The end of SAP ERP maintenance is drawing ever closer and so is the switch to SAP S/4HANA for companies. The number of M&A projects also continues to rise after the record year of 2021. In 2022, the number of M&A transactions is expected to be the same or higher, increasing the pressure on transformation houses, as well as for companies. More projects need to be executed more efficiently with a consistent supply of experts. Especially in the SAP transformation sector, many project delays are avoidable from the beginning. Based on our experience, we would like to give you five tips for your transformation.
1. before the project, think about what your goals are and how you want to achieve them.
For many companies, the question of scope drags on throughout the life of a project. It is easy to remember what has been done, but the question of why you are doing a project is often ignored. Turn the approach around and define what you want to accomplish first. The advantage of this is that you can communicate consistent goals to your project team that are made measurable with quality metrics. In this way, you create the raison d'être for the project. Don't start planning the details right away, but first ask yourself the fundamental questions: Are you carrying out the project in-house or are you looking for a service provider? Is the solution to your problem an off-the-shelf solution or does it need to be developed first? What project methodology should be used? These and other questions should be answered before you start planning your project.
2. set up your project correctly from the beginning.
Take the time to set up the project properly. Identify the project's stakeholders and define clear responsibilities throughout the project. With this information, you can answer two key questions. Who is on my core project team and how and to whom do I need to communicate? In addition, you should define what is needed to achieve the project before it starts. This includes answering the question of what the system landscape should look like and what access and permissions are necessary to implement the project. In addition, the project team must be given the necessary room for maneuver to react quickly to changes in the project environment. With clear responsibilities and the definition of the requirements relevant for project implementation, you can start project implementation.
3. enable your resources to make the project a success.
IT projects in particular involve a considerable amount of testing for the departments concerned. Create the necessary space for your departments by, for example, putting other projects on the back burner or arranging for substitutions in day-to-day business. Motivation also plays an important role here, since the efficiency of your project implementation stands and falls with it. To achieve this, stay in constant contact with your team and carry out the necessary stakeholder and change management. This will help them in the medium and long term, as they can identify problems or fears early on and take appropriate action.
4. do not take on too much at once.
After all, one meter every day is 365 meters in a year. What we're saying is that it's better to take on many projects one at a time, rather than all at once. Take your goals and define which projects are necessary to achieve them. Prioritize them and put them in a logical order in which you will tackle the projects. This will take you longer, but it will guarantee the quality of the project results. We recommend a maximum of 3 projects at a time, depending on the strength of the project team. Let's take an SAP S/4HANA project as an example: With SAP S/4HANA, the use of the Universal Journal (ACDOCA), SAP Business Partner and Asset Accounting becomes mandatory. Of course, you can set up an SAP S/4HANA Conversion Program in which you take care of all three topics including migration. However, we recommend that you separate the 4 projects and at least create the business concepts so that you can focus on the migration during the conversion.
5. no SAP transformation project without active change management
All four of the previous tips contain parts of change management. This is because, especially in transformation projects, the change to your organization needs to be actively managed. Almost every employee is affected, which is why you should clearly explain the goals, the effects, the status of the project and the reason for the project. In doing so, it is a good idea to go beyond the existing team structures. Start at the top hierarchy and share all the necessary information so that your team leaders can pass the information on to your team. In doing so, ensure a continuous flow of information. Especially in mergers or carve-out projects, wrong information and the resulting uncertainty are the last thing you want in such a project.
From our point of view, these five tips are essential for every SAP transformation project, but also for every other project in the IT environment. Please feel free to contact us if you would like more information on the individual points or if you would like to add further points. We look forward to a direct exchange with you.