Introduction

It seems to be that it is time to have a document in place for beginners in SAP EHS Management. This FORUM has showed that there is a regular need to support beginners. On High Level the most important Tipps and Tricks or Information should be collected and published. On regular basis this document will be updated.

Please check as well on regular basis the FORUM SAP for Chemicals

You will find there a lot of helpful information as well. On top check: Sustainability & CSR

and take a lookas well here: Product Compliance

Introduction / Career

On regular basis questions regarding how to start an EHS career are coming up. Please use the "search" option in SCN to find threads regarding this topic or check the SCN "Career" platform. If you just "google" you will find a lot of job opportunities on functional, technical or manager level. 

Please check for Career options: Career Center

You will find a lot of similar threads e.g.

SAP EHS Functional Consultant Role

What career in working as ABAP developer in EHS module?

SAP-EHS for Safety Officer (Oil&Gas) with BSc.Computer Science graduation

SAP GDC Hiring for SAP EHS Consultants - Bangalore Location

Need Expert Advise

ATTENTION: A NEW SECTION WAS ADDED. You will find additional links (EHS training, how to start EHS career). PLEASE CHECK !

As SAP HANA is as well a suitable approach: a number of documents in context of use of EHS/HANA can be found using an inquiry in SCN; some of them have been now added in the document list. It can be expected that SAP will invest a lot of money and time to enable EHS to be used in SAP HANA context; SAP ERP 6.0 EnhPack 6 is released to be used with SAP HANA).

Currently there is a high interest in "Component Extension for SAP EHS Management". This product is has been enhanced in the last years a lot and SAP is using this new platform to reorganize old solutions which are still available as well.

Sustainability

SAP EHS Management as described here:

http://www.sap.com/solution/lob/sustainability/software/ehs-management-health-safety/index.html

and here

http://help.sap.com/ehs

is part of a bunch of applications of the SAP Sustainibility approach as described here:

http://www.sap.com/solution/lob/sustainability/software/overview/highlights.html

and here

http://www.sap.com/corporate-en/sustainability/index.epx

Training/Certification

• Trainings are offered e.g. by SAP or by other providers  (please check e.g. https://training.sap.com/v2/course/sus310-sap-ehs-management---essentials-and-functions-eef-classroom-096-de-de/)
• There is no certification available regarding SAP EHS Management
  

SAP Marketplace

SAP EHS Management can be found easily in SAP marketplace. You can search for OSS Notes, try to understand differences between different SAP releases (e.g. based on different support package etc.)  and try to understand the use of Business Functions in SAP EHS Management.  Most important are OSS notes of type "Consulting", "Additional Information" or which deals with upgrades/updates.

Be aware of the fact that depending on the license you have SAP EHS Management contains "more" or less software (please refer to discussion as part of this document).

There are some "must to read" OSS notes available regarding e.g.

1. WWI Cookbook/WWI Setup
2. Report distribution
3. SVT installation
4. Component Extension for SAP EHS Management (Installation/Migration topics etc.)
   

Regarding some other stuff you will not find suitable consulting OSS notes (e.g. DG related topics etc.).

SAP Licence model

SAP EHS Management is part of SAP ERP (if we talk about EHS classic).  To understand the SAP license model is not easy. Therefore use your SAP contacts for help to get better understanding. E.g. Component Extension for SAP EHS Management is still an "add on" to SAP ERP. But this is only the "technical point of view". The license perspective can be different. PAY ATTENTION: SAP is going on to align the current license strategy taking into account future enhancements of the software solution (software solution bundle).

Overview about SAP EHS Management solutions

If you check this link: SAP Environment, Health, and Safety Management (SAP EHS Management) – SAP Help Portal Page

SAP defines the solution as:

SAP Environment, Health, and Safety Management (SAP EHS Management)

having these subcomponents or solution options:

• Component Extension 5.0 for SAP EHS Management
• Mobile Apps for SAP EHS Management
• SAP Environmental Compliance 3.0
• SAP Product and REACH Compliance 2.0
• SAP EHS Management as Part of SAP ERP
• SAP EHS Regulatory Content
• SAP Product Stewardship Network
• SAP EHS Regulatory Documentation OnDemand
• SAP Energy and Environmental Intelligence 1.0, Powered by SAP HANA

Discussions in many threads etc. has shown that this structure is not well understood. On top the community does have problems in differentiating "license topic" (how to get the software) and SAP software set up (which software must be downloaded, installed etc.)

