Many ERP implementations take longer than expected and incur cost overruns. Delivering an ERP project on time and under budget isn’t luck, it’s strategy. This article shares the steps to a successful SAP S/4HANA Cloud implementation.
So you’ve already done your research and selected a cloud ERP solution. Your business is modernizing and upgrading its digital infrastructure with SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition. This is a great choice because it is robust, modular, widely used, and very modern. Now you just have to make sure the SAP public cloud implementation goes smoothly.
Seven steps will ensure a smooth SAP public cloud implementation, and one big shortcut that can dramatically improve rollout and time to value. Let’s start with those seven steps.
When making an SAP public cloud implementation strategy, there are 7 steps your plan should focus on.
You can’t implement without first knowing what your company needs from S/4HANA Cloud and the implementation overall.
Before starting the actual implementation process, you should have a planning document that outlines all of your current processes, workflows, applications, and functionality, and any new workflows and applications, or functionality your business expects to gain from the SAP public cloud implementation.
This document also should define expected implementation costs and schedule, developmental and operational risks that could result from the implementation project, and the projected benefits of the implementation. This document should also outline the specifications for the system, specific tasks, dependencies, and resources needed for a successful rollout.
Some of this you probably already have collected as part of your solution evaluation process, but probably not all of what is needed for properly rolling out the system.
Configuration is the process of adapting the raw functionality of the SAP cloud application environment to your specific security requirements, workflows, and preferences. This process of setting up the system for the needs of your business is in many ways the heavy lifting of a modern ERP rollout.
You might consider an experienced ERP implementation partner, such as Navigator, to assist with making the configuration fast and smooth.
A good SAP public cloud implementation avoids customization, instead focusing on configuration and the use of best practices. But S/4HANA Cloud also makes custom code and integrations relatively easy, and your business might need some custom functionality that is not baked into the system or easily added through SAP Business Technology Platform.
So in this step of the implementation, you’ll deploy custom code beyond the scope of configuration.
ERP is only as good as the data it holds. Importing your existing data is an important phase of the implementation process, every bit as important as planning and process configuration.
Collecting, formatting, and cleaning up existing data, then loading it into the system, likely will be the most arduous part of your SAP public cloud implementation (but more on how to speed that up later on). Get started on this early, and plan for this step taking some time.
SAP S/4HANA Cloud sits at the center of your business, but won’t be the only software used at your company. Your ERP must connect with other software used in-house, cloud services, online marketplaces and payment gateways, and supplier systems, among others.
In the integration step of your implementation, you’ll set up pre-made SAP integrations for popular connections and deploy modules or customized integrations for less common integration scenarios.
One of the SAP public cloud implementation phases often overlooked is the testing phase. After the system is fully set up, you’ll need to create a testing environment where you can ensure that the ERP implementation has been configured properly and conforms to all of the needs of your business.
You’ll use sample data for this testing and fully put the system through its paces so it performs as expected. During this step, you’ll also tweak configurations and integrations where needed.
Even before the ERP implementation is complete, you should already be organizing employee training around the system. Both in the testing environment and after going live with the system, training is critical for ensuring that all employees understand both the reasons for the new system and how to use it.
Make sure this training is not a one-off event, with periodic refresher training on the system. Training should also be combined with change management to ensure that all employees are on board with the new platform.
Now, to the shortcut we mentioned earlier. You can go through the implementation process on your own, or you can take a guided approach to your SAP public cloud implementation project by leveraging the GROW with SAP program.
GROW with SAP is a prepackaged version of SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition that comes with best practices preconfigured and foundational technologies ready for use out of the box. This prepackaged ERP solution is paired with the SAP Activate methodology, templates, automation accelerators, and special consulting support for a faster rollout.
GROW with SAP walks an organization through the planning and implementation steps necessary for a fast, successful SAP public cloud implementation in three ways:
The GROW with SAP program starts by helping a business perform digital discovery to uncover the functionality and process needs of the business. While a business might think it knows its needs, there likely are gaps and best practices that the business can leverage for enhanced operations and a faster rollout. These best practices are tailored for specific industry needs, and they don’t constitute a one-size-fits-all approach.
A second element of GROW with SAP is the SAP Cloud ALM, a central entry point for managing an S/4HANA implementation. SAP Cloud ALM is an ERP lifecycle management solution that helps with implementing and connecting all the modules and plugins for an SAP cloud solution.
The SAP Cloud ALM comes with a preconfigured workspace and can manage teams, processes, and monitor integration-related exceptions for faster rollout and testing with a new system.
Through the use of the SAP Cloud ALM, a business can more easily manage its deployment.
GROW with SAP also smooths the S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition adoption journey through the SAP Activate methodology, templates, and automation accelerators for configuration, migration, and testing.
Instead of starting from scratch, a business can begin with a preconfigured ERP environment for a faster rollout. This includes best practice processes that are already configured in the system, and automations that are ready to use out of the box. While these tools and templates won’t make an S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition implementation turnkey, they come close in many cases.
Grow with SAP can significantly streamline SAP public cloud implementation times and generate a faster return on investment without compromising on a correct fit for your business. It is the difference between building something from scratch and leveraging existing templates and best practices.
If this sounds appealing, you also might consider our Cloud Application Management Services (AMS) for S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition after implementation. Our AMS service provides scalable application management support for S/4HANA so your IT department can free up time for more strategic technology initiatives.
At Navigator Business Solutions, we’ve been working with SAP cloud ERP for more than 10 years, and we’ve helped businesses successfully implement more than 500 ERP implementations over the past 30 years as an SAP Gold Partner.
For more on how to successfully roll out an SAP S/4HANA Cloud implementation, take advantage of the Grow with SAP program, or leverage our Cloud Application Management Services, contact one of our experienced consultants by calling (801) 642-0123 or writing us at info@nbs-us.com.