S/4 - Sanctions and embargoes

Many SAP users fear that the conversion to S/4 Hana will be too complex and hardly manageable in one step. Early preparations and intermediate steps can therefore make sense.

For example, external modules for foreign trade or logistics functions can be integrated into the current SAP ERP system in a future-proof manner even before migration. The reorganization of the sanctions list check is a good example of this.

Changes under S/4

The traditional transactions for creating and maintaining customers and suppliers no longer apply in the S/4 Hana system. Thus, among other things, the previous roles of debtors/creditors also change.

The use of the Business Partner becomes mandatory and thus a central master data element. Debtors/creditors remain, but become roles below the Business Partner.

During the S/4 Hana migration, the master data must therefore be cleaned up and converted into business partners. This also affects functions based on this, such as the sanctions list check of the business partners.

In many companies, the sanctions list check is a separate module and not integrated in the SAP ERP system. This is an additional source of errors in the upcoming S/4 Hana migration.

It therefore makes sense to convert this function before the migration. A very effective solution for this is to integrate the sanctions list check directly into the SAP ERP system using an add-on.

The transfer of data to external modules or the operation of additional servers can thus be omitted. The handling of checks and resulting follow-up actions is then treated as normal SAP transactions, including documentation in the SAP system.

Sanctions list checks

One such add-on for sanctions list checking is the M.SecureTrade sanctions list checking solution from SAP service provider Mercoline. The current version 3.0 also runs under S/4 Hana.

Converting the sanctions list check while still under SAP ERP ECC 6.0 to the M.SecureTrade add-on thus ensures a smooth transition to S/4 Hana. Under S/4 Hana, business partners are checked by the add-on in all their possible roles - i.e. also as debtors and creditors.

The function can be used as a batch check for mass data or as an in-process check directly in sales documents such as purchase orders, orders, deliveries, billing documents, etc., as well as in master data maintenance for the respective business partner.

Due to the changeover to business partners under S/4 Hana, in the future the checks will not only be carried out selectively for creditors or debtors, but for all different business partners and for the various processes involved.

The different roles such as authorized signatories, account holders, interested parties and many more are automatically taken into account. In the proven procedure, the name and address components with identical or similar spellings are checked according to compliance criteria.

If matches occur with a sanctions list, an editing block is possible. Whitelists or blacklists can also be created and the import of current lists can be automated. Each check step is documented and can be retrieved as proof at any time.