Notes based on Enterprise Buyer 4 (and SAP R/3 4.7)
Q: Why use Enterprise Buyer and not just purchasing in SAP MM?
A: Main reason for using Enterprise Buyer is the ability for users to easily select products and services from a catalogue.
Technical differences between SAP MM and Enterprise Buyer:
Enterprise Buyer make extensive use of workflows.
Lots more Badi’s (Business Add-In’s) (similar to Enhancements).
Configuration of Enterprise Buyer is via a SAP GUI, and users log on via web browser.
Q: What similar objects exist in Enterprise Buyer vs. SAP MM?
A:
Quota Arrangements (in SAP MM)
Nothing similar (in Enterprise Buyer)
Source Lists (in SAP MM)
Vendor Lists (in Enterprise Buyer)
Outline Agreements - Contracts & Scheduling Agreements (in SAP MM)
Contract (no scheduling agreements) (In Enterprise Buye)
Info Records (in SAP MM)
Pricing Conditions & Relationships (in Enterprise Buyer)
Purchase Requisition, Purchase Order and Goods Receipt (in SAP MM)
Shopping Cart, Purchase Order, Confirmation (in Enterprise Buyer)
RFQ and Quote (in SAP MM)
Bid Submission and Bid (in Enterprise Buyer)
Materials & Service masters (in SAP MM)
Products (in Enterprise Buyer)
Material Groups, Material Types, classification in material master (in SAP MM)
Products Categories (in Enterprise Buyer)
Q: What data reside in Enterprise Buyer and what reside in SAP R/3?
A: This depends on the setup (also known as technical Scenario) being used. To determine what technical scenario are being used -; ask these questions?
Are you using a purchasing back end (example R/3) system?
Where are the main Purchase orders stored (Enterprise Buyer or R/3)
(more of the different technical scenarios in a later post)
Very good out of the box integration between SAP R/3 and Enterprise Buyer. Data exchange mainly by using following methods:
RFC / qRFC / BAPI’s (calls between systems)
Idocs (ALE) (sending documents between systems)
Enterprise Buyer is typically implemented by a Enterprise Buyer consultant (who knows purchasing and SAP MM) and a technical consultant (who knows about SAP Workflow and ABAP).