Version 2008 - ABAS Software AG

abas ERP
Features & Functions abas ERP
Version 2008
For production companies
Last updated: July 2008
Subject to change without notice

Contents
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1. Introduction .......................................................................................................................5
1.1. Introduction to ABAS – Company profile................................................................ 5
1.2. Getting to know abas Business Software: Product portrait........................................ 6
1.3. Customer satisfaction........................................................................................... 7
1.4. Your advantages in using abas ERP....................................................................... 8
1.5. Software architecture ......................................................................................... 12
1.6. Customization and additional enhancements ....................................................... 15
1.7. Performance spectrum ....................................................................................... 16
2. Basic system.....................................................................................................................18
2.1. Database.......................................................................................................... 18
2.1.1. Database customization ..................................................................... 18
2.2. Master files ....................................................................................................... 19
2.2.1. Customer master files......................................................................... 20
2.2.2. Prospective customer master files......................................................... 21
2.2.3. Vendor master files ............................................................................ 21
2.2.4. Parts master files................................................................................ 22
2.2.5. Capacity master files and operations ................................................... 24
2.2.6. Employee master files......................................................................... 26
2.2.7. Systems admin. files ........................................................................... 27
2.2.8. Regions / Countries / Economic areas ................................................. 28
2.2.9. Banks and bank details ...................................................................... 28
2.2.10. Customized enumerations .................................................................. 29
2.3. Document administration ................................................................................... 30
2.4. Address check against lock lists........................................................................... 31
2.5. Communication components.............................................................................. 32
2.6. Graphical User Interface .................................................................................... 32
2.6.1. Charts .............................................................................................. 33
2.6.2. Pictures............................................................................................. 34
2.6.3. Tree view .......................................................................................... 35
2.7. Online Help...................................................................................................... 35
2.8. Infosystems ....................................................................................................... 35
2.9. Printing............................................................................................................. 36
2.10. Lists and evaluations.......................................................................................... 39
2.11. Characteristics bar and selection bar................................................................... 40
3. Functions ........................................................................................................................40
3.1. Sales ................................................................................................................ 41
3.1.1. Quotations........................................................................................ 42
3.1.2. Sales order management.................................................................... 43
3.1.3. Blanket orders ................................................................................... 44
3.1.4. Shipping processing ........................................................................... 45
3.1.5. Intrastat trade statistics ....................................................................... 47
3.1.6. Invoicing........................................................................................... 47
3.1.7. Commission settlement....................................................................... 48
3.1.8. Editable sales order production list ...................................................... 48
3.1.9. Additional functions ........................................................................... 49
3.2. CRM / abas customer infosystem ........................................................................ 49
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3.3. Purchasing........................................................................................................ 51
3.3.1. Requests ........................................................................................... 51
3.3.2. Purchase order suggestions................................................................. 52
3.3.3. Blanket orders ................................................................................... 54
3.3.4. Receipt of goods................................................................................ 55
3.3.5. Invoice verification ............................................................................. 56
3.3.6. Subcontracting .................................................................................. 56
3.3.7. Provided materials ............................................................................. 57
3.3.8. Additional functions ........................................................................... 57
3.4. Invoices for purchasing and sales........................................................................ 58
3.5. Pricing for purchasing and sales ......................................................................... 58
3.6. Materials management ...................................................................................... 60
3.6.1. Warehouse management ................................................................... 60
3.6.2. Consumption sequence procedure ...................................................... 62
3.6.3. Inventory........................................................................................... 62
3.6.4. Lot management................................................................................ 63
3.7. Scheduling........................................................................................................ 64
3.8. Production ........................................................................................................ 67
3.8.1. Work order suggestions...................................................................... 67
3.8.2. Work orders ...................................................................................... 69
3.8.3. Extended work bench / External processing .......................................... 70
3.8.4. Sales order related production list ....................................................... 71
3.8.5. Combined production ........................................................................ 72
3.8.6. Capacity planning ............................................................................. 73
3.8.7. Completion confirmations for work orders............................................ 75
3.8.8. PDC: Personnel time recording/ Order time recording .......................... 76
3.8.9. Manual production entries.................................................................. 77
3.9. Service processing ............................................................................................. 77
3.10. Costing ............................................................................................................ 78
3.10.1. Preliminary costing............................................................................. 79
3.10.2. Simultaneous costing ......................................................................... 79
3.10.3. Final costing...................................................................................... 80
3.11. Material valuation ............................................................................................. 81
3.11.1. Valuation .......................................................................................... 81
3.11.2. Cost entry suggestion ......................................................................... 82
3.11.3. Cost entries per account..................................................................... 83
3.11.4. Work in Process................................................................................. 83
3.11.5. Valuation of products at the costs of goods anufactured........................ 83
3.11.6. Material provided to vendors and passing through................................ 84
3.11.7. Subcontracting and material valuation................................................. 84
3.11.8. Handling consignment warehouse locations ......................................... 84
3.11.9. Evaluations ....................................................................................... 85
3.12. Financial accounting ......................................................................................... 86
3.12.1. Chart of accounts .............................................................................. 86
3.12.2. Taxes................................................................................................ 87
3.12.3. Financial entries ................................................................................ 88
3.12.4. Recurring entries................................................................................ 89
3.12.5. Cash book ........................................................................................ 90
3.12.6. Cash management ............................................................................ 91
3.12.7. Reminders......................................................................................... 95
3.12.8. Evaluations ....................................................................................... 96
3.12.9. GdPDU............................................................................................. 97
3.12.10. Interfaces .......................................................................................... 98
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3.13. Cost accounting................................................................................................ 98
3.13.1. Cost type accounting ......................................................................... 99
3.13.2. Cost center accounting EDS...............................................................100
3.13.3. Planned consolidation for cost type/EDS fields.....................................101
3.13.4. Computation rule .............................................................................101
3.13.5. Cost accounting unit .........................................................................102
3.13.6. Activity base .....................................................................................102
3.13.7. Cost center assessment .....................................................................102
3.13.7.1. Transfer of overheads from direct cost centers to
cost objects .....................................................................................105
3.13.7.2. Cost object monthly assessment and cost object
annual assessment..........................................................................105
3.13.8. Cost enter accounting Contribution margin accounting .......................105
3.13.9. Valuation of production activity ..........................................................106
3.13.10. Statistical entry journal ......................................................................106
3.13.11. Evaluations ......................................................................................107
3.14. Group accounting ............................................................................................108
3.14.1. Introduction......................................................................................108
3.14.2. Group structure ................................................................................109
3.14.3. Group-internal and group-external processes......................................111
3.14.4. Exchange of financial data ................................................................112
3.15. Fixed asset accounting......................................................................................114
3.15.1. Fixed assets......................................................................................114
3.15.2. Asset groups.....................................................................................115
3.15.3. Depreciations ...................................................................................115
3.16. Corridor Controlling .........................................................................................120
3.17. EDI .................................................................................................................122
4. Automotive (optional) ......................................................................................................124
4.1. Automotive - Sales and Distribution....................................................................125
4.2. Automotive - Shipping ......................................................................................127
4.3. Automotive - Invoicing ......................................................................................128
4.4. Vendor connection in purchasing.......................................................................129
5. Portal (optional)..............................................................................................................131
6. abas eB (optional)...........................................................................................................133
7. Interfaces ......................................................................................................................134
7.1. DDE - Dynamic Data Exchange .........................................................................134
7.2. ODBC - Open DataBase Connectivity................................................................134
7.3. MultiSite ..........................................................................................................135
7.4. EDP interface ...................................................................................................135
7.5. Object-oriented database interface for FOPs ......................................................137
8. Add-on solutions.............................................................................................................137
9. Service..........................................................................................................................138
9.1. On-site service by the software partners..............................................................138
9.2. Keeping up-to-date with ABAS ...........................................................................138
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1. Introduction
1.1. Introduction to ABAS – Company
profile
The core competence of ABAS Software AG is the development of flexible
ERP and eBusiness software for medium-sized companies with up to
1,000 employees. More than 2,000 customers throughout the world
have opted for both ABAS as IT specialist, and for the integrated abas
Business Software. The company ABAS that was once characterized by
students has now become a group of companies. ABAS Software AG in
Karlsruhe employs about 115 people, together with over 50 abas
partners worldwide that is a total of approx. 580 employees. The abas
software partners provide on-site support and a range of services
including implementation, hardware and network support, customization
and a helpdesk and ensure short reaction times and high service quality.
ABAS is internationally represented by partners in Germany, Bulgaria,
France, Italy, the Netherlands, Austria, Romania, Spain, Switzerland,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Turkey, Hungary, Egypt, Australia,
China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Iran, Jordan, Malaysia, Mexico, Saudi
Arabia, Sri Lanka, India, Syria, Thailand, USA, UAE and Vietnam. The
partner network is continuously expanded.
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abas partners
worldwide
abas partners
in Germany
abas partners
in Europe
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1.2. Getting to know abas Business
Software: Product portrait
The brand name abas Business Software includes the products abas ERP
for production, abas Distribution for distribution, wholesale and service
companies and the eBusiness solution abas eB. abas Business Software
(ERP, PPC, MRP, eBusiness), a solution for medium-sized companies, is
flexible, adaptable and future-proof. The clear structure and well thoughtout
implementation strategy of the system enables a short implementation
period, as well as a trouble-free integration into the company structure.
Specific adaptations can be integrated with very little effort. With every
upgrade new functions and technologies are constantly added to the
standard software. As a result, abas users are always using the most upto-date
product. abas Business Software can run using Linux, Unix and
Windows. ABAS has supported the open source operating system Linux
since 1995. Approximately 80% of over 2,000 abas installations are
based on Linux.
abas Business Software - range of services: sales/sales order
processing/shipping, purchasing/purchase order processing, warehouse
management, scheduling, logistics, materials management/MRP,
production/PPC, financial accounting, fixed asset accounting, cost
accounting, controlling, eBusiness, portal etc.
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1.3. Customer satisfaction
ABAS and the abas partners have gained experience through over 2,000
ERP installations. ABAS has been providing business software for
medium-sized companies since 1980. Innovation and continuity go hand
in hand.
abas Business Software provides users with an extensive function range.
Additional functions and adjustments can be made easily, flexibly and,
therefore, cost efficiently – by the user or by the abas Software Partner.
The high flexibility of abas Business Software is exceptionally valuable for
your company and enables new requirements to be satisfied. The ERP
solution provides a multifaceted optimization and use potential, such as
an increase in productivity, improvement of transparency and service,
increase in competitive strength, cost savings, and much more. These
advantages bring cost benefits in the user operation. The abas Business
Software distinguishes itself by an above-average and excellent
price/performance ratio.
Satisfied abas customers
Numerous studies highlight the ERP market: the abas users are highly
satisfied and rate the abas Business Software with excellent grades.
In the Konradin study the
abas Business Software
could again, according to
different criteria, take top
positions. In the total
evaluation, which comprises
all company sizes and
branches of industry, the
"System stability" criterion
was rated as top priority by
the users.
For this criterion abas
Business Software was
graded with the top mark of
1.5 and the top mark of 1.7
as regards the adjustability
and the top mark of 2.0 as
regards the user-friendliness.
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Stability
In the valuation portal www.benchpark.de
as well ABAS got a top position among the
ERP providers of group B (solution providers
for medium-sized companies).
Adjustability
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User-
friendliness

1.4. Your advantages in using abas ERP
When you choose abas ERP, you are opting for competence, continuity
and first-class established technology.
Short implementation periods
The clear structure of the ERP software and the ingenious implementation
strategies ensure quick implementation periods and a smooth integration
into the company structure and existing software environments. This
results in transparency as well as a quick return on investment (ROI).
Through methodical software implementation the implementation periods
are reduced by approx. 25 % and the ROI (Return on Investment) is
reached in a significantly shorter time.
Select your platform
Whatever operating system is best suited to your IT environment - abas
ERP runs using Linux, Unix and Windows. abas users have the choice.
Or you can opt for ASP - Application Service Providing. This means
the outsourcing of abas Business Software and other software
applications. The operation and support of your IT infrastructure is left to
the abas specialists via a cost-efficient data linkage or worldwide via the
Internet. Monthly flat rates allow precise budgeting.
Concise and easy to use
The continuous uniform user interface, the systematic screen structure, the
field, screen and topic related Online Help and the structure of the
models according to the related functions make it possible to work
securely, intuitively and effectively with the abas ERP after only a short
introduction. Whether browser based or via the graphical user interface –
you decide how you want to operate abas ERP.
Flexible down to the last detail – individuality
Be it business processes, screens or database structures - your specific
requirements can always be easily integrated into our ERP Software. abas
Business Software can adjust perfectly to suit your organizational
structure. The value and usefulness of your company software will
increase from year to year. You partake in this progress - with every new
version. Even after an upgrade your individual modifications - for
example, individual screen fields, customized reports , new functions or
own macros – will be retained.
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Many different areas can be customized using the "Flexible User
Interface":
• Dialog functions and menus
• Evaluations and lists
• Characteristics bars
• Documents and forms
• Screens and individual texts
• Database access and queries
• Data import and export
• Additional fields and tables
• Calling and integrating external programs
• Event-driven functions
• Own macros
Ergonomics
abas ERP has a continuous uniform user interface. The screens are
systematically structured and are generated according to the respective
function. This makes it possible to work securely, intuitively and effectively
with abas ERP after only a short introduction time. The required functions
can be triggered directly from the screen with a mouse-click, a function
key or a key combination. The screens which relate to the editing process
can be accessed via reference fields. Symbols visualize the editing status
of the process as well as other function options. You can directly access
the processes, which were last edited, either via the object history or via
the commands which were used last. There is a field, screen and topicrelated
Online Help available.
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Always up-to-date due to upgrades
For your business success use the
extensive new features and
advancements which flow into abas
Business Software year by year. By
upgrading regularly you will
immediately profit from the up-todate
technology status. Efficiency
and productivity within the company
will thus be continually improved.
ABAS Software AG has a
continuous upgrade strategy to
ensure that the business software
will also be reliable in the future.
Each year a new version is
available. In this way the software
standard is constantly supplemented
with new functions and technology
which means abas users are always
up-to-date. With each new version
about a third of the program code is renewed. abas ERP is therefore a
technically current product, in which years of experience and know-how
are utilized. An upgrade is quickly implemented due to the software
architecture of abas ERP.
Regular upgrades
After an upgrade the companyspecific
program adjustments and
modifications remain intact – individual
functions are available as before.
Each upgrade also provides the
opportunity to optimize organizational
processes. ABAS and the abas
partners are available to give support
and advice.
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Log database increases speed and efficiency
The object-oriented abas database operates requiring virtually no
maintenance. It is prepared for new features in the case of an upgrade.
Online data backup is possible during normal operation – either to a
backup tape or a shadow database. A 24 hour, 7 days a week operation
is therefore guaranteed!
International through multilingualism
abas ERP is multilingual in the user menu, as well as in the display
language. This is based on the Unicode character set. You can work with
the same database in different operating languages. For example, your
controller can access all international installations and generate
evaluations in his native language. At present, abas Business Software is
available in the following 28 languages: German, British English,
American English, French, Spanish, Italian, Polish, Russian, Hungarian,
Czech, Turkish, Romanian, Indonesian, Dutch, Macedonian, Bulgarian,
Serbian, Slovenian, Slovak, Portuguese, Chinese (simplified and
traditional), Greek, Thai, Arabic, Persian, Vietnamese and Urdu. You can
ask your software partner for the respective status of the translation. If
required, other languages can easily be supplemented.
Open interfaces for the integration of external IT systems
External IT systems can be integrated using the abas interfaces "EDP" (ERP
data access log), "ERP export and import" and also the standard
interfaces "DDE" (Dynamic Data Exchange), Multi-Site, "ActiveX" and "Java
API". The standard ODBC (Open Database Connectivity) interface can
also be used optionally.
These interfaces connect abas Business Software to other IT systems, e.g.
CAD, CAQ, PDC and EDI systems, order time recording and personnel
time recording, archiving systems, word processing programs, spread
sheet, data warehousing or Olap databases.
eBusiness solution for medium-sized companies: abas eB
Using abas eB you are able to access ERP data via the Internet. ERP data
like, for example, stock levels, availability, sales order status, product
data or monthly figures can thus always be accessed online. The access
permissions and user permissions can be defined. Subsidiaries, sales
representatives and vendors can always access up-to-date information
and the company transparency is thus increased.
On the basis of ready-made Web Applications, such as e.g. Webshop,
you can construct your solution as you desire and incorporate your own
ideas. abas eB grows along with your requirements and always remains
upgradeable. With abas eB you have all the advantages of a flexible
eBusiness solution for medium-sized companies – fully integrated into
your ERP system.
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1.5. Software architecture
Because of its flexibility abas ERP, the ERP system, will suit your business
perfectly. Thanks to its tiered architecture, the business software can be
optimally integrated into existing IT environments. abas Business Software
is always flexible enough to meet your changing and expanding business
requirements - your software is always updated to modern technology
standards.
abas ERP is flexible and clearly structured due to a tiered software
architecture. The basis of the software is the object-oriented database.
The application tier is based on the database. It contains the core
functions of the software. The flexible user interface is designed with the
abas Tools. It enables adjustments which are not reversed by upgrades.
These tiers form the abas ERP core. The uppermost tier is the presentation
tier or "Flexible User Interface" (FO). This is the interface to the user. The
presentation tier consists of the "Individual User Interface", the "Flexible
Standard User Interface" and the "abas Tools".
abas Core
abas system basis / Database tier
An object-oriented database, the objected-oriented programming
languages C++ and Java, as well as C along with the Linux and
Windows operating systems, form the basis of abas Business Software.
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abas core functions / Application tier
With abas ERP you will always benefit from a standard software that
flexibly supports specific business requirements. The core functions of the
ERP software comprise, among others, the following: purchasing, sales,
scheduling, materials management / MRP, production / PPC and
accounting.
abas Tools
The abas Tools are object-oriented and easy to use. The "Flexible
Standard User Interface" and the "Individual User Interface" are created
using tools, such as the list generator, menu generator and screen
generator. You can also create links to other software applications using
the abas Tools: You can link the abas ERP to external IT systems using
interfaces.
Flexible User Interface (FOP) / Presentation tier
Flexible Standard User Interface
It contains an numerous functions which are generally required for
business operations: lists, forms, screens, menus, data and evaluations
can be used instantly. The user selects those which he requires.
Individual User Interface
The functions, data, evaluations or dialogs which are company-specific,
and which are therefore not included in the standard software, are
created here. These individual adjustments are integrated seamlessly into
the complete system. The abas Tools are also used to integrate specific
requirements into the system.
Java as the language of the Flexible User Interface
Program adjustments can be made using the FOP language or Java.
abas ERP, therefore, provides two ways to customize your software which
perfectly complement each other: The easy-to-learn FOP language and
Java as the platform-independent programming language. Java is
especially suited to Internet applications and also to abas installations
with heterogeneous computer networks.
Complex user requirements can be implemented even more efficiently
using Java, based on the most up-to-date standards used worldwide.
Library modules or ready-made Java components, which are available on
the Internet, can be integrated into abas Business Software.
