The newest version of SAP S/4HANA has just been released to customers. Let me summarize its main innovations that are dedicated to the utilities industry:
Please visit SAP Roadmap Explorer (roadmaps.sap.com, which is being updated regularly with new items as well as more details) to see details about all delivered and planned S/4HANA Utilities roadmap items. Filter by Product = S/4HANA Utilities, Business Priority = Smart Metering and Markets, Business Priority = Bill to Cash and/or Business Priority = Customer Experience to drill down to those items relevant for S/4HANA Utilities:
- One of the key shipments of SAP S/4HANA Utilities 2023 is the new Fiori app for the Analysis and management of utilities clarification cases in business process exception management, targeting the user role of an Operations Specialist (Utilities). Based on Core Data Services (CDS) you have the possibility to analyse clarification cases for the entire Meter-to-Cash process such as implausible meter readings, outsorted billing documents etc. In the next level you can drill-down to the detailed case and start working on it.
You can find further details in roadmap item Analysis and management of utilities clarification cases in business process exception management . - As an energy retailer in a deregulated market, you can now take advantage of the integration between the SAP S/4HANA sales order and sales contracts (that are part of SAP S/4HANA Utilities for customer engagement). It allows you to leverage sales orders for energy (commodity) products, defined as (configurable) materials in SAP S/4HANA. Utilities Product Integration Layer (UPIL) is being used to translate product attributes into billing master data in SAP S/4HANA Utilities, to make sure the utilities contract is being billed as it has been sold to the end-consumer. Read more details in roadmap item Sales order for utilities commodity products
- In the context of Utilities Product Integration Layer (UPIL), the available API for Bill Simulation has been enhanced. It allows you to transmit product configuration in the form of name-value pairs, thereby impacting the outcomes of billing simulation. The API response now also includes more detailed simulation results, have a look at roadmap item Simulation of utility bills using product configuration
- Among the new product features that are available as part of S/4HANA Utilities for customer engagement, let me highlight the fully renovated business partner overview, providing a comprehensive display of actions associated with a specific business partner in a timeline format
You can find details of the new business partner overview and the other new product features here Enhanced data environments with additional service data and easier navigation to detail views - Japanese retailers covering multiple divisions can now use a modern version of the Japanese Billing Period (JBP) for one division category (e.g., electricity) within the same client as other division categories (e.g., gas) for which the standard billing period applies. Certain conditions apply, see TOU and RTP billing for the Japanese billing period and the standard billing period in one client for more details.
- Finally, several innovations are also available cross-industry in the area of Contract Accounting (FI-CA), such as new Fiori apps for contract accounting or integration of the payment-by-link functionality into various correspondence processes. Have a look at the full list in section Contract Accounting of our list of SAP S/4HANA Utilities roadmap items and improvements available on SAP Help Portal .
Please visit SAP Roadmap Explorer (roadmaps.sap.com, which is being updated regularly with new items as well as more details) to see details about all delivered and planned S/4HANA Utilities roadmap items. Filter by Product = S/4HANA Utilities, Business Priority = Smart Metering and Markets, Business Priority = Bill to Cash and/or Business Priority = Customer Experience to drill down to those items relevant for S/4HANA Utilities:
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