Best Practices for Achieving Meaningful Business Transformation An itelligence Buyer s Guide

Transcription

1 SAP S/4HANA BUYER S GUIDE Best Practices for Achieving Meaningful Business Transformation An itelligence Buyer s Guide

2 Contents 3....Executive Summary 5....Gather Your Requirements 6....Find the Right Implementation Partner 7....Define a Successful Path to SAP S/4HANA 8....The itelligence Difference An itelligence Buyer s Guide itelligencegroup.com/us 2

3 Executive Summary SAP S/4HANA is a groundbreaking solution that opens the door to fundamentally different ways of doing business. Capitalizing on its full potential requires new skills, fresh thinking, and an innovative mindset starting with the implementation process and the partner you choose to assist you. However, S/4HANA isn t just new to your business. It s also relatively new to the SAP partner ecosystem that helps companies evaluate and implement SAP solutions. The partner you choose will play an instrumental role in your transition to S/4HANA. This guide discusses the key factors you and your implementation partner should keep in mind to ensure you make the most of your investment in S/4HANA, and suggests best practices to follow as you progress through the following phases of your implementation: Gather Your Requirements Find the Right Implementation Partner Define a Successful Path to SAP S/4HANA The itelligence Difference An itelligence Buyer s Guide itelligencegroup.com/us 3

4 Gather Your Requirements Ask the Right Questions Pinpointing Your Requirements At first glance, just the thought of an S/4HANA implementation project may seem overwhelmingly complex. Embarking on a project of business transformation is never simple, but it is manageable and it all starts with a sound vision. A surprising number of technology projects begin without a clear idea of a successful outcome. But taking the time to define success, identify stakeholders, scope out requirements, and agree on a guiding strategy can help clarify and simplify the decisions your team will face. When it comes time to choose a partner for your S/4HANA project, knowing the answers to the questions listed here can help you identify the organization with the best fit of skills and expertise for your needs. How would you describe your culture: entrepreneurial, conservative, innovative, risk-taking, flexible? What is your long-term vision? What will define the success of your S/4HANA initiative? What is your approach to change? What are your short-term project goals and objectives? Do you have any target metrics or KPIs? Have all of your requirements been adequately documented? Who are your key stakeholders? What are your current pain points that S/4HANA will address? Does your organization have the required skills to implement S/4HANA, and if not, where do you have gaps? An itelligence Buyer s Guide itelligencegroup.com/us 4

5 Gather Your Requirements Identify the Stakeholders Building your internal team is one of the critical elements of a successful implementation plan and you need more than just the technical personnel who can get your solution up and running. Your team should also include the roles involved in the solution s ongoing use and maintenance. It should have a mix of business and technical expertise. And it needs to take into account how you plan to reorganize your business and change future processes. As you assemble your team, be sure to keep in mind the following: Involve the Right People Involve all necessary stakeholders from the outset, and get the input of everyone with approval authority in the definition of your project requirements. From the Right Places Think beyond IT and line-of-business experts in creating a team. Take a crossfunctional approach that also includes finance, HR, operations, customer service, inside and field sales, and other roles. And Beyond... Don t overlook customer needs and insights in your requirements gathering. An itelligence Buyer s Guide itelligencegroup.com/us 5

6 Gather Your Requirements Define the Project Scope Developing a clear picture of your implementation project s scope includes two key elements: the functionality you need today and the business transformation you d like to achieve tomorrow using S/4HANA s advanced capabilities. Some organizations invest weeks in documenting the current needs and future capabilities that their implementation should address. That investment pays off. It shortens the implementation timeline, helps you avoid surprising your management team, and results in a better fit of the resulting solution with your current and future needs. Plan to Test Early... and Often... Based on Real-World Use Cases One of the proven ways to keep your project focused and on track is to establish a set of core use cases that your team can use to evaluate your progress. You don t need to define a use case for every business scenario you will face. Later, you can identify additional needs to be considered. You don t want to get bogged down early in the process with too many use case testing requirements. An itelligence Buyer s Guide itelligencegroup.com/us 6