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1.6. abas Tools
The FOP programming interface provides numerous tools for:
Expanding the user interface
- Printing documents
- Database queries
- Database expansion options
- Event-driven flexible user interface programming (EFOP)
- Displaying charts
- Screen generator
- Menu generator
- Help generator
Communication with external systems
- Browser output
- Database loader
- Database queries
- EDP / ODBC / JDBC interface
- DDE interface
- ActiveX
- MultiSite
- Java API
abas Tools are intelligent tools used for customizing the user interface:
• Database access and queries
• Creation of documents and forms
• Customization of screens
• Creation of user-defined functions which are then integrated into the
standard screen
• Customized buttons
• User-defined data checks in screens
• Calling external programs
• Integration of the automatic data processing from external programs
• Customization of the user menu
• Individual help texts
Individual requirements can be implemented by means of the tools.
Customized evaluations can be run directly from menus. It is also possible
to call functions, information and evaluations from the screen dialog. All
events which occur during a screen dialog can be linked to any number
of own actions. abas ERP supports screen, field and row related events,
as well as button triggers and other events. Using the event management
you can, for example, prevent the deletion of rows in a table or write the
deleted rows in a log file, etc.
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1.7. Customization and additional
enhancements
Customized screens
To each abas ERP screen additional standard data fields or even
completely new customized data fields can be added.
All of the modifications and enhancements which you make will remain
intact after an upgrade to a new program version.
Customized screen functions
abas ERP offers the option to integrate own functions in screens or the
option to display additional information. This can be done using the
event-driven flexible user interface programming (EFOP).
A major advantage is that the programs can also be triggered by events
(e.g. entering a product into the list of quotations).
You decide which functions should be run or which information should be
displayed. All organizational requirements and restrictions, which apply
while you are editing a process, can be indicated in the relevant screens.
Customized additional enhancements
Additional database objects with customized applications
You can integrate your own applications into abas ERP by using the tools.
Additional database objects are available for this purpose. You can
define your specific requirements and create user screens which are
required for these database objects. Customized functions can also be
recorded in these screens.
Additional database objects with customized evaluations
Customized evaluations can be run using the infosystems created.
Calling external programs from abas ERP
Using customized user menus it is possible to call external programs, for
example MS or OpenOffice, with the abas Tools.
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1.8. Performance spectrum
abas Business Software supports your business with a multitude of
efficient features and functions.
abas Business Software for production
abas Business Software can be used in all application areas. With abas
ERP the abas Business Software offers an ERP solution for production
companies – no matter whether in single unit, series or job lot
production.
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Production
Plant engineering and construction • Mechanical
engineering • Metal working industry • Electrical
engineering • Medical technology • Plastics
industry • Chemical industry • Car suppliers* •
Automotive* • Construction of cars* • Construction
industry and related trade • Textile industry • Food
industry • Packaging industry • Wood industry •
Furniture industry • Jewelry manufacturers •
Workshops for the handicapped …
* Please note that there is a separate features and functions brochure
"abas ERP / Automotive".
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Function range of the abas ERP core functions
The core functions are the central element of abas ERP. They are the
basis for all other functions:
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abas ERP
• Sales/Sales order processing/Shipping
• Purchasing / Purchase order processing
• Materials management
• Material valuation
• Cost accounting
• Operations and valuation of the production activity
• Scheduling
• Production
• Service processing
• Capacity planning
• Editable sales order BOM
• PDC: Personnel time recording/Order time recording
• Time management
• Intrastat trade statistics
• Accounting (financial accounting, fixed asset accounting,
costing, cost accounting, Corridor Controlling)
• And much more ...
abas ERP always adjusts to the new company-specific requirements and
reacts flexibly to external and internal changes. The individual
adjustments will remain intact when an upgrade is carried out. Not only
does your software gain economical value, but it also gradually improves
in quality.
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2. Basic system
2.1. Database
The object-oriented abas database belongs to the basis.
The abas log database has the following characteristics:
• 24 hour, 7days a week operation guaranteed
• Data backup during operation through a shadow database
• Virtually maintenance-free data administration
• Expandability through the integration of user-defined fields and tables
• High level of data security
A shadow database can be used as a completely up-to-the-minute copy
of the productive database, e.g. to make data available on the Web.
Online safety backups or copies of clients can be made whilst the system
is running.
The "write" shadow client provides the option to write into the shadow
database and to adopt, before the next adjustment, the data created
there into the real database. Using the shadow client and abas eB you
can make your ERP data available online.
2.1.1. Database customization
Table of variables
Every table of variables displays names and properties of variables that
are used in a screen, divided into file and group. The existing data tables
can be expanded with customer-specific fields using the tables of
variables.
Additional databases
You can manage more data, such as quality data or logbooks, in
additional databases. In order to define individual data tables there are
40 additional databases with 500 different data objects available.
Key tables
Search keys, e.g. identity number or search word, are used to access
records. This allows a fast and efficient selection of records. For specific
expansions you can freely define individual search keys in addition to the
standard search keys.
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2.2. Master files
Master files include customer, vendor, parts, account, operation, work
center/department, employee and systems admin. files. All abas
functions access this data.
General functions for the management of master files:
• Creating, editing and viewing master file records
• Creating new master files records by copying existing ones
• Accessing existing text modules from the screens
• Extensive search functions via:
- Identity number
- Identity number ranges
- Individually defined search criteria
- Search words, ranges of search words, search word components
- Additional, individual criteria
- Using a match code
- Individual selection screens
All master file records save and display the creation date, the operator
code and the date when they were edited last.
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2.2.1. Customer master files
All the data relating to customers and the customer staff references is
recorded and updated in the customer master files. In addition to the
address management even more information can be recorded:
• Sales data like, for example, shipping address, terms of delivery and
payment, invoice variables, etc.
• The language of correspondence – all operating languages are also
available as languages of correspondence.
• Financial accounting data – all characteristics of the subledger
account (debtor) are administrated in the customer master files.
• Representatives who are not on the payroll are recorded here to
make it easier to calculate commissions.
• Customer staff references and customer departments.
The customer master files data is used for the correspondence with
customers, in various sales processes (quotations, sales orders, packing
slips, invoices), in the Intrastat report, in financial accounting and possibly
also in the electronic data interchange (EDI).
For each customer and fiscal year the turnover figures can be
administrated or displayed as planned and actual values.
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2.2.2. Prospective customer master files
Prospective customers and staff references of prospective customers can
be created as separate objects in the customer master files.
Prospective customers have the same field structure as customers, persons
responsible for prospective customers have the same field structure as
customer staff references, including customized fields. Only quotations or
Web orders can be created for prospective customers; no sales orders,
packing slips or invoices.
Prospective customers/Prospective customer staff references can be
converted into customers/customer staff references, whereby the created
quotations and Web orders will be automatically allocated to the
customer.
2.2.3. Vendor master files
The vendor master files are structured in the same way as the customer
master files. As many in-house contacts (staff references/departments)
as required can be created for the vendors.
The following information can also be recorded in the vendor master
files:
• Purchase data like, for example, terms of delivery and payment,
pricing, invoice variables, etc.
• Financial accounting data – all characteristics of the subledger
account (creditor) are administrated in the vendor master files
• External producers
• Forwarders
The vendor master files data is used in correspondence with the vendors,
in various purchase processes (requests, purchase orders, packing slips,
invoices), in scheduling, in the Intrastat report, in financial accounting
and in the electronic data interchange (EDI).
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Similarly to the customer master files, the turnover figures per vendor and
fiscal year can be administrated and displayed as planned and actual
values.
2.2.4. Parts master files
The parts master files contain all data relating to the sales and purchase
products. Means of production and supplementary items are also
administrated in the parts master files.
• Products include purchase, sales, trade and semi-finished products
(e.g. sub and main assemblies) and are subject to scheduling and
warehouse management.
All details for purchasing, sales and production can be recorded in the
product. The production list contains the routing, the BOM and the
means of production.
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• You render services to your customers. These are services which are
invoiced to the customer according to hourly rates or packages with
unit prices. Services always refer to a product which the customer has
purchased from you.
• Means of production are used as aids in production (e.g. tools,
stencils). They can be entered in production lists and they appear in
the shop floor papers. They are not subject to scheduling or
warehouse management, but are taken into consideration for costing.
• Supplementary items allow special purchase and sales products to
be administrated without warehouse management. These include flat
rates and services (postage, packaging, shipping, insurance) and also
text modules, total invoice discounts, total invoice surcharges, tax
items, sub-totals and totals, etc.
Products, means of production
and supplementary items are
used in the following areas:
purchasing, sales, warehouse
management, production. This
is shown in the graphic.
Production list
Alternative production lists of products can be saved independent of the
product. They are either created manually or generated from a product or
sales order production list. Contrariwise, a product or sales order
production list can be replaced by an alternative production list.
Example:
Normally a part is manufactured internally. When your production
department is overloaded, the part can be manufactured externally. You
thus require a production list for the internal production and an
alternative provided material BOM for the external production.
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Product ranges
Using product ranges it is possible to create hierarchical structures for
products. A product range refers to other product ranges and/or
products.
A special characteristic of such a hierarchy can be a product catalog. The
screen contains fields which are required for the creation of a product
catalog, e.g. for a Web shop.
2.2.5. Capacity master files and operations
Departments and work centers are maintained in the capacity master
files. You can display your production organization with this data. Work
centers are the smallest units which can be planned by scheduling and
are merged in departments. The production steps are described in the
operation master files. One work center is allocated to each operation.
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Department records and work centers contain information for the
capacity calculation, capacity planning and scheduling. The exact
capacity available per day is determined by means of capacity additions
and deductions.
In operations all data required for running a production step is
administrated. The exact capacity requirement for the entered work center
of the operation is specified for the product in the production list.
Cost rates for the preliminary costing are entered in departments, work
centers and operations as well.
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2.2.6. Employee master files
All the data concerning the employees of a company is recorded and
administrated in the employee master files.
The following information can be recorded there:
• Personal employee data (personnel file)
• Employee data referring to wages and salaries for financial
accounting
• Transaction figures of the subledger account
• Organizational data (shift plan and substitution)
• Working days calendar
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2.2.7. Systems admin. files
In the systems admin. files the general, module-spanning master files
are administrated and the installation-specific settings are defined.
• Short texts, frequently used texts which are used in correspondence
with customers and vendors, such as salutations, warranties, terms of
delivery, pricings.
• Terms of payment for purchasing and sales.
• Invoice variables for purchasing and sales.
• Materials for the material specifications in written correspondence of
purchasing and sales as well as for costing.
• Daily and shift schedules for recording a day-specific model of daily
working hours for the Production Data Capture (PDC).
• Shift models are specified in the shift schedule. Here, daily schedules
(DS) can be allocated to the individual days of the week for each shift.
• Valuation methods required for material valuation.
• Currencies and exchange rates are recorded in the system. Each day
an exchange rate can be allocated to each currency. The historical
exchange rate information will not be lost.
Independent of the currency-specific rounding the rounding of prices
can be configured to two or three decimal places.
• Database configuration data for administrating the number ranges, the
selection, characteristics and user bars, as well as the tables of
variables and keys.
• Foreign exchange table for recording the current and historical
exchange rates for the conversion into foreign currencies (purchase
and sales processes); also used in financial accounting.
• System configuration data for administrating the user passwords and
access permissions and for the configuration of the client.
• Overheads for recording the overhead rates for costing.
• Customs table for recording the customs codes for the Intrastat report.
• Company data for administrating the company-specific data and
settings.
• Due dates for administrating important closing dates of financial
accounting, fixed asset accounting and warehouse management.
• Wage groups for administrating the wage groups table.
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• Standard account assignment for recording the current tax rates and
for specifying the financial accounting standard accounts.
• Daily material prices for recording daily material prices for raw
materials.
• Table of units for defining units.
2.2.8. Regions / Countries / Economic areas
In the master file for regions the data objects are maintained with which
the geographical or economic connections are described. Besides the
regions there are also countries and economic areas.
Via the "Type" field you can specify if the data object is a country, region
or an economic area. An additional text field helps to describe the level,
e.g. state, county, district, assessment area, etc.. The field "Higherranking
area" is used for creating hierarchies. So, for example, California
is a region and has the country United States of America as the "Higherranking
area".
Regions are sub-levels of a country and the economic areas are the
higher-ranking objects of a country. Regions and economic areas can
also be described hierarchically. This means that an economic area can
have an economic area as its higher-ranking object. A region can have a
country or a region as its higher-ranking object.
The address format for printing the postal address can be recorded for
each region and country. The address can be composed of the name,
street, zip code, country, country name, country code, region code and
region description in any order.
Each address in abas ERP, e.g. the customer address, is allocated to a
region or a country. The geographical and economic allocation is thus
indicated beside the address format for correspondence.
2.2.9. Banks and bank details
Banks and bank details are separate
database objects. Any number of
bank details can be created for each
account. You will be supported when
recording the bank details. After
entering a bank number or a
combination of the name and the
location of the bank, the respective
missing data will be completed.
Furthermore, the IBAN can be
automatically checked.
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In the customer, vendor and employee master files the first bank details,
which are used as the standard suggestion for this account in the
automatic suggestions, can be recorded.
2.2.10. Customized enumerations
In abas ERP it is possible to define customized enumerations and to use
these in screens and lists. Thus, the user can, for example, define a list of
salutations from the short texts of the systems admin. files which are then
used when specifying addresses. Selection lists containing own texts are
also possible. In this way the user could also create a list of the sectors of
industry and provide this when specifying the address.
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2.3. Document administration
The document management which is integrated in abas ERP provides
the possibility to manage company-internal documents and documents
of business processes with other companies.
Company-internal documents:
• Archived sales processes
• Scanned or edited repair reports from service employees
• Scanned transfer slips
• CAD drawings of the products
• ...
External documents:
• Drawings of products to be manufactured relating to sales orders
• Purchase packing slips and invoices
• ...
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Sales and purchase processes which were created in abas ERP can be
"frozen" when they are printed so that the print output status of the
process can be retraced.
These print output statuses can be created as internal documents and can
also be allocated to records for viewing.
CAD drawings, pictures or files of external products (for example, MS
Excel tables or MS Word documents) can be managed and opened for
editing in the document management as a single document.
Scanned documents can be administrated and records in abas ERP can
be allocated using document reference fields. The document
management is not an archive.
2.4. Address check against lock lists
abas ERP makes it possible to check your address lists against lock lists.
This is both possible for master files, like customers and vendors, and
transaction data, like delivery and invoice addresses in purchasing and
sales.
The functions in detail:
• Administration of version-related lock lists
• Direct verification when the addresses are recorded possible
• The check can be carried out as a batch run for a specified number of
address fields
• Automatically created address database with verified addresses
• Efficient verification due to the integration of results of earlier
verification runs
• Extensive logging of the verification runs
With this function you can realize the verification obligation of business
partner addresses, which is valid within the EU, according to the anti
terror regulations.
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2.5. Communication components
Office communication
The office communication components ease the exchange of documents
within the company, and also with customers and vendors.
The e-mail connection makes it possible to send documents directly from
abas ERP. It is also possible to send packing slips and invoices to
customers and vendors using EDI.
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Overview of office communication
• Letter program
• Circular letters to vendors, customers, employees
• Fax printing on paper
• Fax circular letters on paper
• Automatic sending of faxes from the workstation
• E-Mail connection
• EDI component
Mail system
In addition to e-mail, you employees can also use an individual abas
mail system.
Overview of mail system
• User-dependent access
• Definition of distribution lists
• Acknowledgement to sender
• Execution monitoring
• Selection option for filed messages
• Automatic notification of incoming mail
2.6. Graphical User Interface
Many useful details enable a simple and user-friendly operation of abas
ERP.
• The command and object history provides easy access to the most
recently edited screens and objects.
• Frequently used commands can be configured for each user or
working group in a customized command overview.
• Logo, symbol, text and background color, settings for the screen
tables, separator lines and the calendar dialog can be changed (for
example, to distinguish the difference between various clients).
• Client-specific design settings can be defined as themes.
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• If you do not want to use the mouse all the time, you can use keyboard
shortcuts in most cases.
• Using you can drag objects from the object selection into the screen or
into the screen fields.
• Using the Windows clipboard or using you can transfer tables and
selection results from abas ERP into Microsoft Excel, OpenOffice and
other programs.
• References to other data objects can be traced easily (e.g. input field
"Product" in the sales order: the product entered can be opened in a
separate screen by pressing the button).
• abas ERP supports the integration with other programs via DDE. Using
a telephony software provides you with the following possibilities:
outgoing calls can be triggered by pressing a button. When there is an
incoming call, the caller can be searched automatically in the
database; open processes will be displayed.
• The data from infosystems and lists can be directly outputted using
OpenOffice Calc, Microsoft Excel or a Web browser.
• The Graphical User Interface is available for Microsoft Windows and
Linux.
• A navigation range, which shows the structure of the help chapters,
can be displayed in the Online Help.
• Within the command overview, an HTML page, such as the abas
Portal, can be displayed.
2.6.1. Charts
In order to make your business processes more transparent ABAS has
provided the abas ERP screens with charts. You can thus display your
data expressively: distribution of turnover from products and customers,
receipt postings and issue postings of warehouse stocks, depreciation
schedules, planning future payments, etc.
Detailed information on the
chart will be displayed when
you put the mouse pointer on
a bar or a row or when you
double-click on the chart.
In flowcharts (Gantt charts)
you can move the bars with
the mouse; the edited values
will be adopted into the
database (e.g. in production
planning).
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Using the chart type OpenHigLowClose you can, for example, display
the exchange rate trend. For all x values the following corresponding y
values must be specified:
• First value (opening value)
• Highest value
• Lowest value
• Last value (closing value)
2.6.2. Pictures
You can display pictures directly in the screens (photos of products,
construction drawings).
By double-clicking on a picture it will be opened in a separate window.
Double-clicking again runs an editing program.
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2.6.3. Tree view
In infosystems data can also be displayed as tree view (structure view).
2.7. Online Help
The context-sensitive Online Help, which is contained in the standard
system, can be individually extended. To do so, you can use the same
methods and tools as for the creation of the standard help. Expansions
can be created commonly for all clients of an installation or in a clientspecific
manner.
In addition to the creation of own new fields, existing ones can be edited.
2.8. Infosystems
An infosystem enables the creation of evaluations and any number of
screen dialogs using the features of the Flexible User Interface. You can
also use all the features of abas ERP screens for the creation of charts
and pictures. The evaluations can be displayed in standard abas
screens, but can also be outputted to printers or other mediums.
Detailed evaluations
abas ERP provides you with a multitude of pre-configured infosystems for
different evaluations, such as turnover statistics, transaction figures, plan
chart, receipts and issues, machine loading and scheduling, capacity
overview, etc. If necessary, you can adjust these infosystems and easily
write, using the infosystem technology, your own company-specific
evaluations.
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Graphical representation elements within the screens (charts/images)
present your evaluations clearly and graphically. Details and continuative
information can be reached via several levels since references via buttons
and drill-down functions make navigation easy.
Infosystems as a navigation platform
The multifaceted ways of linking dialog screens and evaluations enable
fast and clear process-related working. Besides evaluations, the
infosystems also provide a navigation platform for dealing with business
processes efficiently.
2.9. Printing
Printouts are allocated to screens. Each screen contains a "Print" button
which provides all the printouts which have been configured for this
screen.
These are hard copies, forms and evaluations relating to the screen
contents. For example, in the invoice screen you can print the invoice or
output the outstanding invoices in addition to a hard copy of the screen.
Print infrastructure
The print infrastructure, i.e. the paper format, printer, spooler, settings
and output channels, are specified in the abas ERP database as are the
available print layouts and the allocation to the screens. Your companyspecific
printouts are integrated there and complement, or replace, the
standard layout.
