Fuji Xerox and SAP Japan Strengthen Collaboration in Linking Business Processes Involving Paper Documents With Mission-Critical/Business Systems

TOKYO, July 22, 2008 — Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd. and SAP Japan Co., Ltd. will strengthen collaboration in linking business processes involving paper documents with mission-critical and business systems such as ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) and CRM (Customer Relationship Management). Both companies aim to increase business efficiency at companies by providing the solution that links critical business systems and business processes that involve paper documents, which are normally separated from those systems. In addition, the solution helps meet compliance requirements by managing paper documents, which are key to an audit trail and generated in the business systems process.

Although process visualization of business systems is proceeding along with increasing use of ERP, CRM and other systems in recent years, paper documents such as vouchers have been handled and managed separately from conventional systems. As such, it has become increasingly important as the next step to link the database of those systems and the paper documents.

Process Gateway for Apeos (PGA) provided by Fuji Xerox enables the flow of paper documents and that of mission-critical/business systems to be integrated, overcoming previous difficulties with such systemization, utilizing ApeosPort digital multifunction devices. Thus, business systems such as ERP and CRM can be linked with digitized paper documents. The PGA technology has attained Powered by SAP NetWeaver^{®Note 1} certification, which is the basis of SAP Japan's Enterprise Service-Oriented Architecture (Enterprise SOA)^{Note 2}. With this certification, the scanning function of ApeosPort can be easily incorporated into SAP Japan's business systems, which reduces work required in system creation.

Using accounting processes as an example, paper documents such as quotations, delivery slips and receipts can be digitized with ApeosPort and then linked with purchasing data on SAP Japan’s business system using PGA. Further expanding the application of multifunction devices in this manner helps enhance business operations while realizing controlled management of these processes.

Other applications include maintenance services at medical equipment manufacturers where business operations involving paper documents are critical depending on workplace conditions: Inspection results marked on paper can be registered on SAP Japan’s business system using ApeosPort and PGA, which acts to eliminate manual work as well as reduce duplicate registration and transcription errors. Thus, the collaboration of Fuji Xerox and SAP Japan will promote the integration of paper documents and mission-critical/business systems in a wide variety of fields.

Also, the companies aim to strengthen cooperation in marketing activities to expand sales of the solution. Fuji Xerox will join in the collaboration program at “Co-Innovation Lab Tokyo”^{Note 3}, where SAP Japan researches and develops solutions incorporating the latest technologies together with its partners and customers.

Note 1

With Powered by SAP NetWeaver^® certification, SAP Japan's global organization known as Integration and Certification Center (ICC) certifies the link with SAP NetWeaver for innovative enterprise services that use SAP NetWeaver (a solution based on SAP's Enterprise Service-Oriented Architecture) as business application platform, as well as for third-party products that develop composite applications.

Note 2

Enterprise SOA is typically a composite of a series of Web services (application functions) provided on multiple systems aimed at creating optimum business processes that respond flexibly to changes.

Note 3

An R&D facility on the 15th floor of Tokyo Sankei building (1-7-2, Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo) where SAP Japan collaborates with its customers as well as partners including hardware/software/service vendors to research and develops solutions best suited to Japan-unique and/or industry-unique requirements, as well as to provide the latest technologies including Enterprise SOA, green IT and virtualization.

About Fuji Xerox

Fuji Xerox, a 75/25 joint venture between FUJIFILM Holdings Corporation and Xerox Limited, manufactures and markets office equipment including digital multifunction devices, publishing systems, document management software as well as related solutions and services in Japan and the Asia-Pacific region, including China. Fuji Xerox enables the worldwide provision of digital multifunction devices through US-based Xerox Corporation and printers through various OEMs. Established in 1962, the company has around 40,000 employees on a consolidated basis and more than 70 domestic and overseas affiliates and sales companies. (http://www.fujixerox.com/eng/)

About SAP Japan

SAP Japan was established in 1992 as the Japanese arm of SAP AG, a leading company worldwide in the enterprise business software market. SAP's ERP and other related business software are used widely at all sizes of companies in more than 25 different industries. The company’s customers top 47,800 companies in more than 120 countries around the world (excluding customers of Business Objects S.A. it acquired). SAP Japan helps Japanese companies promote informatization so that they can enhance global competitiveness and corporate value. (http://www.sap.com/japan )