SAP SD: An Overview
SAP SD (Sales and Distribution) is a core module of function in SAP ERP Central Component (ECC). It allows organizations to store and manage products and customer-related data. The organizations use this data to manage billing, sales order, invoicing, and shipping of their goods and services.
It is a part of the SAP ECC’s function of logistics and integrates with other modules that include, Plant Maintenance (PM), Materials Management (MM), Human Resources (HR), Quality Management (QM), Production Planning (PP), and Finance and Controlling (FICO). Learn more about the SAP ECC’s function by enrolling yourself in SAP SD Online Training.
Working in the concurrence of other modules enables an order-to-cash cycle business process. Moreover, Sales and Distribution (SD) according to SAP, handles the details in the sales and distribution part of the cycle. In this cycle, the Sales and Distribution module creates a sales quote then the customers place the sales order. After that, the goods are picked from a stockroom or a production facility and shipped to the customer. Furthermore, an invoice is sent to the customer with the order and the receivable accounts then get settled after the payment is made by the customer. Most importantly, every step in this process creates transactions in the SD module, that generate further transactions in other ECC modules.
Type of Data in SAP SD
Everything in this module rotates around the master data that is stored and manipulated in centralized master tables of data. However, there are two other types of ERP Central Component (ECC) in SAP SD data: –
- Transactional data
- Customizing data
The master data types in Sales and Distribution include data on customers, pricing, and materials. Furthermore, businesses use Master Data to generate the transactional data in SAP ECC, like sales orders in Sales and distribution, purchase orders in Materials Management (MM), maintenance records in Plant Maintenance (PM), or orders of production in Production Planning (PP). Moreover, customization of data is also an option in case an organization customizes the Sales and Distribution to meet any particular requirements.
Sub-modules of SAP SD
SAP SD is consisting of several sub-modules that can be arranged to control some specific functions in the module.
- Billing
- Sales support
- Shipping
- Transportation
- Sales
- Foreign trade
- Basic functions
- Master data
- SD-BILL (SD Billing) manages data related to billing. It includes the payment methods and amount of the transactions.
- SD-CAS (SD Sales Support) controls the data that the module generates in the interactions between the sales team and the customer.
- SD-SHP SD (Shipping) tracks all the details of processes related to shipping. It also includes how and when the shipping is made through delivery and returns.
- SD-TBA (SD Transportation) works closely with SD-SHP and keeps a track of all the data related to transportation involved in the shipment process.
- SD-SLS (SD Sales) handles the details related to the sales process. It includes pricing, customer data, products, and feedback.
- SD-FTT (SD Foreign Trade) controls all the details that belong to the transactions of foreign trade. It includes both imports as well as exports.
- SD-BF (SD Basic Functions) allows the user to establish a basic function that works around the Sales and Distribution like checking the availability of goods, credit management, and pricing.
- SD-MD (SD Master Data) tracks every transaction that affects the module data of Sales and Distribution. Furthermore, it includes data related to materials, records of price conditions, data of customers, and management of credit.
Businesses use all the modules to run their business smoothly. Above all the industries, the retail industry gets a lot of benefits from SAP SD modules. Get SAP SD training and learn how you can use these modules.
Conclusion
Every organization today is selling its products in large numbers. With the new advancements in technology, it is now becoming easy for them to conduct their business. However, one of the major concerns among the companies is regarding the maintenance of data related to sales, billing, transaction records, product availability, etc. SAP SD is a module that helps these businesses to manage all these data with ease. Certainly, from the maintenance of the goods to generating bills and tracking the shipping details, it is now possible for companies to manage all these under one module.