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From the overview to the detail: For
example, the plan chart can be opened
from the outstanding sales orders with
just one mouse click
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Workstation printer
Workstation printers can be accessed directly by entering the standard
workstation printer in the print dialog, without having to specify the printer
to the server and release it. The printer, which has been specified as the
standard printer at the Windows client, will be used for printing.
Print output
Print outputs are created via different print processes. Depending on the
equirement (screen hard copy, infosystem, document printout, export to
Excel or to the browser, etc.) the adequate print preparation procedure
will be used. So far the following output channels have been integrated in
the standard (listed according to location of preparation):
• For server-side printing
- PDF documents
- FOP compatibility channel
- JasperReports
- XMLPrint
• For client-side printing
- CrystalReports
- Browser and MS Excel
- OpenOffice output
- STS OnlineView
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Printing in the background
It is possible to move a print process from a process screen to the
background. The printout is thus only started from the process and is then
sent to the background by the system. The process screen will then be
available immediately for new processes.
Bar code support
abas ERP supports many bar code formats, for example:
• 1D and 2D bar codes
• Bar codes with control characters
• Barcodes can be rotated by 90°, 180° and 270°.
abas font
If required, an universal font can be used free of charge. This font
contains all characters which occur in the languages supported by ABAS.
You can thus display all texts on the screen and print all documents in all
languages.
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Overview of printing
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• Using the print button in a screen all configured printouts will be offered
• Print preparation on the central server
• Any number of additional external print generator products can be integrated
• Automatic generation of print layouts for screens and infosystems
• Optional graphical tools for the creation of customized layouts and for editing generated
layouts
• Printout of documents in different languages
• Using Unicode all worldwide characters can be printed
• PDF generation enables sending via email and simplifies the processing of documents by
means of external software (e.g. archiving programs)
• Integration of graphics and barcodes
• Network printers and terminal printers are supported
• Print output as email directly from the print dialog
• Configurable templates for the layout generation of infosystems
• Allocation of layouts to a specific language
• abas font
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2.10. Lists and evaluations
One of the most important tools of abas ERP is the report generator
function "Flexible User Interface (FOP)", the central tasks of which are
importing, sorting, linking and evaluating data from the database and
also displaying it in texts, tables or lists.
Different lists and evaluations can be easily adjusted to company-specific
requirements. The procedure for the output of these evaluations and
infosystems is structured in a similar way in the whole system. Via various
selection and input windows the output criteria can be defined and the
system will then generate the required lists according to your
specifications.
Lists and evaluations - Overview
The following graphic gives you an overview (selection) of the lists and
evaluations of the abas functions:
Sales
• Archive information on the
sales processes
• Outstanding quotations (with
review dates)
• Quotation statistics
• Outstanding sales orders
• Statistics on incoming sales
orders
• Picking list
• Outstanding outgoing
invoices
• Journal of outgoing invoices
• Turnover statistics
• Product turnover
• Customer turnover
• Customer / Product turnover
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Production
• Operation catalog
• Shop floor papers
• Work order costing
• Missing parts list
• Material withdrawals list
• Work order suggestions
• Completion confirmation
journals
• Sales order BOMs
• Withdrawal BOMs
• Status of the current work
orders
• Sales order progress
• Capacity load utilization of
capacity units
• Planning strategies
• Capacity bottlenecks
• Outstanding service orders
Purchasing
• Process history for all
purchase processes
• Outstanding requests
• Purchase order suggestion
list
• Outstanding blanket orders
• Outstanding purchase
orders
• Delivery reminder list
• Outstanding invoices
• Incoming invoices journal
• Statistics
Scheduling Materials management Financial accounting
• Work order suggestions
• Sales order status for sales
orders
• Procurement status for work
orders
• Status of use
• Representation of
bottlenecks
• Purchase order suggestions
• Scheduling status
• Lead time scheduling
• Overview of stock levels
• Stock valuation lists
• Stock movement journal
• Plan chart of receipts and
issues
• ABC analysis
• Inventory sheets
• List of stocktaking differences
• Min. stock level calculation
• Capital tie-up in stock
• Entry journals
• Account statements
• Lists of sum totals and
balances
• List of outstanding items
• Auditor lists
• Balance sheets
• Profit and
• loss account
• Central reports
• Advance VAT return
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2.11. Characteristics bar and selection bar
Characteristics bars and selection bars are screens which aid the
selection of specific data from the database.
Additional data on the individual products or product ranges, which is not
contained in the parts master files, is entered in the characteristics bars.
The corresponding properties are assigned to these characteristics in the
product master files.
Any number of selection bars can be defined for master files and
transaction data. Dialog-oriented database searches can be carried out
easily using selection bars.
All types of bars can be used for selecting records. The dialog window
"Object selection" is available for this purpose. The records which are
found will then be displayed in a list.
3. Functions
abas ERP is an integrated standard software. This means that all
functions are interlinked. If, for example, a sales administrator posts an
invoice, an outstanding item and the corresponding posting in the
financial accounting area will be created automatically.
abas ERP in production companies
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3.1. Sales
The sales function offers continuous sales control from the creation of a
quotation via the management of sales orders, to the creation of
packing slips and invoices.
All this is done flexibly as normal:
• Client-specific default field settings with default values, text modules of
any length, free text management, invoicing in foreign currencies,
customer and product related discounts, graduated price scales and
much more are taken into account.
The sales area uses data from
the customer master, parts
master and systems admin. files
in order to create quotations,
sales orders and invoices. Direct
links to the functions of the basis
system, materials management,
production, scheduling, costing
and financial accounting form a
complete integrated system.
How you benefit:
• An up-to-date overview of the business relationships with your
customers as well as the turnover development of the products is
available at any time
• Optimum ability to deliver, keeping stock levels at a minimum
• Fast sending of invoices
• Reduced capital tie-up
• Improved profitability
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3.1.1. Quotations
Quotations are created by entering the required information into the
quotation screen. Review periods support the scheduled follow-up of
quotations. Lists and evaluation tables provide an overview of current
quotations or those already completed. Completed quotations are filed in
their original form in the quotation archive. If required, they can be
access at any time.
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Overview of quotation functions
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• Recording of incoming requests
• Creation and modification of quotations via the quotation screen in dialog
• Copying quotations from current quotations or quotations from the archive
• Preliminary costing for quotations via the quotation BOM
• Client-specific default field settings with default values
• Using review periods and dates in quotations
• Text of any length in the quotation header
• Text of any length in each quotation item
• Specification of a desired date
• Printing quotation in the language of correspondence recorded in the customer/
prospective customer record
• Printing via the form generator
• Even quotations which have already been archived can be printed as often as desired
• Entering quotation prices and values in foreign currencies
• Quotation monitoring using the 'outstanding quotations' lists
• Transferring a quotation to a sales order
• Quotation archive for all completed quotations in their original status
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3.1.2. Sales order management
The sales order management is a field of activity which is strongly defined
by specific requirements in many companies. Through the high flexibility
of abas ERP, these requirements can be fulfilled, no matter whether
complex customer structures are to be displayed, customer related prices
for products are to be calculated or purchase order dates of the customer
are to be transferred via the Internet or EDI.
Management of sales orders
The management of sales orders can be used to create and edit sales
orders via the sales order screen in the dialog. The structure of the screen
is similar to those of the quotation screen. Due to the adoption of
quotation data into the sales order the sales order creation is accelerated
and the respective quotation is allocated directly to the sales order. It is
also possible to place a blanket order with a customer for special
products, deliveries, discounts and graduated prices.
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Material and date scheduling
Sales orders can be scheduled at any time even if they have just been
created. The product structures of the individual sales order items are
automatically broken down for all levels, the due dates are calculated
and the quantities for all material and capacity requirements are
calculated and the procurements suggestions for all missing parts will be
updated.
3.1.3. Blanket orders
Customer-related sales blanket orders are administrated in abas ERP.
These are based on agreements regarding the purchase quantity of
products at fixed terms and conditions.
The outline agreements are managed in separate data objects, which
form the so-called outstanding sales blanket orders. The cumulative
quantities (already delivered quantities, released quantities and the
remaining stock for each product) are administrated in the sales blanket
orders. Controlling and monitoring contracts agreed with customers is
thus possible at any time.
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Overview of the administration of sales blanket orders
• Administration of sales blanket orders, outline agreements, contracts
• Recording of contract release orders
• Monitoring of sales blanket orders, quantities and validity periods
• Cumulative quantities in sales blanket orders
• List of outstanding sales blanket orders
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Overview of sales order functions
• Creation and modification of sales orders using the sales order screen in the dialog
• When a sales order is edited by a user while it is simultaneously accessed by another user,
the (still) current status will be displayed. This enables, for example, to edit a sales order whilst
simultaneously the list of outstanding sales orders is generated.
• Creation of sales orders by transferring the quotation data
• Client-specific default field settings with suggested values
• Product availability check during the sales order creation
• Using review periods and dates in sales orders
• Adopting customer master files into the sales order and the option to edit:
conditions, dispatch regulations, foreign currency, prices, discounts
• Administration of sales blanket orders
• Allocation of cost objects
• Texts of any length in the sales order header
• Texts of any length for each sales order item
• Sales order tracking via the 'outstanding sales orders' lists
• Sales order status report for sales order items which must be produced or procured
• Sales blanket order administration for automotive manufacturers according to VDA guidelines
(optional)
• Highlighting in S/P items: do not deliver/do not invoice
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3.1.4. Shipping processing
In the shipping processing different logistical processes are used, for
example where JIT deliveries are concerned. These processes are
available in abas ERP. Up-to-date and clear dialog information of
deliverable sales orders, their processing status and the access to delivery
and shipping conditions ensure that the shipping department always has
up-to-date information.
Shipping planning
The "Automotive" function has to be activated in order to be able to use
the shipping planning. See 4 "Automotive".
The shipping planning combines the shipping steps:
• Selection and grouping of delivery items according to different criteria
• Creation of collective packing slips and collective shipping orders
• Modification of packing instructions
• Automatic creation of the required packing materials according to the
packing instructions
• Loading and saving of shipping plans
• Subsequent editing of already created packing slips
• Availability check
• Consignment list and freight list
• Printing the required papers
abas ERP carries out time-consuming routine work where the issue of
goods and deliveries are concerned: picking lists, freight lists, complete
deliveries, partial deliveries, outstanding deliveries and collective
deliveries are quickly and easily processed via the dialog screens.
Packaging labels, bills of lading and shipping labels are provided. The
automatic posting in the warehouse always guarantees up-to-date stock
levels. The integrated availability check always provides you with an
overview of the current receipts and issues. Short-term changes will even
be taken into account when the packing slips have already been created.
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Overview of delivery functions
• Creation of pick lists
• Total deliveries, partial deliveries, delivery of remaining quantities
• Collective deliveries
• Relocations with internal relocation slips
• Shipping notice
• Pringing packing slips
• Packing labels
• Bills of lading
• Shipping labels
• Return deliveries
• Automatic stock adjustment
• List of outstanding deliveries
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Consignment warehouses
The administration of customer consignment warehouses is conveniently
supported in abas ERP. This includes direct deliveries to these
warehouses, handling by forwarding agents, inventory management,
monitoring of minimum stock levels and the settlement of withdrawals
with the customers.
Packing material management and container management
Reusable packing materials can also be managed in abas ERP, e.g.
boxes, palettes, etc. The packing instructions are recorded in a database.
In addition to current quantities, individual movements are also recorded.
ATLAS:
Automated tariff processing system and local customs
processing system
ATLAS is an IT procedure of the German customs authority for the
automation and fast processing of the customs procedure. Written
documents of the customs procedure will be replaced by electronic
messages in Edifact format.
The abas Business Software supports the simplified export declaration
procedure ATLAS.
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Overview of the shipping handling functions
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• Creation of pick lists
• Total deliveries, partial deliveries, delivery of remaining quantities
• Back order administration
• Collective deliveries
- Relocations to other warehouses
- Shipping documents like:
• Packing slips
• Shipping orders
• Packing labels
• Bills of lading
• Shipping labels
• Return deliveries
• Recording of shipping costs
• Creation and analysis of the list of outstanding deliveries
• Creation of series, device and machine numbers including a link to the respective data
objects
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3.1.5. Intrastat trade statistics
The Intrastat trade statistics enables the monthly information of the
federal statistical office about the movement of goods in EU countries
and third countries in accordance with Article 8 of the EU Ordinance
3330/91.
In abas ERP the data required for the Intrastat reports is compiled by
accessing the basic functions and master files as well as the purchase and
sales processes.
All required basic values are integrated in the mater files, the Intrastat
codes in tables. The Intrastat trade statistics create the required monthly
reports as well as estimates of the domestic transport costs.
The data for the Intrastat trade statistics can be recorded in each row of a
sales or purchase invoice. The respective fields will be filled with data
from the parts master files of the product or from the respective header
variables. These in turn are filled with data from the master files of the
shipping customer or shipping vendor.
3.1.6. Invoicing
abas ERP is particularly flexible when invoicing as it displays all companyspecific
processes. It is possible to manage downpayments, carry out cash
sales, create single, partial and collective invoices as well as to handle
credit notes and cancelations. The allocation of cost objects and revenue
accounts and also the automatic posting in the areas of financial
accounting and warehouse management links the invoicing to other abas
functions.
2008
Overview of invoicing functions
• Cash sales (including the stock adjustment and posting to the cash account in
financial accounting)
• Individual invoices and partial invoices
• Collective invoices
• Proforma invoices
• Credit notes and cancelations
• Invoices in foreign currencies
• Taking into account all kinds of additional costs
• Rebates, graduated prices, etc.
• Document date, entry date and value date
• Allocation of cost objects
• Automatic assignment of revenue accounts
• Administration of downpayments (creation of downpayments, final invoice)
• Automatic financial entries and stock adjustments
• Journals
• List of outstanding invoices
• List of outgoing invoices
• Invoices to central payers
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3.1.7. Commission settlement
For the commission settlement the flexibility of abas ERP is also in
demand as the commission models may differ depending on the
company. You can thus define an own company-specific settlement
method in abas ERP.
The settlement regulations are separately administrated in a commission
data object. There it is defined which basic commission is valid for a
representative and if particular products or product groups have differing
commission rates. Defining the company-specific commission agreements
is easy and flexible using abas ERP.
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Overview of commission settlement
• Commission settlement according to defined regulations and formulas
• Commission conditions for
- Sales representatives
- Products
- Product groups
- Quantity scales
• Each combination, e.g. conditions for sales representatives and products
• Commission calculation
• Individual design of the settlement form
3.1.8. Editable sales order production list
The editable sales order production list enables changes to be made to
the production lists for sales orders, work order and purchase order
suggestions and also work orders which are specified in the parts master
files.
These editable production lists enable the following:
• Easier rescheduling of material and machine bottlenecks
• Easier generation of variants
• Step-by-step refinement of production lists
• Visualization from which parts a product is assembled
Infosystems are available for the evaluation of production lists.
Read more on editable sales order production lists in chapter
3.8.4 Sales order related production list
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3.1.9. Additional functions
Using the process history the connections between quotations, sales
orders, packing slips and invoices can be traced easier. Questions such
as "To which sales order belongs the packing slip item ?" or "From which
quotation did the sales order item arise?" can thus be answered more
quickly in the sales area.
All completed sales processes are administrated in an Archive in their
original form. This archive can be accessed directly at any time, i.e. you
can print out a process as a form or use it as a template for a new
process. Statistical evaluations can also be created from archived sales
processes.
Using the abas ERP function Shipping order the shipping department will
get an overview of which goods are to be dispatched by a shipping
agent. Several packing slips can be combined into one single shipping
order from which a shipping order document can be generated.
Alternatively, you can enter a shipping order in the packing slip. The
shipping order will thus be attached to the packing slips.
3.2. CRM / abas customer infosystem
This infosystem simplifies the contact with your customers. To do this,
both sales processes and basic processes like projects and tasks are
managed. This is done customer and employee oriented.
E-mail can be sent and homepage URLs can be called using abas ERP. A
selection of defined contact rows is available for this, i.e. all customers
and employees who are linked to the specified customer via the master
file and have a specified e-mail or Internet address in their own master
file will be displayed.
Another process creates new sales processes, customers or customer staff
references as well as projects and tasks. When a customer is entered into
the infosystem screen, it will be, if expedient, automatically entered into
the related creation screen when a new object is created.
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The following infosystems are integrated in the standard system:
outstanding quotations, outstanding sales blanket orders, outstanding
sales orders, outstanding sales packing slips, outstanding sales invoices,
outgoing invoices list as well as the infosystem for forwarding projects and
tasks. The customer or the invoice recipient will be adopted into the sales
relevant infosystems as a default entry, the operator will be adopted into
the forwarding infosystem.
The database query will be triggered in accordance with the selection
criteria chosen in the header screen and the table will be loaded
correspondingly.
An infosystem is used to forward tasks.
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3.3. Purchasing
The purchasing in abas ERP provides, like the sales, a continuous
transaction processing - from requests to purchase order suggestions
and purchase orders to the recording of the incoming goods up to the
invoice verification. The purchase order processing is the central
component of purchasing. Outline agreements can also be processed.
The following basic functions are available for purchasing:
• Request management
• Purchase order suggestions
• Purchase order management
• Blanket orders
• Goods receipt
• Invoice verification
• Additional functions
3.3.1. Requests
In abas ERP requests can be conveniently administrated. Requests can be
made to vendors by filling in the appropriate screen in the abas ERP
purchasing module. This data is then transmitted electronically by
Electronic Data Interchange (EDI). The comparison of requests forms a
good basis for the purchase decision.
When you have selected a vendor, the system will create the requests to
which the quotations received will be allocated later on. The quotation
comparison can be used to compare prices, delivery times and
conditions.
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When a vendor has been selected, a purchase order can be
automatically generated from the request. All requests are automatically
stored in a request archive. Using the archive data it will be apparent if a
request resulted in a purchase order.
3.3.2. Purchase order suggestions
The central component of purchasing is the purchase order management.
In scheduling purchase order suggestions are generated by the net
requirements determination or if stock levels fall below the minimum stock
levels. These purchase order suggestions then lead to purchase orders. As
in sales, purchase blanket orders with vendors can be processed as well.
They relate to particular products and contain defined release quantities,
graduated prices and discounts. By defining specific release quantities, all
required goods can be ordered easily within a certain period of time.
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Overview of the functions of the request administration
• Individual requests
• Multiple requests
• Request monitoring
• Comparison of requests
• Archiving of requests and recording of completion reasons
• Adoption of requests into purchase orders
• Selection of archived requests according to various criteria
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For each purchase order item the purchase order management is linked
to the financial accounting and cost accounting via cost centers, cost
objects and account assignments.
For processing, the purchase order suggestions can be selected or sorted
via lists or directly in the dialog according to user-defined criteria, e.g. by
vendors, products, material groups or due dates.
Quantities, prices and due dates can be changed and the suggested
main vendor can be replaced by another vendor when processing the
purchase order suggestions. The purchase order suggestions are released
and then automatically converted into purchase orders.
2008
Overview of the functions of the purchase order suggestions
• Automatic creation and calculation of purchase order suggestions for external procurements
via the planning accounting
• Taking into account the scheduling mode specified in the parts master files:
- Minimum stock related scheduling
- Requirement related scheduling
- Sales order related scheduling
• Editing of purchase order suggestions in the dialog or via a list
• Automatic generation of purchase orders from released purchase order suggestions
• Specification of a desired delivery date
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Purchase order management
In the purchase order management of abas ERP, purchase orders can be
created directly or can be generated from a request or from the purchase
order suggestions created by the system.
