SAP Business One as Customizable ERP for Small and Midmarket Companies

SAP B1 allows you adding user defined fields to its core tables as well as adding completely new user defined tables.  And this is not all as these user defined objects are getting automatic user interface for data entry and update.  As these fields and tables are recorded into metadata stored in MS SQL Server hosted company database upgrade process doesn’t require code review.  IT managers often ask questions ‘how’ and ‘show me more’ and we would like to give them initial highlights:

1. Adding Fields to Core Tables.  Let’s assume that you would like to extend Sales Order Rows table and put new fields on it.  It can be done directly in settings: Tools -> Customization Tools -> User Defined Fields Management.  Here expand Marketing Documents and highlight Rows.  On the bottom of the form click on Add and follow your intuition.  When you are done with adding fields open Sales A/R -> Sales Order.  Then click on Form Settings icon on the main toolbar and Table Format.  Here find your fields and mark them as visible

2. Adding New Tables.  That could be done in settings also: SAP Business One as Customizable ERP -> User Defined Tables Setup.  When table is created you can access it via simple automatic interface: Tools -> User Defined Windows

3. Let’s assume that you would like to avoid custom coding.  Then where these fields and tables could be deployed?  First of all they could be participating in managerial reporting.  It is common practice to design Crystal Reports for SAP BO.  Plus User Defined Table is often participating in integration or data push from external system or database

4. If you need unique business logic associated with user defined objects then what you have to do?  Well as you understand it is not possible in setup as logic is something that requires programming.  Here you have such tool as Software Development Kit which has code samples in VB and C#.  Good idea is to deploy Microsoft Visual Studio for software development

5. Crossing Microsoft Windows platform and making SAP Business One talk with Linux or Mac platforms.  The idea is simple as you just envelop your custom integration interface as SOAP XML Web Service and call it from Linux or another web enable non-Microsoft operating system or computer

6. Data Transfer Workbench with ODBC option.  There are ISV supported integration tools on the market but they typically associated with additional cost and learning curve.  DTW comes with your initial software acquisition and it could be deployed in quite sophisticated integration scenarios.  Data Transfer Workbench is common tool utilized in initial data migration to your SAP B1 from legacy accounting.  Here your consultant fills up CSV templates.  However DTW could be pulling records from SQL View in ODBC connection.  In this scenario SQL View has to imitate CSV template structure precisely

7. Midmarket Company or do we have restrictions on the number of users.  We’ve seen the cases where Business One was implemented in fifty and more user environment.  Databases are hosted in Microsoft SQL Server and this platform is powerful enough to compete with Oracle.  We do believe that it is generally good idea to consider more upscale package if your number of users is around or exceeds one hundred

8. International Expansion and Business One.  It is localized in major world regions and supports Unicode.  We recommend this ERP application in ‘hub and spokes’ Corporate ERP model.  It is localized in such countries as Brazil, China and Russian Federation

9. Please call us 1-866-304-3265, 1-269-605-4904, help@efaru.com.  We have local presence in Chicagoland, Southern California, South West Michigan, Houston and Dallas areas of Texas. We serve customers USA, Canada, Mexico nationwide and internationally via web sessions and phone conferences (Skype is welcomed). Our consultants speak English, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian and Chinese