhances customer interaction, and reduces the total cost of ownership through configurable, component-based business logic and a suite = of retail-centric applications - including point-of-sale, kiosk, mobile POS and e-commerce - that share the same business logic.

Superior Flexibility and Functionality

= Transactionware Enterprise’s flexible architecture can be easi= ly adapted to your unique business requirements, making it ideal for multi-for= mat, multi-brand/multi-banner, and multi-national retailers. Transactionware Enterprise enables real-time connectivity with enterprise applications, han= dles multiple languages and currencies, supports entirely different business mod= els, taxation rules and government requirements, and much more. The broad range = of functionality makes Transactionware Enterprise the perfect solution for virtually any retail segment - from department stores to big-box retailers, discounters to large and small specialty retailers.

= Transactionware Enterprise includes a powerful Enterprise Configurat= or tool and business rules engine that offers virtually limitless options. Usi= ng the Enterprise Configurator, your IT staff (and even non-technical personne= l) can quickly and easily enable changes to the software, without the need for custom development from SAP Triversity. Changes can be made in minutes, then instantly deployed across the retail enterprise.

The Leader in Data Security

= Protecting cardholder data is a critical issue, and Transactionware Enterprise helps retailers protect sensitive customer information even if unauthorized individuals breach their systems. With its latest release, Transactionware Enterprise is the first Java-based solution to incorporate sophisticated data encryption and masking to help retailers who adopt the necessary practices and procedures to comply with the requirements of = the Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standard.

Transactionwa= re Enterprise POS Application Suite

= The Transactionware Enterprise product suite includes the POS Client= , the back-office POS Manager and the powerful, flexible Enterprise Configurator.=

POS Client

= Transactionware Enterprise helps retailers deliver a new level of customer-centric functionality that greatly enhances the customer shopping experience. Transactionware Enterprise’s POS client includes a number of features designed to facilitate the shopping experience.

o&nb= sp; Sophisticat= ed pricing algorithms allow advanced discounts, promotions and mix match prici= ng rules.

o&nb= sp; The industry’s best layaway and special order capabilities provide flexibility in meeting customer needs.

o&nb= sp; Centralized transaction recall for merchandise returns ensures accuracy and reduces the risk of fraud.

o&nb= sp; Extensive r= eceipt and document printing capabilities include rebates, special policies and ot= her retailer-defined documents.

o&nb= sp; The graphic= al, customizable user interface make Transactionware Enterprise easy to learn a= nd use, keeping training time for employees to a minimum and customer service = to a maximum.

o&nb= sp; The POS Cli= ent recovery/update tool lets you reload the POS client image for easy repairs = or changes to the system with minimal effort and maximum uptime.

POS Manager

= The back-office module, POS Manager, automates and simplifies store operations so that your managers can focus on what they do best —= ; running the store and taking care of customers.

o&nb= sp; Management functions can be accessed from a web browser from anywhere in the store or = the enterprise, even on wireless devices.

o&nb= sp; Our complet= e set of reports come standard with the application and allows your personnel to = make informed decisions quickly based on the effectiveness of a promotion, analy= ze sales to determine customer throughput, and even report on exceptions to de= tect potential fraud or possible training issues.

o&nb= sp; With the industry’s best cash management component, POS Manager allows the qui= ck, easy transfer of funds throughout the store with a complete audit trail.

o&nb= sp; An intuitive interface speeds up procedures for opening and closing the store. Managers = can search electronic journals and even view digital receipt images of any transaction as needed.

Enterprise<= /st1:place> Configurator

= No other Java solution comes close to matching the power and flexibi= lity of Transactionware Enterprise’s Configurator. SAP Triversity pioneered the concept of configuration tools and business rules engines for= POS software, and today’s fifth-generation Enterprise Configurator combin= es ease of use with limitless options for changing, updating and configuring t= he software — without programming.