Parts can be ordered which are available in the system and also so-called
one-time parts which are not available as master files and the description
of which is assigned to the purchase order item.
The purchase order is also the basis for the account assigned to the
incoming invoice. Cost centers and cost objects can be assigned to a
purchase order item.
Each purchase order item can be supplemented by user-defined texts of
any length. Drawings can be linked as well.
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Overview of the functions of the purchase order administration
• Generation of purchase orders from requests
• Generation of purchase orders from released purchase order suggestions
• Creation of purchase orders in the dialog
• Administration of purchase orders according to:
In-house contact, material groups and own criteria
• Automatic assignment of expense and revenue accounts
• Allocation of cost centers and cost objects
• Texts of any length
• Use of foreign languages
• Ordering services and one-time products
• Ordering parts with separate material ordering
• Ordering subcontracting processes
• Ordering external processing
• Archive for all purchase processes:
• Requests, purchase orders, purchase blanket orders, receipt of goods, purchase invoices with
different selection and evaluation options
• Delivery reminders (fax, letter or email)
• Marking of and taking into account third-party business transactions
3.3.3. Blanket orders
In abas ERP vendor related blanket orders, outline agreements or
purchase contracts are also administrated. The basis for this are
agreements about the purchase of stipulated quantities of specific
products at agreed prices during a particular period of validity.
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The outline agreements are managed in separate data objects, which
form the so-called outstanding sales blanket orders. In the purchase
blanket orders the progress figures (already delivered quantities, released
quantities) and the remaining stock of each product) are administrated.
The control and monitoring of agreements with vendors is therefore
possible at any time.
2008
Overview of the functions of purchase blanket orders
• Administration of purchase blanket orders
• Purchase blanket orders for specific parts
• Recording of contract release orders
• Administration of cumulative quantities
• List of outstanding purchase blanket orders
• Documentation on the processing of the purchase blanket orders
3.3.4. Receipt of goods
In the receipt of goods abas ERP takes into account complete deliveries,
partial deliveries, surplus deliveries and shortfall deliveries. It is also
possible to create collective packing slips. After the goods have been
received, they will be automatically allocated to the standard receipt
warehouse or receipt postings will be carried out in the quality and
consignment warehouse. If a delivery is rejected, the return delivery can
be arranged immediately.
Overview of the functions of the receipt of goods
• Total deliveries, partial deliveries, surplus deliveries and shortfall deliveries
• Automatic compensation of purchase orders in the case of shortfall deliveries
• Creation of collective packing slips
• Automatic allocation of a receipt warehouse or a receipt location
• Receipt quantities can be recorded in different quantity units
• Receipt entries in the quality inspection warehouse
• Receipt entries in the consignment warehouse
• Administration of return deliveries to vendors
Quality inspection
The quality inspection can be carried out at the receipt of goods or after
entering the physical receipt at a later point in time. External quality
inspection solutions can also be integrated.
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3.3.5. Invoice verification
The receipt of goods and the invoice verification are linked to the
financial accounting, cost accounting and warehouse management
areas. The functions are interlinked via the following: automatic posting
in the warehouses and in financial accounting, recording of all
supplementary costs, calculation of input tax and the logging in journals.
External document management
The incoming invoices which are entered and verified in the ERP system,
can also be scanned in as a document and linked with the data object
(see also 2.3. Document management). You can access the original
document from any point in the system.
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Overview of invoice verification functions
2008
• Cash purchase
• Recording of purchase invoices with access to packing slips and purchase orders
• Verification of delivery and invoice quantities in the dialog
• Verification of conditions in the dialog
• Computation control
• Recording of all additional costs and automatic assignment of accounts
• Taking into account rebates and scale prices
• Suggested account assignments can be overwritten
• Subsequent allocation of cost centers/cost objects
• Calculated input tax
• Automatic stock adjustments
• Creation of debit notes to vendors
• Recording of credit notes from vendors
• Financial entries and stock adjustments
• Mixed price calculation
• Journals
• List of outstanding invoices
• List of incoming invoices
3.3.6. Subcontracting
Using the subcontracting (external processing) function the tasks are
managed which accrued when semi-finished products were processed or
when products provided to the subcontractor (vendor) were processed.
The subcontracting in abas ERP can be entered in the production list of a
product. abas ERP then generates subcontracting suggestions which are
in turn used to generate purchase orders for the subcontractor.
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Subcontracting can already be maintained in the neutral production list of
a product structure. You have the option to define materials provided and
to easily send these to the subcontractor. When changing your mind at
short notice (but would still like to produce internally) it is possible to
easily switch from subcontracting to internal production in the editable
sales order production list. It is also possible to maintain the neutral
production list for both procurement types in parallel (make-or-buy
decision).
Using a subcontracting process one can handle one or several operations
of a production list, and define several consecutive production steps for
different subcontractors in a production list.
In the subcontracting area of abas ERP you can list the vendor quantities
of semi-finished products and provided material. With this you can also
output, for each work order, all subcontracting with semi-finished
products and subcontracting materials provided.
3.3.7. Provided materials
Scheduling of provided materials
In the parts master files there is the option to define a "lead time" for
materials provided which depends on the vendor. Using this period you
can determine how many working days before the delivery date the
material provided has to be at the vendor.
In sales as well a lead time for the production can be recorded for
products and customers. In this sense it is used for the recording of
transport and safety time.
3.3.8. Additional functions
All purchase processes (requests, purchase blanket orders, delivery
schedules, packing slips, invoices) are administered in their original
format in the archive. It is also possible to access the archive directly (e.g.
as a template for a new process or for statistical evaluations).
The additional functions comprise the following components:
• Filing, archive
• Standard lists and evaluations
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3.4. Invoices for purchasing and sales
Payment form
abas ERP supports the domestic payments with payment forms (ESR) in
Switzerland. In the sales and purchasing invoices the fields Coding row,
Payment reference, Participant number and Check digit can be recorded
from a payment form. When the invoice is posted, this data will be
adopted into the invoice entry and in the outstanding items.
Downpayments and final invoices
The abas ERP supports you when crediting downpayments made in final
invoices. The system carries out the following:
• Numerous plausibility checks if the already created downpayment
invoices can be credited to the final invoice.
• The VAT entry which flowed into the individual downpayments - which
is in particular important if the individual downpayments with different
tax rates are invoices.
3.5. Pricing for purchasing and sales
The pricing functions in purchasing and sales generate price and
discount suggestions for quotations, sales orders or purchase orders.
You can thus overwrite prices which have been determined in the master
files records and define new price groups and discount groups.
When prices, material surcharges and discounts are determined, the
pricing database, in which the conditions for individual
customers/vendors or groups of customers/vendors, individual products
or groups of products are recorded and updated on a quantity and date
related basis, will be browsed. Then the outstanding blanket orders and
finally the specifications from the product master files will be browsed.
In addition to the price/quantity scale, setup prices, unit prices, group
prices/discounts and chain discounts can be recorded in the pricing
database.
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A pricing can either be carried out for individual purchasing and sales
items or for a previously specified group of products. There is now also
the option to specify flat-rate prices. Starting date for the pricing is a sales
order or purchase order related date of terms, which can be changed.
Gross and net prices (excluding taxes) can be created and recorded
separately.
ABC analysis
With the ABC analysis of abas ERP you can select whether you want to
analyze purchased parts, in-house produced parts or all parts and which
price you want to use for the evaluation. By default, the classification is
set to A=75%, B=20%, C=5%.
Your data will be evaluated according to the warehouse groups. You can
specify if the evaluation is to be carried out for all warehouse groups or
only one specific warehouse group. The results are displayed in table
form and graphically.
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3.6. Materials management
The objective of the materials management is the safeguarding of the
cost-effective provisioning of the company. To reach this objective, abas
ERP supports you in the optimization of your readiness to deliver and
flexibility whilst simultaneously optimizing the capital tie-up in the
warehouse.
3.6.1. Warehouse management
The abas ERP warehouse management provides improved transparency
and faster material flow. The materials management provides any
number of warehouses and locations in the warehouse management
area. Each location is clearly allocated to one warehouse. A variety of
warehouse types can be displayed due to this warehouse structure.
Strategies for storage and removal from storage can be implemented as
required.
Several different products can be stored in one location. The individual
locations can be easily accessed. Fast and easy access provides the user
with information about the stock levels of a product which are available
in the locations. The user can view the stocks in various ways, e.g. all
stock levels of one product in different locations or all stock levels of one
location.
Different editing screens make it possible to manually post products, to
carry out stock level corrections or to revalue a product stock level.
Bundle management and the formation of batches via batch sizes and
batch grouping periods is also possible. When posting issues, abas ERP
allows negative stock levels through the ongoing additions and
deductions.
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Warehouse groups
All stock levels within a warehouse group are seen by scheduling as
having the same value. Therefore, only the total stock level of a
warehouse group is important for the stock calculation and not the
distribution of the stock level to the different warehouses and locations.
2008
Overview of warehouse management functions
• Different scheduling groups (e.g. autonomous plant warehouses, warehouses of branches
with own scheduling, spare parts warehouses)
• Any number of warehouses and locations with unique allocation
• Bundle management
• Negative stocks allowed, constant increase and decrease
• Scheduled / Unscheduled receipts and issues
• Random location administration or fixed allocation of locations
• Administration of minimum stock levels
• Batch grouping via batch sizes and batch grouping periods
• Warehouse evaluation by warehouses and product groups
• Stock level corrections
• Relocations / Transfers
• Warehouse master files per warehouse and location
• Marking of warehouses which are not relevant to scheduling / quarantine warehouses
• Consignment warehouses for customers and vendors
• Direct stock adjustments
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3.6.2. Consumption sequence procedure
Consumption sequence methods assume a certain sequence in which
stocked parts are consumed or sold. In the product master files a
consumption sequence method (FIFO, LIFO) can be specified which then
has an effect on the valuation of the withdrawn parts. If such a method
has been specified for a product, each receipt of this product (receipt
quantity, receipt date and expiry date and cost price) will be document
separately. When the product is withdrawn, the stock quantity will be
booked out according to the defined consumption sequence, the
occurred costs will be determined and passed on the material valuation
and the actual costing.
3.6.3. Inventory
The inventory in abas ERP can be carried out as annual inventory or
permanent inventory. The inventory sheets can be generated before the
key date for inventory. There will be no time pressure as the preparatory
work can be integrated into the daily routine of business processes.
Furthermore, the inventory function supports and facilitates the
determination of the inventory value. Inventory values of several years can
be archived and compared with one another.
No matter which type and method of inventory is chosen, abas ERP also
offers comprehensive support when determining and posting the inventory
differences. The inventory function of abas ERP supports all inventory
processes and all valuation rules which are mainly used.
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A further advantage is the highly flexible adjustability of the inventory
process to the company's requirements due to the consistent linking with
the "Flexible User Interface" (FOP).
3.6.4. Lot management
The lot management in abas ERP covers all relevant areas along the
logistic chain in which information regarding lots is administered and
managed. Tracing lots properly requires the exact management of
relevant information about lot movements and the connected usage and
creation processes. These movements are logged centrally in the abas
ERP stock movement journal along with the relevant lot information.
The following questions can thus be answered:
Callback campaigns can be run in a targeted manner by using this
option for tracing lots. Lot management in abas ERP also supports quality
requirements according to the international certification standards.
Each product can be managed in lots. Any number of lots can be
managed for one product. In the case of erroneous entries, corrections
can be made.
2008
Overview of inventory functions
• Permanent inventory
• Annual inventory
• Inventory suggestion list according to specified selection criteria
• Selection of the inventory valuation method, for example:
- Valuation using the mixed price
- Valuation using the standard transfer price
- Valuation usign the last cost price
• Devaluation factors
• Determination of inventory differences
• Posting of inventory differences
Which batch materials does the final
batch consist of? (Batch Origin)
Into which final batch did the
materials flow? (Batch Use)
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Lot tracking
In order to evaluate stock journal entries involving lots there is the new
infosystem "Lot tracking". The infosystem displays issues and receipts from
a specific start-up lot by
means of a tree view.
The structure of the tree
can be influenced by
different input fields, such
as "Display depth", "Start
up lot", "From document
date", "Direction" and
"View with entries".
3.7. Scheduling
The task of the scheduling is to ensure that sufficient material and
production capacities are always available to carry out sales orders with
strict adherence to deadlines.
Scheduling generates procurement suggestions
for purchasing and production and
plans the utilization of the machine
capacities. It also checks the compliance with
fixed delivery dates and, if any variance is
found, calculates the earliest possible delivery
dates. The scheduling module, along with the
warehouse management module, is therefore
the linchpin of a company.
The scheduling calculation considers
customer order items, internal warehouse
orders, current purchase orders as well as
stock levels. Also considered are settings in
the master files, for example the minimum
stock levels, the procurement lead times,
batch sizes, batch grouping periods, lead
times for internally produced parts and the
scheduling processes.
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Overview of lot management functions
• Covering of all relevant areas of the logistics chain
• Traceability of lot movements
• Central lot information in the stock movement journal
• Lot origin
• Lot use
• Support of quality requirements according to international certification standards
• Lot tracking
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During the scheduling run it is checked if the planned stock issues on the
respective time axis are covered by the current stock level plus the
planned stock receipts. For stock shortages, depending on the
procurement type, order suggestions for purchase parts and production
suggestions for internally produced parts are generated.
There are the following scheduling modes:
• Variant related scheduling (V)
• Sales order related scheduling (A)
• Requirement related scheduling (B)
• Minimum stock related scheduling (C)
• Remaining stock related scheduling (R)
The abas ERP scheduling is run according to the net change principle.
This means that during a scheduling run not all outstanding sales and
purchase orders are re-scheduled, but only changes to the time and
material framework, which have been made since the last scheduling run,
are recorded.
By using the net change principle in the scheduling calculation abas ERP
is immediately able, even in the dialog, to carry out the scheduling
calculation. Whenever a scheduling-related entry is made in abas ERP,
the scheduling calculation will be activated in the background.
Each change is thus immediately calculated and the results can be
interactively evaluated. When a new customer sales order is created, it
can be immediately ascertained if this customer sales order can be
delivered at the due date requested.
Relocation suggestions and relocation orders between different
warehouses and their completion confirmations can be easily created.
For the on-schedule settlement of delivery schedules, stock levels and
current procurements are firmly tied to sales blanket orders.
Allocation of products to scheduling groups
In order to reduce the CPU time and the computer capacity when
continuous scheduling is run, products that do not have to be scheduled
immediately can be excluded from the continuous scheduling by
allocating them to a scheduling group. Scheduling products of a
scheduling group is carried out by an explicit call.
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Gross requirements determination
The requirements calculation for products of all procurement types which
are to be procured is structured in detail. In doing so, the following
factors are taken into account when calculating the gross requirement:
• Production list base
• Number
• Length, width
• Conversion factors for the length and width unit
• Absolute scrap, start up quantity, absolute quantity required
• Scrap percentage
• Use
• Rounding specification
The specifications can be recorded by the user in the product master files
screen. All specifications will be used by preliminary costing (for pricing)
and scheduling (in order to calculate the gross requirements).
Data taken into consideration in the scheduling run:
• Sales orders
• Open purchase orders
• Open work orders
• Purchase order suggestions
• Work order suggestions
• Scheduling mode
• Stock level, minimum stock level, lot sizes, grouping of lots in specified
time intervals, procurement lead times, production times,
organizational- and procedure-related wait times, transitional periods,
maximum stock level and package size
• Gross requirements determination by means of the quantity, length
and breadth specifications with the respective conversion factors,
production list bases, absolute scrap, use and rounding specifications.
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Overview of scheduling functions
• Exact scheduling due to the linking of the BOM and the routing
• Linking of material and operations or processes
• Date shifts in capacity planning and production control directly affect the material planning
• Work order splitting
• Backward, forward and midpoint scheduling
• Allocation of products to scheduling groups
• Date fixing
• Determination of critical dates
• Gross requirement calculation
• Calculation of batch sizes and minimum stock
• Combined production
• Overlapping of production and withdrawal (with regard of time)
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3.8. Production
Production supports the organization of the production of your products.
Production accesses the data pool of the master files to carry out this
task. Supported are the production structures mass production, series
production, small-series production and sales order related production.
3.8.1. Work order suggestions
When a sales order has been placed, the following details will be
checked by scheduling: the number of the products available, the raw
materials and vendor parts scheduled, the available machines and their
working times. Work order suggestions and the machine utilization are
generated from this information. The work order suggestions can be
viewed and edited, if required. The work order suggestions will only be
released for production if they correspond to the given requirements.
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The work order suggestions and the specific data for the production
schedule are determined via the scheduling and planning calculation
function. Of course, planned orders can also be manually created via the
administration of the work order suggestions and scheduled by the
system.
The work order suggestions are processed by the planning department
and the work scheduling department. Calculated start and due dates can
be moved, quantities reduced or increased or planned orders can be
canceled. Quantities suggested by the system can be split up into a
number of orders with different due dates and quantities.
Work orders will be generated when the work order suggestions are
released.
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Overview of work order suggestions
• Creation of own work order suggestions in the dialog
• Editing of work order suggestions from the planning accounting in the dialog or
via a selected list
• Direct recording of planned orders
• Work order suggestions are scheduled immediately after they have been created
• Editing of start and due dates
• Editing of suggested quantities
• Cancelation of work order suggestions
• Determination of critical dates and bottlenecks from planned orders
• Release and fixing for production
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Production command center
Via a central dialog window you can view all work order suggestions and
work orders, modify them and trigger actions:
• Selection of work order suggestions going by different criteria
• Open/Close the one-level production list for any work order
suggestion
• Release of work order suggestions
• Printing shop floor papers
• Integration of the material withdrawal entries
• Completion confirmations of work orders and/or work slips
• Transfer to the infosystems "Procurement status" and "Plan chart"
3.8.2. Work orders
When work order suggestions are released, work orders, work slips, job
tickets and pull lists will be generated. The availability of the required
materials will also be checked automatically. Materials which are
required but not available will be displayed in a missing parts list.
Generally shop floor papers as the following are generated for work
orders: job tickets, material withdrawal slips, material withdrawal lists,
work slips and job instructions. These documents can be individually
generated and configured in abas ERP. Organizational requirements
which are specific to the company or the department can also be flexibly
adjusted.
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Released work orders can be moved with regard to time or can be
changed in their contents at any time. It is possible to show the up-to-date
status within production for each single work order.
3.8.3. Extended work bench / External processing
Operations which are processed externally, such as varnishing of an
assembly, can already be planned in the sales order production list. You
also have the option to, as an exception, pass on individual operations,
e.g. because of capacity bottlenecks, to be processed externally.
Scheduling provides the user with information about when and how much
external services are required externally.
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Overview of work order functions
• Work order splitting
• Generation of work orders from work order suggestions
• Availability check of required material, generation of a missing parts list
• Creation of shop floor papers: work slips, material slips, job tickets, pull lists
• Availability check of required material and capacities
• Progress control
• Modification of the sales order related BOM
• Modification of the sales order related routing
• Interface for the integration of a detailed planning tool (SIMCRON)
• Printing the shop floor papers from the infosystem
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Processing of subcontracting processes:
• Request / Ordering of external processing or subcontracting
• Provision of the semi-finished products / provided parts to the
subcontractor via a packing slip
• Stock surveillance in the consignment warehouse of the subcontractor
• Crediting of the processed parts with a goods receipt slip via a
production completion confirmation
• Recording of the subcontracting costs via a receipt invoice and
integration into final costing
3.8.4. Sales order related production list
Variants and make-to-order producers require special production
structures which only apply to one particular sales order. To display these
structures abas ERP offers the option to change the sales order related
BOM and the sales order related routing (in abas ERP they are
collectively known as the "production list").
