REACh Compliance 1.0 to SAP Product and REACh Compliance 2.0 – My journey along

Dear Friends,

It’s almost two years back when I first started working on SAP REACh Compliance. My first exercise understood the development of eSDS based on existing SAP EH&S Classes and characteristics and creation of Extended SDS Template using WWI report tool. By the time it completed we ventured into mapping and interfacing with IUCLID – after a thoughtful discussions we finally concluded it should be based on XI technology with the support of MDM.

At that time the company where I was working (Satyam) participated in SAP REACh Compliance Ramp Up initiative. After a brief stint of one to two days- it becomes SAP REACh Compliance 1.1. When SRC 1.1 is released it has basic functionalities like i) Organizational Data management ii) Material Management iii) Substance Management iv) Legal Process Management v) Supply Chain Communication and vi) Document Management Integration. With the release came two very exciting WebEx presentations on SRC 1.1 with accessibility to wonderful configuration documents. I believe it’s the first time in the history of SAP EH&S product landscape that – literature of that sort was made available publicly. I believe Dr. Marko together Kieran are trendsetters for the availability of literature, which is now carried to almost all new releases of SAP EH&S and Sustainability products.

When SAP REACh Compliance 1.1 is released there were definite missing segments like missing bulk material assessment functionality, SIEF integration segments and IUCLID5 interface. Even at that time was not clear how SAP intended to support Use and Exposure Assessment – as SRC released only Use Descriptors for carrying out Risk Assessment. Even by that time REACh Pre-Registration activity was completed, then it is also realized that there is a missing a Registration Projects integration– Pre-Registration activity – by which all the non available legal entities to be created automatically with a indication about nature of data that should be shared with them.

Then after a span of about 4 months – SAP released SP02 with a useful set of functionalities like integration of Phrases into Material Master and Bulk Material Assessment functionality, Campaign management functionality and Portfolio Reporting capability.

After a span of almost 1 year SAP released major extension of SAP REACh Compliance 1.1 –called SAP Product & REACh Compliance 2.0. This new product encompasses almost all the functionalities of legacy Compliance for Product software. The major features like supporting IMDS, AIAG/IEEE, RoHS, China RoHS and IPCPDMC Conversion Services. Registration Project Management and IUCLID5 Integration for meeting the Product Compliance Management, Component Management, Supply Chain Collaboration Management including Supplier Self Service and Reporting.

The release of SAP PRC supports and matures the REACh Compliance 1.0 to a full fledged module supporting– Cost Monitoring, Volume Monitoring, Endpoint Management, Registration Project Management, SIEF project and Data Export and Reporting as per the original SAP REACh Sales Presentation. One thing which I noticed is this product evolved almost in parallel to REACh Regulation and it has also given me an insight into Product Maturation cycle and how a product evolves into complete offering based on regulatory requirements. Though I have seen the functionality of CfP very closely, would like to work on SPRC sooner or later.

Now what I look forward to is a definite "Best Practices scenario demonstrating the requirements of REACH using SAP EH&S, SAP Product and REACh Compliance and 3rd Party Tools" - which reminds me of very beautiful quote “ Miles to Go before I sleep” in Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening – there is so much to learn and accomplish in one's life !

Thanks