What is SAP GTS?

We all know that facing challenges is inevitable in any business - no matter how good the business is. The level of challenge may be small or big. But there will be a challenge, undeniably. No individual or company is an exception to this real-time scenario.

On this note, when it comes to global trades such as import and export, they face more complex challenges than any other business. For example, they face challenges such as frequent changes in trade regulations, foreign policies, legal compliances, delays in customs clearances, and more.

So, these companies need well-designed strategic planning and sophisticated tools to adapt to the above challenges dynamically. If only they reduce the complexity of their business, they can avoid revenue and reputation loss.

In this regard, SAP GTS is one of the SAP modules widely used by global trade businesses to minimize the complexity of their processes.

Now the question is, what is SAP GTS? How does it work?

Know that SAP GTS is a robust tool that streamlines import and export processes in global trade services. Not only that, you will get good control over the processes. SAP GTS helps to reduce the time and costs of trade services significantly. As a result, it supports boosting the productivity of global trade services to higher levels.

Want to learn more about SAP GTS?

This blog will talk more about what SAP GTS is, its various components and features, its implementation, and more in greater detail.

Let’s read on!

What is SAP GTS - Table of Contents

What is SAP GTS? SAP GTS Features Components of SAP GTS Implementation of SAP GTS Advantages of SAP GTS FAQs Conclusion

What is SAP GTS?

At a glance, SAP Global Trade Services (GTS) is one of the SAP Modules that simplify global trade companies' import and export processes. It provides excellent visibility across the supply chain, which helps track the movement of goods more tightly.

The main thing about SAP GTS is that it manages worldwide compliance requirements in one platform. It adapts instantly to the frequent changes happening in global trade services.

Know that we can integrate SAP GTS with SAP ERP smoothly. This integration provides more advanced solutions to complex problems in import and export processes.

Moreover, SAP GTS is a sophisticated trade management tool that governs the global trade businesses' complete import and export trade cycle. As a result, it provides the necessary speed, flexibility, and control to the import and export processes.

With SAP GTS, companies can automate global trade services to optimize their operations intelligently. Besides, companies can comply with international regulations, avoiding risks in the business processes. Thus they can increase efficiency and productivity.

Okay! We hope you have got some idea of what SAP GTS is.

Next, we will learn the feature of SAP GTS elaborately in the following section.

If you want to enrich your career and become a professional in SAP GTS, then enroll in "SAP GTS Training" This course will help you to achieve excellence in this domain.

SAP GTS Features 

Let’s discuss the features of SAP GTS in this part. It will help you to imbibe the vital functions of SAP Global trade services better.

1. Sanctioned List Checking

It is one of the key features of SAP GTS. With this feature, you can verify whether a transaction is valid. Here, a transaction denotes the goods' movement. If any transaction fails this check, it is held immediately and moved to review. This feature of SAP GTS helps to improve the efficiency of trading services.

2. Export Management

You can connect SAP GTS with logistics operations seamlessly. This integration streamlines the various export processes such as product classification, examining embargo checks, managing export licenses, and many others.

What’s more! You can integrate SAP Global trade services with multiple government custom systems to smoothen out the global trade services. Note that this integration should be done with authorized interfaces carefully.

3. Single Data Repository

SAP GTS has a centralized data repository. You can store all the goods' transit information and compliance data in this repository. Not just that, you can integrate different SAP modules such as SAP CRM, SAP ERP,  as well as SAP SCM with this data repository. So these modules can access data from the data repository at any time seamlessly.

4. Import Management

SAP GTS optimizes the import processes such as product classification, security filing, filing declarations, customs management, etc.

Not only that, SAP GTS simplifies the various processes involved with customs processes as well as bonded warehouses.

5. Trade Preferences Management

With the help of SAP GTS, you can optimize vendor declaration, customer declaration, preference declaration, and many other trade operations. It also helps to reduce taxes for customs declarations. No wonder SAP GTS manages trade regulations and compliances of around 25 countries.