Due to this it is possible to delete, exchange or add parts in the sales
order related BOM or to add operations to the sales order related
routing, during the production process. Such changes are taken into
consideration by the scheduling calculation. With the editable production
list changes can also be made if material or machine bottlenecks occur.
As such changes are not only administrated as sales order related but are
also archived, it is possible to determine, via the sales order related
BOM, which specific components were used to build a unit. Therefore,
components which are to be changed for a customer can be found
quickly and easily in the service and spare parts system.
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3.8.5. Combined production
In combined production several different products are manufactured
during the production process. These are then credited to the warehouse
and either used internally or sold. These by-products are entered in the
production list with a negative quantity. You can use this both in the
neutral production lists of the parts master files and the currently
scheduled sales order production lists.
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The by-products will be taken into account when the BOM entries are
generated (manual or automatic entry from production) and will be
posted as stock receipt.
Simultaneously, the costs of the by-products are adopted into the final
costing of the work order and thus, by means of the negative production
list quantity, reduce the material costs of the manufactured main product.
In preliminary costing as well the costs of the by-products are deducted
from the material costs of the manufactured main product.
Scheduling regards the by-products in the production lists as planned
receipts which can, just as other procurements, be used to serve real
requirements. The capacities available are charged with the
planned/target figures of the available work order suggestions and work
orders.
3.8.6. Capacity planning
In the capacity planning complete sales orders or single operations can
be moved to different dates. In a dialog mode display the effects of the
movement of dates can be displayed graphically or as a table. The
system allows a so-called "drill-down" processing of the displays. You can
thus, for example, descend from the initial display to a bottleneck of a
specific capacity unit and from there to the individual sales orders of a
specified time period and the cause of the capacity utilization (e.g. the
customer sales order).
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Bottleneck analysis
The abas ERP bottleneck analysis enables an analysis of the capacity
utilization and particularly the problematic cases in production. All
bottlenecks of the production facility are displayed for a chosen period of
time. It is possible to analyze an identified bottleneck down to the last
detail per drill-down.
Movement of processes
Besides the option to move complete work orders to other dates,
individual processes or operations can also be moved. These movements
are immediately taken into consideration by scheduling and the
corresponding results are instantly available.
Capacity planning deallocation
The scheduled capacities are deallocated by the completion
confirmations. Generally the times will be used as the capacity units. But
quantity units, e.g. tons or meters, can also be used as capacity unit.
Capacity changes
The theoretically usable capacity, defined in the master files of a capacity
group, which refers to specific time cycles, can be temporarily changed.
Due to this, excess or shortfall capacities can be agreed for a specific
period of time. These changes will be taken into consideration by the
scheduling calculation and will be displayed in the results.
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Outstanding backlog
The outstanding backlog, i.e. the operations, which according to abas
ERP should have been completed by now will be displayed in the capacity
view. In this way you can see where problems have occurred or are about
to.
Overview of the capacity planning functions
• Specification of the theoretical capacity in the capacity units:
- machines, work centers, manual work workstations, assembly groups, etc.
• Different calendars for each capacity unit
• Modification of the theoretical capacity for certain periods in the individual operations
• Determination of bottlenecks
• Analysis and evaluation of date shifts
• Utilization overviews
• Graphical and table display
3.8.7. Completion confirmations for work orders
After the partial or complete processing of the work orders or work slips
in production, the number of products manufactured will be passed on as
completion confirmations. The administrator responsible posts the
completion confirmations and thus triggers the automatic crediting of the
manufactured products in the warehouse. At the same time the materials
required for production are booked out of the warehouse and the
machines required are released. They are then available again for new
sales orders.
Completion confirmations for
operating data can technically
be generated in different ways.
The entry can be made via the
keyboard of the workstation
(terminal, personal computer)
or by a reader (scanner, bar
code reader) linked to the
workstation.
In abas ERP completion
confirmations can also be
generated automatically, e.g.
the automatic booking out of all
materials allocated to an
operation in the structure or to
the operation "Provide materials". Such automatic completion
confirmations can also be linked to any other point in time or event. A
defined completion confirmation result in abas ERP can also generate a
receipt posting in the warehouse.
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Overview of completion confirmations
• Completion confirmations:
- for parts
- for assemblies
- for individual work orders
- for operations for which a completion confirmation has to be generated
- with automatic stock adjustment
· Receipt entry for parts
· Withdrawal entry for material
• Completion confirmations for operations:
- with start and finish dates
- with total times
- without times
- with yield
- with scrap quantities and scrap types
- with rework
• Recording of excess and shortfall withdrawals
• Recording of scrap and scrap types
• Recording of rework quantities and rework types
• Recording of unscheduled completion confirmations
• Recording of overhead costs
Completion confirmations via the production data capture PDC
• PDC devices can be connected
• Recording of order times
3.8.8. PDC: Personnel time recording/
Order time recording
abas ERP contains an integrated administration of PDC data to facilitate
the fast reflux of production completion confirmations. There is an
interface for the transfer of data from external PDC devices.
As a basis for the exact recording of personnel time and order time abas
ERP provides definable shift schedules and daily schedules. Via interfaces
to external personnel time recording systems and PDC systems working
times, break periods and shifts are – correct to the second – transferred to
abas ERP. There they can be utilized for capacity planning, financial
accounting and for numerous statistical evaluations.
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Overview of the recording of the personnel time / order time
• Recording of personnel time
• Recording of order time
• Freely defined shift schedules and daily schedules
• Automatic allocation of shifts
• Automatic sales order end
• Time data archive
• Time recording via PDC devices and terminal possible
• Interface to external personnel time recording systems
Standard lists and evaluations
• Attendance list and absence list
• Time statement list, time stamp list
• List of order times according to selectable criteria
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3.8.9. Manual production entries
Required BOM items can be booked out at any time from any location
and in any unit. Remaining quantities can also be entered as required.
They will effect scheduling. There is
also the option of posting finished
products
location.
in any unit to any
3.9. Service processing
Using the service processing, services around a sold product can be
extensively managed in abas ERP. The focus is placed on the service
product. Each sale of a product's copy can be reproduced in the service
product. Many specifications, such as location, master file and sales
order number, warranty duration, production BOM, costing and
scheduling information will be displayed here. For each service product it
can be traced which parts were exchanged or installed additionally in the
course of time. By means of the service processing, information such as
repairs which were already carried out, maintenance work or assignment
schedule of the technicians can be viewed. Various services require
various qualifications, these can also be recorded and assigned. All
activities which were already carried out are recorded and allocated in
the business area. All activities regarding a service order can be
reproduced in the infosystem "Service processing helpdesk request".
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3.10. Costing
abas ERP provides a product and sales order related costing for the
exact valuation of the operating result.
Preliminary costing and final costing can be carried out for products as
well as for sales orders; the direct comparison of both costing variants is
also possible. Costing supports you when carrying out the exact date
scheduling, e.g. when specifying delivery times. In the table of the costing
results the cost per stock unit and also the costs of the total BOM items
are listed.
abas ERP contains different costing schemata which correspond to the
overhead costings commonly used. These schemes can be adjusted
individually to the respective requirements.
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Overview of standard costing lists and evaluations
• Costing sheet for each product
• Any number of costing sheets allowed
• Costing overview
• Error log of the last preliminary costing
• Sales order BOM
• Valuation of material provided to vendors using the mixed price
• Archiving of costing sheets
• Mixed price update when packing slips are received
• Overhead costs for machine costs
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3.10.1. Preliminary costing
Preliminary costing can be carried out on the basis of known parts master
files structures. It is also possible to manually set the respective values of
a preliminary costing as defaults without the system accessing existing
structures.
Carried out preliminary costings can be archived and are therefore
available for costing comparisons.
In abas Business Software it is possible to edit costing results which were
generated by the individual preliminary costing. In the costing results
costs can be edited, deleted and added. Each of these changes
immediately has an effect on the total costing so that the consequences of
these "What would happen if...?" - business games can be seen directly.
Overview of preliminary costing functions
• Preliminary costing for parts, assemblies, finished products
• Preliminary costing for quotations
• Preliminary costing for sales orders
• Selectable valuation:
- Mixed price, last cost price
- Planned transfer price
• Preliminary costing for partial costs and full costs
• Weight calculations
• Date calculation, delivery time
• Consideration of quantity discount scales
• Editing the costing results
3.10.2. Simultaneous costing
abas ERP provides the option to create simultaneous costings for
customer sales orders within the scope of make-to-order production and
for work orders. These are based on the posted completion confirmations
of production (valuated times), the posted materials consumption, the
special direct costs of production and the special direct costs of sales.
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The costings are always up-to-date and can be directly opened from the
individual data objects, for example the customer sales order or the work
order.
This tool is especially helpful in make-to-order production, on the one
hand to be able to display the current cost status and on the other hand
to be able to include a projection with regard to the expected costs for an
order, in the controlling, at an early stage. The determination of the
inventory value of the WIP is automatically linked to the simultaneous
costing.
3.10.3. Final costing
In abas ERP completed sales orders and work orders can be finally
calculated. The final costings can be displayed in consolidated form or in
detailed views.
When final costing is carried out, all types of procurements will be finally
calculated – both sales order related procurements and warehouse
procurements. Final costing can also be carried out for filed processes
and can be run simultaneously. Not yet incurred costs are determined
from the sales order preliminary costing.
Final costing is carried out using a cost collector which you can edit in
order to enter and correct individual costs. When an individual final
costing value has been entered, it will be taken into consideration by the
final costing. Additionally, a row and possible additional costs that are
initially unknown to the final costing can be included in the cost collector.
Here you can enter, for example, travel or freight costs, which you
already know will accrue but for which a document does not yet exist.
They will be adopted into the final costing as special costs.
In invoices and a financial entries costs can be allocated to several items,
reservations or work order suggestions via a cost allocator.
If the final costing collected all costs of a finished product, then the mixed
price of the finished product will be updated. This happens when the
respective work order suggestion is filed. This mixed price update is
documented in the stock movement journal. As long as not all the costs
of the work order suggestion are available and can be posted, the mixed
price will not be updated. The update will be automatically carried out by
final costing when all costs of the work order suggestion have been
posted. If the final costing should update the mixed price or not can be
determined via the field "Mixed price update" in the configuration data
record.
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Overview of final costing functions
• Final costing for production orders:
- Parts
- Assemblies
- Products
• Final costing for sales order related procurements and warehouse procurements
• Final costing for customer sales orders
• Final costing for filed processes
• Final costing via editable cost collectors
• In invoices and financial entries costs can be allocated using cost allocators
• Mixed price update
• Valuation method can be selected
• Final costing on the basis of direct costs and full costs
• Comparison with preliminary costing
• Period-related costing for each part for the determination of average values
3.11. Material valuation
Material valuation carries out the determination and posting of the
consumption of raw, auxiliary and operational materials and the
inventory changes of semi-finished and finished products.
3.11.1. Valuation
Valuation types
The following valuation types can be used for products:
• Mixed price
• Warehouse group mixed price
• Planned price
• Invoice price
• Zero valuation
• Cost of goods manufactured
Material group and product group
The account assignments of the product are recorded in the material
group and the product group. A material or product group can be
allocated to a group of products.
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Carrying out the valuation
The valuation of the consumption is carried out on the basis of quantity
movements. If a quantity movement can not be valued when it is
generated because the required valuation price is not available, an
automatic revaluation will be carried out as soon as the valuation price is
available. The valuated quantity movements form the basis for the posting
of the changes in stock.
3.11.2. Cost entry suggestion
In the cost entry suggestion, stock journal or completion confirmation
journal entries can be selected according to diverse criteria. The selected
entry documents are displayed in the table, the posting total of the
documents is displayed in the header. Individual documents can be
excluded from the posting of a posting run.
Moreover, it becomes clear for each entry document if the document can
be posted or if data, such as the valuation price, is missing. The cost entry
creation will become more transparent with this function. Cost entries can
also be created more specifically.
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3.11.3. Cost entries per account
Using the function "Cost entries per account", which can be activated in
the cost accounting configuration, it is controlled that a cost entry is
generated in the posting document when a debit or credit account
changes. This creates more cost entries. The individual cost entries are
clearer because less posting documents are combined in one entry. So
far, a cost entry was created when the posting month or the cost element
was changed.
When the debit or credit account is changed in the entry document, a
cost entry will be generated. More cost entries are thus generated. This
provides more clarity as less entry documents will be collected in the
individual entries.
3.11.4. Work in Process
In addition to the determination and posting of the consumption of raw,
auxiliary and operational materials and the changes in the inventory of
finished products, the determination and posting of inventory changes of
semi-finished products is also possible.
3.11.5. Valuation of products at the costs of goods
manufactured
Finished products can be valuated at costs of goods manufactured.
Besides the material and production direct costs, the functions "Material
valuation" and "Valuation of production activity" post the material and
production overheads. The overheads, together with the direct costs, are
included in the cost entries for the change in stock.
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Due to the posting of overheads, the stocks of semi-finished and finished
products, which have been evaluated using the costs of goods
manufactured (including the material and production overhead costs),
can be depicted.
When this valuation type is used for finished products, the WiP will be
administrated automatically and without differences by the system.
If the variant-related scheduling is
used, the withdrawal of purchase
parts will be valuated with exactly
the same value at which they were
purchased.
If there are no costs of goods
manufactured available, the
mixed price will be used for the
valuation of the withdrawals.
3.11.6. Material provided to vendors and passing through
The value of the material provided will be mapped when the incoming
invoice is posted. On the one hand the service costs of the provided
materials are posted to a subcontracting account.
On the other hand another entry is generated in which the value of the
purchased product plus the material value of the provided product is
posted to the product stock account as an increase in stock.
When passing through – i.e. a product which was provided to you by a
customer is passed on to a vendor – only the invoice value
(subcontracting value) of the booked in product will be posted as stock
increase to the product stock account in this additional entry.
3.11.7. Subcontracting and material valuation
The value of the subcontracting will be mapped when the incoming
invoice is posted. The calculated service will be posted to the
subcontracting account. The total product value, i.e. the material value
plus the subcontracting, will also be posted as a receipt to the product
stock account.
3.11.8. Handling consignment warehouse locations
Product entries regarding consignment warehouse location do neither
have an effect in material valuation, nor in the valuation of production
activity. They do not cause financial or statistical entries.
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3.11.9. Evaluations
The valuation and entry results of the material valuation and the valuation
of the production activity can be tacked by means of various evaluations.
• The "Product stock level" infosystem shows the product stock levels of
individual or all warehouse groups. Different valuation types can be
used for the determination of the values.
• The individual stock movements of a product can be evaluated by
means of the Stock movement journal infosystem. Information on the
valuation can be tracked there as well.
• The Production activity infosystem displays the production costs per
work center, cost center or cost object.
Overview of the material valuation functions
• Numerous valuation types like, for example, mixed price, warehouse group
Mixed price, planned price, costs of goods manufactured, etc.
• The WIP will be kept without differences if the valuation type "costs of goods
manufactured" is used"
• Prompt valuation and automatic posting of stock changes
• Prompt valuation and automatic posting of completion confirmation times
• Cost entry suggestion
• Transparent entry results due to drill-down functions in the document level
(stock movement journal and completion confirmation journal)
• Output of provided material in purchasing on a value basis
• Subcontracting and material valuation
• Usage of consignment warehouses
• Evaluations
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3.12. Financial accounting
Financial accounting encompasses the complete financial accounting
management of all financial transactions. Because the financial
accounting is a fully integrated abas ERP function, it is based on master
files as well as data in purchasing, sales, etc.
Financial accounting is an integral part of abas ERP, i.e. financial
accounting is not provided via attached interfaces but directly from the
processing of individual business transactions. In this way the generation
and posting of an outgoing invoice in sales is simultaneously connected
to the posting of data in financial accounting. The integration has the
advantage that the outgoing document can be accessed from the
financial accounting using a "drill-down" function.
Financial accounting provides a clear overview of all financial
transactions. This means, for example, that data from several fiscal years
can be accessed. You can use shifted and short fiscal years. Due to the
keeping of past transaction figures, monthly comparisons with past values
can also be made easily. Working with planned and actual figures using
any time period is useful for making planned and actual comparisons
over several years. Plausibility and completeness checks for P&L and
financial statements are incorporated in abas ERP, as is the ability to
automatically enter account statements.
3.12.1. Chart of accounts
A company specific chart of accounts can be set up in abas ERP. In the
case of a new installation the user receives the financial accounting with
a standard chart of accounts which is closely related to DATEV SKR 04 –
especially suitable for partnerships and incorporated companies. All
evaluations are in accordance with this chart of accounts. If one decides
to use this standard chart of accounts, the financial accounting can be
opened immediately. Individual adjustments to the standard charts of
accounts are, of course, possible.
The accounts can be structured hierarchically by means of the
summarization accounts. The accounts can be flexibly grouped via the
account ranges.
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The standard account assignment as well as the default setting of the
account properties generate the automatic system suggestions when the
accounts are used, e.g. when financial entries are generated
automatically.
Overview of the chart of accounts
• Individual charts of accounts
• Allocation of summarization accounts (hierarchical)
• EU accounts and foreign accounts for revenues and the purchase of goods
• Cost type allocation
• Specification of the mandatory entry of a cost center / cost object in an account
3.12.2. Taxes
Any number of tax codes and tax periods can be defined in abas ERP. An
individual tax rate can be assigned to each tax code for each tax period.
Tax periods can be defined for each month. You are therefore able to
adjust to any statutory tax change, even several times during one fiscal
year.
The tax deduction can be made at 100% but also at any lower
percentage rate. The tax codes are allocated to tax and cash discount
accounts so that the correct backdated tax calculations for each point in
time is guaranteed.
Advance VAT return
The advance VAT return items can be defined as desired and the
accounts can be flexibly allocated. As the accounts and the advance VAT
return item are both used in financial entries, the advance VAT return
figures will always be up-to-date. Advance VAT returns can be created
individually as long as they observe legal regulations. Country-specific
adjustments are possible. This can be traced by meaningful account and
entry reports.
In addition to the electronic advance VAT return via Elster, abas ERP also
supports the print output. Update programs and PDF printouts are
provided to the abas customers every year.
Overview of taxes
• Any number of tax codes and tax periods can be defined
• Several tax adjustments are possible. The shortest period is the end of a month
• Tax codes and account assignments do not have to be changed when a tax adjustment is
made
• VAT can easily be displayed for construction work
• Monthly, quarterly or annual advance VAT return – even for shifted fiscal years
• The advance VAT return and the permanent time limit extention can be electronically handed
in via Elster
• PDF output of the advance VAT return
• Validation of the advance VAT return
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Several sets of books
Up to five sets of books can be configured in order to carry out the
reporting according to different financial reporting requirements within
one abas ERP client. You can independently make entries to them and
evaluate them. Entries that are valid in several sets of books only have to
be entered once by assigning
them to several sets of books.
With the introduction of the mandatory accounting for capital market
corporate groups according to IFRS/IAS on January 1 st , 2005, and its
indirect effects on all subsidiaries of the corporate group, companies now
have to create their reporting according to two different financial
reporting regulations. Firstly, according to national law for the tax
authorities and secondly, according to IFRS, for the capital market
consolidation parent so that the parent is able to create the required
reporting.
