Copyright © 2003 Americas’ SAP Users’ Group

3609 - PM Functions Using Wireless Communications

Eric Huang and Timothy Huang

May 20th 2003

Wireless/Mobile Systems - Advantages

Allow Remote Data Entry directly into SAP

Allow Single Screen Entry

Ensure “optional” fields are populated

Attach/Implement Scanning/Measuring Systems

Improve Reliability

Increase Efficiency

Considerations

Usefulness/Reliability

Price

Maintenance Costs (Running the System)

Upgrade Costs (Updating the System)

Simplicity (Moving Parts)

Flexibility

Expandability

Legacy System - Overview

PDA

SERVER

CONTROL-M

SAP

UNIX

SyBASE

ERRORSERRORS

* Network Failure Cripples Entire System

Network

Legacy System - Overview

Usefulness/Reliability

Aging parts, all proprietary technology

Double entry, no entry.

Manual Error Processing - 2 areas.

Price - $150,000 (in 1990) for 2 plants

Maintenance - High

Upgrade Costs - High

Simplicity - Complex

Over 10 ABAP custom extracts/programs/BDCs

10 Unix Scripts, 3 Unix Directories

Control M, SyBase Data Base, and “in-house” rules

Legacy System - Overview

Rube Goldberg Like

Network Downtime - Shuts down system

Two places to check errors

NOT Real Time

Heavy dependence on IT support

Not Flexible

Proprietary Software

Proprietary Hardware

Failing Systems - Not upgradeable

Legacy System - Overview

SERVER

SAP

Prop. DB

ERRORS

ERRORS

* Network Failure Cripples Entire System

Network

PC

PDA

Vendor System - Overview

Network Downtime - Shuts down system

Two places to check errors

Not Flexible - Very specific tasks

Proprietary Software

High maintenance for new transactions

High costs for changes

Additional transactions at significant costs

SAP Connection is “another system link” - handoffs.

“ In House” Solution- Directives

Simple solutions are betterMobile solution as an extension of SAP

SAP does the heavy lifting

Flexible and expandable is good tooSystem handles 10 to 200 PDA’s

Use a dynamic freely defined format

Oh yeah, it should be cheap to make and cheaper to runUse free Microsoft software

Use standard components and formats – SAP and Microsoft

“ In House” Solution- Directives

PDA

SERVERSAP

ERRORS

Network

* Network/SAP Failure is OK – batch.

“ In House” Solution- Overview

Simple System with few moving parts

Standard SAP functionality

Multi-transaction, multi-item processing

Batch Mode – Network Sensor

Forces error resolution at the user level

Additional transactions are simple/inexpensive to implement

Link to outside systems

*Non-standard transactions via custom BAPI

“ In House” Solution – Wi-Fi Protocol

Wireless Standard - 802.11b

Slower but current standard

802.11g – new transmission format

Blue tooth

Range – up to 27 miles with proper antennas

Encryption – Kerberos

Security

MAC-ID

Disable ESSID broadcast

Dynamic authentication

“ In House” Solution – PDA

Symbol PDT8100

“Ruggedized”

Numeric keypad

Built-in Scanner

Windows CE Operating Environment

Dell Axim

Inexpensive with powerful processor

Compaq IPAQ

“Standard” form factor – lots of accessories

“ In House” Solution – Programs

Microsoft Embedded Visual Tools 3.0

Free

Like Visual Basic and Visual C++

“Standard” Program Language

Microsoft Dominance of Software Market

GOTCHA! – Windows CE 2002

“ In House” Solution – Data Transfer

Extensible Mark-Up Language (XML)

Hierarchical

Freely and Dynamically Definable

Technical Articles

Microsoft Supported

GOTCHA! – Large files if not used wisely.

“ In House” Solution – Data Transfer

SAP – Parent Node

Process – Child Node

Name – Attribute

Information – Grandchild Node

100002300 - Value

“ In House” Solution – SAP

Transaction

BAPI

AuthorizationS_RFC

“ In House” Solution – SAP

Useful BAPI’s

Goods Movement

Physical Inventory

Install Equipment

Get Equipment Information

Enter Service Notification

Custom BAPI’s

Notifications

“ In House” Solution – Hidden Benefits

Generic Automation Software Engine

Microsoft Office to SAP

World Wide Web (ASP, JAVA, etc.)

