SAP Business One

Enterprise Resource Planning software packages are used by companies to manage their business functions efficiently. These systems help companies to store information about customers, business partners, and staff into a single database. All departments can work with this information.

Moreover, when a business grows, the workload of the employees also grows. So, all that data cannot be handled by spreadsheets. An ERP system collaborates departments such as human resources, customer support, and business intelligence. 

However, small and medium companies cannot afford or handle complex ERP systems. Keeping this in mind, the SAP Business One ERP software was designed.    

What is SAP Business One?

SAP Business One is also known as SAP B1. It is an ERP system specifically developed for small enterprises for business management. SAP Business One integrates business functions such as sales, customer service management, finances, purchasing, and inventory management. This single system removes the need for separate software for each function.

Using this software, companies can streamline their business processes. And with real-time information, the officials get a better insight into the company. This in turn leads to better decision-making. Moreover, it has fast deployment - on-premise or cloud. So, small firms get powerful ERP software services that can significantly enhance their business.

The SAP Business One software also helps companies to gain a clear insight over every aspect of their business. The simple interface and modules let employees collect and share vital organizational data. This saves time and enhances communication among departments.   

History of SAP Business One

SAP Business One was originally launched in Israel by a company called TopManage Financial Systems. Back then, it was named TopManage for countries outside Israel. This firm was later acquired by SAP in 2002. SAP added better functionalities to the software. Then, in 2006, SAP acquired Praxis Software Solutions and combined its e-commerce functions and CRM into SAP Business One.

In 2011, SAP became partners with CitiXsys. They used CitiXsys’s business consolidation solution to extend SAP Business One’s reach and features. 

Since then SAP B1 has come a long way. The SAP Business One is sold via SAP’s partner network, which consists of more than 700 partners. Being around the ERP market for almost 20 years now, SAP Business One has close to 1 million users spread across more than 160 countries!        

Features of SAP Business One 

The core features of SAP Business One are –

• Financial Management 

Companies can streamline their financial activities using SAP B1. Sales, purchasing data, and accounting information can be integrated easily from this platform. Handling banking activities and automating accounting tasks is made simple. This software also offers asset management, data analysis, and financial reporting functionalities.

• Sales and Customer Management

Using SAP Business One, you can efficiently handle the customer lifecycle and sales process. A company can get insights into their customers to understand them better. The Sales and Customer management feature lets officials tackle service management, customer management, campaign management, sales, reporting, and much more.

• Purchasing and Inventory Control

This feature lets you keep track of aspects such as inbound/outbound shipments, product availability, and inventory levels. It helps companies handle payments, receipts, returns, and invoices more efficiently. This lowers their business costs as their supply chain relationships are optimized. Furthermore, the feature lets you manage warehouse inventories in multiple locations.

Plus, the software offers integrated reports using real-time purchasing/ inventory data. These reports can be easily viewed and managed using the simple software interface.

• Business Intelligence

You can generate accurate business reports with SAP Business One’s enhanced analysis and reporting tools. The data can be fetched from multiple sources and customized accordingly. Using data visualizations and key performance metrics, sales performance and cash balance can be analyzed.

Industry-Specific Functionalities  

SAP Business One’s solutions impact various industries such as manufacturing, retail, consumer goods, wholesale distribution, and professional services. SAP B1 has a powerful software development kit having more than 250 integration points. SAP B1 has a strong network of solution providers that offer a wide variety of industry-specific solutions.     

SAP Business One Architecture

SAP Business One’s architecture is based on a two-tier client-server model. The major part of the application resides on the client (fat client). This means that the data processing is executed locally and does not depend upon the server performance. The client software is a Microsoft product that lets you connect to the backend server. SAP also has clients for phones and tablets.

There are two options for database/server software. These are Microsoft SQL Server (for Windows) and SAP HANA (for Linux). The SAP Business One client will connect the users to the SAP B1 server. The transactions will be done through the SQL server. Even if you are running MS SQL for transactions, you can use SAP HANA for business analytics. For that, you need to use SAP Business One Analytics Powered by SAP HANA.        

Why Choose SAP Business One? 

