In S/4HANA every customer is a business partner – with customer number, addresses and phone numbers. The phone shows none of it, only the number.
Why telephony and S/4HANA often stay apart
SAP’s classic connection is called SAPphone. According to SAP it has three layers – SAP application, SAPphone and telephone system – and needs a telephony server that is set up and running.
- A server of its own between SAP and the phone system that needs running.
- A phone system that fits – with a cloud phone system often the hardest part.
- And in the end only people working in SAP see the name.
What it looks like with Haus iT Caller ID
While the phone rings, business partner and customer number from S/4HANA appear in the Webex sidebar – for everyone calling in Webex, not just the department with SAP access.
- The phone rings Incoming call
- Webex reports the number
- Haus iT Caller ID standardises it
- Your SAP S/4HANA looks it up Your customer data stays here
- The sidebar names the caller
- The phone ringsThe number is looked up in S/4HANA
- Foundvia the address to the business partner
- The name is therebusiness partner and customer number
| SAPphone | Haus iT Caller ID | |
|---|---|---|
| Telephony server | required | none |
| Where the name appears | in SAP | in Webex – on the road too |
| Who sees it | people working in SAP | everyone with Webex |
| Cloud and on premise | depends on setup | both |
What you get out of it
- Nothing on the workstation. The tile sits in the Webex client.
- No change to S/4HANA. A read-only user is enough.
- The gap every ERP has is covered. Anyone not in S/4HANA you add once to the number book – it applies to everyone in the company.
- Outlook as a second source. If S/4HANA finds nothing, your own contacts in Microsoft 365 are asked.
- Open callbacks. Missed calls stay in the tile until someone has called back.
Setting it up
- Three entries in the portal: your S/4HANA address, user and password. The portal checks the login straight away.
- In the cloud: a communication user with the communication arrangement for business partners.
- On premise: make the interface reachable from the internet – your IT or your SAP partner does this.
- Approve the app in Webex – once, in Control Hub.
What it cannot do
- No call note in S/4HANA. The interface does not accept notes.
- Unknown callers are not created – that is what the number book is for.
- No jump into the record. The Fiori address depends on your company’s launchpad.
In short
S/4HANA knows your business partners. With Haus iT Caller ID your team knows them too – while the phone is still ringing, without a telephony server.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need SAPphone or a telephony server?
No. According to SAP, classic SAP telephony consists of the SAP application, SAPphone and the telephone system and needs a configured telephony server. Haus iT Caller ID queries S/4HANA through the Business Partner interface and shows the result in Webex.
What do I see while the phone rings?
The business partner with customer number from SAP S/4HANA – in the Webex sidebar, before you answer. In the tile you can also search by name.
Does it work in the cloud and on premise?
Yes, both. In the cloud the tile also finds numbers stored directly on the business partner; on premise, the numbers on its addresses. The interface has to be reachable from the internet.
Can the call note go back to S/4HANA?
No. The Business Partner interface does not accept notes.
What does my S/4HANA need?
In the cloud, a communication user with the communication arrangement for business partners; on premise, a technical user with read access to business partners. Your IT or your SAP partner sets this up.
What does it cost?
The portal with the Webex connection and the number book is free, with no limit on workstations. The tile is billed per user, the reports per company.