Stand Alone Applications (VB, VC++, .NET)

Simple “Remote” Software - CE Based

PDA

Cell Phone

Scanners/Measuring Devices

Tablet PC’s

“ In House” Solution – Hidden Benefits

Standard SAP BAPI’s

“Plug and play”

Wireless Engine

Server Engine

Expandable

Library of BAPI’s

Custom BAPI’s (and RFC’s)

Flexible - Add/remove fields

No changes to wireless engine/remote engines required

“ In House” Solution – Hidden Benefits

Generic/Flexible Data Format

No fixed formats (e.g. 0-10 is Material, 11-15 is Group)

All BAPI’s fit same data format

No customization needed for any transaction

Transactions are modular

“Drop in” modules for new functionality

No changes to engine

Do It Yourself - Excel

txtboxUser.Text

txtboxClient.Text

txtboxLanguage.Text

cmdCreatePurchaseReq_Click

Do It Yourself - Excel

'********************************************' Log onto SAP. ''******************************************** Dim SAPBAPI As Object Dim SAPLogon As Object

Set SAPBAPI = CreateObject("SAP.BAPI.1") Set SAPLogon = SAPBAPI.Connection SAPLogon.User = txtboxUser.Text SAPLogon.Client = txtboxClient.Text SAPLogon.Language = txtboxLanguage.Text SAPLogon.tracelevel = 0

If SAPLogon.logon(0, False) <> True Then MsgBox "Cannot logon!." Exit Sub End If

Do It Yourself - Using a BAPI

Object: PieceofEquipment

Method: Dismantle

Do It Yourself - Using a BAPI

Set PoE = _BAPICtrl.getsapobject("PieceofEquipment ")

Set TableReturn = _BAPICtrl.dimas(PoE, "Dismantle", "Return")

PoE.Dismantle _DismTime:=strDismTime, _DismDate:=strDismDate, _SupEqui:=strSupEqui, _FuncLoc:=strFuncLoc, _Return:=TableReturnDataSpecificExp:=TableSpecicifExpDataGeneralExp:=TableGeneralExp

Completed Projects - PDA

Goods Movement from Wireless PDA

Completed Projects - PDA

Goods Movement from Wireless PDA

Completed Projects - PDA

Install/De-install Equipment

Create Notifications (Custom)

Completed Projects - EXCEL

Physical Inventory from Excel

Completed Projects - EXCEL

Create Purchase Orders

Create Purchase Requisitions

Update Purchasing Contracts

Completed Projects - Intranet

Project Systems – Retrieve assigned activities

Project Systems – Post confirmed hours

Cost Comparison

12 Sites (Minimum Config) Vendor A Vendor B In House

Software

Engine License $228,000 $225,000 $80,000

DB License $20,590

Loftware Printing License $6,670

TransactionsGood Movements-Online $170,000 $191,000 $5,000Good Movements-Batch $62,000 Not Available $1

Total Software/Dev. Costs $487,260 $416,000 $85,001

Software

*Vendor A recommended configuration - $1.25M *Vendor B – “per site” license of 15K

Cost Comparison

12 Sites (Minimum Config) Vendor A Vendor B In House

ADC Hardware/Infrastructure $296,388 $267,528 $144,000

Installation $36,000 $17,940 $12,000

Total $332,388 $285,468 $156,000

Hardware

12 Sites (Minimum Config) Vendor A Vendor B In House

Maintenance/Year $50,000 $50,000 $10,000

Additional Transactions Call Call ~$5,000

Total $50,000 $50,000 $10,000

Maintenance

Demonstration

Compaq IPAQ 3635

Symbol SPS3000

Linksys Wireless Access Point

Wireless Transaction Server – Server/PDA

Activities

Log on to SAP (and fail to log on)

Scan Something

Run a transaction (or try to)

Acknowledgements

www.sapsolutions.net

www.valero.com

Copyright © 2003 Americas’ SAP Users’ Group

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Session Code: 3609