What Is SAP?
SAP (Systems, Applications & Products in Data Processing) is the world’s largest enterprise software company, best known for its ERP systems. SAP software runs many of the world’s largest corporations, managing everything from finance and supply chain to manufacturing and human resources.
Key SAP products:
- SAP S/4HANA: Cloud-native ERP platform
- SAP ECC: Legacy on-premise ERP
- SAP Business One: Small business ERP
- SAP SuccessFactors: Human capital management
- SAP Ariba: Procurement and supply chain
- SAP Concur: Travel and expense management
SAP S/4HANA
S/4HANA is SAP’s current-generation ERP, built on the HANA in-memory database:
Core modules:
- Financial Accounting (FI)
- Controlling (CO)
- Materials Management (MM)
- Sales and Distribution (SD)
- Production Planning (PP)
- Human Capital Management (HCM)
Key features:
- Real-time analytics
- Simplified data model
- Fiori user experience
- Cloud and on-premise options
SAP in Finance
SAP’s financial modules are comprehensive:
Financial Accounting (FI)
- General ledger
- Accounts payable/receivable
- Asset accounting
- Bank accounting
- Consolidation
Controlling (CO)
- Cost center accounting
- Profit center accounting
- Product costing
- Profitability analysis
- Internal orders
Treasury
- Cash management
- Liquidity planning
- Risk management
- In-house banking
SAP Strengths
Comprehensive functionality: End-to-end business processes in one system
Scalability: Handles massive transaction volumes
Industry solutions: Pre-configured for specific industries
Global capabilities: Multi-currency, multi-language, multi-GAAP
Integration: Tight integration between modules
Ecosystem: Large partner and consultant network
SAP Challenges
Complexity: Steep learning curve, requires specialized skills
Cost: High licensing, implementation, and maintenance costs
Rigidity: Customizations can be difficult and expensive
Reporting limitations: Built-in reporting often insufficient for finance teams
Implementation risk: Large SAP projects frequently run over budget and time
Data extraction: Getting data out for analysis requires technical expertise
SAP Integration with Go Fig
Go Fig connects to SAP systems to enhance financial reporting:
What Go Fig extracts from SAP:
- General ledger balances and transactions
- Cost center and profit center data
- Accounts payable and receivable
- Asset records and depreciation
- Controlling data (CO-PA, product costs)
- Custom tables and reports
How it helps:
- Pull SAP data into Excel without ABAP skills
- Combine SAP data with other sources
- Build reports faster than SAP’s native tools
- Create dashboards without BW/Analytics Cloud
- Enable AI analysis of SAP financial data
SAP Reporting Alternatives
SAP offers several reporting options, each with trade-offs:
| Option | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Standard reports | Built-in, no cost | Limited customization |
| Report Painter/Writer | Flexible | Technical skills needed |
| Query/QuickViewer | End-user friendly | Limited capabilities |
| BW/BW4HANA | Powerful analytics | Expensive, complex |
| SAP Analytics Cloud | Modern, cloud-native | Additional licensing |
| Go Fig | Excel-friendly, fast | External tool |
SAP Data Extraction Options
Native methods:
- Transaction exports (SE16, etc.)
- Standard reports to Excel
- BAPI/RFC function calls
- SAP HANA direct access
- SAP Data Services
With Go Fig:
- Pre-built SAP connectors
- No ABAP development required
- Scheduled extractions
- Delivered to Excel or dashboards