3.12.3. Financial entries
Due to the integration into the abas system, most of the financial entries
are generated automatically, e.g. purchasing and sales entries, payment
entries, fixed asset entries, material entries. The manual creation of
entries is both supported by the automatic default setting of data and
copy functions and cancel functions.
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The posting automatically updates the monthly values of the accounts
which can then be used for evaluations. The balances carried forward of
the balance sheet accounts of the following years will be updated without
other "annual balances carried forward" have to be carried out.
3.12.4. Recurring entries
Recurring entries are used to generate and repeat financial entries in
defined intervals. For example, you can choose whether the posting
process is carried out monthly, quarterly or annually. Templates and rules
are available for this. It is possible to change the contents and move the
entry date or due date from entry to entry.
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3.12.5. Cash book
abas ERP supports the keeping of cash books. The cash documents of a
month can be recorded in random time intervals and can then be posted
automatically. The user is supported by the consecutive document
numbering and the automatic cash balance update. Individual
documents or all income and expenses of a month can be printed. There
is a link to the purchasing and sales cash invoices and the debiting of
outstanding items.
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Overview of entry functions
• Automatic posting of incoming invoices from invoice verification
• Automatic posting of outgoing invoices from invoicing
• Automatic posting of material withdrawals from materials management
• Automatic posting of incoming and outgoing payments
• Individual entries / Collective entries
• Entries in any currency
• Direct entries in the dialog
• Clearing
• Easy cancelations
• Entry text for each item of the entry record
• Entries with allocation options to cost centers / cost objects
• Entries to 15 months of a fiscal year
• Direct access to several fiscal years
• 2 open fiscal years at the same time
• Comparison of any fiscal years
• Material flow by the push of a button
• Fixed asset accounting entries
• Parallel evaluations of entries by freely definable periods, e.g. for the American 4/4/5 system
• Several sets of books
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3.12.6. Cash management
The "outstanding items accounting" is fully integrated into financial
accounting. It is available for AP, AR, employees and general ledger
accounts. Outstanding items can also be administrated in foreign
currencies, downpayments, guarantees of payment, other accounts
payable and accounts receivable. Outstanding items are evaluated
according to various selection and sorting criteria.
When posting invoices and generating manual entries, the system
automatically generates outstanding items for the customers, vendors,
employees and the OI relevant G/L accounts concerned. In doing so,
both the standard default setting and also the differing process-related
default setting of data (e.g. payment due dates, bank details, note to
payee) will be taken into account. When recording the invoice it is
possible to schedule one or several partial payments.
There are several methods of payment to choose from when dealing with
payment transactions of debtors and creditors, e.g. transfers, debit notes,
checks, bills of exchange. There are several selection options for finding
the affected outstanding items.
Outgoing payments / Incoming payments
The affected outstanding items can be prepared for an
outgoing/incoming payment in one or several steps. Using the selection
criteria the outstanding items are selected.
The system suggests the payment due dates and cash discount amounts
on the basis of the terms of payment and fixed value dates. The system
suggestion can either be used or changed. The following methods of
payment are supported for outgoing/incoming payments: Transfer, debit
note, check, bill of exchange, other.
The infosystem "Create payment file" is used for the generation of export
files for the outgoing payments.
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The following payment formats are supported:
• DTAZV, Version 2004 (foreign bank transfers in Germany)
• DTAUS0 (domestic bank transfers and debit notes in Germany)
• Edifact PAYMUL, Version D.96A according to ZKA01 (domestic and
foreign bank transfers)
• Edifact PAYMUL, Version D.96A according to FAT01G (domestic and
foreign bank transfers)
• Edifact DIRDEB, Version D.96A according to ZKA01 (domestic debit
notes)
• Edifact DIRDEB, Version D.96A according to FAT01G (domestic debit
notes)
• DTA, Version 06/04 with all transaction types (domestic and foreign
bank transfers in Switzerland)
• LSV, Version 06/04 (domestic debit notes in Switzerland)
• CBI Bonifici, Version 5.01 (domestic bank transfers in Italy)
• CBI RiBa, Version 5.01 (domestic debit notes in Italy)
• ABB Payment Orders v5 (domestic bank transfers in Belgium) The
Cash Management Program ISABEL, which has been implemented in
Belgium, is capable of importing this format. In order to be able to
select this format, the banks involved must be located in Belgium and
it must concern making a domestic payment.
• ABB Foreign Payment Orders v3.1 (foreign bank transfers in Belgium)
The results are outputted in the payment log and the payment advice
note.
Outgoing checks
In the check book screen, outgoing checks can be generated for the
checks received by the bank. These will be used automatically when the
payments are transferred. The outstanding items, which were settled with
the respective check, will be
documented in the check and the
respective status (printed, bank
posting took place) will be
recorded. A simple cancelation of
an amount in the check is possible.
All affected entries will be reversed
and the outstanding items in the
old invoice will be opened. The
check book provides an overview of
the use of the checks.
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Incoming checks
Incoming checks can be recorded with data such as check number, check
issuer or due date and can be used when incoming payments are
transferred. The individual outstanding items which were paid by this
incoming check are adopted into the check table. The reference to the
payment entry is stored in the check. Later on also the reference to the
bank posting is stored as well (if available). Moreover, a simple
cancelation from the incoming check is possible. Incoming checks can be
used as outgoing checks. No new outgoing checks will then be printed.
Method of payment: "Other" for incoming and outgoing
payments
In addition to the methods of payment Transfer, Debit note, Check and
Bill of exchange, the method of payment "Others" is also supported by
abas ERP. Negative collective payment amounts are allowed for this
method of payment when transferring the outstanding items.
Application examples:
• Factoring
• Direct payments within a group
• Other transfers which are not connected to the payment methods
Transfer, Debit note, Check, Bill of exchange
Editing bank account statements
The bank file can be imported in the SWIFT format, Edifact format
FINSTA or the DTAUS format and filed in the abas ERP database.
Automatic allocation
In the abas financial accounting the user can now use a general
configuration record in which criteria for the automatic allocation of
payments can be defined for the automatic processing of account
statements. The user can specify in which area the customer and invoice
numbers reside, which data are relevant for the allocation and which
consistencies are to be checked.
In the automatic processing of account statements the term of payment is
evaluated and if the payment date matches, a suggestion for a cash
discount amount of the payment will be made.
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Manual allocation
For the manual allocation there are various selection options available.
The user can search via the customer account, have displayed all
outstanding items of the customer and make a selection. The payment
can be posted to the customer without allocation or can even be
excluded completely.
Clearing
After the allocation and confirmation of the bank account statement the
bank payments will be posted automatically.
Revaluation of outstanding items
Outstanding items in foreign currency can be revaluated. Individual
outstanding items can be excluded from the revaluation. The rules for the
revaluation can be recorded in the payment transactions configuration.
The system makes sure that the outstanding items which have not yet
been revaluated but planned are not transferred. Both the planned (in
preparation) and also the posted revaluation can be viewed in the
revaluation history and the total history of an outstanding item.
Clearing outstanding items
Each customer can decide whether or not the cleared outstanding items
are to be posted. The clearing of the outstanding items is documented
and can be viewed in the history of outstanding items.
Any number of outstanding items of the same account can now be settled
and therefore closed without a financial entry. It is however still possible
to close them with a financial entry.
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3.12.7. Reminders
There are several reminder levels for which individual reminder texts can
be recorded. These reminder texts can be created and printed in several
languages. They determine when the reminder levels should be used and
if you wish to apply reminder charges, interest on arrears or minimum
rates for a reminder. The reminder procedure can be locked for specific
customers or individual
outstanding items, if
required. The current
processing status can
be viewed in the status
of the reminder and
the reminder process.
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Overview of payment transactions
Payment transactions
Payment transactions AR
• Partial payments and collective payments
• Payment suggestion list
• Check payments and payment by bills of exchange
• Debit memo procedure
• Cash book
• Downpayments
• Payments in foreign currencies
• Administration of outstanding items in foreign currencies
• Monitoring of discount periods and discount deductions
• Clearing of outstanding items
• Import of bank account statements and automatic posting
Payment transactions AP
• Payment suggestion list
• Monitoring of discount periods and discount deductions
• Settlement of credit notes
• Bank transfers, checks, bills of exchange
• Electronic banking
• Downpayment
• Clearing of outstanding items
• Foreign payments
• Payment history, settlement history, revaluation history
• The current status as well as the status at a specific key date can be called and
traced at any time
• Check book administration and printing of checks
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Overview of payment transactions
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Outstanding items
• Outstanding items accounting for vendors, customers, employees and general ledger
accounts – even for any date in the past
• Outstanding items from invoices and entries
• Administration of downpayments
• Guarantees
• Other accounts payable and receivable
• Clearing of the outstanding items
• Outstanding items in foreign currencies
• List of outstanding items according to different selection and sorting criteria
• Revaluation of foreign currency outstanding items
• History of one outstanding item: invoice, entry, payment, settlement, revaluation, reminder
• Determination of payment dates according to the terms of payment
• Consideration of the value date
• Balance confirmation
Reminders
• Reminder suggestion list
• Reminder texts can be customized
• Reminder lock for customers and individual items
• Interest on arrears, overdue fines
• Reminder history
3.12.8. Evaluations
Financial accounting evaluations
Financial accounting evaluations in abas ERP are generated on the basis
of financial entries and the account transaction figures (monthly values). It
is possible to record planned data. The annual comparison and
actual/planned comparisons are implemented in the financial accounting
evaluations.
Overview of the financial accounting standard lists and evaluations
Financial accounting
• Totals and balances
• Entries
• Account range form
• Corridor Controlling
• Account report according to free fiscal years
• Entry report of the turnover
• Accounts
• Profit and loss
• Balance sheet
• Profit and loss account report
• Account report balance sheet
• Entry journal
• Permanent time limit extension
• Statistical entry journal
• Cash book Receipts / Expenditures
• Account summarization structure
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Overview of the financial accounting standard lists and evaluations
Financial accounting
• Account statement
• Account evaluation
• Cumulative entry journal
• Totals and balances (account range)
• Profit and loss actual-target comparison
• Balance sheet planned-actual comparison
• Summary report
• Entries for account transactions
• Analysis of turnover differences
• Cost statistics I + II
• Account statement
• Business evaluation
• Balance sheet
• Account report balance sheet
Outstanding items
• Payment plan
• Outstanding items
• Payments
• Revaluation of outstanding items
• Index of goods in foreign trade
• Generation of payment files
• Payment log
• Payment GFTR data
• Import of bank account statements
• Printing checks
• Reminder log
• Reminder history
• Payment behavior
• Printing reminders
3.12.9. GdPDU
The tax-related data of abas ERP can be exported electronically
according to the GdPDU (principals for data access and the verifiability of
digital documents) and transferred to the tax office. In the standard
system you will find an extendable data model for the data output
according to the XML description standard which is recommended by the
German treasury department.
Furthermore, abas ERP is already prepared for future tax audits with the
"AIS TaxAudit" software.
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3.12.10. Interfaces
As a central function of the business software, financial accounting
contains interfaces to:
• Payroll accounting
• DATEV Financial Accounting
3.13. Cost accounting
abas ERP supports the flexible standard costing – a cost accounting
system which allows the adjustment of planned costs to all actual
situations which have been modified compared to the original planning.
It is thus possible to eliminate all variances, which can not be justified by
the cost center manager, from the target/actual comparison.
Cost accounting structure
The sub-areas of the abas ERP cost accounting
• Cost type accounting
• Cost center accounting
• Cost object accounting
can be used individually (e.g. the cost type accounting) or together (e.g.
cost type accounting and cost center accounting). A step by step build-up
of the cost accounting is fast and easy in abas ERP.
The cost accounting in abas ERP follows the principle of the integrated
accounting system. With regard to the actual data, the data of the
financial accounting is accessed. There is also a statistical journal in
which only cost accounting entries can be made. With the abas ERP cost
accounting solutions from the basic cost accounting up to the flexible
standard costing can be represented.
Examples:
• Actual cost type accounting and actual cost center accounting limited
to the primary costs ("cost accounting for newcomers").
• Actual cost center accounting with internal account activity allocation.
• Actual and planned cost center accounting with planned-actual
comparison and internal account activity allocation.
• Cost center accounting according to flexible standard costing with
target-actual comparison.
Cost accounting values
In cost accounting it is possible to continuously use actual and planned
values. There is also the option to run the cost accounting as a purely
actual calculation or as an actual and planned calculation.
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Integration into financial accounting
The actual values of cost accounting, except for the imputed values,
derive from financial accounting. In cost accounting imputed actual
values are generated via statistical entries. Financial accounting and cost
accounting are linked via the cost types.
Setting up cost accounting
For the set up of the cost accounting there are functions which on the one
hand make the maintenance of profit and loss accounts, with regard to
the allocation of cost types, easier and on the other hand facilitate the
retroactive start of the cost accounting by automatically generating
necessary actual data for past time periods. The future actual data is
automatically generated during the entry generation in financial
accounting.
Cost accounting configuration
The following cost accounting parameters are, among others,
administrated in the cost accounting configuration.
• Planned-actual
comparison or targetactual
comparison
• IAAA entry generation
with rounded or nonrounded
cost rates
• Automatic debiting of
rounding differences
3.13.1. Cost type accounting
In the cost type accounting costs are grouped and displayed according to
cost types. In order to be able to use the costs which are posted in
financial accounting in cost accounting as well, P&L accounts are
allocated to cost types. When allocating P&L accounts to cost types, it is
possible to allocate the same cost type to a number of similar P&L
accounts. There is also the option to allocate an individual cost type to
each P&L account. When entries are made to financial accounting
accounts, values are generated simultaneously in the cost types.
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3.13.2. Cost center accounting EDS
In cost center accounting all overhead costs are collected in the
individual cost centers. The EDS is used for the presentation of the costs
of the cost centers (and also cost objects). The EDS furthermore fulfills the
following functions:
• Output of the actual costs
• Execution of the planning (a differentiation between fixed and
proportional planned costs is possible)
• Drill-down functions, e.g. entry report, account report and document
report
• Target cost calculation and determination of variances
• Output of tabular evaluations, e.g. a contribution margin calculation
or a surcharge calculation.
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Planned-actual comparison
A planned-actual comparison can be used as a tool for a cost efficiency
check. The planned-actual comparison should be used if planned costs
are used but no activity base and the use of target costs is not wanted.
Target-actual comparison
As an alternative to the planned-actual comparison, the target-actual
comparison is available which assumes that the actual and planned
activity base values are available. Only then can target costs be
calculated and a target-actual comparison be generated.
3.13.3. Planned consolidation for cost type/EDS fields
In the case of cost types EDS fields for consolidation cost centers or
objects there are now, in addition to the actual costs, the fixed and
proportional planned costs, the target costs and the absolute and relative
target/actual variance available.
The costs are available as cumulated values
and are displayed in the following objects:
• EDS
• Computation rule
• Cost type
• Cost center
• Cost object
In the cost accounting configuration in "Calculation of planned
consolidation" you can configure on which basis the calculation of
cumulated costs is to be carried out.
The following variants are allowed:
• No consolidation
• Based on postable cost elements
• Based on postable and consolidated cost elements
3.13.4. Computation rule
The values of cost types can be calculated and outputted by means of
computation rules. Computation rules can also be used for the
generation of evaluations and in EDS. Various calculation types are
available in computation rules.
The actual, planned and target transaction figures of each cost type are
contained in computation rules. The transaction figures will always be upto-date
because they are calculated when the screen is opened and recalculated
whenever the period or the cost center/cost object in the
screen is edited.
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Computation rules can be contained in computation rules in addition to
cost types. In the computation rule there is the option of expanding and
closing the computation rule structure completely or step by step.
One computation rule can be used by several users simultaneously in
order to evaluate the values of various cost centers or cost objects.
3.13.5. Cost accounting unit
The cost accounting unit is used in activity bases and is used for the
determination of the activity which is represented within an activity base.
3.13.6. Activity base
Within the cost center accounting the determination of the activity of the
individual cost centers and the logging of this activity is carried out using
activity bases. For the execution of a target cost calculation the planned
activity can be recorded in addition to the actual activity. One activity
base can be used for several cost centers.
3.13.7. Cost center assessment
The exchange of activity between cost centers is defined in cost center
assessments. One cost center assessment is created for each issuing
indirect cost center.
Internal Account Activity Allocation (IAAA)
The internal account activity allocation (IAAA) is used to represent the
exchange of activity between cost centers on a value basis. In the
statistical journal entries are generated which represent the exchange of
activity of the cost centers concerned as debits and credits.
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When carrying out the internal account activity allocation a mathematical
method for the solution of linear equations will be accessed. For each
cost center one equation will be set up which represents the composition
of the total cost of the cost center as the total of primary costs plus the
costs which were incurred due to the utilization of activities of other cost
centers. Because of the interdependence of the exchange of activity
between cost centers, the process of the simultaneous solution of an
equation system is used to determine a nearly exact solution. Exact
solution in this context means that for each cost center the total costs and
therefore also the cost rates (price per unit of activity of a cost center) are
calculated.
The internal account activity allocation can be carried out using a
number of different options:
• Preview mode and entry mode
• Data type actual, planned or actual and planned
• Entry period monthly or annually
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After the IAAA has been carried out, all cost centers will have diverse cost
rates and the direct cost centers will have the overhead surcharge rates
available to them.
The following values will be calculated by the IAAA for each cost center:
• Full, marginal and fixed cost rate (actual and planned)
• Fixed cost variance rate (planned fixed cost rate minus actual fixed
cost rate)
• Consumption variance rate (target cost - actual cost / actual
utilization)
• Utilization variance rate (target cost - allocated planned costs / actual
utilization), allocated planned costs =planned fixed cost rate * actual
utilization
• Primary costs (actual, fixed and proportional planned and target
costs)
• Overall costs (actual, fixed and poportional planned and target
costs).
• Overhead surcharge rate (actual and planned) (only for the direct
cost centers)
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3.13.7.1. Transfer of overheads from direct cost centers to
cost objects
Automatic debiting of the direct cost centers and crediting of
the cost object
The automatic crediting of the direct cost centers to the cost objects can
be carried out in different ways. If required, it is also possible to exclude
individual direct cost centers from the automatic transfer.
The following variants of the automatic transfer posting of overhead costs
from direct cost centers to cost objects are possible:
• No transfer posting
• Transfer posting with overhead surcharge rates
• Transfer posting with individual overhead surcharge rates
• Transfer posting according to cost object assessments
3.13.7.2. Cost object monthly assessment and
cost object annual assessment
The transfer of the overhead costs from the direct cost centers to the cost
objects can be defined by means of the cost object monthly assessment
and the cost object annual assessment. The direct cost center is entered
in the assessment and the cost objects, to which the overhead costs of the
direct cost center are to be allocated, are entered in the table.
3.13.8. Cost enter accounting
Contribution margin accounting
A contribution margin accounting per cost object can be displayed in the
EDS. For example, the revenues of a cost object can be compared to the
direct material and production cost. Contribution margin I is calculated
from this. These direct costs are automatically posted via the material
valuation and the valuation of the production activity. Furthermore, the
material overhead surcharge rate of the material direct cost center and
the production overhead rate from the production direct cost center can
be adopted into the EDS and then be subtracted from the contribution
margin I. With that the contribution margin II can be calculated and
displayed.
In this way a contribution margin accounting at the cost object level with
the overhead surcharge rate from the cost center accounting can be
presented in the EDS.
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3.13.9. Valuation of production activity
This function allows the valuation of personnel and machine times from
the completion confirmations and, therefore, the determination of the
production costs differentiated by the individual cost objects.