Most of the threads in this FORUM are related to these topics:

Many persons acting in this FORUM asking to get a "functional overview" regarding these solutions especially focusing on the differences between the solutions but as well on the overlaps existing to get a better picture which process is supported by these solutions. If you check "simply" the corresponding SAP Online help the high level difference is obvious. But for some other topics you need to drill down more in SAP Online help.

E.g. check: SAP EHS DISCUSSIONS !!!!: January 2009

For those who are interested: if you just google you will find lots of videos and other related stuff of any kind of quality etc. Some are good, some are "nice" etc. So check YouTube as well !

SAP EHS Management Core Overview

Check these links which I have found recently:

SAP EHS Management Core

SAP EHS Management is implemented as a "SAP Extension" in SAP ERP solution from technical point of view and therefore you need to prepare SAP ERP system and activate the extension before you can use SAP EHS Management. And there is some "afterwork" to be done to start with EHS. On SAP marketplace there exists some OSS notes referring to this topic (e.g.: EH&S installation: Composite SAP Note or more special: Composite SAP Note: Relevant notes for EHS dangerous goods ). After activation and if you use recent SAP release (actually SAP ERP 6.0, Enhancement Package 7) you can activate further EHS relevant business functions. Not in all cases SAP is delivering here "default" implementations regarding the extensions as part of the Business Functions. During some upgrade projects (which have been mentioned here) e.g. issues come up in e.g. Dangerous Goods integration. So you should read carefully anything which you find on SAP marketplace. In context of "Component Extension for SAP EHS Management" you will find lots of information in SAP marketplace (e.g. master guide to install the software; migration aspects etc.).

SAP EHS Management

There is no version number used in context of SAP EHS Management any more. It is part of SAP ERP. But there is some "conflict" with naming convention by SAP. Now SAP delivers as well a "Component Extension 6.0 for SAP EHS Management" (currently: roughly any year a new version is delivered by SAP) which does have actually a version number but is not the same as SAP EHS Management classic. As mentioned above: This solution is to my knowledge not part of SAP ERP but installed as an "add-on". We can expect that may be SAP will change this in the future (as has been done with EHS classic). Component Extension is sometimes abbreviated as "EHSM" sometimes SAP EHS Management is called "EHSM". From technical point of view: you can not compare the old SAP EHS Management classic solution with the Component Extension for SAP EHS Management solution. On the top there is still a version number used in context of the "SAP Product and REACH Compliance" solution (actually version 2.0 is the recent/current one).

Currently it is not clear what will happen with the SAP Product and REACH Compliance suite on long term; but it can be expected that this solution will be mapped (may be) to Component Extension Solution if time goes on.

SAP Best Practices for Chemicals

The use of the SAP Best Practise approach as shown here: http://help.sap.com/bp-chem can help to speed up if there is the need to prepare a "general" set up regarding SAP EHS Management. Therefore it can help to check as well: http://help.sap.com/bp_chem603/Chem_DE/HTML/index.htm

The topic of "Best Practise" is mentioned often together with links to the documents. So please check this FORUM. Keep this in mind: not for all of the SAP EHS solutions you will find a "Best Practise" and in most cases the Best Practise approach is only providing you an idea: how to do the job; in most cases the discussion of gaps etc. can take lot of time. KEEP IN MIND: SAP is not delivering e.g. WWI templates for MSDS/SDS or other similar stuff (you get some examples). ; you have to do the job by your own (same for rule sets and a lot of similar stuff); KEEP IN MIND: using SAP EHS software the system is nearly "empty" (ok: some basic customizing exists if you have done set up properly); therefore establishing phrases and other important business content must be done by YOU !!

