Setting the course:
The SAP S/4HANA pre-study
The starting signal for your ERP transformation
The upcoming end of maintenance for SAP ERP 6 by the end of 2027 has led companies to realize that planning an S/4HANA transformation is a must. This step is of strategic importance, but requires careful planning and implementation. Especially due to the individual starting situations of the companies, e.g. specific system landscapes, business processes and technological infrastructures. The company structure and the integration of employees play a decisive role in successfully managing the transition. Therefore, it is challenging to use standardized plans as a universal blueprint for the individual SAP S/4HANA roadmap.
This complexity could be the reason why, according to the Lünendonk study “With S/4HANA into the digital future”, only 15% of the companies included in the survey are already pursuing a concrete transition to S/4HANA. Concerns about the possible loss of investments in existing ERP systems and uncertainties regarding the evaluation of the current SAP offering and the anticipation of future developments add to the difficulties.
In order to eliminate uncertainties, it is advisable to first carry out a preliminary study before starting an S/4HANA implementation project. It offers the opportunity to fully assess the company’s individual situation and identify potential stumbling blocks and opportunities.
Procedure and details
At the beginning, a holistic business process analysis is carried out using an end-to-end approach. The focus here is on the strategic corporate objectives, which are used as the basis for the analyses and resulting measures. It analyzes how SAP S/4HANA can support current and future business requirements and improve processes. SAP’s best-practice scenarios, supplemented by our industry expertise, form the basis for the analysis in order to enable a future-proof transformation that is tailored to your capabilities. As part of a pre-study, fit/gap workshops are used to determine the extent to which existing processes can be implemented in the future S/4HANA system close to the standard and how additional functionalities can create added value for your company. The SAP Simplification List plays an important role here, describing in detail which changes are to be expected when converting to SAP S/4HANA. Your system landscape and architecture is always taken into account throughout the entire process in order to determine which adjustments and investments are necessary and how integration into a hybrid architecture could take place.
Questions about cloud usage and the relocation of data and processes to the cloud are also answered here. Other topics include data migration and integration of external stakeholders, fulfillment of compliance guidelines, change management and training strategies.
Last but not least, the following points round off the analysis:
- Selecting the implementation approach: Companies can choose between the “brownfield” approach, the “greenfield” method or the hybrid “bluefield” approach, depending on whether the existing processes are to be retained, simplified or completely redesigned.
- Determining the project methodology: Whether traditional waterfall, agile or hybrid – the chosen method must match the corporate culture.
- Use of templates: It can be useful to set up a template on an S/4HANA sandbox to configure similarities between regions, countries or plants in advance. This speeds up the project, saves costs and simplifies processes and master data.
- Roll-out strategy: The roll-out strategy is a decisive success factor, especially for companies with international operations. The decision as to whether the new IT structure should be implemented simultaneously for the entire company, gradually by region or in another way must be carefully considered.
A comprehensive upfront analysis is crucial to ensure a successful migration to SAP S/4HANA and achieve optimal results for your business. A pre-study forms the efficient basis for developing a customized S/4HANA transformation strategy. The results are recorded in an individual roadmap, which includes a detailed schedule for the planned implementation.
Are you still at the beginning of your considerations and looking at the design of your transformation strategy with an open mind? We are at your side with our technological understanding, process know-how for the S/4HANA standard and our industry expertise in the consumer goods industry. Please feel free to contact us.