Sales Order Creation in S/4 from C4C: Key Scenarios & Process Flow

Creating sales orders in SAP S/4HANA from SAP C4C (Cloud for Customer) as part of a follow-up process is a common practice for businesses aiming to integrate front-end customer interactions with back-end order management systems. This process consists of a series of steps, starting from the initial customer engagement in C4C and culminating in the creation of a sales order in S/4HANA.

In this blogpost, we will be concentrating on different scenarios where we can create a Sales Order in S4HANA from C4C in multiple ways.

Scenarios for Creating Sales Orders in SAP S/4HANA from SAP Cloud for Customer (C4C)

1. A Sales Executive/Sales manager creating and Opportunity in C4C:
   • A sales opportunity is created in SAP C4C based on customer interactions, including lead qualification, sales cycle or sales phases tracking, etc.
   • The opportunity may be converted into a sales order in SAP S/4HANA.
2. Quotation to Sales Order Conversion:
   • A sales quotation is created in C4C, either manually or automatically based on the opportunity or an incoming request.
   • If the customer accepts the quotation, the quotation can be transferred as a follow-up action into S/4HANA to create a sales order.
3. Order Management (C4C):
   • A sales order can be directly created in C4C (if not done previously), and once confirmed or processed, it is sent as a follow-up to S/4HANA for further processing, such as fulfilment and invoicing.
4. Contract and Subscription Management:
   • A contract or subscription is created in C4C based on long-term agreements with customers. When the customer makes a purchase or orders goods or services as part of the contract, the system can transfer these details as a sales order to S/4HANA.
5. Customer Request for Quote (RFQ) to Sales Order:
   • Customers submit a Request for Quotation (RFQ) in C4C, which is then processed. Once the customer accepts the quote, a sales order is created in SAP S/4HANA.
6. Lead to Sales Order:
   • In some cases, leads in C4C may be directly converted into sales orders in S/4HANA if the business process allows this level of integration and automation.
7. Request external pricing: 
   • Request external pricing during the creation of a sales order or quotation in SAP Cloud for Customer
8. Request Create sales order request from unstructured data
   • Use a bot to scan emails for attachments containing keywords in the subject line, and then automatically create sales order requests.

Process Flow for Creating Sales Orders from C4C to S/4HANA

Here is a step-by-step breakdown of the flow from SAP C4C to SAP S/4HANA for creating sales orders:

1. Data Integration Setup

• • Middleware Configuration: To enable communication between C4C and S/4HANA, middleware (such as SAP Cloud Platform Integration (CPI), SAP Process Orchestration (PO), or SAP PI/PO) must be configured to ensure seamless data transfer between systems.
  • Master Data Synchronization: Customer data, material data, pricing conditions, and other master data must be synchronized between C4C and S/4HANA to ensure that the sales order process in S/4HANA is accurate and consistent.
  • Customer Master: The customer master data in C4C needs to be replicated to S/4HANA.
  • Material Master: Similarly, product/material data should be available in both systems.

2. Sales Opportunity or Quotation in C4C

• • Create an Opportunity or Quotation: A sales opportunity is created based on customer inquiries or sales activities. This could involve products, services, or quotes.
  • Sales Rep or Sales Manager Review: The sales representative reviews the opportunity and converts it into a quote if the customer shows interest.
  • Quotation to Sales Order Conversion: Once a quotation is accepted by the customer, it can be converted into a sales order in S/4HANA. This process can happen manually or through a follow-up activity in C4C.

3. Follow-Up Action (Sales Order Creation Trigger)

• • Manual Action by Sales Representative: In C4C, the sales representative can manually create a follow-up action to trigger the creation of a sales order in S/4HANA.
  • Automatic Action Based on Status Change: The system can be configured to automatically trigger a sales order creation when certain conditions are met, such as when the status of an opportunity or quotation changes to “Accepted.”

4. Transfer of Data from C4C to S/4HANA

• • Data Transfer via Middleware: When the follow-up action is triggered (either manually or automatically), C4C communicates with S/4HANA through middleware to transfer relevant data (customer details, material/ product information, pricing, payment terms, etc.).
  • Sales Order Data Mapping: The relevant data from the quotation or opportunity in C4C is mapped to the corresponding fields in S/4HANA for the sales order.
  • Customer Information: The customer data from C4C is transferred to S/4HANA to ensure the sales order is created for the correct customer.
  • Product/Material Details: Product details from the quotation or opportunity are mapped to the S/4HANA sales order.
  • Pricing and Discounts: Any special pricing or discounting rules established in C4C will be passed to S/4HANA.

5. Sales Order Creation in SAP S/4HANA

• • Sales Order Creation: In S/4HANA, a sales order is created using the transferred data. This is typically done in the sales and distribution (SD) module.
  • Order Confirmation: Once the sales order is created in S/4HANA, the system sends a confirmation back to C4C to notify the sales representative or customer that the order has been successfully placed.
  • Availability Check: S/4HANA checks the availability of products based on inventory and delivery schedules.

6. Fulfillment and Delivery Processing in S/4HANA

• • Delivery Creation: After the order is confirmed, it goes through the order fulfillment process in S/4HANA. This includes picking, packing, and delivery.
  • Shipping and Logistics: Based on the sales order, goods are shipped to the customer.

7. Invoicing and Payment Processing

• • Invoice Creation: Invoices are generated in S/4HANA once the order is shipped or delivered, and the system can automatically generate the invoice based on the delivery or sales order.
  • Payment Processing: Payment terms and invoices are tracked in S/4HANA. Customers can make payments based on the invoice, which is recorded in the financial accounting (FI) module.

8. Order Closure and Reporting

• • Sales Reporting: Both in C4C and S/4HANA, reporting can be set up to track sales orders, opportunities, and quotes. This can include dashboards for sales reps, managers, and finance teams.
  • Order Completion: Once the invoice is paid, the order is closed in both systems. The order can also be archived for future reference.

By following this process, businesses can effectively create and manage sales orders from SAP C4C to SAP S/4HANA, ensuring streamlined sales operations and integrated customer management across systems.

Benefits of This Process Flow

• Streamlined Sales Cycle: Integration between C4C and S/4HANA eliminates manual data entry, which speeds up the process from lead to sales order.
• Improved Collaboration: Clear roles for the Sales Executive, Sales Manager, and Admin team create a cohesive approach to handling sales orders.
• Data Accuracy: With automated data transfers and proper system checks, the chance of errors in order creation is minimized.
• Faster Order Fulfillment: Since the order is integrated with S/4HANA, the order fulfillment process becomes faster and more efficient.