SAP Business One is a great option for small companies for the following features – 

• Distributed teams, remote offices, and employees can access the business data from anywhere using SAP Business One. It is available on all operating systems such as Windows, Linux, and macOS.
• It is compliant with the regulations of more than 40 countries. It is available in 27 languages and many currencies.
• A comprehensive IT solution that scales up with your business needs. Plus, there are no restrictions on the number of users and storage space, which also saves IT costs.
• Provides complete financial control over the company by automating ledger entries, tax calculations, preparing invoices, and other transactions
• Easy and quick access to business data enables companies to identify sales prospects, improve customer support and launch new products
• SAP B1 offers advanced customer management solutions that enable organizations to meet customer demands and solve issues quickly
• By compiling business data in a centralized system, companies can cut down on employee costs such as data entry and spreadsheet activities
• SAP B1 is completely compatible with Microsoft Outlook and other MS Office products. So, your business can run as usual while using SAP B1’s functionalities
• IT operations are executed fast with SAP Business One           

SAP Business One in the Cloud!

SAP Business One Cloud is a powerful and integrated ERP solution powered by Amazon Web services. From sales, inventory to production - the software offers you complete control over your business. You get real-time data that helps in making well-informed decisions. Moreover, companies can store and manage all their business data in one place. This helps them save time and money that they can invest in important business tasks.

Advantages of SAP Business One Cloud –

• With high-class security thanks to AWS, SAP B1 offers better visibility, control, regular backups, and enhanced data encryption
• Fast system performance due to the optimized cloud environment
• High scalability that lets you add users as per your company’s requirements
• Employees can access and monitor field data remotely in real-time
• Reduced server maintenance and hardware refresh cycles enable companies to save money   

SAP Business One on Hana

SAP Business One on SAP HANA offers you the tools to handle huge data sets, real-time analytics, and derive insights. SAP HANA provides efficient performance along with real-time intelligence. This allows companies to generate business reports faster. Moreover, as all the transaction and analytics tasks are performed in a single platform, it promotes innovation and business growth.

Benefits of SAP Business One on SAP HANA are –

• Real-time insights for better business operations and decision making 
• Better data storage with high scalability and reduced complexity
• With fast data search capabilities and interactive analysis tools, employees can become IT staff independent
• Track cash flow movement and perform calculations with a few simple clicks   

SAP Business One Mobile

The SAP Business One mobile app lets you run your business anywhere and anytime from your mobile device. If you already have a Sap Business One license, you can use the app without any extra charges. Using this handy application, you can now monitor customer reports and streamline sales activities easily.

SAP Business One offers 3 mobile applications –

• SAP Business One Mobile App for iOS and Android
• SAP Business One Sales App
• SAP Business One Service App

1) SAP Business One Mobile App for iOS and Android

This application is available for the SAP Business One SQL version and SAP HANA version. It can run on iOS and Android devices. Using this app, you can create/edit/modify sales reports, services contacts, and view inventory.  

Read Here: B1 Mobile App Solution Brief

2) SAP Business One Sales App

This app is available only for the SAP B1 SAP HANA version. It also runs on Android and iOS. This is perfect for a sales executive in the field. They can handle sales leads, view, or cancel sales orders and quotes, which helps them create better sales opportunities.  

3) SAP Business One Service App

This was released in 2018 for the SAP B1 SAP HANA version, not the SQL version. Mobile technicians who have to check service tickets, find this application useful. They can view service history, call customers, and view service tickets through this app. 

Companies Currently Using SAP Business One

Major corporations using SAP Business One include –

• Coca-Cola Enterprises
• SPAR International B.V.                
• Northrop Grumman
• Virgin Group
• Houston Independent School District
• Dyson  
• CPM Roskamp Champion
• Virgin Media     
• WuXi AppTec
• BBC Global News Ltd (GNL)        
• RigNet
• TerraCycle Inc.
• QA Limited
• Cooper Companies Inc
• Sourcebooks 

A Career in SAP Business One: Scope and Opportunities

SAP Business One has huge demand in the small and medium scale corporate sector. So, employees aiming for these companies need to learn it properly. Firstly, they must understand the business practices of these firms. 

To get a basic understanding of SAP Business One, you can get a certification. This requires you to have prior expertise in Microsoft Visual Basic. Net package. This will help you understand the SAP B1 processes, modules, and navigation tools. Additionally, knowledge of SQL and XML will also help.

SAP Business One opens door to exciting job opportunities such as SAP Business Analyst and SAP Business One Consultant. The average salary of an SAP Business Analyst having 1-4 years of experience is INR 5.21 LPA. For an SAP Business One Consultant, the salary ranges from 1 to 9.6 LPA.        

Conclusion

Over the years, SAP Business One has helped many small/mid-level industries enhance their business significantly. Offering high scalability, speed, remote access, and a plethora of useful features – this software solution has dramatically altered the global business landscape. So, if you are a small or mid-sized company owner, you have to get this feature-rich tool to grow and succeed. 

SAP Business One (B1) Other Important Resources

• SAP Business One Official Page
• SAP Business One Wikipedia Page