SAP customers using Hierarchical Access (HA) for Pricing software must disable the functionality and migrate to another option because of a patent lawsuit.
In September 2011, a federal district court in Texas ordered SAP to stop selling and servicing the software, after finding in an earlier judgement that it had infringed on patents of software vendor Versata. SAP has appealed the decision, and while it expects a ruling in May or June, SAP wants to “remove the risk” from its customers’ systems proactively. The software regulates complex and critical pricing scenarios (such as different prices for different customers) and allows users to access that data in real-time.
“We must ensure that customers have no effect from this situation at all, and SAP has done everything to allow them to remove that risk from their systems very easily,” says Tony Martinez, SVP and global head of delivery operations at SAP. “We will provide them with the support to do that.”
SAP customers can implement the changes through a note (Note: 1600482) or current Support Pack, which turn on the SAP Equal and Standard Pricing functionality, the software that the majority of SAP’s customers now use. Most HA customers have opted to make the change through a note, according to Hari Doraisamy, SAP’s senior information manager in Active Global Support. SAP’s offering free consulting services for customers who need help making the migration.
Customers who have made the switch to Standard Access are happy with it and don’t see any change in functionality or performance, Doraisamy reports.
The change affects U.S. customers only and international customers with a U.S. user of the functionality. SAP claims that only a small percentage of its customers use the functionality.
Still, “it’s very important for customers to pay attention to this and take action and remove risk from the installation,” Martinez says. “We do feel very confident in our appeal, but you never know.”
Quick Facts
Who Does This Affect? Customers of R/3, ERP, SRM, CRM and GTS software using the Hierarchical Access for Pricing Functionality.
How Can I Find Out If We Use It? Review Note 1600482 and run a check report on the system. If it reports that the functionality is in use, open a customer message in component XX-PROJ-IMS-HA.
What Do I Have to Do? Apply the changes in the note or recent support pack to disable the functionality, and document that it is disabled in: SOMETHING MISSING HERE?
Does This Affect My Maintenance Contract? No. SAP says there will be no changes to the contracts because of this matter.
Where Can I Get More Information?
Visit: http://service.sap.com/dhap-info
Or email: SAP_HA_Questions@sap.com