= Using the Enterprise Configurator and the business rules engine, you= can configure all business logic from the head office or any other central location, then deploy that logic to the entire enterprise, a group of store= s, an individual store, or even an individual device within the enterprise.

o&nb= sp; Business functions such as tendering, discounting, non-merchandise items and tax rul= es have a number of options that can be activated, de-activated or specifically configured for your environment.

o&nb= sp; The Enterpr= ise Configurator allows development of specific transaction types such as retur= ns, pending transactions for layaways, and/or special orders and sale type transactions.

o&nb= sp; The ability= to capture additional data can be activated for individual stores, for any typ= e of transaction.

o&nb= sp; The Enterpr= ise Configurator enables global retailing by allowing easy customization for foreign currency, global tax rules, and global language capabilities for single-, double- and multi-byte character set languages.<= /p>

o&nb= sp; As a browser-based application, the Enterprise Configurator can be accessed from anywhere within your enterprise.

o&nb= sp; The Enterpr= ise Configurator includes a deployment manager to update rules on any device anywhere in your retail organization, so you can change business policies or promotions on demand, and verify that the changes took place as scheduled.<= o:p>

Summary of Features

o&nb= sp; Layered architecture. Fully open infrastructure support allows you to choose your o= wn operating system, database, application server, middleware and web server, = from commercial or open source alternatives. Operating systems include Linux, Windows®, Solaris, AIX, 4690 and others.

o&nb= sp; Supports in= dustry standards. Fully supports XML, Web Services, IXRetail, J2EE, JavaPOS, UnifiedPOS, JDBC, JMS, Unicode, MBCS.

o&nb= sp; Transaction= ware Enterprise supports browser-based retail devices, kiosks, PDAs, and wireless and Internet standards, with multi-channel integration.

o&nb= sp; Connectivit= y with EAI (Enterprise Application Integration) framework. Broad integration toolkit permits greatest interoperability with the least amount of work. Connector architecture provides a standard way to connect Transactionware Enterprise applications to any legacy application or third-party component.=

o&nb= sp; Fault toler= ance. Robust fault tolerance combines the enterprise strengths of J2EE with = the reliability you’ve come to expect for mission critical in-store syste= ms.

o&nb= sp; Special cus= tomer transactions. Transaction sets may be written once and used across all channels.

o&nb= sp; Internation= al capabilities. Multi-byte character set capability with local configuration.=

o&nb= sp; Fully configurable user interfaces. Customize the look and feel for all devices, giving your customers and staff a consistent retail experience.<= /span>

o&nb= sp; Business bu= ilding blocks. Reusable source code gets you started faster.

o&nb= sp; Integrated = EFT (Electronic Funds Transfer). Access multiple service providers through a si= ngle interface. Promote credit, debit, check and gift card payment processing and negotiate your best rate from each service provider. Integrated EFT can be switched out from a central location with minimal configuration at the stor= e.

Transactionware GM is the most robust, easy-to-use and feature-rich POS solution available for client/server environments.

The Most Flexible, Adaptable POS Solution

= Tran= sactionware GM offers unprecedented flexibility that empowers retailers to quickly= and easily configure the solution, thanks to its powerful, easy-to-use configuration tool and business rules engine.

= SAP Triversity pioneered the concept of a configuration tool for POS software w= hen Transactionware GM was first introduced in 1990 and today the business rules engine contains more than a half million options. Using the Transactionware Configurator, a retailer’s Information Technology staff or other non-technical HQ personnel can access the business rules engine to quickly = and easily make changes to the application, without the need for custom develop= ment from SAP Triversity.<= o:p>

= Tran= sactionware GM includes front-end POS and back-office modules, as well as a Mobile= POS option. The solution easily integrates with existing IT infrastructures, th= anks to its open platform and operating system architecture.

= Tran= sactionware GM reduces the operating costs for store systems, while at the same time al= lowing retailers to deliver an enhanced customer experience. Following are just a = few of the many advantages that Transactionware GM can bring to your business.<= /span>

The Industry’s Lowe= st Total Cost of Ownership

= Tran= sactionware GM delivers the lowest Total Cost of Ownership of any client/server POS software, thanks to its inherent flexibility and ease of use. As a res= ult, many retailers are now well into their second decade of relying on Transactionware GM as their store systems solution - an unmatched return on investment.

= Tran= sactionware GM drives down operating costs and improves business agility by empowering = your IT and non-technical staff to quickly change inventory and pricing rules, a= pply new discounts, add promotions, adapt to sales tax changes, and change count= less other features and functions. You can define the scope of authority to allow individual stores to modify features such as exchange rates, receipt headers and footers, and taxes. Since non-technical store operations person= nel can easily make changes, your IT staff is freed up for other functions.

= The flexibility of Transactionware GM makes it ideal for international retailin= g, allowing multinational retailers to reduce their costs by standardizing on a single POS platform throughout the enterprise. Transactionware GM easily supports multiple currencies, languages and business practices.