What is new in SAP ERP

Please check e.g. What's New in SAP ERP - SAP ERP - SAP Library

You can then drill down by SP and Enhancement package. Might be helpful

"Naming conflict"/"History"

Years ago there was a different term used in this context: "EH&S". Generally you should now always use the term "SAP EHS Management" and you should not use the term EH&S any  more.  But you need take care regarding this "naming". In most cases: if term EHSM is used then you can think about: classic EHS together with Component Extension. But sometimes people use the term EHSM for the "Component Extension" part of the software solution. If EHS is used most of the people talk about EHS classic (refer to comments/discussion in this document). Sometimes "problematic" is the discussion how "SAP Product and REACh Compliance Suite" is related to that. Here we have in most case two perspectives: topic and status of your SAP license and topic of software architecture etc. As SAP is still adapting/improving their license model no clear answer might be possible. Therefore: make it simple. Just ask SAP about your status and how to extend (if needed). From software point of view: "SAP Product and REACh Compliance Suite": this is a own software layer (on the top) to SAP EHS Management classic. And there is a trend to move functionality from SAP Product and REACh Compliance Suite into the new "Component Extension" solution. Currently roughly any 12 - 18 month a new "Enhancement Package" is delivered by SAP to add new functionality to SAP ERP. Therefore: 2015 it can be assumed that there might be a new version available.

History of SAP EHS Management

SAP EHS Management is now part of SAP ERP as an extension. In former times SAP EH&S (name used in the past) has been developed by TechniData and was implemented as an "add on". Here a short list of history (not intended to be complete)

• Completely part of: SAP ERP 6.0 EnhPack 7
• Completely part of: SAP ERP 6.0 EnhPack 6
• Completely part of: SAP ERP 6.0 EnhPack 5
• Completely part of: SAP ERP 6.0 EnhPack 3
• Completely part of: SAP ERP 2005
• Completely part of: SAP ERP 2004
• SAP EH&S 3.2 (SAP Enterprise Extension 2.0)
• SAP EH&S 3.1 (SAP Enterprise Extension 1.1)
• SAP EH&S 2.7b
• SAP EH&S 2.7a
• SAP EH&S 2.5b
• SAP EH&S 2.5a
• SAP EH&S 2.2b
• SAP EH&S 2.2a
• SAP EH&S 2.1b
• SAP EH&S 2.1a
  

For those who love history here some links (you will find may be more of that type):

May be check this link:

http://www.stechno.net/sap-notes.html?view=sapnote&id=122400

or the SAP note: 122400 which provides an overview about SAP EHS "classic" installation.

For those of you who are in charge of "managing" an SAP EHS system: Refer to SAP note: 1870650.

E.g. SAP EHS DISCUSSIONS !!!!: Missing Value assignments under property tree or similar links might be of interest as well.

Books regarding SAP EHS Management

Only one book is available and only in german to deal with SAP EHS Management. Refer to: http://scn.sap.com/thread/3337768

This book does not cover e.g. "Component Extension Solution" and GLM topics. There is no indication that the book will be translated in english nor that there will be an update of this book.

Training documents

For EHS beginners I found these nice links (refer below). You should read them to get an idea about SAP EHS classic (even if the content seems to be based on release something like EH&S 2.5 the content is very useful to start with).

http://www.bfsgroup.biz/FB/FB/EN/PDF/EHS/36201_XX.PDF

Change XX with these values and "BE HAPPY" to get such nice EH&S documentation !

XX: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12

On the top check may be: SAP Environment, Health & Safety (SAP EHS) - How to Start Learn? | TechnoSAP - SAP Training | Help | Tutorials |…

Standard Data base Structure

Rarely there is a discussion "how to adapt" EHS? What is best practise. One example is: Recommand std EHS substance structure, properti... | SCN

For those which do not have access to SAP marketplace: may be check: http://www.saptechies.org/delivery-enhancements-ehs-property-tree-standard/

For those which do have access: check SAP note 1761696. May be SAP note 1375848 could be of interest as well.

For those who use Recipe Development (PLM-WUI-RCP): SAP note 1659423 may be of interest.