7 Find the Right Implementation Partner Which SAP implementation partner is right for your organization? Getting answers to the questions in the following key areas can help you zero in on the company that offers the best fit in terms of experience, expertise and culture. SAP Validation Recognition of the company s commitment and expertise in S/4HANA from SAP itself Industry Expertise A demonstrated history of expertise in addressing the business challenges unique to a particular industry Organizational Readiness (related to SAP S/4HANA) A clear commitment to acquiring the skills and revamping implementation and support methodologies to promote client success with S/4HANA Client Validation Actual clients willing to speak on the partner s ability to guide an organization through a smooth transition to S/4HANA, and evidence of the measurable benefits achieved An itelligence Buyer s Guide itelligencegroup.com/us 7

8 Find the Right Implementation Partner SAP Validation To find a partner that excels with SAP S/4HANA and is dedicated to helping businesses Run Simple with SAP, find out: What SAP credentials for S/4HANA has the company earned? What certifications has the company earned with other key SAP technologies? Has the company received any relevant recognitions or awards from SAP? SAP s recognition of the company as a proven, competent partner is an absolute prerequisite in the evaluation process. SAP invests significant resources in training and certifying partner organizations, and the company s recognition of a partner s skills is a necessary hurdle in identifying a qualified company. SAP uses partnership tiers Silver, Gold, and Platinum to distinguish levels of competencies amongst their vast ecosystem of 13,000+ partners. SAP s Platinum tier is an invitation-only club of top global partners and consultants. Currently there are only about 50 partners around the world who are Platinum members. In addition to partnership tiers, SAP annually recognizes outstanding partner contributions to customer success and innovation by awarding the SAP Pinnacle Award to top SAP partners. In 2016, only 16 companies in SAP s partner ecosystem received awards out of 19 categories. An itelligence Buyer s Guide itelligencegroup.com/us 8

9 Find the Right Implementation Partner Industry/Domain Expertise To find a partner that excels with SAP S/4HANA and is dedicated to helping businesses Run Simple with SAP, find out: Has the company clearly demonstrated thought leadership (for example, blogs, articles in trade journals, presentations at industry events, etc.) in a specific industry? Because companies implement SAP S/4HANA to address their unique customer, market, and operational challenges, the vertical expertise of a potential implementation partner can be a deciding factor. Be sure to account for the following: Industry Thought Leadership Suite on HANA Expertise Has the company earned the relevant SAP certifications in the given industry? Does the company emphasize its vertical expertise via its own communications, web presence, and social media? S4/HANA Expertise SAP Industry Certification An itelligence Buyer s Guide itelligencegroup.com/us 9

10 Find the Right Implementation Partner Organizational Readiness and Adoption of SAP Beyond the credibility and market reputation of a partner company, the experience, expertise, and skills of the individuals in that company have as much to do with the ultimate success of a project as any other consideration. An implementation/integration/support partner should clearly demonstrate its commitment to maintaining the highest standards of staff training and expertise. Questions to ask include: What SAP credentials for S/4HANA has the company earned? What certifications has the company earned with other key SAP technologies? Has the company received any relevant recognitions or awards from SAP? An itelligence Buyer s Guide itelligencegroup.com/us 10

11 Find the Right Implementation Partner Client Validation The most compelling evidence of a partner s qualifications are the recommendations of the clients it serves. Parsing the differences in technology, vertical, and process expertise can be a challenge, and the way a partner company differentiates itself from its competitors may not always be clear. However, the client perspective offers the best evidence of a partner company s strengths and its ability to deliver what it promises. An implementation/integration/support partner should clearly demonstrate its commitment to maintaining the highest standards of staff training and expertise. Questions to ask include: Can the company provide S/4HANA references for full scale system conversions? Net new migrations? Industry-specific implementations? Is the company willing to share its perspective on lessons learned? Is it forthcoming on what has worked and what hasn t with previous S/4 HANA implementations? Does the company have a proven track record of staying on time and on budget with its SAP projects? Can the company speak credibly on emerging trends and paradigms such as digital transformation, the Internet of Things, and other innovations that may factor into a company s future growth plans and what do its clients say about the way the company has helped them embrace new solutions? An itelligence Buyer s Guide itelligencegroup.com/us 11