Wage groups are available for the valuation of personnel times. The
machine times are valued via hourly rates. The production costs caused
by the valuation will be posted by means of statistical entries. The
valuation as well as the posting of the production activity will be
automatically carried out by the system.
3.13.10. Statistical entry journal
In this entry journal only statistical accounts which can not be posted in
the financial accounting journal can be posted. The following processes
are recorded in the statistical entry journal:
• Transfer of values between indirect and direct cost centers
• Transfer of values between direct cost centers and cost objects
• Posting of all imputed costs, e.g. the imputed depreciations
• Posting of the production activity (production direct costs)
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3.13.11. Evaluations
Numerous evaluations are available in cost accounting. There are
various evaluations for the output of master files, e.g. the output of the
connection between financial accounting P&L accounts and cost
accounting cost types or the output of the summarization structures of
cost centers and cost objects. Numerous evaluations are available for the
data analysis:
• The expense distribution sheet (EDS) shows the amount of the costs of
specific cost types which incurred in cost centers and cost objects. A
comparison with the previous year is also possible. In the EDS various
transaction figure types (actual cost, fixed planned cost, proportional
planned cost, target cost, absolute and relative target-actual variance)
can be outputted as well.
• In addition to the EDS there are also infosystems available for the
evaluation of individual or multiple cost centers and cost objects, e.g.
Cost center/Cost object sheet.
• Via the secondary costs a secondary cost report provides information
from which you can see how the exchange of activity between the cost
centers was like for a particular time period.
• This infosystem is used to verify the settling of the overhead costs
between primary cost center and cost objects. The posted overhead
costs and the direct costs will be displayed among others.
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3.14. Group accounting
The group accounting of abas ERP enables the generation of a
consolidated financial statement including group reporting. Essential for
the generation of consolidated financial statements is the elimination of
group-internal processes from the individual statements of the
companies affiliated in the group. Furthermore, the consolidation of the
advance VAT return of companies or places of work is possible.
3.14.1. Introduction
By activating the group accounting module in single clients, abas
Business Software is able to identify group-internal and group-external
processes by means of defined group structures. A strict value-related
separation of group-internal and group-external processes is achieved via
a different account assignment of the processes in financial accounting.
This means that group-internal processes are posted to other financial
accounts than the group-external processes.
The consolidation of several companies takes place when the monthly
accumulated debit and credit values from the single clients are
transferred to a special consolidation client. This consolidation client
represents a consolidation group. In this consolidation client the actual
consolidation is carried out which, in the end, leads to the consolidated
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Overview of cost accounting functions
• Cost accounting as actual costing and standard costing
• Cost accounting as full costing and marginal costing
• Cost type accounting
- Grouping of financial accounting P&L accounts according to cost types
• Cost center accounting
- available variants:
• Actual cost types accounting and actual cost center accounting limited to the primary
costs ("Cost accounting for beginners")
• Actual cost center accounting with internal account activity allocation
• Actual and planned cost center accounting with planned/actual comparison and internal
account activity allocation
• Cost center accounting according to the flexible standard costing with target/actual
comparison
• Transfer of the overhead costs from direct and indirect cost centers to cost objects
• Cost object accounting
- Representation of a contribution margin accounting
• Prompt valuation and automatic posting of completion confirmation times via the valuation of
the production activity
• Statistical entry journal
• Evaluation
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financial statement including the group balance sheet and the group
profit and loss calculation.
Please note:
In the following explanation of the structures to be defined, it is important
to know in which client the data definition is carried out. A group structure
is identical for all affiliated companies, but not the definition of this
structure in the single clients or the consolidation client. In the single client
the structure will be considered from the point of view of the respective
company which runs the client. For example, affiliated companies to which
no relation exists do not have to be created there. In the consolidation
client, on the other hand, the structure must be fully defined because the
data of all single clients is collected in it and the consolidation will be
carried out using this data.
3.14.2. Group structure
The basis for separating the group-internal and group-external
processes is that abas Business Software knows the group structure in
the single clients.
Affiliated companies
For the separation of processes it is essential to know the customer
relations and vendor relations within the group. For each affiliated
company it is possible to define such relations and their duration. A
taxable entity which influences the future process of VAT calculation in
invoices or financial entries can be recorded within the group structure.
This data is defined in the master files object "Affiliated company".
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Consolidation groups
A consolidated group, i.e. an aggregation of all companies the individual
financial statements of which are to be consolidated, can be defined in
abas ERP using the master files object "Consolidation Group". It combines
the master files "Affiliated company" with the entry of an affiliation time
period. The currency of the affiliated companies and the consolidation
groups can be defined in such a way, that the definition of consolidation
groups which consist of companies with different currencies is also
possible. A conversion into the reporting currency of the consolidation
group will be carried out when the balances are exported.
In abas ERP the chronology of the group structure is saved. This
guarantees the traceability of the data at any time.
In the "Consolidation group" you can also specify that an affiliated
company has left the group or has been added to the group. A change of
name or a merger of affiliated companies can be carried out within the
same "Consolidation group".
You can define several consolidation groups which can even be
structured hierarchically.
Time-related group structure
The consolidation group contains the complete history of the
consolidation group. Using the data object "Group Structure" you can
display a group structure of a consolidation group at a point in time with
all hierarchy levels.
Consistency checks can be carried out additionally. These can be carried
out for a certain point in time or a time period which can even spread
over several years.
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Group data history
In the master files object "Group Data History" data relating to an
affiliated company and changing over time can be recorded, e.g. spot
exchange rates or average rates for the conversion into another reporting
currency. In the allocation "affiliated companies" to "consolidation groups"
the data history can be used so that the conversion of different currencies
is possible between the affiliated companies and the consolidation group.
Group mapping
In the individual companies or in the consolidation client the account
ranges do not have to be identically numbered. This mapping between
the different numberings is carried out via the "Group Mapping". In the
single client a consolidation account number is thus assigned to the
accounts the account numbers of which differ from the consolidation
client. A group mapping can be allocated to a consolidation group.
When data is transferred to the consolidation client, the account numbers
are converted according to the group mapping.
Different charts of accounts can be used in the affiliated companies.
3.14.3. Group-internal and group-external processes
On the basis of the time defined customer and vendor relations, it is
possible to make the statement for all customers and vendors, whether
they are part of such a relation or not. Exactly this information controls if
a process should be categorized as a group-internal or a group-external
process. In sales invoices this decision can be made via the invoice
customer and the entry date.
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Intercompany account assignment
The separation of the group-internal and group-external processes on a
value basis is achieved by the intercompany account assignment
(intercompany clearing accounts). These are financial accounts which are
specifically allocated to one customer or one vendor. If it concerns an
group-internal process, abas ERP will provide the appropriately defined
account assignment. Nothing changes for group-external processes. Due
to these differing account assignments the group-internal processes are
posted to other financial accounts than the group-external processes.
The differentiated account
assignment can be found
in the whole financial
accounting and the
payment transactions. This
also means that the cash
discounts are posted to
different accounts.
3.14.4. Exchange of financial data
The financial accounting data from the single client must be transferred to
the consolidation client. A basis for the consolidation would be, for
example, the totals and balance lists or the balance sheet and also the
profit and loss account. In abas ERP the monthly debit amounts and the
credit amounts of each account are transferred to the consolidation
client.
The export and import of the data is controlled by the master files object
"Group data exchange". In an export group data exchange the range of
data to be exported can be specified, e.g. the time-period and which type
of entry accounts (financial accounts, AR, AP), broken down by advance
VAT return items. By clicking a button the export data will be selected and
a data exchange file will be written. This file can be transferred to the
consolidation client using any transfer method, e.g. email. In the
consolidation client a group data exchange of type "Import" will be
generated from the data transfer file. The data can be checked in the
generated import object. In order to transfer the monthly debit and credit
amounts, the import data can be posted by clicking a button.
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Not only the financial data can be transferred from other abas ERP
systems but data can also be manually transferred, e.g. a totals and
balances list.
Client identification
The import data will be provided with a unique client identification in
order to guarantee the traceability of the financial data outside the
consolidation client. This client identification provides you with the
information from which client the data was adopted. In this way you can
trace the data of the consolidation client in the single clients.
Consolidation of the advance VAT return
Group accounting makes it possible to consolidate the advance VAT
return of several single clients. This is necessary, for example, in
companies with various operating sites, whereas each operating site is
managed via a separate ERP system. In order to consolidate the advance
VAT return of the single clients, the monthly debit and credit amounts of
the accounts are transferred to the consolidation client per VAT item.
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3.15. Fixed asset accounting
The fixed assets module of abas ERP is used in a flexible manner to
manage the company's fixed assets on an inventory basis - regardless of
the sector of industry. All evaluations required for the year-end closing
are included, e.g. the fixed assets movement schedule.
Imputed depreciations can be carried out in addition to the tax
depreciations The fixed asset accounting is integrated in the financial
accounting and cost accounting by abas ERP. Fixed assets are, for
example, posted directly via financial entries and the imputed
depreciations are adopted into cost accounting via statistical entries. A
large amount of relevant data and figures can be extracted from the
system and a useful overview covering quantity and quality can be
created at any time for the existing fixed assets. The fixed asset
accounting module has been developed for the German fiscal law. If it
can be used under different legal norms has to be examined case by
case. However, it is already used in some other countries.
3.15.1. Fixed assets
Fixed assets are the heart of the fixed asset accounting. Assets are
defined, prepared for evaluation and created (all evaluations are created
via the fixed assets) using the "Fixed asset" records. Data relating to
acquisitions, depreciation, retirement and transaction figures is displayed
and administrated in the fixed asset record, in addition to the general
properties.
Different depreciation procedure for each set of books
Several sets of books can be used in one client in order to create
financial reports according to different accounting regulations, e.g. HGB
or IAS/IFRS. As the fixed assets can be depreciated in different ways in
each accounting regulation, a different depreciation procedure can be
defined for each set of books in the fixed asset.
For each depreciation method you can, for example, define the method
of depreciation, the useful life and the depreciation start. The acquisition
and production costs can be adopted and posted in different ways for
each set of books. The account assignment for the fixed assets is the
same for all sets of
books.
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3.15.2. Asset groups
Fixed assets can be grouped hierarchically using the asset groups.
Specific evaluations (fixed asset movement schedule and depreciation
movement schedule) can be outputted as summarized values on the basis
of asset groups. Some fields of the asset groups will be adopted into the
fixed asset as suggested values.
3.15.3. Depreciations
Methods of depreciation
The suitable methods of depreciation for a fixed asset can be defined in
the "Method of depreciation" screen. Commonly used methods of
depreciation can be defined in "Method of depreciation" (straight-line
depreciation, declining-balance depreciation and immediate write-off).
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The following calculation types for the creation of depreciation processes
are available:
• Immediate write-off
• Net book value over remaining useful life
• Depreciation rate of the acquisition value
• Depreciation rate of the net book value
• Acquisition value over useful life of the fixed asset
• Acquisition value over remaining life of the fixed asset
• Net book value over useful life of the fixed asset
In the main set of books any number of depreciation schedules can be
defined both for the tax-related and the imputed depreciation model of
each fixed asset via the free depreciation calculation.
In the method of depreciation it can be specified if a reduced assessment
basis (acquisition costs minus memo value) is to be used for depreciation.
Furthermore, if a declining-balance method of depreciation is used, it is
possible to specify an upper limit to show by how much the decliningbalance
depreciation value can exceed the straight-line depreciation
value.
Depreciation of low-value assets according to the "pool
procedure"
According to the German corporate tax reform, from 1 st January 2008
on, the so-called "pool procedure" has been introduced which regulates
the administration and depreciation of relevant low-value assets. It is
user-friendly due to its easy handling.
Depreciation suggestion
Using the depreciation suggestion you can automatically create
depreciation suggestions for your fixed assets. Depreciations can be
carried out via fixed assets, asset groups, balance sheet accounts or cost
centers. When the depreciation suggestions have been checked and
posted, the generated financial entries can be verified immediately.
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Depreciation suggestions
can be calculated and
posted for all fixed assets
of a set of books. Fixed
asset transactions, e.g.
retirements and transfer
postings, can be carried
out for individual sets of
books.
Depreciation calculation
Automatic or manual depreciations can be carried out for specific
periods, e.g. monthly or annually. The depreciation calculations can be
made easier, e.g. by creating depreciation suggestions and by
automatically correcting depreciations which is too high or too low.
Furthermore, you can also use unscheduled tax depreciations if you
would like to post depreciation in a non-standard way.
The depreciation calculation is integrated in the transaction figures. The
current depreciation run and amount can be viewed at any time.
Depreciations to the day
In a client you can either use the monthly depreciation method or the
exact-day procedure, which is used, for example, in Hungary and Spain.
When the exact-day method is used, all transactions (receipts, issues,
transfers) of a fixed asset up to the entry date will be taken into account.
Imputed fixed assets
In abas ERP imputed depreciations can be used along with tax
depreciations.
This would make sense, for example, if part of the internal products are
manufactured on machines which have already been depreciated.
Imputed depreciations are an important part of the cost object unit
accounting and can be continuously posted via an imputed depreciation
model and scheduled depreciation amounts, even if the net book value
becomes negative.
For each fixed asset and for each of the 5 sets of books you can both
create a tax-related and an imputed model and administrate them
separately. If the tax-related model and the imputed model are almost
identical, the tax-related model can be used as a template for the
automatic generation of the imputed depreciation model.
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Index series
In order to be able to calculate dynamic values, e.g. replacement values,
index series can be used both in tax-related and imputed depreciation
models. In the index series of a fixed asset the trend of relative and
absolute value amendments in relation to a specified base year can be
recorded. The calculated value can also be used as the basis for the
depreciation calculation. In tax-related models this will be required if, for
example, like in US GAAP the depreciation is carried out to the fair value,
i.e. the replacement value.
In the imputed fixed asset accounting this is an advantage if the
acquisition and production costs are not identical to the actual value of
the fixed asset and if the value of the fixed asset heavily varies.
Calculation of the imputed interest
If you do not use the calculated replacement values for the imputed
depreciations, internal interest flows can be recorded in the index series
and thus the imputed interest can be calculated as well.
When a scheduled depreciation is carried out, abas ERP will not take into
account the index series. This means that the values, which were
calculated via the index series, will not be posted to the fixed assets.
Fixed asset transaction
The automatic fixed asset transaction is used to carry out retirements and
transfers.
The following transaction types are available:
• Complete retirement
• Partial retirement
• Full transfer
• Partial transfer
• Balance sheet account exchange
The relevant entry information can be recorded for all of these transaction
types and then the corresponding entries can be generated from the
screen.
Evaluations
The following lists/evaluations for fixed asset accounting are available in
abas ERP:
• Asset history sheet
- The fixed-asset movement schedule shows the development of the
acquisition and production costs, and the book values and the
depreciation throughout a financial year. It can also be created and
outputted on a monthly basis, i.e. with current monthly transaction
figures. You have immediate access to all relevant data and figures.
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• Fixed asset history
- The fixed asset history shows the individual entries which were
posted to the fixed asset within the specified period.
• Depreciation movement schedule
- Using the depreciation movement schedule it is possible to output
the development of the depreciations for a previously selected time
period in a previously selected output currency.
• Depreciation schedule
- Projection of the scheduled depreciations for the next seven fiscal
years.
• List of retirements
• List of acquisitions
• Development of the fixed assets
• Asset history sheet (imputed)
• Fixed asset history (imputed)
• Depreciation movement schedule (imputed)
It is furthermore possible to evaluate the fixed assets of each individual set
of books so that the fixed asset movement schedule, the development of
the fixed assets or the projected depreciations for each accounting
regulation.
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Overview of fixed asset accounting functions
• Administration of the company's fixed assets
• Tax depreciation
• Imputed depreciation
• Fixed asset accounting is integrated into the abas ERP financial accounting and cost
accounting
• Creation of fixed assets
• In addition to the general properties the following is administrated:
- Acquisition data
- Depreciation data
- Retirement data
- Transaction figures
• Hierarchical grouping of fixed assets
• Various depreciation methods available for fixed assets
• Various depreciation suggestions
• Depreciation calculation by means of depreciation suggestions or unscheduled depreciations
• To the day depreciations
• Impairment of assets
• Different depreciation procedures for the sets of books
• Recording of relative and absolute value changes
• Execution of retirements and transfers via the fixed asset transaction
• Fixed asset movement schedule can be structured according to various criteria
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3.16. Corridor Controlling
The abas Corridor Controlling provides a quick overview of the essential
values of the balance sheets and the profit and loss accounts. It supports
a consistent, result-oriented company management. Decision-making
will become easier and more secure. You would like to identify the trend
of your fiscal year at a glance? Corridor controlling supports you
effectively in business planning and control of the fiscal year. You can
see the trend of the key figures at an early stage and can control them.
The complete accounting is fully integrated into abas ERP. Therefore, all
actual data of the P&L account and the balance sheet are available in the
client. Budgets and planned data are generated using this actual data.
Interesting budgeting bases are, for example, revenues, result before tax,
funds and the equity capital. When abas Corridor Controlling has been
set up, highly informative charts will be available to enhance resultoriented
company controlling. On the background of a planned scenario
which is graphically displayed in three corridors, the development of the
actual figures can be traced without having to use interfaces. The
transparency of the company strategy is improved. The charts supplied by
the Corridor Controlling allow the fast creation of a risk report.
The curves show the "Best Case", the "Possible Case", the "Break Even"
and the "Worst Case". The current values are included in the actual
figures curve.
Further functions can be called from the chart curves. For example, the
underlying budget data in other detailed evaluations or charts can be
accessed via a "drill-down" function.
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Example: If your business results range in the corridor between "Possible
Case" and "Best Case", your fiscal year is developing excellent. If the
results range between "Break Even" and "Worst Case" you can take
measures in time.
Support of three central areas:
abas Corridor Controlling supports your business in three central areas:
• Secure planning of monthly development of liquidity during the fiscal
year,
• generation of an early warning system,
• as a report system for the auditor which supports him when issuing the
auditor's report.
Turnover of the customers, vendors and employees
Using the calculation type "Turnover" in the account range form you can
determine and evaluate the actual turnover of individual groups
(customers/vendors/employees). This is also possible on the basis of
statistical and historical values. Revenue can be budgeted and monitored
for individually formed groups. The turnover can be evaluated using the
following infosystems:
• Turnover amounts for account range forms
• Graphical display of planned turnover
• Turnover entry report
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Overview of the corridor controlling functions
• Quick overview of the essential values and balance sheets
• Support of the business planning and control
• Budget and planned data can be developed using the actual data
• The development of the actual figures can be traced at any time
• Creation of a risk report
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3.17. EDI
Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) is the automatic interchange of
structured business documents between the business application
programs of several business partners, using telecommunication media.
The application of EDI provides full control of the entire goods, data and
money flow. Thus, a flexible partner network is fully controllable.
In contrast to receiving business documents by mail or fax, from which
there can be time loss through transport and data entry errors when
creating a new record, the data is transferred in a few seconds in
electronic form using EDI.
Using EDI you can, for example, transfer purchase order data from the
ERP/PPC system of the customer directly to the PPC system of the vendor.
The EDI functions of the system support the data exchange format of the
German automotive industry VDA, ANSIX.12, EDIFACT subset of the
European automotive industry ODETTE (Organization for Data Exchange
and Tele Transmission Europe) and EDIFACT (Electronic Data
Interchange for Administration, Commerce and Transport). You can, for
example, receive delivery schedules and JIT delivery schedules according
to VDA standard and send invoices and packing slips in these formats.
