SAP recommends utilization of the SAP Activate Methodology for transitioning to SAP S/4HANA. This approach furnishes a structured roadmap designed to steer the project team throughout the implementation journey of SAP S/4HANA. The roadmap comprises six distinct phases: Discover, Prepare, Explore, Realise, Deploy, and Run.
Discover Phase:
In the Discover phase, clients explore the benefits of SAP HANA and SAP S/4HANA for their business, crafting a digital transformation strategy that encompasses key areas like IoT and omnichannel. They then delve into the value of SAP S/4HANA, considering its enhanced functionality and user interface, often utilizing cloud trial systems for evaluation. Next, they make decisions on implementation scenarios and strategies, including assessing system conversion readiness and conducting a Learning Needs Analysis for the project team. These insights are leveraged to build a business case for SAP S/4HANA implementation.
Prepare Phase:
Before transitioning to SAP S/4HANA, customers often run prototype projects to test feasibility. These typically last 3-6 months. The formal project setup follows, aligned with the customer project manager, utilizing SAP's "SAP Activate" methodology. Change management activities and project team enablement begin. An SAP S/4HANA readiness assessment may be conducted. Planning workshops outline project details, incorporating insights from the Discover phase. Preparatory activities, like code cleanup and data archival, can start early. The Prepare phase ends with a Quality Gate to ensure readiness for the project.
Explore Phase:
The transition to SAP S/4HANA comprises various interconnected work streams, each focused on distinct aspects of the implementation process. In the Solution Adoption and Application Design and Configuration work streams, the emphasis lies on strategic planning and alignment with organizational objectives. This involves developing training strategies for end users, conducting change impact analyses, and refining application designs based on the SAP S/4HANA Value & Implementation Strategy. Concurrently, efforts are made to streamline data management, assess custom code impacts, and ensure seamless integration through the Data Management, Extensibility, and Integration work streams.
These preparatory phases set the stage for subsequent testing, training, and technical setup activities, aimed at facilitating a smooth migration to SAP S/4HANA.
In parallel, the Technical Architecture & Infrastructure and Operations & Support work streams play pivotal roles in ensuring the technical readiness and ongoing supportability of the SAP S/4HANA environment. This involves creating robust technical design documents, establishing sandbox environments for testing and development, and conducting Operations Impact Analyses to identify areas requiring adjustments in IT support operations post-implementation. By meticulously addressing these core components across the various work streams, organizations can navigate the transition to SAP S/4HANA with confidence, laying the foundation for enhanced operational efficiency and business agility in the digital era.
Realise:
In the Solution Adoption and Application Design and Configuration work streams, meticulous preparations are made to ensure smooth end-user training and alignment of organizational change management activities. Functional changes, including configuration adjustments and security modifications, are implemented according to the design document. Additional applications like Central Finance are set up as planned, while program enhancements and adjustments to existing custom code are made to ensure compatibility with SAP S/4HANA.
Rigorous testing ensues in the Testing work stream to validate application changes, while the Integration work stream focuses on implementing required interfaces and setting up integration for quality assurance and production systems. Simultaneously, the Data Management work stream configures data archiving and conducts verification runs to ensure seamless data migration.
Meanwhile, in the Technical Architecture and Infrastructure work stream, the groundwork is laid for the technical infrastructure based on detailed design documents. Operations & Support activities are executed to implement operational processes, tools, and personnel adjustments identified in the Operations Impact Evaluation. As the Realize phase progresses, preparation for cutover commences, with a cutover plan formulated based on insights from previous transition runs. Though activities may not follow a strict chronological order, dependencies between tasks ensure a coordinated and efficient transition process, allowing organizations to seamlessly adopt SAP S/4HANA.
Deploy:
In the Solution Adoption phase, end users are trained on the new SAP S/4HANA solution, while change effectiveness is monitored through assessments. Application Design and Configuration activities wrap up, with integration validation ensuring smooth performance. Testing continues, and in the Deploy phase, final cutover rehearsals are conducted, leading to the implementation of productive SAP S/4HANA. Operations & Support ensures IT teams are ready for operation, with a quality gate confirming readiness for Go-Live. The post-Go-Live hypercare phase focuses on system stabilization, concluding the Deploy phase before handing over operational responsibility to the production support team.
Run:
With the transition project concluding in the Deploy phase, the activities of the subsequent Run phase are outlined in the following figure. In this phase, the primary objective is to ensure the safe and efficient operation of the newly implemented solution. This involves establishing the operations platform, refining core IT support processes, adjusting or introducing new operations tools, and enabling the operational support team. Additionally, a focus is placed on implementing continuous operations improvement initiatives to enhance IT operations based on the insights gained from the transition experience.