A Competitive Edge for Yo= ur Business

= With Transactionware GM, you can respond immediately to changing business needs = and competitive pressures by quickly implementing new business processes or transaction types. For example, you can react to competitive pressure with = new and better pricing rules or easily implement a Loyalty or Gift Card Program= .

= Tran= sactionware GM also allows you to meet the needs of special classes of customers (such = as businesses) with multi-level pricing and discounts that can build customer loyalty. Transactionware GM supports automatic triggering of negotiated corporate discounts at the point of sale, multi-level discounts based on customer needs, best-pricing scenarios based on the transaction and custome= r type, and much more. Transactionware GM can also instantly retrieve information f= rom third-party customer databases as well as SAP Triversity’s Allegiance= CRM database at the POS, for easy, flexible implementation of loyalty programs.

= Transactionware GM's business rules engine contains more than a half million options.<= o:p>

Enhanced Customer Service with Mobile POS

= The = Mobile POS module of Transactionware GM enables faster transactions and a new leve= l of customer service, giving your sales associates the ability to pre-scan merchandise with RF handheld devices before customers proceed to the check&= shy;out. Sales associates can also perform price checks on the spot and locate merchandise in another store in the same city when an item is out of stock = at their store — enabling retailers to complete the sale and provide a better customer experience.<= o:p>

= Mobi= le POS can also streamline your receiving and inventory processes. Mobile POS automatically runs receiving reports that compare the amount of merchandise received on each shipment with what has been scanned into inventory, eliminating paperwork and enabling real-time inventory tracking = and adjustments, with immediate host system updates.

FEATURES AT A GLANCE

Front-End POS Features and Functions

o&nb= sp; Definable T= enders

o&nb= sp; Stored Value Cards

o&nb= sp; Non-Merchan= dise

o&nb= sp; Gift Certif= icates

o&nb= sp; Service Cha= rges & Fees

o&nb= sp; Suspend/Res= ume

o&nb= sp; Returns &am= p; Exchanges

o&nb= sp; Function-Le= vel Security

o&nb= sp; Customer Da= tabase

o&nb= sp; Foreign Currencies

o&nb= sp; Global Translation

o&nb= sp; Configurabl= e User Interface

o&nb= sp; Item Voids<= o:p>

o&nb= sp; Transaction= Voids

o&nb= sp; Item & = Transaction Discounting

o&nb= sp; Coupons

o&nb= sp; Timed Promo= tions

o&nb= sp; Mix & M= atch Pricing

o&nb= sp; Tiered Pric= ing

o&nb= sp; Kit & P= ackage Pricing

o&nb= sp; Weight & Quantity Embedded Pricing

o&nb= sp; POS Reporti= ng

o&nb= sp; Integrated Credit, Debit & Check Processing (Dial-Up & IP Socket)