EDI processing and EDI database
Independent of whether the EDI processing deals with incoming or
outgoing inhouse files, the EDI database remains the central position in
the system. Firstly, it offers a comfortable troubleshooting but is also an
archiving system for all incoming and outgoing files.
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EDI Center
The EDI Center is an EDI monitoring tool which checks your database for
the required period and lists the results.
The infosystem "EDI Center" provides an overview of the events in the EDI
area. Due to this monitoring tool the user is provided with more
transparency of the processes in the EDI area. The visualization of the
incoming and outgoing EDI messages is useful, for example, when
correcting errors.
The user is able to print out the original messages and logs or can easily
configure the EDI import and export by clicking on a button.
The display of the current results or of historical data leads to a much
easier procurement of information.
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4. Automotive (optional)
abas ERP is a complete solution for medium-sized companies. It is
flexible and adjusts quickly to current market demands. As an
additional function abas ERP / Automotive is now available specifically
for subcontractors to the automotive industry.
(See also the separate "Features and functions" document abas ERP /
Automotive).
The business processes of the automotive manufacturers consist of a
complex system with strict requirements concerning the readiness to
deliver, reliability, quality and flexibility.
abas ERP /Automotive supports companies in managing the processes in
a complex supply chain and coordinates all stipulated logistical processes
between the vendor and the manufacturer. The online integration of the
standardized EDI processes thus provides a significant competitive
advantage.
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4.1. Automotive - Sales and Distribution
Blanket orders
The outline agreements which are commonly used in the automotive
sector are administrated in abas ERP/Automotive. They are based on
agreements between vendors and customers regarding the purchase
quantity of products at fixed terms and conditions.
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Overview of the purchase blanket order administration
• Recording of contract release orders, delivery schedules, JIT delivery schedules, etc.
• Monitoring of the purchase blanket orders, prices, quantities and validity periods
• Administration of the cumulative quantity in purchase blanket orders
• Price history
• Delivery history
• Consideration of the delivery time in scheduling
• Warning message when there is an excess/shortfall in the call quantity differences
• Administration of the engineering change status
• Administration of packing material structures
Forecast delivery schedule management
The component for the management of delivery schedule orders can be
used to create and edit contract release orders via the sales order screen
in the dialog or automatically via EDI. The system automatically transfers
the planned quantities into the production plan using key criteria.
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Overview of the delivery schedule functions
JIT delivery schedule management
The JIT delivery schedules which are received via EDI are automatically
passed on to the dispatch control in order to carry out the detailed
planning.
Price history
The abas price history shows you the prices of a product including their
validity. You can edit the validity specifications for the existing prices or
you can create future prices already today. With the abas function "Price
history" you can get a quick overview of a product's price development.
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• Creation of delivery schedule orders via the quick creation screen in the dialog
• Automatic creation and update of delivery schedule orders via EDI
• Display of the delivery schedules with comparison of the old and new deliver
schedules in the dialog
• Administration of blanket orders
• Taking into account quantities in transit
• Lieferabrufhistorie
Overview of JIT delivery schedule functions
• Automatic creation and update of JIT delivery schedules via EDI
• Comparison of old and new JIT delivery schedules in the dialog
• Administration of JIT delivery schedules in purchase blanket orders
• Consideration of transit quantities (stock in transit)
• History of JIT delivery schedules
• Special business processes (e.g. MAIS PUS of General Motors)
Overview of the price history
• Quick information about past and future product prices of a customer
• Overview of the price development of a product
• Price information are always up-to-date
• No loss due to incorrect price information
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4.2. Automotive - Shipping
Shipping processing
The abas Business Software carries out time-consuming routine work
where the issue of goods and deliveries are concerned: Picking lists,
route planning, complete
deliveries, partial deliveries,
outstanding deliveries and
collective deliveries are
quickly and easily processed
via the dialog screens.
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Overview of delivery functions
• Creation of pick lists
• Dispatch suggestion list
• Total deliveries, partial deliveries and deliveries of remaining quantities
• Collective deliveries
• Route planning
• Relocations with internal relocation slips
• Delivery notice
• Printing of packing slips
• Printing of material tags with bar codes
• Bills of lading
• Goods receipt/issue slip
• Shipping labels
• Return deliveries
• Automatic stock adjustments
• Outstanding deliveries
ESP / VLC (Vendor Logistics Center) processing /
Consignment warehouses
The management of consignment warehouses for external service
providers for the customer is supported in abas ERP according to VDA
4913.
Overview of ESP functions
• Transfer of products and packing material to the ESP warehouse and administration
• Packing slip / Delivery notice to the ESP
• Invoice to the customer after withdrawal notification by the ESP
• Automatic processing of all transaction keys according to VDA 4913
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Container management/Packaging material management
Through the modular structure of the ABAS packaging material
management, the complex packaging material structures are managed
according to the automotive manufacturer packaging material
regulations.
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Functions of the packing material management
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• Definition of the packing material regulations of the customers in the blanket order
• Suggestion of the packing material structure when planning the shipping
• Automatic assignment of package numbers
• Gross/Net weight calculation
• Printing of all relevant material tags according to VDA 4902
• Packing material inventory management
• Load carrier account statement according to VDA 4927
• Packing material allocation in the packing slip
4.3. Automotive - Invoicing
Credit note procedure
Due to the credit note procedure the invoicing process between you and
your customer is made more efficient: The customers directly participate
in the invoicing process, no invoice has to be created. Invoice documents
are prepared by the customer and you can either compare them with your
own already created invoices (standard credit note procedure) or you use
the customer’s documents to create internal invoices (credit note
procedure with invoicing).
Post-invoicing
Due to the long run times of scheduling agreements, the price of a
material can change after the invoicing. In this case, the invoice
documents will be reassessed with the new price. With the post-invoicing
a new pricing is carried out for the invoicing and thus it is ensured that all
changes made to the price agreement are taken into account.
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Payment advice note
In abas ERP/Automotive, payment advice notes can be received and
printed automatically. Thus, information such as payment amount,
payment date, and other information regarding the paid items (e.g. gross
amount, net amount, discount amount) are available immediately. You
are provided with information about the reasons for the differences, as
well as specifications which you need to identify the outstanding items,
such as document number, reference number and invoice number.
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Overview of invoicing
• Automatic comparison of credit note data with internal documents (packing slip / invoice)
• Output of price / quantity / rounding differences of credit notes
• Output of price differences for the post-invoicing
• Comparison of payment advice data with internal documents (invoice / credit note)
• JasperReport invoice layout according to DIN 4991 and VDA
4.4. Vendor connection in purchasing
Delivery schedule
The component for the management of delivery schedule orders can be
used to create and edit contract release orders via the sales order screen
in the dialog or automatically via EDI.
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Packing slip
With the goods issue the vendor sends a packing slip about the deliveries
and services carried out to the customer via EDI. In abas ERP the data
from the EDI packing slip is represented in the incoming goods
suggestion which takes the quantity and the packaging structure into
account. In the goods receipt in the warehouse the warehouse employee
can modify delivery quantities and packagings online. From incoming
goods suggestions the purchasing packing slips are then created which
refer to the respective release orders. The incoming goods movement for
products and packaging material then takes place automatically.
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Overview of delivery schedule functions
• Creation of delivery schedules via the fast entry screen in the dialog
• Automatic creation and update of delivery schedules via EDI
• Comparison of old and new delivery schedules in the dialog
• Administration of purchase blanket orders
• Consideration of transit quantities (stock in transit)
• History of delivery schedules
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Overview of packing slips
• Creation of delivery schedule orders via an infosystem in the dialog
• Automatic sending of delivery schedule orders via EDI
• Administration of purchase blanket orders
• Transfer and printout of material tags of the NAEL number for the packing slip RDT according
to VDA 4913
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5. Portal
The new abas Portal enables a central access to your IT world. The
employees, customers and business partners can access information and
services which are individually provided to them. You can structure
internal and external data as required. The permission administration
makes it possible to control the access to your company-related data.
(For more on this see the abas Portal product brochure)
Application integration
With only a few clicks of the mouse, Web-based information and services
can be easily integrated into the portal. Other applications as well, for
example for the user-specific visualization of data from abas ERP in tables
or charts, can be integrated quickly. New application options are
provided due to the linking of company-internal data and external
services (mashup).
Configuration and personalization
Contents, layout, colors and all other important configuration settings can
be created and adjusted during the operation via the Web interface.
Thus, with very little effort individually tailored areas (communities) for
various user groups can be created. Everyone can adjust the settings to
his personal preferences and combine different areas.
User and permission administration
User accounts and user groups as well as permissions and roles are
administrated centrally. Administration portlets which are integrated in the
portal enable a structured management of permissions regarding portal,
group and community level, as well as the portlet level.
Content Management
The integrated Content Management System (CMS) provides all tools to
create and maintain a Web presence. This enables a quick provision of:
• Multilingual Web sites
• Versioning
• Editorial workflow
• Time controlled publishing
• Content Repository
Progressive forms of presentation are available by combining static
(HTML) and dynamic (Portlets) contents.
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Social software
Standard applications such as Wikis, Web forums, surveys or RSS Viewer
have been integrated in the system and enable innovative forms of
networking.
The portal is used in a company-specific manner. Services are generally
required for this.
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6. abas eB (optional)
By using abas eB you have all of the advantages of a flexible eBusiness
solution suited to medium-sized companies. abas eB combines many
years of ERP know-how with the most modern Internet technology.
abas eB makes highly flexible Internet solutions possible: on the basis of
ready-made Web Applications, such as e.g. Webshop or service
processing, you can realize your solution as you desire and incorporate
your own ideas. In order to realize the application logic, the complete
abas ERP system with database, the complete function range and its
efficient interfaces are available to you to connect your system. abas eB
grows along with your requirements and always remains upgradeable.
In the service center the service technician can query and edit all relevant
data of the service processing (see 3.9. Service processing) via the
internet. In abas eB the user interface of the service center has been
created in such a way that it can be operated via a touch pad or touch
screen. Using a Web Shop integration spare parts can be ordered via the
internet as well.
abas eB: Application options
• Web Shop
• Sales order information
• Service processing
• Customer information system
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• Vendor connection
• External system connection via
Web service
• Data recording by means of
scanner
Additional Web Applications are quickly set up –
Which application ideas do you have for your company?
See the abas eB product brochure for further information.
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7. Interfaces
More flexibility due to an open IT environment
You can use interfaces to connect abas Business Software to other
applications or add-on solutions like, for example, data warehousing,
OLAP databases, CAD, CAQ, PDC, EDI systems, systems for personnel
time recording and order times as well as archiving systems, wordprocessing
programs and spreadsheet programs.
You can create easy-to-use and secure connections by using
the following:
• DDE (Dynamic Data Exchange)
• ODBC (Open DataBase Connectivity) and JDBC (Java DataBase
Connectivity), optional, require a license
• MultiSite
• EDP (ERP Data Access Protocol)
- ActiveX
- Java-API
- Data export / Data import
• Object-oriented database interface for FOPs
7.1. DDE - Dynamic Data Exchange
abas Business Software offers a program interface to DDE (Dynamic Data
Exchange) compatible Windows programs (MS Excel, MS Word). This
interface can be used via abas ERP standard functions or your own
applications. Using the DDE technology user programs can dynamically
exchange data. abas ERP can be used both as a server and also a client
in a DDE connection.
7.2. ODBC - Open DataBase Connectivity
Optionally you can use the ODBC (Open DataBase Connectivity)
standard interface - licence required! Many of the tools on the market for
generating valuations or for processing database data use this interface.
You can integrate archiving systems, word-processing programs,
spreadsheets, OLAP databases or report generators using ODBC. The
ODBC interface supports abas ERP keys so that sorting and selecting can
be carried out quickly and efficiently. Because the interface enables
communication via the standardized database language SQL - Structured
Query Language - many IT environments are available to you, e.g.
Microsoft applications: You can, for example, create standard letters
using the selection options of Microsoft Word or adopt abas ERP data
into an Excel spreadsheet.
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7.3. MultiSite
MultiSite is used for the data exchange between abas ERP clients when
importing and exporting data.
• Central data administration with allocation to different clients
• Exchange of transaction data:
A sales order is exported from client 1 and imported into client 2 as a
purchase order.
• Connection to sales representatives:
The sales representatives have a copy of the company's client, possibly
without sensible data, on their laptops. The data which the sales
representatives enter via their laptops are transferred to the central
company client via the configurable data exchange. The copies on the
laptops of the sales representatives are updated from time to time by
using the shadow client.
7.4. EDP interface
EDP stands for abas ERP Data Access Protocol. Whilst interfaces such as
ODBC can be used for complex and standardized data links, the EDP
interface can be used for the direct, individual "Program-to-Program
Communication".
The EDP interface supports all functions of the abas ERP data selection,
both via pre-defined selection bars and the automatically contained
standard tables. Using the EDP interface almost all data in abas ERP can
be created and edited. The output of data is possible in many different
formats. UTF-8 and other character codes are supported. EDP interfaces
can be used with shell scripts for data import and export and also with the
programming interfaces JEDP (Java interface) and ActiveX.
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Application examples for the ODBC interface:
• Circular letters in MS Word
• Statistics in MS Excel
• Queries in MS Access
• Lists and forms with additional solutions like Crystal Reports
• STS OnlineView
• Information system with Visual Basic
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EDP provides the following on request:
• the available data tables and their characteristics
• the fields and the keys of a specific table
• meta information on the database and on different data types
(enumeration, references)
Here are some of the uses of EDP:
• Quick creation of simple evaluations
• Data queries from other clients
• Enabling external programs easy data access
• Running infosystems and exporting data
• Exporting data in HTML and XML
• Editing any master files
• Editing business transactions
• Reading and translating message texts
• Creation of any number of individual programs which have read and
write access to abas ERP via the programming interfaces ActiveX and
JEDP
ActiveX
You can also read and edit data objects in abas ERP via the ActiveX
interface. It is possible to obtain read and write access to the abas
database from any MS Windows workstation (e.g. MS Office). In
addition, the features which have been implemented for the EDP interface
can also be used for the ActiveX interface.
Java API JEDP
As additional programming interfaces there is a Java API for read and
write access to the abas database via EDP. This provides the same
functions as the ActiveX interface, but can be run in every Java
environment independent of the platform.
Data export / Data import
You can use the edpexport.sh tool if you need to access data from abas
ERP more quickly, e.g. if you need to edit the data from an ASCII file
using an external program. It is used for the direct and easy output to text
files via EDP.
The program edpexport.sh is based on the EDP interface and, therefore,
you have all of the selection options which are available in the abas ERP
core or the EDP interface. Using this you can export all data from abas
ERP and also multifaceted meta data. Using the program edpinfosys.sh
you can run infosystems and export their results. Using both programs
you can format the exported data in many ways in order to simplify the
further processing in other applications.
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The program edpimport.sh, which is also based on the EDP interface,
enables you to edit (batch controlled) any data in abas ERP and also to
process most of the business transactions in the batch operation.
Due to the connection between edpexport.sh and edpimport.sh it is very
easy to copy data within a client or between two different clients.
7.5. Object-oriented database interface for
FOPs
For FOP programs abas Business Software provides an object-oriented
database interface in the programming language Java. It enables an
object-oriented view of all records, type safe access to fields in the record
and provides many advantages of object-oriented programming,
including the verifiability of programs using a compiler.
8. Add-on solutions
You can acquire a multitude of add-on solutions to complete your abas
Business Software. These are products of the abas software partners and
abas cooperation partners. The abas Web site provides a current
overview.
More add-on solutions can be found on our Web site at:
http://www.abas.de/en/partner/koop.htm
http://www.abas.de/en/loesungen/loesungen.htm
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9. Service
Our customers are supported by ABAS and authorized abas software
partners. All have the business know-how, experience with all of the
most up-to-date IT technology and an extensive knowledge of many
industry sectors.
9.1. On-site service by the software
partners
ABAS co-operates with more than 50 partners in Germany, Bulgaria,
France, Italy, the Netherlands, Austria, Romania, Spain, Switzerland,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Turkey, Hungary, Egypt, Australia,
China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, India, Iran, Jordan, Malaysia, Mexico,
Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Syria, Thailand, USA, UEA and Vietnam. The
partner network is continuously expanded.
ABAS Software AG has established a qualified partner network of IT
organizational and application consultants in order to provide support to
their customers. The abas software partners provide on-site support and a
range of services including implementation, hardware and network
support, customization and helpdesk. The abas software partners ensure
quick reaction times and a high quality service throughout the world.
On-site service:
• Organizational consulting
• Project management and processing
• Customization
• Software implementation
• Installation
• Helpdesk service
• Software maintenance
• Hardware, networks and more.
9.2. Keeping up-to-date with ABAS
Constantly up-to-date information about abas Business Software - from
the customer web site, mailing lists, the abas newsletter, user groups or
at the annual abas customer forum. Tell ABAS what you think: We are
always open to requests and suggestions!
Your on-site contact persons are the authorized abas software partners,
but the contact to the software manufacturer, ABAS Software AG,
remains. You can access detailed information concerning abas Business
Software via different communication channels.
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The customer Web site
Always up-to-date with our password-protected customer Web site:
• Service and support
Questions about abas Business Software and answers to these
questions as well as up-to-date information, innovations, upgrade
versions and important notes on the execution of upgrades, the
development schedule, dates of training courses and the contents of
the training courses, discussion forums on important customer
information and information from other customers on abas Business
Software, a FOP & infosystem pool for abas users, ERP user groups
• Product
Planned innovations, system administration, abas ERP functions,
information about abas eB and the abas Portal as well as the access to
the customer portal, interfaces, printing and log database, solutions of
the partners, up-to-date Online Help
• Download
Presentation slides, information texts, training documents and much
more regarding abas Business Software can be downloaded.
The mailing lists
There are various mailing lists available to you on the abas server:
• kd_aktuell:
Mailing list for quick customer information, e.g. newly discovered
errors, notes on upgrades, etc.
• kd_web:
Up-to-date information about what’s new on the abas Web site.
• kd_eks-users:
abas ERP discussion forum. Customers, software partners and ABAS
Software AG exchange their experiences, suggestions, ideas and tips.
• eug-eks:
Discussion forum for members of the ERP User Group (EUG).
• kd_erp-users-en:
abas Business Software discussion forum in English
You will find further information on subscribing to the mailing lists on the
abas customer web site.
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ERP User Group (EUG)
The User Group (EUG) is a group of abas ERP users. The EUG meets
employees and partners of ABAS Software AG to discuss the focus themes
of abas ERP. Thanks to this teamwork and the exchange of experiences
among the users questions regarding abas ERP can be answered.
The EUG has a web site for its members where users can, for example,
find information on meetings, member information and the minutes of the
meetings.
Downloads from customers for customers:
The Flexible User Interface Programs (FOPs) and infosystems are provided
for free for exchange in a pool. Each customer can place programs into
the pool or download programs from the pool. The advantage:
programs which are not available in the standard release version of abas
ERP, but are required by different companies, must not be programmed
again in each company.
abas Customer Forum
Once a year users, software partners and employees of the ABAS
Software AG meet in order to exchange information, ideas and visions.
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In lectures, presentations, workshops
as well as in personal talks
you will be informed about all
innovations and enhancements of
abas Business Software.
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ABAS Software AG
Südendstraße 42
76135 Karlsruhe
GERMANY
Tel. +49 7 21 / 9 67 23 - 0
Fax +49 7 21 / 9 67 23 - 100
info@abas.de
www.abassoftware.com
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