| Every company has many departments, and it is | | | | customization, making the software suitable for any |
| essential to integrate each of these departments to | | | | organizing doing any type of business. |
| function uniformly. SAP software integrates all internal | | | | Logistic modules |
| processes by means of several modules. The | | | | The business processes like sales and distribution |
| advanced SAP technology enables R/3 to handle | | | | handling (SD), material management (MM), production |
| business management processes throughout all the | | | | planning (PP), plant maintenance (PM), and quality |
| sections of the organization. Any change in the | | | | management (QM) are taken care of by logistic |
| organizational structure can be easily reflected by the | | | | modules. Any organization will require most of these |
| SAP technology, and it provides space for the | | | | modules if not all. Materials used for production are |
| expansion. Both decentralization and centralization of | | | | handled by the MM module. PP and PM modules |
| processes can be done efficiently if the company has | | | | ensure that the production process works as |
| installed SAP software. Irrespective of the size of | | | | required. QM module is used to handle quality |
| the business, SAP helps the company to organize all | | | | assurance of the product. The ultimate aim of any |
| its business activities. | | | | organization is to sell its products and hence, SD |
| Components of SAP | | | | module is an important module in the SAP system. |
| As with any software system, SAP has a basic | | | | Accounting modules |
| system called the kernel. This is the engine of the | | | | Accounting is important for an organization and the |
| entire R/3 system responsible for carrying out all | | | | SAP accounting modules automate the accounts |
| functionalities. The screen interpreter checks user | | | | department. The FI module handles all accountings like |
| input and displays error messages. This takes the | | | | ledgers, balance sheets, and profit and loss |
| input fed to the system and transfers the input to | | | | statements. Asset management is also carried out by |
| the ABAP/4 interpreter. This interpreter executes | | | | the FI module. The controlling functionality is carried |
| the instructions written in ABAP/4 programming | | | | out by the CO module which controls not only the |
| language which was used to develop SAP. The SAP | | | | costs but also the objectives of the company. |
| system also has a data dictionary for storing all types | | | | Enterprise controlling (EC) module takes care of |
| of definitions used in various modules. Flow control is | | | | integration of company information and external |
| handled by as a separate component which maintains | | | | markets to devise efficient marketing strategy. |
| perfect data flow inside the system. Interfaces | | | | Human resources modules |
| connect the software with the outside environment | | | | Among the various departments, the HR department |
| enabling communication between the user and the | | | | is crucial for an organization. The personal |
| system. | | | | administration (PA) module of the SAP system takes |
| Modules of SAP | | | | care of maintaining the records of all the staff. Any |
| For any business, logistics, accounting, and human | | | | department can get access to these data and this |
| resources are the three essential departments | | | | module makes the updated data available throughout |
| carrying out the entire business process. SAP has | | | | the system. The personnel planning and development |
| separate modules for each of these departments | | | | (PD) module incorporates all that is essential for |
| and these modules help the organization to execute | | | | managing the man power of the organization. |
| the business management tasks. SAP enables | | | | |