SHARP

“Thanks to the excellent, seamless integration of file transfer in our highly complex Stonebranch control system, Sharp has succeeded in centrally controlling and monitoring additional interfaces/processes.”

-Ernst Schorning, Manager SAP Business Support & Common Applications, SHARP

Key Outcomes

• Cross-landscape workload automation directly within SAP
• Control of on-premises, cloud, and hybrid landscapes
• Single point of control, single point of monitoring
• Simple and quick installation, operational after just one day
• Transfer of files in any format and size
• Protocol- and interface-independent file transfer automation

Background

Sharp Electronics GmbH has been developing innovative products and solutions for society and business for over 100 years. The company’s history began with the invention of the EverSharp mechanical pencil, which gave Sharp its name, and continued with milestones such as the first Japanese televisions and radios, as well as the world’s first LCD pocket calculators. Today, Sharp offers products and services across Document Solutions, Managed Services, Visual Solutions, Energy Solutions, POS Systems, and IT Services. 

To support its European SAP operations, Sharp has used the Stonebranch SAP job scheduling solution since 2005 to automate jobs across two SAP ERP systems and control process chains in its SAP BW environment. The Stonebranch solution supports SAP workload automation for 17 subsidiaries across Europe, helping Sharp centrally manage business-critical SAP jobs and process chains.

Challenges

Sharp was looking for a solution to automate new data interfaces between its SAP ERP system and SFTP servers. These interfaces were needed to connect Sharp’s internal worldwide network, as well as external companies. 

The new interfaces supported business-critical processes, including:

• Order processing
• Delivery note creation
• Invoice creation
• Master data exchange 

At the same time, Sharp wanted to avoid installing an additional SFTP server.

The Search

Sharp sought a solution that could extend its existing SAP automation environment without introducing standalone tools or additional infrastructure. 

Because the Stonebranch file transfer add-on integrated directly with Sharp’s existing Stonebranch SAP job scheduling solution, it was the right fit to automate new SAP data interfaces while maintaining centralized monitoring and end-to-end traceability.

The Solution

Sharp completed a one-week test installation phase. During this time, the company was quickly impressed by the simple installation, familiar user interfaces, integration with Stonebranch SAP job scheduling processes, and straightforward setup of new interfaces. 

With the Stonebranch file transfer add-on, Sharp went live with confidence. The installation and user documentation were clear and easy to follow, so that no additional consulting support was needed. The Sharp team independently set up its first interface after just one hour.

The Results

By integrating the file transfer add-on into its existing Stonebranch SAP job scheduling solution, Sharp avoided the effort of building an alternative approach on its existing middleware. The company quickly automated new SAP data interfaces while maintaining process control and monitoring within its established Stonebranch environment. 

As a result, Sharp achieved centralized automation, monitoring, and end-to-end traceability for its SAP job scheduling and file transfer processes — without requiring an additional SFTP server.