Building and managing ERP models to work with ERP data

  • Release version: Washingtondc
  • Updated February 1, 2024
  • 3 minutes to read
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    Summary of Building and Managing ERP Models to Work with ERP Data

    ERP models in ServiceNow serve as templates for accessing and managing ERP data, enabling read and update operations that integrate seamlessly with the ServiceNow AI Platform. These models represent the structure and organization of data from ERP systems, allowing customers to customize their integration to meet specific business needs.

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    Key Features

    • Model Management: Create and customize ERP models to define entities, attributes, and relationships for efficient data access.
    • Standard Models: Utilize provided standard ERP models like SAP Material Stock, which can be cloned for modifications.
    • Data Operations: Specify read and update operations using BAPIs to connect and interact with ERP systems.
    • Integration with Workflow Studio: Use retrieved ERP data in automated processes or workflows within ServiceNow.

    Key Outcomes

    By effectively managing ERP models, customers can:

    • Access a holistic dataset that combines remote tables and extraction tables for comprehensive data management.
    • Easily clone and customize ERP models to include relevant fields and tables.
    • Utilize ERP data in various ServiceNow applications, enhancing data-driven decision-making and operational efficiency.

    Overall, building and managing ERP models streamlines the integration of ERP data into ServiceNow, facilitating better data utilization across business processes.

    ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) models function as templates for sets of tables that give you access to ERP data. Use model management to create read and update operations that access the ERP system with specified inputs and outputs to map fields for use on the ServiceNow AI Platform.

    ERP models represent data sets and create a staging area

    An ERP model represents the logical structure and organization of data coming from the Enterprise Resource Planning system. ERP models define the entities, attributes, read/update operations, and table join relationships that capture and represent business processes and data elements in the ERP system. When you first open ERP Canvas, you view a list of the ERP models for your instance.

    ERP Canvas provides a standard set of ERP models, such as SAP Material Stock and SAP Purchase Document. You can also build new models. For a list of standard ERP models, which you must clone to modify, see Standard ERP models and extraction tables for ERP Canvas.

    The ERP model serves as a blueprint for configuring, customizing, and integrating the ERP system to meet your business requirements. An ERP model functions as a staging area that contains all potential fields that you can add to remote and extraction tables and read and update operations. You can then use the tables and queried data as a data source on the ServiceNow AI Platform.

    You can also build flows in Workflow Studio to use retrieved ERP data for processes or tasks outside of ERP Canvas. For more information, see Building flows to read or update the ERP system.

    You can view the list of existing ERP models or add a new one to create a custom data set. After you add a remote table, you can manage models to map input and output parameters, update the ERP system using BAPIs (Business Application Programming Interface), and create table joins. You can also create extraction tables that regularly pull large amounts of filtered data from the ERP system. You can also use a custom ERP action in Workflow Studio to use queried ERP data in other ServiceNow AI Platform processes.

    You can create as many ERP models as needed, though you can't edit their field names.

    How ERP models are structured

    Each model is linked to ERP tables on the system of record, as well as remote tables and ERP extraction tables on the ServiceNow AI Platform. You can connect the same table to multiple, different ERP models.

    ERP models are connected to an ERP system, one ERP system for each model. The connected ERP system:
    • Enables access to field and table information.
    • Helps coordinate data synchronization, sharing, and collaboration, enabling seamless integration and operation between the ERP model and the ERP system.

    ERP models in ERP Canvas encompass remote tables from the system of record, as well as APIs and ERP extraction tables and read/update operations, to create a holistic data set. For example, you can have one ERP model for sales orders and another for inventory.

    Note:

    After you install ERP Canvas, you must enable the sn_erp_integration.enableModelModification property so users can customize ERP models. After you enable the sn_erp_integration.enableModelModification property, ERP Canvas retrieves all tables and BAPIs (Business Application Programming Interface) to use when managing models. System properties are maintained in the System Property table [sys_properties], which you can access using the module navigator, or directly typing sys_properties.list in the Navigator Filter.

    Managing models to read and update ERP systems

    After you create or clone an ERP model, you can specify how ERP Canvas reads and writes to the ERP system using the ERP model management page. When managing models, you have the option to use a BAPI, which is a remote procedure SAP function call that's similar to an API.

    Each model can have only one read and one update operation defined.

    For more information, see Managing how models read and update the ERP system.