SAP xApps

Business organizations come in many shapes and forms. Some business organizations are so diversified that products and services offered can make one wonder what niche a company is trying to make.

Of course there are many business organizations who are focused on specific industries. For instance, a Nike is company with a Nice in sports shoes and apparel but they have built a niche in this area that they are recognized as a global brand.

The global enterprise resource planning (ERP) software maker, SAP, has recognized this fact.

SAP has developed what is known as Collaborative Cross-Applications, or xApps, xApps is a term for a collection of products from SAP and a range of software applications where are targeted to every specific industries. xApps, compared to full blown ERP systems, have typically smaller footprints.
Some of the xApps from SAP include the following:
SAP xApp Cost and Quotation Management (SAP xCQM) – this software product is used for allowing disparate function of sourcing, design and costing to be aligned so that wise and profitable decision making can be achieved by the company.
SAP xApp Integrated Exploration and Production (SAP xIEP) – This enterprise wide operating environment management application is designed and deployed in order to optimize a company's xploration and production (E&P) life cycle.
SAP xApp Manufacturing Integration and Intelligence (SAP xMII) – this xApp can connect manufacturing with the business processes of the enterprise. Likewise, it can provide information in order for the business organization to improve its performance.
SAP xApp Product Definition (SAP xPD) – this xApp helps in translating ideas into innovative, attractive and successful products.
SAP xApp Resource and Portfolio Management (SAP xRPM) – this xApp is geared towards helping a business organization improve its portfolio performance and aligning it with the organizational objectives. This objectives include development of new products and services across the enterprise.
Companies are going to the internet where potential customer is very vast and even unlimited. Together with web services, SAP xApps applications can be work together to bring efficient delivery of products and services in the internet. SAP Composite Application Framework within the SAP NetWeaver platform defined the functions and features of xApps. This said framework guides xApps methodologies, tools and run time environments. Developers can easily make composite applications with graphical user interfaces so that end users with limited IT skills can easy make business operations.

The development of xApps are relatively new but the use is fast becoming popular especially among small to medium sized businesse and xApps are not tightly integrated with SAP's common platforms such as NetWeaver so SMBs can deploy xApps without investing on expensive SAP's full blown ERPs.
Starting tomorrow, I will blog about different SAP xApps. I will start bloggin about SAP xApp Resource and Portfolio Management (SAP xRPM) and then individually blog about the rest.
For more details about xApps, visit the SAP website at www.sap.com. They have new innovative products and are still developing for. The aptly describe their xApps as " Applications That Keep Pace with Business Innovation".