Use of SAP EHS Management

SAP EHS Management is integrated very well in the relevant SAP ERP processes. Normally it is not used as a "standalone" application/module. It support companies to be compliant regarding chemical products. The main integration points are:

1. SAP MM
2. SAP DMS
3. SAP SD
4. SAP PP
5. SAP QM
6. SAP PM
   

SAP EHS Management classic uses as well the SAP class/characteristic system. By using this you can "easily" enhance EHS to maintain additional data which is not possible by using SAP standard. Keep in mind that SAP delivers update to SAP Standard property tree sometimes (please check SAP marketplace; you will find an important OSS note regarding this (Standard property tree)). If you are owning a SAP Regulatory Content license you will get these updates "nearly" automatic.

For those who would like to start with SAP EHS Management especially these modules are of importance and therefore you should invest some time to understand the use of them and the relation to SAP EHS Management:

1. SAP MM (definition of the material master, assignment of material to specification; use of material classes)
2. SAP SD (basic know how needed because of e.g. SDS/MSDS distribution and Dangerous Goods Management integration)
3. SAP DMS (basic know how needed to understand how e.g.  WWI reports are managed (stored) in SAP; it is recommended that you should have basic know how in the area of "ArchiveLink" and similar solutions
   

What the "hell" is a specification (and what about specification type and specification category)?

For those who start with EHS classic it is not easy to differentiate these terms. Think of a specification of a "number" (but need not to be number)  for an object in EHS classic. SAP provides a number of SAP transactions in EHS. Therefore on the topic you might have some problems in understanding the difference.

The topic of specification category is explained here:

Specification Category - Basic Data and Tools (EHS-BD) - SAP Library

and that of the specification type here:

http://help.sap.com/erp2005_ehp_07/helpdata/en/4d/936efaed6834b7e10000000a42189c/content.htm?frameset=/en/c1/eda0f591ec12408b25e7a1b369ca45/frameset.htm

In EHS Classic mainly these transaction codes are used to prepare data:

Hazardous/dangerous -- what is the difference?

If you read cross chemical legislation/regulations you will find the term "Hazardous" and "Dangerous". These two terms are sometimes mixed. On high level this is true:

If people talk about "hazardous substances/materials" they are interested in topics as:

• SDS/MSDS generation
• SVT
• Hazardous Substance Management (e.g. what is allowed to be stored together)
• SOP generation
• Handling/Storage advices
• Labling
• etc.

If people talk about "dangerous substances/dangerous goods management/ dangerous materials" they are interested in topics as

• how to transport safe the product
• in which region (e.g. regulations like IMDG, IATA, ADR, ADNR etc.) should the transport happen and what is the "mode of transport"
• what can be transported together
• In which kind of "package" is the transport allowed
• etc.
  

Hazardous Substance Management

Currently there is a high frequency of threads to be detected in the area of "Hazardous Substance Management". I am sorry to say that one could write books regarding this topic. I can only try to give some may be helpful hints.

• There is a kind of overlap in "understanding" and "use" of this term with SAP EHS IHS
• There is a functional overlap with Component Extension for SAP EHS Management
• and there still exists in SAP ERP an "old" solution; according to the analysis here: nobody seems to use this solution any more (there is nearly no thread): some rare examples: Hazardous material not maintained in Region, Hazardous material URGENT, Hazardous Materials Management - Warehouse Management System (WMS) - SAP Library
• There is an integration option available with SAP eWM (topic of what is allowed to be stored together in a "location"
  

If you check carefully the optons delivered with "Component Extension" Solution the story is now getting "complexer" as we have now a kind of functional overlap. You have now the option to influence the logistic supply chain processes as well (nearly same level as with SAP EHS SVT).

Dangerous Goods Management

The "Dangerous Goods management" solution does have a long history. By preparing Enhancement Packages on top of ECC 6.0 there now a lot of new options available. E.g. using recent SAP releases you can integrate SAP EHS DG as well with SAP TM.

