Monthly News Round-Up: October 2020

 

From new SAP product releases to updated carrier surcharges, catch up on all the supply chain and SAP industry highlights for the month of October! Here’s a list of new things you should be aware of right now.

What’s New with SAP?

New Release of SAP S/4HANA 2020

With expanded capabilities, SAP S/4HANA 2020, released on October 7th, enables customers to modernize their ERP system. The product release aims to:

  • Deliver more value to the user experience with real-time insights
  • Drive increased automation with machine learning, AI, and predictive analytics
  • Utilize best practices built on innovations for redefining processes

For those in the supply chain industry, the updated SAP S/4HANA system integrates the Extended Service Parts Planning solution to maintain all master data objects in one location. For those of you that are interested in all things Extended Warehouse Management, the enhanced analytical capabilities work to improve warehouse transparency for better navigation and cost-saving effects.

SAP Updates Its Mid-Term Ambition to Best Reflect COVID-19 Recovery

The previous 2020 mid-term business outlook issued in April reflected SAP’s best estimates regarding the recovery of the COVID-19 crisis for Q3 and Q4, which assumed reopened global economies and eased population lockdowns. Although many companies are looking to SAP to build resilience, recovery is taking longer than estimated and, therefore, SAP lowered its revenue trajectory on October 25.

Along with an updated business outlook, SAP is accelerating its transition to deliver Cloud to drive business efficiency for its customer base. For more information, visit SAP News Center.

 

Supply chain and logistics news

 

What’s New in the Global Trade & Logistics Industry?

UK Signs First Trade Agreement with Japan After Brexit

After Britain formally left the EU in January this year, the country focused on negotiating new trade pacts with countries around the world. The UK signed a trade agreement with Japan which marks this as Britain’s first major post-Brexit deal on trade. The agreement enables 99% of Britain’s exports to Japan to be tariff-free and removes tariffs on Japanese cars in stages to zero British pounds by 2026.

UPS Increases Peak Surcharges for Shipments to the US from China and Europe

With an increase in demand for airfreight during the pandemic, coupled with the peak holiday shopping season, UPS raises its fees and charges. After just lowing surcharges on shipments from mainland China and Hong Kong to the U.S. on October 4, UPS recently raised the peak surcharges on October 25 until further notice. In addition, UPS Worldwide Express Freight will increase surcharges per pound from 34 cents to 91 cents starting on November 1.

China and Cambodia Signed Free Trade Agreement for 2021

In less than a year, China and Cambodia negotiated and signed a free trade agreement that will cut duties for products in the trade, agriculture, and tourism sectors. Cambodia’s Commerce Minister, Pan Sorasak, hopes that the agreement would come into effect early next year that would provide a more robust economic partnership.

 

What’s New with ShipERP?

Highlights of ShipERP Solution Updates

The team worked hard to keep our customers in compliance with new regulations and updated trade agreements. For US exporters, we added new ACE/AES functionalities for better efficiency. In addition, the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) Certificate of Origin is added to your list of export documents that meets the new trade agreement guidelines. For German exporters looking to ship out of the European Union, ShipATLAS is included in the ShipERP solutions portfolio to hit all your compliance demands. In general, select integrated carriers are updated with Brexit requirements.

Other recent developments in our solution updates include integration with DGIS webservice for hazmat validation, added order level freight planning, and new utilities such as mileage calculator and shipping execution time logs. Our team also added business rule configurations, including breakbulk, customs broker, and shipment restrictions determination. 

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