Presales Activities
The first step in the SAP ERP sales and distribution process is presales activities. At this
phase, customers can get pricing information about the company’s products, either
through an inquiry or a sales quotation. The difference between an inquiry and a
quotation is that a quotation is a written, binding document; the seller guarantees the
buyer that, for some specified period of time, he can buy the product at the quoted price.
An inquiry is simply a statement of prices, with no guarantee implied. In either case, the
event is recorded in the central database.
Presales activities also include marketing activities such as tracking customer
contacts—including sales calls, visits, and mailings. A company can maintain customer
data in the ERP system and generate mailing lists based on specific customer
characteristics, which enhances targeted marketing efforts.