o&nb= sp; Send Sales<= o:p>

o&nb= sp; Regional Tax Tables

o&nb= sp; Percent &am= p; Step Taxes

o&nb= sp; Value-Added= Taxes

o&nb= sp; Layaways

o&nb= sp; Special Ord= ers

o&nb= sp; Web Order P= ayment & Pickup

o&nb= sp; Rain Checks=

o&nb= sp; Payment Sch= edules

o&nb= sp; Transaction Import

o&nb= sp; Receipt Bar= Codes

o&nb= sp; Store Credit Notes

o&nb= sp; Receipt Cou= pons

o&nb= sp; Definable M= enus

o&nb= sp; Definable Keyboards

o&nb= sp; Definable Receipts

o&nb= sp; Loyalty Pro= grams

o&nb= sp; Integrated Browser

o&nb= sp; Cash Manage= ment

o&nb= sp; Loans, Pick= ups, Balances & Floats

o&nb= sp; Reason Code= s

o&nb= sp; Centralized Database Access

o&nb= sp; Age & D= ate Verification

o&nb= sp; Positive &a= mp; Negative File Validation

o&nb= sp; Regional &a= mp; Terminal Group Support

Back-Office Features and Functions

o&nb= sp; In-Store Sa= fe/Cash Management

o&nb= sp; Label &= Sign Printing

o&nb= sp; File Mainte= nance

o&nb= sp; Pricing

o&nb= sp; Employee Pa= yroll

o&nb= sp; Application Launch

o&nb= sp; Terminal Monitoring

o&nb= sp; Historical = & Real-Time Journal Viewing

o&nb= sp; Inventory C= ontrol

o&nb= sp; Purchase Or= ders

o&nb= sp; Receiving

o&nb= sp; Transfers

o&nb= sp; Suggested Ordering

o&nb= sp; RF Handheld Support

o&nb= sp; Physical Inventory Counts

o&nb= sp; Vendor Maintenance

o&nb= sp; Customer Maintenance

o&nb= sp; Extensive Reporting Capabilities

o&nb= sp; Data Export= to Other Applications or Devices (i.e. weigh scales)

o&nb= sp; Customer Profiling & Purchase Tracking (requires Allegiance host package)

o&nb= sp; User-Defina= ble Item & Customer Fields

S= AP Triversity POS solutions have extensive interface and integration points, t= oo numerous to mention here. The= se are documented in the Transactionware Technical Reference Guide that is provide= d as part of the solution. POS Basic integration includes price, item data, promotion, employee time clock, TLOG output mapping, etc. Inventory includes TLOG updates to central inventory, shipping info, store orders, receiving, transfers, purchase orders, and vendor data. Financial data integration uses the output of SAP Triversity’s AuditWatch sales audit package, which = then exports the processed and audited results from TLOG data to your General Ledger.

<= o:p>

I= ntegration of the solution to other customer systems can be performed using XML, Binar= y, or ASCII file formats, or through messaging where appropriate. Messaging is used extensively for = the Allegiance Centralized Customer Database, Allegiance 1to1 targeted promotio= nal offers, and many other centralized services such as our optional Express Returns refund authorization solution.

<= o:p>

E= FT interfaces are standardized through ISO-8583 in most cases, and payment dev= ices are handled through OPOS drivers where available, or customized hardware drivers.

<= o:p>

M= essage and file based interfaces are available for all key elements of the system,= as appropriate. These interfaces include the following (and more):

<= o:p>

o&nb= sp; Store, Back office parameters

o&nb= sp; Price Look = Up (PLU) and PLU Updates, PLU Supplemental update

o&nb= sp; Price batch, Price batch management, Supplemental codes, Attributes

o&nb= sp; Categories, Category Updates

o&nb= sp; Departments, Departments Update, Department Groups, Department Group Updates<= /span>

o&nb= sp; Mix Matches, Promotions, Discount, Discount inclusion / exclusions

o&nb= sp; Price level= / quantity transactions, Cross references, Link Transactions, Tare Weight

o&nb= sp; Full Positi= ve file, Transaction positive file, Full Negative file, Transaction negative f= ile

o&nb= sp; Inventory Control, Inventory Bucket Definition, Inventory Bucket Movement<= /span>

o&nb= sp; Inventory C= ount (Physical inventory), Order Book, Store Transfers In & Out

o&nb= sp; Vendor, Ven= dor / SKU File, Purchase Order, Receiving

o&nb= sp; Tender Denominations, Tender, Debit transaction BIN file, Safe

o&nb= sp; Tax tables, Jurisdiction, Jurisdiction ID, Jurisdiction Tax Tables

o&nb= sp; Employee, Transaction Employee, Payroll periods

o&nb= sp; Customer, Customer Status, Loyalty Program, Eligibility, Customer Points, Configurati= on

T= he POS has also been integrated with SAP components at many customer sites in = the past. Operational data (Item, Price, etc.) is normally supplied in batches = and TLOGs can be integrated either in real time or in batch mode during store End-of-Day processing. Customer information can be retrieved in real time f= rom CRM systems. The solution offering also includes Exchange Infrastructure to perform the batch integration and the Transnet Messaging infrastructure to perform the real time integration elements. Furthermore, as SAP Triversity = is now a member of the SAP family, there will be no barriers to timely and efficient integration between the systems. Product development is actively engaged to implement multiple integration scenarios available for release as part of the standard products in 2006.

Solution Name: SAP POS Data Management, NetWeav= er 2004

SAP POS Data Management application improves the decision making at a= ll levels of the retail organization by gathering facts and figures from each retail store and making them available throughout the enterprise. It provides standard reports at the click of a mouse through a web-based user interface, enabling users to acce= ss, explore, and analyze incoming POS sales information faster and easier than before. It enables you to exa= mine key events, sales, promotions, price changes, margins, and returns among ot= her key figures.

