With the massive increase in Smartphone use, we have all become accustomed to mobile access to e-mail and the web. The good news is that the next phase of mobility – CRM, sales orders, service calls, stock availability and reporting from your business management application are all available from the SAP Business One iPhone and iPad app.

Most SMEs have previously assumed that technology like this was expensive – only available for large corporates. This is definitely not the case with SAP Business One.

The team at Leverage Technologies uses the SAP Business One iPhone and iPad app to stay connected and in touch with up-to-date information when we travel interstate and/or visit customers.  Several of our customers are now using the SAP Business One iPhone and iPad app to provide salespeople with the ability to place sales orders and service calls whilst “on the road” or “sitting in front of the customer”.

There are a number of features included in the SAP Business One iPhone / iPad app :

• Alerts and approvals
• Dashboards and reports
• Creating sales opportunities, sales quotations, orders and service calls
• Monitoring of inventory levels and product details
• Customer and supplier details
• Managing and creation of contacts and activities

So let’s look at a few real-life scenarios –

1. Sales / Customer Relationship Management –your sales team is visiting customers today. Whilst traveling to and from the customer sites the sales team can use the SAP Business One mobile apps to check customer contact details, address details (including links to Google Maps) and account details. Before going onto a meeting your sales team might want to review previous activities (meetings, notes and phone calls with the customer) to see what was previously discussed and agreed to. The salesperson now enters the meeting with the customer well informed with the latest up-to-date information. Whilst talking with the customer your salesperson can access the customer price list can quote the customer for goods and services, and even create a sales order – all from the SAP Business One mobile apps. After the meeting, your sales team can update the CRM in SAP Business One with activity details (meeting notes) and an updated sales opportunity.
2. Service calls – allows your service team to check details of existing service contracts and equipment cards. The equipment card can be searched for by entering the item’s serial number. Your service team can handle service activities from the start to the completion of the service call.

The incredible part is this – the SAP Business One iPhone and iPad app is available for SAP Business One customers as part of their existing SAP Business One license (a mobile user only needs to have an existing SAP Business One Professional or Limited license). There are no additional license costs.  Going mobile is as easy as having an iPad or iPhone connected via 3G and installing the SAP Business One mobility app. http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/sap-business-one/id392606876?mt=8