12 Define a Successful Path to SAP S/4HANA While it s true that an S/4HANA implementation can be a major technological undertaking, it s also a prime opportunity to modernize outdated business practices and embark on a business transformation initiative that positions you for success in today s digital era. You should start with a comprehensive planning approach that prepares you for all implementation scenarios and helps you build a roadmap that best suits your situation and organization. With a plan defined, you can deploy SAP S/4HANA which will set you on your path to realize organization-wide benefits by reducing complexity. Once S/4HANA has been implemented, you can implement new innovations by integrating cloud solutions, and continue innovating with line of business solutions. An itelligence Buyer s Guide itelligencegroup.com/us 12

13 The following elements are critical to a successful collaboration with your implementation partner in achieving the business transformation you need. Project Preparation and Value Discovery Every SAP implementation partner brings SAP expertise to the table. What sets a partner apart is the way they can use that knowledge during your implementation to help you identify opportunities to create value and greater efficiency and address the industry-specific challenges you face. Be sure your partner offers a value discovery workshop and builds a project/implementation roadmap that includes the specific improvement metrics, process reengineering, and organizational goals you want to achieve. Best Business Practices Workshop S/4HANA includes SAP s predefined best practices, and your project plan should include extensive discussion on which SAP best practices will work for you. Conference Room Pilot In this vital step, your partner should work with you on an analysis of the new SAP best practices and your modifications and proprietary processes to identify any gaps that exist and identify whether additional configuration or custom development is required. Personalization Configuring software to industry and micro-vertical business processes is critical for your organization. Personalization allows your organization to address unique industry requirements. Organizational Readiness Even with a cloud deployment, your organization will likely need to update their skills to ensure a smooth transition to S/4HANA. Your project plan should include a frank discussion with your implementation partner regarding the training your internal resources will require to ensure that you realize the full value of your S/4HANA investment. An itelligence Buyer s Guide itelligencegroup.com/us 13

14 Take control and define your roadmap to SAP S/4HANA SAP S/4HANA Cloud Edition SAP S/4HANA Industry-specific Solutions (Medical Research Insights, Health Link) Innovate with Industry and LoB Solutions SAP S/4HANA Cloud Platform SAP S/4HANA SAP Cloud for Customer IoT Integrate Cloud Solutions Reduce Complexity with SAP S/4HANA n Faster financial period closing and reconciliation n Better forecasting n Simple interaction with business networks n Guided configurations n Rapid innovation cycles n Flexibllity and scalability n Native integration n Homogenous data models n Flexible deployment n High user acceptance n Built-in integration with on-premise solutions n Improved inventory managemenet n Lower cost of finance Industry & Micro Industry SAP Business Suite powered by SAP HANA Build Foundation n Increased agility with real-time insight n Simplified landscape and data footprint An itelligence Buyer s Guide itelligencegroup.com/us 14

15 The itelligence Difference 2017 S/4HANA Partner of the Year Our Pedigree At itelligence, we re often asked what makes our approach to an SAP project different. Following are the characteristics that have made us the partner of choice for thousands of SAP customers. Few companies can boast the same corporate pedigree as itelligence. We offer the ideal balance of SAP expertise, global reach, and local presence, with more than 5,800 employees worldwide doing business in 40 countries serving more than 6,000 customers. That total includes more than 250 SAP HANA and S/4HANA customers. We ve been helping businesses capitalize on the value of SAP since Along the way, we ve earned virtually every partner certification available from SAP, including: n SAP Platinum Partner n SAP Global Value Added Reseller n SAP Global Partner Service n SAP Global Partner Hosting n SAP Global Partner SAP HANA n SAP Global Partner Application Management Services n SAP Global Partner Cloud Service Transactions 250+ HANA & S/4HANA PROJECTS Deployments 170+ Go Lives 75+ An itelligence Buyer s Guide itelligencegroup.com/us 15

