Executing Bill of Lading (BOL) is a critical process in the sales and distribution cycle, particularly in the oil refining industry. Traditionally, BOL information has been loaded into SAP after the product is sold, often involving the use of third-party interfaces. With the advent of SAP Intelligent Robotic Process Automation (iRPA), a more streamlined and efficient method for processing BOLs has emerged. This article explores the simple yet effective approach to BOL processing in SAP using SAP iRPA.
Key Steps in BOL Processing with SAP iRPA:
Inbound File Handling:
The incoming BOL file, termed as Inbound file, contains crucial BOL information.
Aligning with vendors to establish a common format is crucial for consistency.
Master Data Alignment:
Cross-reference spreadsheet assist in mapping source and target names, ensuring alignment between the BOL file and SAP master data.
Volume Calculations (applicable for IS-OIL):
In the oil industry, volume calculations often require temperature adjustments.
Third-party software or a master spreadsheet with temperature calculations can be used/integrated into SAP iRPA for accurate volume conversions.
SAP iRPA Programming:
SAP iRPA is programmed to read the Inbound file, create an outbound file using cross-reference data, and handle temperature calculations.
The outbound file becomes the input feed to SAP.
Integration with SAP Cloud:
For cloud-based SAP, an SFTP location is utilized for storing Inbound and Outbound files.
BOL terminals securely access the SFTP location through firewall to place inbound files.
Based on the backend logic, SAP iRPA automatically handles Inbound files, transforms data, and places the Outbound file back into the designated SFTP location.
CPI Integration and API Calls:
CPI reads the Outbound file from SFTP and initiates corresponding API calls to create sales orders and deliveries. A curated list of APIs APIs | APIs | SAP Business Accelerator Hub can be selected from the SAP Business Accelerator Hub to meet specific business requirements.
Goods Issue and Billing:
Traditional batch job methods can be deployed for goods issue and billing processes.
Notification Feature:
A cool feature is that SAP iRPA can be linked to Outlook for sending notifications to business users, updating them on BOL processing success or failure. Failed files can be corrected by business users and resubmitted via a specified email address for re-processing into SAP.
Advantages of SAP iRPA in BOL Processing:
- Simple, Faster, Accurate
- SAP iRPA simplifies and accelerates the BOL processing workflow, ensuring accuracy in data handling.
- Troubleshooting is more straightforward compared to traditional methods like IDocs.
- SAP iRPA offers better performance in processing BOLs efficiently.
- The reliability of BOL processing is improved, contributing to overall operational efficiency.
Conclusion:
By leveraging SAP iRPA in BOL processing, organizations in the oil refining industry can enhance efficiency, reduce errors, and streamline their sales and distribution processes. The advantages of SAP iRPA, including simplicity, speed, accuracy, and reliability, make it a valuable tool for modernizing BOL processing in SAP environments.