What should we do if we have to stick to outdated SAP B1 release and we do not have budget and project management resources to update the version? Usually you are in such situation when historically your company decided not to extend annual support contract with SAP.
Call center at SAP supports with its full capacity only couple of recent versions as they have to train their technicians and provide incentive to VAR channel toward update initiative. ‘Then what are our options?’ The answer is simple try to find consulting firm specializing in secondary market with regional or nationwide technical support call center with reasonable emphasis on helping so-called ‘orphan’ clients. Let’s review recommendations and service model:
1. Remote support versus local consulting. It might be difficult to find somebody who is local as training and certification centers are oriented to the future and attrition is substantial in ERP consulting profession. There might be just not enough business for local professional to specialize in outdated release support. The good news is the fact that SAP BO user interface is pretty much similar except pictures and color schemas across the versions including popular in United States 8.82, 8.81, 8.8, 2007A and 2005A. So it should be easy enough for consultant certified in 8.82 to support let’s say 2007A in the sense of providing functional consulting user training and business processes design. However the challenge is often in technology related issues such as programming in SDK, integration in Data Transfer Workbench or managerial report design in Crystal Reports. Here we recommend you to check with reseller carrying old SAP BO gurus in their software development factories or call centers. Servicing model is typically via web sessions such as Gotomeeting (Citrix) and VOIP phone conferences including Skype. If you have large scale project then of course there might be a budget for travel expenses and working out project strategy in your office. But in the case of small fixes remote support works similar to coming onsite and in certain situations even better as there is no need for commute and service could be provided immediately
2. Do we still have the option to update our old version? The answer depends on the moment of time. ERP vendors have the maneuver to offer discount to the customer like you in certain period and present is as old customer retention campaign. Good idea is to find reseller of SAP BO and pick them as your broker. Of course the success is not guaranteed but probably you can use time to wait as your instrument in negotiation. Of course it is possible to repurchase software licenses in the case when you feel strong business success and revenues
3. Support in Atlanta, GA. Sun Belt states are attracting more innovative businesses often driven by younger managers and entrepreneurs. Business One is friendly to such needs as small manufacturing on order, warranty contracts, service business and small or midsize company with attributes of multinational corporation. These are what might be expected in Atlanta especially with connection to businesses with strong relations to Mexico and other Latin American countries and Brazil
4. Support in Chicagoland. Chicago area is perfect for businesses engaged in nationwide distribution and small assembly on order. Here there is demand on ERP application with barcoding functionality in Warehouse Management environments
5. Please call us 1-866-304-3265, 1-269-605-4904, help@efaru.com. We have local presence in Chicagoland, Southern California, Atlanta Georgia, South West Michigan, Houston and Dallas areas of Texas. We serve customers USA and Canada nationwide and internationally via web sessions and phone conferences (Skype is welcomed). We are working on Brazilian ERP consulting market in Sao Paulo since 2004
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