16 The itelligence Difference Our Product As with any consulting organization, our product is our expertise. However, we also develop the proprietary applications and intellectual property that can add value to your SAP investment. When it comes to addressing the unique functional needs that different businesses have, one size doesn t fit all. We ve created a set of unique apps and extensions that help our clients address the particular functional needs in the industry that may not be addressed with standard SAP functionality. Certified S/4HANA Industry Solutions MFG WSD CPG FOOD LS/MEDICAL DEVICE SAP HANA BW on SAP Suite on SAP SAP HANA S/4HANA S/4HANA BPC / BW Live Side-Car HANA (BWoH) HANA (SoH) Side-Car Finance Enterprise Management on HANA AUTO CHEM CPG DURABLES An itelligence Buyer s Guide itelligencegroup.com/us 16

17 The itelligence Difference Our Practices and Procedures Every SAP implemenation partner offers a methodology. What makes ours different is our ability to accommodate your unique processes, our expertise in specific vertical segments, and our proven experience in helping clients realize the value of new technologies like S/4HANA. An itelligence Buyer s Guide itelligencegroup.com/us 17

18 The itelligence Difference Our People We recognized early on that SAP S/4HANA would redefine how companies do business and we immediately began taking steps to train our team and rework our implementation methodologies to help our clients be ready for an S/4HANA world. Not every SAP partner has made the same commitment. It requires a significant financial investment, resources, and effort. But we are focused on doing everything required to help our clients make a smooth transition to SAP S/4HANA and get a running start on the future. We ll continue to adapt our training, our team, and our processes to help our clients capitalize on the transformative potential of SAP S/4HANA. We believe that the effort isn t just in our best interest it s also fundamental to the ongoing success of the clients we serve. First S/4HANA First SCMoH First CRMoH Intelligence ERP on HANA SAP-Certified Provider of Hosting Services for SAP HEC First BWoH (Ramp up) First Native HANA First ERPoH Today An itelligence Buyer s Guide itelligencegroup.com/us 18

19 The itelligence Difference Our Passion There s no objective way to measure the passion of an implemenation partner but you can gauge it in the willingness of a company s clients to act as references and in the things those clients say about their experience. The following capture the perspective of a few of itelligence s recent SAP HANA clients. Thanks to HANA and itelligence, Johnsonville can enjoy nimble access to company performance, customer metrics and consumer behavior, further enabling the organization to drive competitive advantage, growth and profitability. We were impressed with the expertise identified with itelligence as our hosting partner. We knew little about SAP HANA. They were experts, and we felt they were best equipped to satisfy us from that perspective. - Paul Townsend, Business Intelligence Team Coach, Johnsonville Sausage itelligence had an excellent understanding of HANA technology. It had complete, 360-degree answers for both technical and application-specific issues. - Michael Johnson, CFO, Network Services Company - René Teichmann, CIO, Rickmers Holding An itelligence Buyer s Guide itelligencegroup.com/us 19

20 Want answers on your own plans for SAP S/4HANA? Contact itelligence today. As one of the industry s most experienced implementation partners for SAP S/4HANA, we at itelligence answer a lot of questions from organizations who are searching for the experts that can help them make the most of their own digital transformation project. We d like to do the same for you. No two clients or SAP projects are the same, so we ll show you exactly how we d support your organization in achieving a smooth SAP S/4HANA implementation that opens the door to a whole range of new possibilities for your business. For more information on how itelligence can help you make a smooth transition to SAP S/4HANA, contact us at or s4hana@itelligencegroup.com. An itelligence Buyer s Guide itelligencegroup.com