The application resides on SAP NetWeaver and is integrated directly w= ith SAP Business Information Warehouse (SAP BW). It also links to a range of follow= -on processes such as inventory management, financials, billing, credit card settlement, and customer facing applications. The application also supports tric= kle polling giving managers more relevant sales information.<= /p>

Features

o&nb= sp; Solution su= pports high performance upload of POS data and its analysis, scalable up to the largest , fastest growing retailers

o&nb= sp; Comprehensi= ve POS Data Management tool set for data capturing, sales audit, and reporting

o&nb= sp; Complements= a retailer’s existing investment in merchandising and supply chain syst= ems

o&nb= sp; Integrated = with the software component SAP Business Information Warehouse (SAP BW)

o&nb= sp; Comprises a= POS Inbound Processing Engine (PIPE) and the related BW content for ‘POS Analytics’

o&nb= sp; Outbound interfaces for flexible data distribution to downstream systems (ERP and mo= re)

o&nb= sp; POS workben= ch for monitoring, error handling and processing control

Architecture

POS Inbound

o&nb= sp; Connect to = POS system, e.g., via SAP XI

o&nb= sp; Receive tra= nsaction log file

o&nb= sp; Inbound int= erface easily extendable

POS Data Proce= ssing

o&nb= sp; Option to a= dd own check rules

o&nb= sp; Efficient e= rror handling

o&nb= sp; Flexible se= t-up of processing steps

o&nb= sp; Control fun= ction for processing status

o&nb= sp; Tracking of= data changes

POS Data Distribution

o&nb= sp; Aggregation= /enrichment of data for subsequent processing

o&nb= sp; Different outbound options to trigger follow-on processing

Delivered Role= s:

o&nb= sp; Sales Manag= er at HQ

o&nb= sp; Regional Sa= les Manager

o&nb= sp; Store Manag= er

Reporting/Exception Alerts

Data warehousing/reporting capabilities are provided in SAP Business Intelligence through the Business Information Warehouse (SAP BW). This allo= ws all construction and maintenance tasks to be performed within a single, unified environment.

SAP customers who implement SAP BW, take advant= age of the following features:

o&nb= sp; Reduces the= total load on your OLTP systems by moving reporting functions to SAP BW

o&nb= sp; Allows a st= andard view of your enterprise data for reporting and analysis purposes=

o &nb= sp; Provides a standard reporting tool for historical analysis in a consistent and reliable manner.

o &nb= sp; Allows repo= rting and analysis from a single platform. This reporting is more efficient and u= ses data updated from the source systems at regular time intervals. The source system can be a SAP OLTP system or any non-SAP system.

o &nb= sp; Enables ad = hoc query capabilities for end-user

The following analytical applications are used = for report viewing and analyzing:

o&nb= sp; Business Ex= plorer Analyzer (BEX): Excel -based reporting tool. You will be able to use the whole MS Excel capability to wo= rk with reports.

o&nb= sp; Web Browser= -based reporting: Reports published = to the web can be viewed with any standard HTML browser (no plug-ins required!)

o&nb= sp; Business Ex= plorer Browser: Web-based, reporting portal allowing customization of user’s view of BW content.

<= span style=3D'mso-list:Ignore'>o&nb= sp; All provide graphical based tools for reporting and you are able to print each report. The user accesses information held in Info Cubes through repor= ts. For each report, there are numerous different views that display information according to slice and dice operations (a report is not static snapshot, bu= t a gateway through which the user can explore the underlying data). SAP BW provides all end-users with a uniform reporting environment, known as Busin= ess Explorer.
Business Explorer can be used for all types of reporting activities, from ad-hoc analysis to highly standardized reporting. The OLAP Processor builds= the reports on top of the Info Cubes and provides the methods needed to perform slice and dice operations. Reports can be presented in MS-Excel, allowing t= he user to utilize Excel’s formatting and layout features. For user-frie= ndly organization of reports and fast access to favorites, Business Explorer includes the Report Catalog Browser.

User= s can move from a general view to one which is more detailed (“slicing or drill-down”) or from a very detailed level to one which is more aggregated. He can also decide to view data from a different perspective by introducing a completely different analysis criterion (“dicing”= ) or changing view.

