SAP B1H FAQs

This blog takes a look at some of the frequently asked questions about SAP Business One, version for SAP HANA (B1H). With a foundation of more than 40 years of innovation with best-in-class business applications SAP has introduced a new element of innovation by providing the ability to run SAP Business One on the next-generation in-memory platform SAP HANA.

This is the new model of computing for the future, enabling companies to drive their entire business in real time for unprecedented value. Priced specifically for SMEs, SAP Business One, version for SAP HANA brings together transactions and analytics into a single in-memory platform for smarter business innovations, faster business processes, and simpler business interactions-

• Give everyone on your team nearly instantaneous access to the insights they need to make smarter, faster decisions
• Provide your customers with a better experience through proactive and personalised service
• Streamline your IT landscape by consolidating your transactional and analytical workloads onto a single, real-time database 

What is SAP Business One, version for SAP HANA? 

SAP developed the game-changing SAP HANA platform – leveraging the power of in-memory technology to address concerns about growing data volume that impact businesses of all sizes. It provides a modern platform for real-time applications and real-time analytics without complicating your IT landscape. 

SAP Business One, version for SAP HANA, combines content and tools including: 

• All the functionality of SAP Business One – from financials and accounting to inventory and customer relationship management, only with faster response times.

• Powerful new functionality that includes enhanced logic behind cash flow and support for availability-to-promise processes.

• Embedded analytics that appear in the transaction screens of SAP Business One (such as analytics used by sales people to make better customer recommendations on cross- and up-sells at the point of sale).

• Predefined calculation-intensive reports, such as inventory analysis and monthly customer status.

• Predefined dashboards including those delivered with SAP Crystal solutions today, plus three new ones (sales opportunity, stock analysis, and CEO key performance indicators). 

• Freestyle enterprise search that enables people to search all the data in SAP Business One.

• Interactive, ad-hoc analysis through a Microsoft Excel pivot table interface.

• Predefined semantic layer for interacting with data using familiar business terminology or business intelligence tools like SAP Crystal solutions without needing to understand business rules or know where the data resides.

• Lifecycle management including an initialisation and duplication mechanism, backup and recovery, monitoring, and an administration console.

• Additional functionality for the SAP Business One mobile app – including integrated enterprise search, available-to-promise (ATP) check when creating orders, cash flow dashboards, and more.

How does this offering differ from the SAP Business One application that uses the Microsoft SQL database? 

The offerings differ in their underlying technology. The traditional SAP Business One application employs a Microsoft SQL database, while the version that runs on SAP HANA employs the SAP HANA database. Both applications support key business processes, but have a few differences: 

• In-memory calculations and optimisation for multicore, 64-bit processors of the SAP HANA platform result in faster processing for both transactional and analytical information. 

• Pre-packaged business logic that comes with the SAP HANA platform enables faster software development and deployment. 

• Analytics powered by SAP HANA can be licensed separately for the SQL version of SAP Business One. These analytics are included in the version for SAP HANA. 

• The version for SAP HANA runs on a certified SUSE Linux server. 

• Customers using the version for SAP HANA and the SAP Business One mobile app will benefit from enhancements in enterprise search, advanced ATP, cash flow forecasting, delivery rescheduling for existing sales order items, and embedded analytics.

Will SAP continue to offer the SAP Business One application that uses the Microsoft SQL database? 

Yes, SAP plans to offer two database options for SAP Business One for the foreseeable future: the Microsoft SQL database and the SAP HANA database. While SAP strongly believes in the value and competitive advantage of SAP HANA, they understand the importance of Microsoft SQL in the SME segment and in particular, the install base for SAP Business One.

How does this offering differ from the traditional SAP Business One application that has analytics powered by SAP HANA?

With analytics powered by SAP HANA, the traditional version of SAP Business One runs exclusively on Microsoft SQL. The analytics functionality is licensed separately. The new version of SAP Business One that runs on SAP HANA includes all the functionality of analytics powered by SAP HANA. The analytics functionality does not have to be licensed separately.

What type of company can benefit from using SAP Business One when it’s powered by SAP HANA? 

Any small business can benefit by using this solution, especially those that operate in industries that process large volumes of transactions or need insight into their company wide data in real time. The solution makes innovation, previously accessible to only large enterprises, available to smaller businesses and within a small business budget.

Is pricing for this solution significantly different than that of other offerings of SAP HANA or SAP Business One? 

SAP Business One, version for SAP HANA, is priced to meet the needs of the SME market. It includes a set engine price, as well as a per-user price. Its pricing is comparable to the standard version of SAP Business One, which runs on the SQL database.

If you have any questions about this blog, SAP HANA or any wider SAP Business One issues, then get in contact with a member of the AdvanceOne Team today.