Over the years, Resolute’s consultants have supported a myriad of SAP WM and EWM initiatives and everything in between. We know that businesses that are positioned for growth can benefit from moving from SAP’s Warehouse Management solution (WM) to its Extended Warehouse Management solution (EWM). While cost issues and resource management are vital, enterprise decision makers should also consider the following:
Do I really need to upgrade?
This requires a hard look at your business model and future plans. SAP WM has a lot to recommend itself and is the perfect solution for some companies. On the other hand, EWM is scalable and offers a tremendous amount of functionality that WM lacks (for a little more insight, you might want to check out SCN 2014 Speaker Mat Eames’s interview). WM is fine for managing simpler structures, but greater complexity and more bin locations demands a system like EWM. Where do you see your organization in five years? Growth means change and complexity, and EWM offers the flexibility for growing companies.
One more aspect to consider: SAP will enhance the EWM product, so expect it to evolve and improve. It will still support WM, but the WM solution will most likely not evolve.
Start with a lean approach
SAP’s EWM offers 90 transactions that can support your enterprise needs, but it is probably best to start with a lean approach to adding functionalities to your system (Ernst & Young offers a comprehensive comparison of the two SAP products). Your software’s functionality should organically grow in complexity as your operations do. Pushing too far too fast can cause inefficiencies in the system, which will waste time and resources.
What functionality is best for my organization?
SAP Community Network offers a host of resources available on this topic. The following image provides a good overview:
Start training before your deploy
Since EWM is in the SAP family, your employees will already have some familiarity with the “feel” of a SAP system, but training is important since EWM is not just a revised version of WM. Investing in training for your employees ensures a more seamless move to EWM and can help you address potential problems early in the transition process.
If you still have questions, a representative at Resolute Technology will be happy to answer them and provide you with a clearer picture of your needs. Please visit our SAP Delivery and Support page for more information.