Further links regarding Sustainability

Check may be:

• http://www54.sap.com/solution/lob/r-and-d/software/overview/highlights.html
• http://www54.sap.com/solution/lob/sustainability/software/overview/highlights.html
• http://www54.sap.com/solution/lob/sustainability/software/overview/supply-chain.html

Substance Volume Tracking

For those who might be interested: for any company doing business in Korea a "REACh" like regulation is now in place. Take a look here: Korean REACH passed on April 30th

It can be expected that in Asia more regulation will come in place which are REACh like. So there might be the need so set proper SVT scenario for the new countries. E.g. take a look here: Korean Reach compliance

GHS

In more and more countries the GHS principle is used. Therefore as well more and more GHS like regulations are to be deteced world wide. This does have impact on WWI layout, rulesets and other topics as well. Most of the regulations create "lists" (e.g. europe) in whicht the GHS classifícation/labeling is fixed for a specifci chemistry. Therefore the topic of content handling is importan as well.

Sustainability Solutions

This section is intended to provide short links to SAP documentation. It is not intended to be complete etc.

SAP Architecture

On regular/irregular basis question come up in context of  SAP license strategy, about how the software can be combined etc. Especially the activation of SAP EHS as part of SAP ERP is asked sometimes (e.g. EHS management prerequisites). Here some general links for beginners with SAP or SAP ERP.

The design / set up of a a useful SAP landscape is not an easy taks. E.g. as an example:

Data / Document archiving

This topic is discussed rarely. The story is quite simple. SAP delivers a standard strategy to "archive" documents but not the data. So if you use EHS for a long term (> 3 years) and based on your company size etc. the number of data records in the EHS core tables can increase "dramatically". There is only one option to delete "old" data but you can not archive this data (based on what SAP delivers).

Other sources of information

Please check YouTube ! A lot of people uploaded here videos (e.g. maintenance and training examples) about EHS of any kind.

Reference to other documents in SCN

Blog Posts

Wiki Blogs

Recipe Development/Recipe Management

Very rarely discussion comes up about the solution "Recipe Development" or "Recipe Management". This is normally discussed in SCN in Forum "PLM (Product Life Cycle Management; check may be:: Product Lifecycle Management (SAP PLM)).

Recipe Develoment does have "Business Function" extensions as well. E.g.

Information regarding "Recipe Development" can be found here:

http://help.sap.com/erp2005_ehp_07/helpdata/en/65/ee1a3a0792a622e10000000a114084/frameset.htm

Information regarding "Recipe Management" can be found here:

http://help.sap.com/saphelp_erp60_sp/helpdata/en/60/ee1a3a0792a622e10000000a114084/content.htm

As you can see: the link is different and the solution approach is different. Both applications use SAP EHS core elements as well.

Component Extension for SAP EHS Management

Component Extension for SAP EHS Management is a "new" solution (now available as version 5.0). It is an "Add On" (own software layer). This new solution can not be compared with SAP EHS Management "classic" and is implemented different. The actual scope of the application does have some overlap with SAP EHS Management "classic". To a certain extent part of SAP EHS Management "classic" can be used if you start with the Component Extension (you can "migrate" existing data). Discussion in several threads in this FORUM showed that SAP will "reorganize" their applications. Therefore some old functions will not be developped any more but money / time etc. will be invested in the Component Extension. Please check carefully this FORUM. A number of useful hints are provided regarding installation of the new solution, migration topics etc.

E.g. check: SAP EHS DISCUSSIONS !!!!: SAP EHS and SAP EHSM – Where to start learning

GLM/Global Label Management

Discussion in this FORUM showed that SAP is restructuring and enhancing the GLM solution. Last update has been done with Enhancement Package 7. Some old TechniData solutions seems to be still supported by SAP using the SAP Consulting service. Especially the new options regrading GLM in Enhancement Package 7 are worth to be studied if you need to implement GLM. Especially the topic "how to install WWI correct" is a "problem" in this context. Because of recent dicussions in this FORUM some links to "Bar Code" discussion taking place in this FORUM has been added. GLM is as well one of those topics discussed very often in this FORUM.