For example, a manager is examining sales figures. She can look at sales for the US and drill down = to sales for individual states within the US. Now, the manager can change the vi= ew to sales listed according to the product groups/classes. The user may jump from one report = to another, transferring the “current focus” to the new report. It= is even possible to call up reporting functions from within the underlying OLTP SAP solution.

= Dashboard capabilities. For example a store manager needs to monitor important store key figures each morning (see below). If an important key figure raises interest the store manager is able to “drill down” into more details to examine the cause.

= Store Manager Dashboard (possible analytical screen)

= Same Dashboard (graphical view converted to detailed table view with color coded exceptions)

= = =

= Slice and dice operations are possible because data is stored in multidimensional formats (in Info Cubes that contain key figures and charac= teristics). The OLAP Processor uses these characteristics to present the various views = of key figures and of dynamically computed figures (derived key figures) in accordance with user needs.

The Business Analysis Library is a collection of powerful analysis function= s. These functions are used to convert the data contained in Info Cubes into business information of relevance to users’ needs. These are the building blocks on w= hich rich reporting and analysis features of SAP BW are based:=

= Aggregate functions= = include sum, count, count distinct, min, max, first, last, average, average over period sum/count. Many types of data nee= d to be viewed at an aggregate level rather than the greatest level of detail.

= Comparison functions= = include difference, ratio, percent, percent differences, share, and correlation. Comparison functions are essential for tasks such as the breakdown of the share of sales by region, or for display= ing the difference between budgeted costs and actual costs.

= Sequence functions = include sort, cumulative sum, tertiles, quartil= es, top/last n, top/last n%, classification, dual classification, and ABC analy= sis. Sequence functions are needed for sorting by a particular characteristic, e= .g., costs by region, and also for answering complex questions such as “Wh= ich customers account for 80% of turnover?”

= Exception conditions= = include thresholds on absolute values, top/last= n, top/last n%, trends, etc. Exception conditions are used to identify sudden drops in sales or to highlight other unusual deviations from expected value= s.

= Financial functions = such as currency conversion, business period conversion, and internal business volume elimination. Financial functions support complex business structures. In international companies, for exampl= e, currencies need to be converted before a comparison or consolidation. With SAP BW, currency can be enter= ed in local currency and conversions made according to applicable rates.

Integrating with Vendor/Partner Extranets

SAP’s answer to these challenges is open e-business integration with SAP NetWeaver. SAP NetWeaver is a native Web infrastructure based on open standards for reliable, mission-critical e-business solutions. It flexibly combines Web services to drive collaborat= ive, end-to-end business processes. SAP NetWeaver powers the SAP e-business plat= form and openly integrates any application and Web service from any vendor in any technology environment. With SAP NetWeaver, companies can easily design, bu= ild, deploy, access, and combine Web services to support the syndication of these Web services across company and geographical boundaries. SAP NetWeaver make= s it easier to adapt to changing business requirements to adjust functionalities= and Web services as company strategy changes and market demands fluctuate. SAP NetWeaver facilitates change and replaces abrupt, disruptive shifts with continuous business improvement. SAP NetWeaver protects a company’s existing investments while providing corresponding functions on a new technology platform. It incorporates the knowledge and experience in busine= ss applications of SAP and its partners.

OVERVIEW

<= /a>

SAP Business Warehouse Data Storage Architecture

PSA Persistent Staging Area: The extracted data from various source system= s is stored without modification in the PSA after entering the SAP BW system. The PSA serves as the inbound laye= r of the business information warehouse.

ODS Objects: = An ODS object acts as a storage location for consolidated and cleansed transaction data on a document (atomic) level. It describes a consolidated dataset from one or more information sources. An ODS object contai= ns key fields (for example, document number/item) and data fields that can also contain character fields (for example, order status, customer) as key figur= es. The data from an ODS object can be updated with a delta update into Info Cu= bes and/or other ODS objects in the same system or across different systems. Unlike multi-dimensional data stor= age using Info Cubes, the data in ODS objects is stored in transparent, flat database tables. Fact tables or dimension tables are not created. Every ODS object is represented on= the database by three transparent tables:

Activation queue: For saving ODS data records that are to be updated but that have not yet been activated. The data is deleted after the records have been activated.

Active data: A table containing the active data (A table)

Change log: For updating delta from the ODS Object into other ODS Objects or I= nfo Cubes.