6. Complying with Regional Procedures

In addition to complying with international compliance procedures, SAP GTS also complies with regional compliance procedures. For example, SAP GTS supports the compliance procedures defined by European Excise Movement and Control System (EMCS). Besides, it supports electronic compliance reporting in addition to restitution management.

Components of SAP GTS

SAP GTS components play a pivotal role in the execution and optimization of global trade operations.

The following image shows the various SAP GTS Components.

Let's have a look ahead at the various components elaborately in this section.

1. SAP GTS Customs Management

With SAP GTS, you can simplify the customs processes such as foreign trade zones, refinements, customs warehouses, intrastate, etc.

Further, SAP GTS supports special customs procedures such as customs warehouse, inward processing, FTZ, outward processing, temporary importation,  etc. Also, it helps to comply with the customs legislation accurately.

Besides, SAP GTS allows you to process the required documents with customs authorities for smooth goods transactions. It helps to speed up shipping goods remarkably.

2. SAP GTS Compliance Management

SAP GTS efficiently handles many import and export compliances such as Embargo checks, legal control, sanctioned list screening, etc. Embargo checks help to identify the list of countries blocked by the UN. The sanctioned list screening is also known as the boycott list check.

Integrating SAP GTS with SAP ERP simplifies compliance checks in real time. This integration allows us to meet the compliances set by various countries.

You can screen importing and exporting processes with SAP Global Trade Services. As a result, you can drastically minimize risks and fines.

Moreover, SAP GTS automates export control laws, compliance checks for sanctions, and many others. It allows shipping of goods as fast as possible.

3. SAP GTS Electronic Compliance Reporting

SAP GTS will enable you to make electronic communication such as e-filing. So you can communicate with customs authorities. Not only that, you can entirely avoid using papers and accelerate the processes of customs verification. As a bonus, it helps to speed up the supply chain process.

4. SAP GTS Risk Management

SAP GTS handles risk management with the help of components such as restitution, preference management, as well as a letter of credit. Thus, you can eliminate risks in import and export processes with the above components.

When it comes to preference management, it ensures whether all the legal obligations for customs preferences are satisfied or not.

Regarding letters of credit, it helps to integrate import and export processes. So it reduces financial risks in the trading business dramatically.

Regarding restitution, this service allows you to check whether all the restitution payment obligations are satisfied as per requirements.

Implementation of SAP GTS

Levering SAP GTS is not a single-click task. It consists of many stages, from planning to deployment.

Let’s try to learn them in detail in this section.

1. Planning and Preparing

Planning an efficient roadmap for the implementation of SAP GTS is highly critical. It helps to avoid pitfalls and delays in the deployment process. And it helps to avoid wasting time, human resources, and money.

A well-planned SAP Global Trade Services implementation helps accurately meet the compliance requirements. Besides, it helps to improve productivity and hence boost revenue.

2. Designing

When it comes to SAP GTS, we can break down the design process into six parts as follows:

• Collecting the needed data
• Configuring initial settings
• System Orientation
• Defining user roles
• Creating a prototype
• Documenting procedures

3. Configuration

You must Configure SAP GTS based on the requirements. A well-planned configuration setting allows you to perform the testing and deployment processes effortlessly. It avoids making frequent changes in the configuration settings altogether.

4. Testing

Once the configuration is done, the next step is to test the SAP GTS. It is required to evaluate whether the software meets the requirements. Testing results provide clear-cut information on whether any additional changes are needed in the design.

When the test results are satisfied, SAP GTS is ready to Go-Live.

5. Training

Before going live with SAP GTS, it is extremely important that employees who will work with SAP GTS must be proficient in handling it. So it is necessary to conduct practical training for employees before launching the software into a production environment.

Training on SAP Global trade services equips employees to implement and manage the tool efficiently. You can conduct training in various modes, such as workshops, how-to sessions, etc.