MSDS/SDS/XML

On an irregular level discussion is coming up if it is possible to "convert" a WWI related MSDS/SDS into XML for data exchange. To make it short: there are options to do so but there is lack of availability of XML schemata. Here I have the feeling that people believe XML is something like "TXT", "DOC", "PDF" etc. To a certain extent this is correct but in context of MSDS/SDS and data exchange this is wrong. The main "issue" here is: data exchange can be only done if sender and receiver talk the same language. Examples of data interchange options via XML is the "IUCLID" format. Here you need to prepare a XML data stream according to the rules of ECHA. And this is the "crucial" issue in exchange of data using XML. The XML file content must "fit" a XML schema. (there is a "rule" to do so). But there is a trend on chemistry / legislation etc. to use XML as the "data format (but per "legislation" there is a different rule in place) and clearly if you look close on SAP functionality you can generate XML (there are a number of options to do so). But e.g. if you would like to exchange an US related MSDS or an European MSDS via XML you have a different internal structure etc. Here we have now to a certain extent the link to WWI. WWI is used to "collect" together the data for US MSDS and EU MSDS. Using XML in theory you can do the same but because of lack of "common" rules (as with the IUCLID format) you can not use XML generally to exchange MSDS/SDS data. In most cases you need tothink about "mapping" of XML Data stream to your EHS structure (may be you use different phrases, identiiers etc. etc.).

WWI / Adobe Forms

In some SAP EHS Management related software Adobe Forms are used (Example SAP Product and REACh Compliance Suite). For SDS/MSDS/Label etc. reports WWI is and will be the standard tool. It can be assumed that Adobe Forms will be integrated "better" in the future and that it will be used more often but if a complex layout has to be designed WWI is  the only available tool to do so especially in the area of Label Management.

Portal solutions/MSDS download and related stuff

On regular basis discussion is coming up regarding:

• MSDS import
• MSDS export
• MSDS display in portal
  

PLEASE CHECK THIS FORUM first or check this document. The topic has been discussed really often.

Dear EHS Community: please go on in preparing documents and blogs !

Any idea to improve this section is appreciated. Please provide ideas regarding topic or subtopic so that may be beginner can find more easily the answer.

Please help to improve so that Beginners in SAP EHS Management are supported. What do you Beginner in SAP EHS Management need as a "starter package"?

Frequently Asked Questions

This section is intended to help beginners to find easily a thread in this FORUM which might help regarding the issue. This section will grow step by step. Ideas of topics which should be collected can be added based on feedback of community.

The "WWI" section part of this FAQ will be updated only rarely. The same is true for "GLM" part. There are too many threads regarding this tool/technique. It is nearly not possible to do a "sorting" or to select properly may be helpful threads. Please refer to some of the documents as mentioned here. They try to help more.

The same is true regarding Report distribution, Component Extension for SAP EHS Management as well as Dangerous Goods Management topics etc. It is not easy to sort questions asked so that it might help a SAP EHS beginner.

This is my personal list of those topics which are asked for very often:

• WWI (layout topics, server installation) (it is nearly impossible to take care about that many threads regarding this tool/this solution in this FORUM; therefore: please search first ! and then ask your question)
• How to use WWI to define e.g. MSDS/SDS layout (what are the basic steps)
• MSDS generation (e.g. what are the steps required etc.) (e.g. SAP EHS DISCUSSIONS !!!!: WWI Template Creation and (M)SDS Authoring)
  
• Report distribution (e.g. general set up; distribution of inbound documents)
• Report import/export (Most frequently asked are: Import: Inbound documents; Export: Mass download topics)
  
• Label/GLM topics of many kind (A lot of topics regarding GLM (e.g. label scenario); GLM Bar Code printing (how to use BAR codes etc.) ; synchronous WWI server
• Dangerous Goods (filling, checks and to a certain extent maintenance topics)
• CG02 extensions (e.g. use of output variants)
• Where used list (compositions, specification listings)
• CG50/CG54 (e.g. download by mass of documents, portal solutions)
  
• Regulatory content; how to use etc.
• How to start with EHS? What are the customizing steps etc.
• Use of "Component Extension" (how to install, migrate etc.)
• What are the "career" options in EHS? What are the prerequisites to start with EHS?
• SVT Topics
  

It is recommended to use the "search" functionality in SDN to check if your problem has been discussed yet. It is not intended to have a "100 % "FAQ section here and not 100 % quality (that means a thread can appear e.g. twice etc. in one section).