Figure 1 - O= DS Objects Storage

Info Cubes: = The central objects, on which most reports and analyses are based in SAP BW, are known as Info Cubes. An Info = Cube describes a self-contained dataset (from the reporting view), for example, = for a business-orientated area. This dataset can be evaluated with the Business Explorer query. With an Info = Cube, you might be dealing with:

o &nb= sp; A Basic Cub= e, that shows a quantity of relational tables in the star schema,

o &nb= sp; A Remote Cu= be, whose transaction data is not managed in the Business Information Warehouse= , or

o &nb= sp; A Multi Cub= e that presents a view on data from several Basic Cubes or Remote Cubes.

Standard merchandise management reports within SAP’s Business Content for Retail

Business Content is a preconfigured and extendable set of role and task-relevant information models based on consistent Metadata in the SAP Business Information Warehouse. Business Content provides selected roles wi= thin a company with the information they need to carry out their tasks.

The main aims of the business content are to speed up the implementa= tion of a BW, to reduce the implementation costs und to make working easier by delivering templates and examples for customer-specific content.=

You can use Business Content without specific adjustment or you can adjust it to your needs.

Overview of Retail Reports within SAP’s BW 7.0

Further Examples with Technical Name (not the t= otal List)

o&nb= sp; Goods Procu= rement Info Cube

o&nb= sp; Vendor Order Article

o&nb= sp; Vendor Order Article Types

o&nb= sp; Open Order = Stock

o&nb= sp; Cross-Compa= ny Purchase Order

o&nb= sp; Purchase Or= der / Goods Receipt

o&nb= sp; Order Units=

o&nb= sp; Purchasing Margins

o&nb= sp; Cross-Compa= ny GR

o&nb= sp; Vendor Retu= rns

o&nb= sp; Vendor Invo= ice

o&nb= sp; Vendor Cred= it Memo

o&nb= sp; Vendor Quan= tity Reliability

o&nb= sp; Vendor On-T= ime Delivery

o&nb= sp; Promotion O= rders

o&nb= sp; Promotion G= oods Receipt

o&nb= sp; Total Retur= ns Vendor

o&nb= sp; Total GR Ve= ndor

o&nb= sp; GR without Purchase Order

o&nb= sp; Article Sal= es

o&nb= sp; Sales by Ar= ticle Category

o&nb= sp; Promotion S= ales Article

o&nb= sp; Sales Promo= tion

o&nb= sp; Top-Selling= Items / Non-Selling Items

o&nb= sp; Gross Margin Return on Investment

o&nb= sp; Current Sto= ck

o&nb= sp; Stock Devel= opment

o&nb= sp; Stock Forec= ast

o&nb= sp; Margin Over= view

o&nb= sp; Revaluation= at Retail

o&nb= sp; Revaluation= at Cost

o&nb= sp; Stock Corre= ctions

o&nb= sp; Safety Stoc= k

o&nb= sp; Range of Coverage

o&nb= sp; Source of S= upply

o&nb= sp; Annual Comp= arison (Sales) Sales Value

o&nb= sp; Cash Remove= d from POS

o&nb= sp; Cashier Productivity

o&nb= sp; POS Account= ing

o&nb= sp; POS Receipt Cancellations

o&nb= sp; Event ̵= 1; Year to End Comparison on Daily Basis

o&nb= sp; Compare Cal= endar Month with Previous Year

o&nb= sp; Returns in = One Store

o&nb= sp; Returns Mad= e in Different Stores

o&nb= sp; Sales Compa= rison to Day

o&nb= sp; Overview of= Tops and Flops

o&nb= sp; Store Compa= rison over several Weeks

o&nb= sp; Workforce Schedule vs. Actual Statistics

o&nb= sp; Store Sales=

o&nb= sp; Sales per Associate

o&nb= sp; Profit Sales Ratio for Store

o&nb= sp; Markdown &#= 8211; Promotion

o&nb= sp; Coverage of= Store

o&nb= sp; Markdowns

o&nb= sp; Changes to Cost/Sales Volume Store

o&nb= sp; Replenishme= nt Exceptions

o&nb= sp; Forecast Qu= ality

o&nb= sp; Range of Coverage Development

o&nb= sp; Stock Devel= opment

o&nb= sp; Stock outs/= Lost Sales

o&nb= sp; Stock outs/Undelivered Product

o&nb= sp; Assortment Analysis and Evaluation