Undoubtedly, you can reap the following benefits by arranging proper employee training.

• Successful implementation of SAP GTS
• Cutting down costs and time
• Improving employees’ productivity
• Reducing risks

6. Go-Live

This is the final and critical step in the implementation process of SAP GTS. Soon after the employees have acquired the necessary confidence and exposure to work with the tool, you can set it Go-live.

Importantly, you must monitor the tool's effectiveness in the production environment. It helps to identify the areas for improvement and make remedial measures.

Advantages of SAP GTS

There are plenty of advantages to using SAP GTS.

Let’s have a look at them now.

• Increased Efficiency

SAP GTS enhances the efficiency of the importing and exporting processes to higher levels. It is done because of the automation capabilities of the tool. Additionally, streamlining trade processes and integration with logistics processes aids in increasing the efficiency of the tool.

• Quick custom clearance and reduced costs

SAP GTS simplifies customs clearance processes. It avoids expensive shipment delays and reduces costs. Therefore, business performance is improved to greater heights.

• Reduced risks

Leveraging SAP Global trade services helps companies to eliminate non-compliance. It helps to avoid fines and penalties altogether. Not just that, but it simplifies auditing processes as well.

• Compliance with global regulations

You can satisfy international trade regulations by adopting SAP GTS. As a result, you can pass customs clearances and reduce delivery times on the go.

• Improved Supply Chain

The high-velocity import and export processes enhance the supply chain. Consequently, relationships between various stakeholders can be heightened to new levels.

• Real-time tracking of goods

You can track the movements of goods in real-time. It helps identify the bottlenecks in the trade services and allows quick transit of goods.

• Seamless Integrations

SAP GTS tightly integrates with SAP ERP and a few other SAP modules and handles problems in importing and exporting.

Related Article - SAP ERP Interview Questions

SAP GTS FAQs

1. What does SAP GTS refer to?

SAP GTS refers to SAP global trade services. This is one of the SAP modules that streamline and automate import and export processes in a worldwide trade service. It supports boosting productivity and business outcomes exceptionally.

2. Who can learn SAP GTS?

SAP GTS consultants and professionals involved in international trades, importing and exporting, can learn and benefit from this course. Knowing this tool will ease their activities in global trade services.

3. Is it good to start a career in SAP GTS?

Of course! You can start a career in SAP GTS since many global traders are increasingly using SAP GTS. If you achieve good exposure to this software, the chances of getting hired by top global trade companies are high. So eventually, you make your future bright and wonderful.

4. What do you mean by the SAP GTS system?

It is software that streamlines global trade service companies' import and export processes. It simplifies customs clearances, tracks goods movements closely, and removes bottlenecks. Also, it helps to comply with the global legal requirements at best.

5. What is the latest version of SAP GTS?

The latest version of SAP GTS is SAP GTS 11.0

6. Is SAP GTS a part of ECC?

Yes. SAP Global Trade Services helps to automate the processes of ECC. It is part of the process of SAP ECC. Otherwise, it will be done manually.

7. What is the crucial difference between SAP GTS and SAP GTM?

SAP GTM software deals with global import and export management, legal business operations compliance, etc. On the other hand, SAP GTS deals with import and export operations and compliances, customs clearances, and more.

8. What are the companies that use SAP GTS?

Companies that make global import and export services can use SAP GTS to optimize their operations. They can streamline their global processes and reap many benefits from it.

Related Article - SAP GTS Interview Questions

Conclusion

On a final note, SAP GTS is an excellent tool used to simplify international trade services. So you can deal with global business partners and perform trade operations more efficiently. Well! This blog must have been helpful to you in grasping what SAP GTS is, its features, benefits, and many other essential things about SAP GTS. However, further enhancing your SAP GTS skills will help you get hired by top global trade companies.

If you wish to master SAP GTS, you can attend training in MindMajix and get a certification. It will help you learn SAP GTS better and ultimately make you job ready.