Norbert Hendriksen
Read all my blogsEarly last year, SAP released a package for integration between SAP Hybris Cloud for Customer and SAP Business One. This integration scenario is relatively similar to the integration scenarios with SAP CRM or SAP ERP, while making use of SAP PI or SAP HCI, but there are some tricky differences. This blog will guide you and outline the points of interest when setting up integration between SAP Hybris Cloud for Customer and SAP Business One.
SAP Business One
SAP Business One is positioned as the overall ERP software for the small and medium business segment. The software was added to the SAP product range in 2000 and is used by more than 50.000 companies in over 150 countries.
The software runs on a Microsoft SQL server or an SAP HANA database and has 14 different modules such as sales, finance, project management and supply chain management.
On top of that, there is middleware technology available called the Business One connector, B1i connector in short. This bit of technology is used for integration with SAP Hybris Cloud for Customer.
Available integration scenarios
Accounts and contacts are replicated bidirectionally between the two systems. Products and materials are synchronized unidirectional from SAP Business One to SAP Hybris Cloud for Customer.
Besides that, sales quotes can be calculated in SAP Hybris Cloud for Customer, based on pricing details which are configured in SAP Business One after which a sales quote can be converted to a sales document in SAP Business One.
Setting up integration
The steps for setting up integration between C4C and B1 is, in technical sense, largely similar to those when setting up integration with SAP PI or SAP HCI: the firewall ports need to be configured and certificates and logon credentials are exchanged. In order to have integration between C4C and B1, the Business One server needs to be on version 9.1 or higher. The B1i connector needs to have version 1.22.1 or higher.
As usual, a communication system and arrangements will be setup in SAP Hybris Cloud for Customer and the integration messages can be found in the web service monitor.
Points of attention
Different data model
The data model in SAP Cloud for Customer is different from Business One, and therefore requires extra attention when you start the technical mapping which takes place in B1i. For example, SAP Business One is not familiar with sales organisations as every operational sales division in a company has its own database in Business One.
Also, a contact person is not an entity on its own in SAP Business One whereas it is in SAP Cloud for Customer, and on top of that SAP Business One does not, by standard, register relationships between business partners.
Assigning the code list
The SAP manual advises you to set up a separate code list mapping group for integration with SAP Business One. This is not really necessary as you can use the standard available code list mapping group for SAP ERP and adjust it accordingly. This saves you time by not having to set up a mapping group from scratch.
Blocking prospects
Sometimes there is a wish to not replicate prospects to SAP Business One and only have customer data exchanged. The configuration in SAP Cloud for Customer does have an option for this scenario however, this does not work when integrating with SAP Business One. In case of such a requirement, an additional filtering in the B1i connector must be configured.
Address check
It is possible that the address check in SAP Business One is less strict than the one in Cloud for Customer. This could result in replication errors as SAP Cloud for Customer will not accept data which is not consistent with the internal address check. Best remedy for this is, of course, to cleanse the data in SAP Business One. However, if this option is not realistic for the moment then you can switch off the address check during replication of data.
Reporting in Cloud for Customer based on Business One data
As accounts, contacts and products are replicated between the two systems. A requirement might be to have additional SAP Business One data, such as sales data, available in SAP Cloud for Customer for reporting purposes.
This can be realized by creating Cloud data sources and have these filled with Business One data with help of the B1i Connector. These Cloud data sources can then be joined with internal data sources and from there on be used in reporting and dashboarding.
The mechanism to collect data from SAP Business One and send it to SAP Cloud for Customer can be created in Business One and B1i Connector.
Conclusion
With the availability of integrating SAP Hybris Cloud for Customer with SAP Business One, a whole new scale of functionality is accessible to SMB businesses that are looking for a CRM solution which is fully mobile operational and supports all relevant customer engagement processes. The setting up of the integration is easy work when keeping these points of attention in mind as you start your journey.
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