Companies whose success relies on their ability to get the right product to the right customer at the right time require intelligent solutions that give them comprehensive visibility into their most critical supply management, shipment, and delivery processes and allow them to facilitate integrations with other SAP applications.
This is where SAP Enterprise Centralized Shipping (ECS) comes in to help.
Keep reading to learn more about the key features and benefits of the ECS platform, how it enables more efficient shipping and user administration across the entire SAP Business One platform, and where our team of SAP consultants can fit into your organization.
What is SAP ECS?
ProcessWeaver offers a single platform that enables users to rate, pack, ship, and monitor small parcel, less than truckload (LTL), and truckload (TL) shipments without ever leaving their existing SAP system.
By combining years of experience in the industry and intelligent SAP business solutions, ProcessWeaver offers a comprehensive, ready-to-use solution that allows users to save time, reduce effort, and lower shipping costs across the entire shipment process.
Understanding the ECS SAP Shipping Solution
ProcessWeaver provides intelligent shipment solutions that complement SAP’s existing ERP solutions, ensuring users can accurately and consistently meet both customer and carrier requirements for shipment rating, packing, routing, labeling, and document printing.
With the ECS solution, companies can compare various freight rates among domestic and international carriers, connect all shipment processes across the entire supply chain without involving third-party solutions, and handle import and export documentation requirements across the board.
Intelligent ECS functionality enables organizations to leverage their existing SAP business system to:
- Accurately and efficiently rate, route, and track all shipments
- Improve communication with customers, trading partners, and carriers
- Automatically update shipments and receive proof of delivery
- Prevent shipping errors associated with bad data or mismanaged tracking numbers
- Print labels and documents that comply with carrier requirements
Key Features of ECS SAP Shipping Software
Here’s a closer look at the main features of ECS software for SAP business users:
Handling Unit Management
The ECS platform enables users to streamline their critical packing processes and seamlessly integrate them with existing shipping processes, reducing the time it takes to pack, ship, and track shipments and deliveries across the organization.
Users can pack, ship, and print a carrier label for each handling unit, packing list, or other essential transportation document directly within their SAP Business One system, making it easier to manage shipments and optimize operations throughout the supply chain.
Supply Chain Visibility
Real-time tracking functionality in the ECS platform allows users to automatically update their sales orders, deliveries, and shipments as needed and improve visibility across the entire supply chain.
From the in-built ECS tracking tab, users can access all tracking numbers, delivery dates, and signature information associated with each delivery and link tracking information to handling units for real-time data and better connections across their SAP business landscape.
Multi-Carrier Services
The ECS solution is powered by robust, intelligent carrier compliance technology, meaning users can support rating, routing, and shipping activities for virtually any LTL/TL carrier, including FedEx, DHL, UPS, USPS, and more, and ensure compliance with multi-carrier requirements.
ECS also complements existing SAP TM, SAP EWM, and SAP GTS modules by providing intelligent small package shipping functionality, accurately filing import and export data through AESDirect, and supporting rating and shipping for various carriers and freight forwarders.
Real-Time Tracking Information
ECS automatically updates shipment, delivery, and sales order information with changes in tracking numbers, freight amounts, and any other data required to facilitate deliveries through an SAP native delivery transaction or ShipERP transaction or move products through the supply chain.
The ECS platform also enables automatic triggering for the Post Goods Issue (PGI) phase of the shipping process, ensuring goods are moved properly through the supply chain and delivered to the right customer at the right time.
With real-time shipment data, proof of delivery (POD) time and date, and signature information, businesses can ship more packages in less time and improve overall visibility into their critical supply and shipment management processes.
Rate Shopping
ECS understands that not all carrier services operate the same, so it helps companies identify the best fit and least expensive method for shipping packages and maintaining requirements for delivery dates.
Rate shopping functionality in ECS can be accessed from any SAP User Exit and integrated into virtually any business process across the SAP ecosystem, including SAP Sales Order, Quote, Purchasing, Packing, and Shipping, to ensure the quickest shipping options at the lowest cost.
Top 5 Advantages of Enterprise Centralized Shipping in SAP
Here are a few main advantages of centralized shipping across the complete SAP ERP landscape:
Streamlined Logistics Operations
Centralized shipping solutions in SAP often lead to streamlined logistics operations. By consolidating shipping processes, organizations can achieve greater efficiency, reduce redundancies, and minimize the complexity of managing shipments across large enterprise organizations.
Improved Visibility and Tracking
SAP’s centralized shipping system enhances visibility into the entire shipping process. This includes real-time tracking of shipments, allowing organizations to monitor the movement of goods, identify potential delays, and provide accurate delivery estimates.
Cost Optimization
Centralization enables better control over shipping-related costs. Organizations can negotiate favorable contracts with carriers, optimize routes, and leverage economies of scale, leading to potential cost savings in shipping operations.
Enhanced Customer Service
A centralized shipping approach often results in improved customer service. With better visibility into shipping processes, organizations can provide customers with accurate and up-to-date information regarding their orders, leading to increased customer satisfaction.
Integrated Data and Reporting
Centralized shipping solutions integrate shipping data with other enterprise systems. This integration allows for comprehensive reporting and analysis, enabling organizations to make data-driven decisions, identify trends, and continuously optimize their shipping processes.
Why Choose This ECS Platform?
SAP Business One doesn’t offer carrier-compliant shipping as a standard transaction, making it difficult to manage multi-carrier shipping processes effectively without integrating third-party or carrier-provided shipping software with their existing SAP business system.
The ECS platform enables companies to rate, route, pack, ship, and track shipments efficiently and connect critical shipment and delivery data directly within SAP Business One. This allows users to:
- Support multi-mode shipping processes (i.e., parcel, LTL, TL, FTL, etc.)
- Enable faster, more efficient shipping and delivery processes
- Maintain compliance with multi-carrier shipping requirements
- Manage all shipping processes directly within existing SAP modules
How Can We Help?
Whether you need help implementing new modules or add-ons within your existing SAP ERP system, additional support navigating integrations within your SAP HANA or SAP S/4HANA ecosystem, or just an extra hand managing critical multi-carrier shipping requirements, Surety Systems can help.
Our senior-level, US-based SAP consultant team has the skills and experience to handle all your critical project needs and achieve continued business process success in the long run.
Getting Started with Us
Interested in learning how to use SAP business software to manage and optimize your multi-carrier shipping process and drive better outcomes across your entire supply chain? Ready to get started on a project with our team of expert SAP consultants?
Contact us today!
