Henning Sanders
Introduction
In our series “Omnichannel challenges and solutions”, we explore common challenges that retailers face in their day-to-day business. We explain their underlying causes and demonstrate how SAP cloud solutions can help overcome them.
In our fourth article, we take a closer look at how point-of-sale (POS) data can be transferred to an ERP system reliably and effectively using SAP Omnichannel Sales Transfer and Audit (OSTA).
POS data – putting systems under pressure
POS transactions arguably represent the fastest form of trade – a purchase is often completed within a few seconds. For retailers with high sales volumes, such as those in the food retail sector, this places a considerable strain on the systems involved, including POS, middleware, and ERP systems.
Accordingly, excessive system load can lead to errors – such as data not being transmitted or processed correctly. Moreover, since each transaction is recorded on the cash register’s TSE (Technische Sicherheitseinrichtung) chip, it constitutes a legally binding purchase agreement with the customer. It is therefore crucial that all transactions are accurately recorded in the ERP system, as this data often serves as the basis for reporting to the tax authorities.
SAP OSTA – enabling efficient POS data transfer
Offered as an SAP Industry Cloud solution, Omnichannel Sales Transfer and Audit (OSTA) is designed to address the challenges described above. This product focuses on three core functions:
1. Incoming data verification
All incoming data is checked for accuracy to ensure that only valid products and stores are processed, no duplicate receipts are created, and sales prices align with the amounts received. If discrepancies occur, the data can be corrected manually – with every change logged to meet audit and compliance requirements.
2. Data aggregation
To reduce the load on ERP systems, SAP OSTA combines similar transactions into a single document when processing anonymised sales. For example, two sales of three units of the same product would be combined into one receipt with six units. Both the aggregation criteria and its granularity can be configured flexibly.
3. Monitoring
The successful processing of data in the ERP system can be tracked through integrated, transaction-level monitoring. By using event functions and connecting to SAP Cloud ALM (CALM), faulty transactions can be identified quickly and efficiently reprocessed.
Summary
SAP OSTA provides an effective solution for reliably and efficiently connecting POS systems with an ERP system. Its integration with Event Mesh, and soon SAP Datasphere, is also helping to open up powerful opportunities for efficient POS data analysis.
Sound interesting? How about a demo?
Want to learn more about SAP OSTA? Get in touch with us today – we’d be happy to show you the solution live in our demo system.
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