Named User requirement for EDI and IDOC interface to SAP

[kevin_chan5]

Dear all,

Our SAP ECC system (IS-U) has inbound & outbound interfaces via IDOC for years. Recently the SAP guy said that we need to reimburse additional Named User licenses on such usage cases (as these are historical transactions the SAP ERP Pricing for the Digital Age is not applicable).

However, the justification and required Named User licenses mentioned by SAP guy seems not reasonable and nonsense, even we raised our questions and concerns. I would like to see if encountered similar situation or have any advices to us. Thanks in advance.

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1) PO to vendor and Invoice from vendor via EDI

1. A scheduled job in SAP outputs PO to IDOC files, files subsequently ftp to the dispatching party (3rd party company, GS1), the dispatching party translates the IDOC and then send to the corresponding vendor.
2. Vendor sends the Invoice file of the PO to the dispatching party, the dispatching party translates the file into IDOC file and ftp to us.
3. A scheduled job in SAP uploads the IDOC files to create PO invoice.

SAP said: Classified as indirect access: the PO was processed by staff of the vendor and then creates a invoice file to upload to SAP. There's no human intervention for the whole process (inbound to SAP and then creates documents in SAP).

Named License required: Number of staffs in each of the vendor company that handles our PO and sends invoice to us (yup...how can we tell? how can SAP verifies?)

Our question: (1) The inbound files are not directly update to SAP but uploaded by scheduled job under a user with valid license, no direct interaction between our SAP and the dispatching party / vendor, shouldn't require additional user license. (2) Even additional user license is required, should only count the user in the dispatching party as SAP only sends/receives from to/from it.

2) Uploads POS sales data to SAP

1. POS terminals collect the sales transaction in retail shops. the POS backend system consolidates all transactions and outputs to IDOC files to a shared folder.
2. After all transactions exported to IDOC files, the backend system sends a trigger to SAP server.
3. Scheduled jobs in SAP, under a user with valid license, start running upon received the trigger uploading the IDOC files to create billing, FI posting, material movement...

SAP said: Classified as indirect access: the cashiers enters the sales transactions into the POS terminals, these sales transactions finally uploaded to SAP to create documents and no human intervention for the whole process.

Named License required: All cashiers uses the POS terminals require a user license.

Our question: (1) The inbound files are not directly update to SAP but uploaded by scheduled job under a user with valid license, no direct interaction between our SAP and POS terminal / backend system. (2) Even additional user license is required, should only count the user of the backend system as SAP only receives from it.

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SAP told us the main point is "human intervention". As our process are automated without user involvement, should classified as indirect access. In case the job is not scheduled by time or event-driven, but require the licensed user to login and trigger the upload process, no additional license is required.

Do you have any insight on these cases?

Thanks,

Kevin