How to integrate your kanban system with your SAP ERP
Integrating your new or existing kanban system with your company’s SAP ERP is a strategic decision to automate production and procurement information flows, reduce manual tasks, and achieve a leaner, more responsive, and integrated supply chain.
To reach this level of integration, those leading the process typically face three possible paths:
- Develop an in-house kanban software integrated with SAP
- Use the SAP kanban module
- Choose an external kanban software that integrates with SAP
In this article, we analyze the benefits, limitations, and ideal use cases for each solution to help you identify the best option for digitizing and automating material flows across your value chain.
Developing in-house kanban software integrated with SAP: when it’s the right fit
This option may seem appealing for large companies aiming for a fully customized solution, with a high budget and skilled internal resources like Lean experts and developers.
However, it’s a relatively uncommon choice for several reasons:
- Beyond the high initial investment in infrastructure and expertise, this option involves ongoing costs for maintenance, updates, and technical support, diverting resources from more strategic initiatives.
- It carries the risk of creating a rigid tool that is hard to scale or integrate with future systems.
- Due to the system’s uniqueness, it’s difficult to guarantee a good integration level between the two systems in advance, raising the possibility that the integration with SAP may turn out to be complex, slow, or fragile.
- It requires a long setup period to develop, test, and bring the proprietary software live.
For this reason, even companies with large budgets tend to opt for external, proven solutions specifically designed for this purpose, allowing them to get started quickly, leverage best practices, and benefit from ongoing updates without starting from scratch.
Using the SAP kanban module: when it’s the right fit
The SAP kanban module is a solid choice especially in contexts where operational needs are simple, standardized, and don’t involve complex requirements such as integration with suppliers or other external partners.
It works well for companies that prefer to manage all processes within a single platform and don’t require high flexibility or real-time visibility.
Moreover, this solution is most effective when operators are already highly trained in using SAP, a system that involves a wide range of commands, parameters, and advanced functionalities, as well as a solid understanding of kanban logic. In these cases, the built-in kanban module can support pull systems without needing external tools.
Choosing a kanban software that integrates with SAP: when it’s the right fit
An external kanban software that integrates with SAP is the ideal choice when operational requirements are more complex or dynamic, or when a company seeks greater flexibility, visibility, and collaboration across the supply chain.
This is especially beneficial for companies looking to extend kanban logic beyond the plant, involving suppliers, subcontractors, or customers, or for managing multi-process flows, multi-plant environments, or mixed production systems.
In such cases, specialized software like KanbanBOX allows you to integrate kanban with your ERP while maintaining ease of use for operators and suppliers. It also enables the system to evolve over time by adding new features and adapting to organizational changes, without the rigidity typical of standard modules.
Not all kanban software integrates equally with SAP: the Robopac experience
When it comes to electronic kanban integrated with SAP, it’s important to know that not all solutions offer the same level of integration. Some tools allow only partial integration, while others require complex alternative solutions that may limit, or even cancel out, the benefits of digitization.
Robopac, one of the main global players in the packaging machinery field, knows this firsthand. Using SAP as its ERP, the company implemented a first version of a digital kanban system. However, it required a logistics employee to physically go to the production floor, collect the depleted kanban cards, scan them back in the office, and check in real time whether the scan had successfully generated an order in SAP. This wasn’t always the case, requiring manual verification every time, wasting time and increasing the risk of errors.
To overcome these limitations, Robopac turned to KanbanBOX, clearly stating that SAP integration was a non-negotiable requirement, just as important as other key technical features. After verifying that the software met their requirements, the company proceeded with the integration process, which was completed quickly through a few working sessions, thanks to the expertise of the KanbanBOX technical team and the flexibility of the platform.
“Since we had previous experiences integrating SAP with other software, I can say the integration process with KanbanBOX was much simpler and more straightforward than I expected.” – Michael Mularoni, Kaizen Trainer at Robopac
Thanks to a robust system of REST APIs and other communication methods between systems, Robopac not only gained the benefits of a modern electronic kanban system (visibility, control, data tracking, supplier integration, etc.), but also those of seamless integration: automating workflows, eliminating manual tasks, syncing data (no more double entries), and building a truly connected and integrated kanban system.
For example:
- Automatically creating a purchase order in both KanbanBOX and SAP whenever a material is marked as “depleted,” ensuring full traceability and synchronization between systems.
- Automatically uploading into SAP the delivery previews created by the supplier in KanbanBOX, streamlining the goods receiving process.
- Updating SAP inventory records based on kanban movements.
Next steps to successfully integrate a kanban system with your SAP ERP
To effectively integrate a kanban system with your company’s SAP ERP, it’s essential to identify the tool that best fits your needs, evaluating its features, scalability, and ease of use for operators.
If you’d like to explore the differences between specialized kanban software like KanbanBOX and the built-in kanban modules of common ERPs, read this article.
If you prefer a tailored evaluation of your specific production or industrial setup, and want to understand if KanbanBOX meets your operational and SAP integration needs, book a free call with our specialists.