Seamless logistics in the SAP sales process: Why 3PL integration is now crucial

With the phase-out of SAP LE-TRA and rising customer expectations, the automated connection of CEP service providers and freight forwarders is becoming a key factor for sales success in SAP. How Mercoline solutions enable smooth 3PL integration in SAP and support companies switching to SAP TM or S/4HANA.

"Your parcel has been dispatched" is no longer enough.
Customers today want transparent shipment tracking in real time: When will the delivery arrive? Which service provider is delivering? Are there any delays? For sales and customer service, this means being able to provide information at all times - this requires seamless integration of logistics processes into the SAP sales process.
What is often overlooked: For this to work, not only internal SAP processes for logistics and sales must be optimally harmonised. Fully automated data exchange with external logistics service providers, from CEPs to freight forwarders, is crucial. This is precisely where the switch from LE-TRA to SAP TM and the new S/4HANA compatibility mode creates an acute need for action.

Expectations of fast, transparent and reliable deliveries are constantly increasing. Today's customers expect precise delivery dates and seamless tracking right from the ordering process. For companies, this means that transport logistics must be seamlessly integrated into the sales process - especially when using SAP systems. This is precisely where there is great potential for optimising SAP logistics integration.
Until now, shipping processes in SAP were often downstream and organisationally separate from sales and order processing. However, this separation no longer meets today's requirements:

• The selection of the optimal shipping route and service provider should already be taken into account during order entry.
• A lot of information plays a role in selecting the right service provider, including prices, transit times and CO2 emissions.
• Shipping-relevant information must be exchanged early and automatically between sales, shipping and connected 3PL logistics service providers.
• Status updates from transport logistics are essential for proactive customer communication and compliance with defined service levels - especially when implemented with SAP S/4HANA and modern transport management solutions

At the same time, SAP is setting a new course: traditional shipping processing based on LE-TRA (Logistics Execution Transportation) will not only no longer be strategically developed further, but its use will also be actively restricted by SAP in future. For many SAP users in logistics, the question of a suitable successor solution arises:

• Migration to SAP TM (Transportation Management) - for comprehensive transport processes and complex logistics networks within SAP S/4HANA
• LE-TRA in compatibility mode - as a transitional solution in the S/4HANA system landscape

Regardless of the option chosen, one central challenge remains: the efficient and fully automated connection of 3PL partners to SAP. This includes CEP services (e.g. DHL, UPS, FedEx, DPD, etc.) as well as freight forwarders such as Dachser, Schenker, IDS and many others. This 3PL integration in SAP is crucial for end-to-end shipping processes and scalable logistics.

A key advantage: Mercoline's solutions are future-proof and can be used flexibly in a wide range of SAP operating models. They support

• SAP Transportation Management (SAP TM): for comprehensive, integrated transport processes in S/4HANA
• LE-TRA in compatibility mode: as a transitional solution for companies in the SAP transformation process
• Hybrid scenarios: also with SAP EWM or other warehouse management systems, e.g. for parallel use during rollout or migration phases

This enables companies to secure their investments in SAP logistics and organise the transition to the new SAP world in a gradual, flexible and needs-based manner, both during the migration to SAP S/4HANA and during ongoing operations.

The close integration of transport logistics and the sales process is no longer a "nice-to-have", but a decisive competitive factor. With the right solutions, companies can:
Accelerate their shipping processes, efficiently fulfil compliance requirements, increase service quality for their customers and master the transition to the new SAP logistics landscape with confidence.
Mercoline supports you in this - with tried-and-tested solutions for all SAP operating scenarios.

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