Secondary distribution management is complex. But it doesn’t have to be.
Bring form to flow: SAP S/4HANA SDM
Bring form to the flow
SAP S/4HANA SDM Developed by Implico is an automation framework designed to turn complexity into simplicity for your liquid and bulk logistics operations. By automating and digitalizing all recurring business processes, SDM creates a standardized IT environment where all operations are lean, clean, and under your complete control.
The Challenge
Manual processes in a digital world
The liquid and bulk distribution industry is evolving fast, yet many companies continue to rely on tools from last decade. Legacy IT systems are complex and fragmented by design, making it difficult to achieve proper operational oversight, roll out timely updates, and identify errors that may be disrupting the business. Every step has to be handled manually, which leads to spiraling costs, inefficient personnel deployment, supply chain disruptions – and lost revenue.
The Solution
A clean start to supply chain management
SAP S/4HANA SDM (S4SCSD) Developed by Implico is the industry’s leading software solution in liquid and bulk logistics. Offering business process automation and IT standardization out of the box while boasting a strong development roadmap for the next 5-10 years, SDM replaces outdated legacy systems with a modern software experience that is agile, cloud-ready, and future-proof. Certified by SAP, clean core compliant and designed for seamless integration into S/4HANA and Business Suite, SDM is fully aligned with the SAP roadmap – representing the key to a properly structured, optimized, and agile supply chain from end to end.
A modern supply chain setup should flow like water: clean, clear, and able to adapt to fresh challenges and new developments with ease.
YOUR BENEFITS WITH SAP S/4HANA SDM
SDM maps and automates all recurring business processes across your supply chain, giving you complete control over and insight into your operations
SDM is an SAP-native solution designed to be used in S/4HANA, a clean, intuitive, next-generation enterprise resource planning (ERP) environment, with the option to scale as technologies and business needs change
SDM is developed by Implico, an official and long-standing SAP partner, and is the leading software solution in this segment for business process automation. As part of the official SAP roadmap, we are fully clean core compliant and meet SAP’s strict regulations and quality requirements
SAP S/4HANA SDM for your industry
You face…
- Inventory differences due to temperature gains/losses, plus reduced control over complex left-on-board scenarios
- Legacy IT setups requiring extensive manual data entry and verification
- Limited visibility or control over trips, with no driver/truck accountability and product degradation
- Supply disruptions and oil/gas shortages due to manual stock replenishment, with lack of financial clarity
- Poor fraud management, compliance, and risk resolution
SDM…
- Eliminates 90% of manual posting and reduces reconciliation teams to a minimum
- Provides integrated dispatching with full driver/truck performance visibility and optimized fuel distribution
- Automates replenishment order generation for maximum fuel inventory efficiency
- Safeguards product quality through temperature monitoring, real-time alerts and enhanced decision-making
- Automates invoicing, flags exceptions and ensures continuous follow-up
In short
End-to-end automation: Automate any recurring process in your fuel operations. We deliver a standard modular setup and tailor the framework to your business context – from quality monitoring to route planning.
Seamless system support: Benefit from full integration into SAP Business Suite with API compatibility and CDS views for comprehensive product traceability.
Distribution risk management: Tackle critical fuel distribution risks with built-in tools for handling temperature differences, load accountability, automated exception handling, and more.
You face…
- Manual dispatching, leading to lack of oversight during transport, product degradation, and safety risks
- A fragmented IT environment leading to production bottlenecks and audit trail gaps
- Complex reconciliation processes for hazardous material tracking and protracted compliance documentation
- Limited monitoring options for hazardous material handling procedures
- Manual verification of safety protocols and driver certifications
SDM…
- Reduces reliance on reconciliation teams by up to 90% for hazardous material and accountability tracking
- Integrates dispatching with automatic optimization for chemical transport routes
- Digitalizes replenishment order generation for improved chemical inventory management and zero product shortages
- Allows for real-time decision-making for hazardous materials (in terms of temperature, safety monitoring, etc.)
- Automates compliance verification for automatic follow-up on safety exceptions and certification issues
In short
Complete automation: Automate any recurring process in your chemical operations. We deliver a standard modular setup and tailor the framework to your business context – from quality monitoring to route planning.
Seamless system support: Benefit from full integration into SAP Business Suite with API compatibility and CDS views for comprehensive product traceability.
Safety risk management: Eliminate critical chemical distribution risks with built-in tools for safety compliance, material tracking, automated certification management, and more.
You face…
- Manual dispatching, leading to inefficient delivery schedules and product degradation during transport
- Protracted quality verification processes and lack of inventory management oversight
- Difficulties complying with liquid specifications and product handling requirements
- Fragmented systems limiting operational insights and creating production bottlenecks
- Sluggish documentation workflows due to manual data entry
SDM…
- Automates industrial liquid tracking, quality monitoring, and verification, reducing manual oversight by up to 90%
- Provides integrated dispatching with optimized documentation workflows for specialized liquid transport
- Ensures automated replenishment order generation for best-in-class industrial liquid inventory management
- Boosts real-time decision-making in favor of product integrity
- Tracks product accountability, ensuring complete visibility into and compliance with specialized handling requirements
In short
Complete automation: Automate any recurring process in your industrial liquid operations. We deliver a standard modular setup and tailor the framework to your business context – from quality monitoring to route planning.
Seamless system support: Benefit from full integration into SAP Business Suite with API compatibility and CDS views for comprehensive product traceability.
Quality risk management: Tackle critical industrial liquid risks with built-in tools for quality control and problem-solving.
SDM versus the alternatives
Custom solution: Years to build, costs millions, technical debt, no overlap capability
SDM: Out of the box, cost-effective, zero technical debt, seamless adaptation
Generic solution: Not designed specifically for bulk/liquid logistics
SDM: Developed specifically to overcome challenges in bulk/liquid logistics
Manual processes: Large teams, constant oversight, risk of human error
SDM: All recurring businesses processes automated, small teams, no human error
Expert insights for your business
Discover how the SDM automation framework eliminates manual business processes for complete end-to-end supply chain optimization in our whitepaper lite: “The Future of Downstream Logistics”.
What you will learn:
- The specific challenges faced by bulk and liquid logistics companies today
- The full set of tools offered by SAP S4/HANA SDM Developed by Implico
- How SDM’s assets are used in practice
- Why SDM is the smart choice with the industry-wide move to SAP S/4HANA
Stop manual work. Start automated workflows.
If you want to automate your business processes and control your supply chain from end to end, SAP S4/HANA SDM Developed by Implico is the answer.
Now is the time to make the change – because the industry won’t wait.
