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Proper document management has always been a keystone of successful, distributed business processes and collaboration. Using the document management system (DMS) capabilities within SAP ERP to manage your documents is a smart step toward ensuring the effective flow of information throughout the SAP business landscape, making certain that the right information gets to the right people.
However, migrating company data to populate the DMS is often a challenge, and most companies don’t have reliable or consistent methods to perform this migration. To help companies better understand the data migration options at their disposal, this blog outlines the basic features of the DMS and the benefits of using data migration tools like SEAL Systems DMS Loader.
Getting to Know SAP ERP’s Document Management System
First, let’s walk through some key aspects of the DMS. All documents that are to be managed within this system are created as document information records (DIRs). These DIRs contain various elements, including location; independent file storage information for all business-related drawings, graphics, and office documents; and descriptive metadata with classifications, statuses, digital signatures, and more.
As an extension to the DMS, SAP offers:
- Logical file storage capabilities through its Knowledge Provider infrastructure, which is used for managing documents and document-type objects. This provides reliable and intelligent file storage in a centrally accessible repository or through a distributed cache architecture. Users can also link stored documents to SAP ERP business components – such as plant maintenance, production planning, and purchase order modules.
- A workflow mechanism built around the DMS that enables users to create, manage, and promote their documents with secure methods that ensure data integrity.
Gain Added Benefits with DMS Loader
Along with these native DMS features, SAP customers can take advantage of a tool like SEAL Systems DMS Loader, which is designed to quickly and reliably import data and files into the DMS. Using this tool, a company can enable a comprehensive mapping for document data fields with standard metadata, file attachments, document links, and even materials or document structures. Once the DIRs have been collected and reviewed, DMS Loader executes this mapping through a native SAP GUI application.
With DMS Loader, various criteria and fields, including specific elements like equipment, functional location, materials, and purchase line items, can be utilized for linking. Once the execution starts, the program runs through and logs any errors or warnings in a separate information file for further testing and processing.
For advanced functionality, DMS Loader can activate DMS workflow steps to help perform automated ghosting of user actions to trigger other preconfigured document management events. In addition, user exits can be enabled to enhance the processing power of SEAL Systems DMS Loader further.
Success with SEAL Systems DMS Loader
Using SEAL Systems DMS Loader, Kadaster, a company responsible for sustainable land use and mapping, demonstrated successful migration of 26 million documents and maps into the DMS in less than two years. Document load times through the project were also as fast as two seconds, which is a remarkable difference for anyone who has used manual loading methods.
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