Intelligent Business Decisions

Automagic Insight 🪄 Power Automate Tip of the Day! Did you know? You don't need a variable in a Do Until loop to control when it stops! 💡 I recently tested a new approach and found that you can evaluate dynamic content directly in the Do Until action, skipping the need for variables entirely. It simplifies your flow and reduces unnecessary steps. 🎉 Here's an Example: Imagine you’re sending reminders every 3 days during an ongoing approval process: 1️⃣ Traditional Approach ✅ Initialize a variable (e.g., ApprovalStatus). ✅ Inside the Do Until loop: Send a reminder email. Update the variable with the current approval status. ✅ Evaluate the variable in the Do Until condition (e.g., ApprovalStatus = Approved). 2️⃣ Dynamic Content Approach ✅ Skip initializing the variable. ✅ Inside the Do Until loop: Send a reminder email. Add a delay of 3 days. ✅ In the Do Until condition, directly check dynamic content, such as the approval status output from the connector (e.g., ApprovalStatus = Approved). The loop will automatically stop when the approval status equals "Approved," no variables needed! Important Note on the New Power Automate UI 🚨 When working in the new Power Automate UI, you may notice that dynamic content doesn’t show up immediately when adding the Do Until action. 💡 To resolve this: ✅ Save the flow after adding the Do Until action. ✅ Reopen the flow and check the condition. Once the flow reloads, the dynamic content will become available. This quirk can catch you off guard, so keep it in mind when setting up your flow! Why Is This Better? 🚀 Simpler Flows: Fewer steps = less clutter. ⚡ Efficient Execution: No need to maintain or update a variable. 🔧 Reduced Errors: Fewer moving parts mean fewer things can go wrong. Pro Tip: When using dynamic content: Add a timeout to the Do Until loop to prevent infinite loops (e.g., PT30D for 30 days). ✅ Use a delay action inside the loop to control the frequency of reminders. ✅ For example, a 3-day delay ensures you’re not sending reminders too often. Have you tried a variable-free Do Until in your flows? Or encountered quirks with dynamic content in the new UI? Share your thoughts and tips below! 👇 #PowerAutomate #WorkflowAutomation #Productivity #AutomagicInsight

🌄 Monday Awakening: The Transformative Leap to SAP S/4HANA for Tomorrow's Success It's Monday morning, a time often associated with a fresh start, an opportunity to set the tone for the week ahead. As we sip our first cup of coffee and scroll through our emails, let's pause for a moment to contemplate a crucial decision looming on the horizon of corporate strategy: the transition to SAP S/4HANA. This isn't just another item on your to-do list; it's a pivotal move that could redefine the future of your organization. ⁉ The Misconception of Waiting for 2027 Many organizations are playing the waiting game, aiming for a 2027 shift to SAP S/4HANA, the deadline set by SAP for ending support for its previous ERP systems. This might seem like a cost-saving tactic, but in reality, it's a ticking time bomb. By delaying, you're not conserving resources; you're potentially squandering them. 💹 The Inflation in SI Partner Costs One of the critical factors often overlooked is the staggering inflation in the costs associated with System Integrator (SI) partners. The demand for high-quality resources essential for S/4HANA implementations and migrations is skyrocketing. This demand surge leads to increased costs, and the longer you wait, the higher these expenses will climb. By postponing your move, you're inadvertently setting up your organization for a financially challenging transition. 🐦 The Early Bird Gets the Better Deal SAP, like any forward-thinking entity, rewards early adopters. Currently, as the RISE with SAP initiative is gaining traction, SAP is more likely to offer attractive deals to organizations that choose to transition early. These deals can include favorable pricing or deals. In contrast, waiting another 3-4 years, when the adoption of RISE with SAP is in full swing, you're likely to encounter different terms and lesser deals. 🚜 A Call to Action Now is the time to act. Think of your organization as a ship navigating through the turbulent seas of technological advancement and market competition. The decision to transition to SAP S/4HANA is akin to changing the course of this ship. Yes, it requires effort, resources, and strategic planning, but the benefits far outweigh the temporary challenges. By making this transition now, you're not just keeping up with technology; you're positioning your organization to be a leader in innovation and efficiency. As we embark on another week, let's not just go through the motions. Let's be proactive and make decisions that will have a lasting positive impact on our organizations. The move to SAP S/4HANA is not just a technical upgrade; it's a strategic investment in the future. The time to act is now. Don't wait until it's too late. Change the course of your ship and sail towards a more efficient, innovative, and prosperous future. #SAP #SAPS4HANA #S4HANA #SAPCommunity #RISEWithSAP #GROWWithSAP #SAPConsulting #SAPConsultant #SAPConsultants

Many SAP customers have initiated or are in the process of transitioning their SAP ERP to SAP S/4HANA on Rise with SAP. However, there is often missing information regarding the technical aspects of Rise with SAP's offerings, migration requirements, and its benefits. This information gap sometimes leads to misinformation in Requests for Proposal (RFPs), resulting in numerous irrelevant or out-of-scope tasks and deliverables being included in the scope of an SAP partner, necessitating subsequent amendments. In my experience, some of the common technical areas where gaps are evident and questions arise during client discussions include: 👉🏼 How will users connect to SAP in the cloud? Via the internet or an internal network? 👉🏼 What does the network architecture entail, including VPNs, WAN, or MPLS connectivity? 👉🏼 Which SAP instances (Sandbox, Dev, QA, Prod) can be migrated to Rise with SAP? 👉🏼 What is FUE, and why is there a need for a minimum of 135 FUE when actual requirements may be lower? 👉🏼 Why are SAP partner Basis consultants unable to perform traditional tasks such as backup/restore, system copy, and kernel update? 👉🏼 Who will configure HA/DR for SAP S/4HANA? 👉🏼 Is Rise with SAP a Software as a Service (SaaS) product? 👉🏼 Who is responsible for covering the cloud subscription expenses? 👉🏼 Does Rise with SAP provide unlimited data egress/ingress? 👉🏼 Can older versions of SAP S/4HANA be migrated and run on Rise with SAP? 👉🏼 How is their SAP infrastructure secured from external threats in Rise with SAP? 👉🏼 Is using SAP BTP services alongside SAP S/4HANA on Rise with SAP mandatory? To ensure that these queries are comprehensively addressed and to facilitate informed decisions with the right mindset during the transition of SAP ERP to Rise with SAP, I strongly believe customers must seek proper guidance, advisory, and consulting from SAP or their trusted SAP partners at the very beginning of the planning phase of the transformation journey. Feel free to share your thoughts and experiences too!! #risewithsap #saponcloud #s4hana

Last week someone asked me….. “𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘢 𝘚𝘈𝘗 𝘧𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵. 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘈𝘐?” I paused for a moment...Because the truth is… There is no single right answer. However, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐮𝐬. Here is what I told him.. First of all...DO NOT start by jumping into heavy coding or deep data science. INSTEAD..begin with the basics of GenAI. JUST ENOUGH to understand how LLMs work… and where they add value in business processes. Then...?? Next, explore 𝐒𝐀𝐏 𝐉𝐎𝐔𝐋𝐄. Joule is already embedded in SAP solutions..Start noticing how prompts and responses show up in your daily processes. Treat Joule as your colleague… learn by observing. Further.... Look at 𝐒𝐀𝐏 𝐁𝐓𝐏 𝐀𝐈 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬. There are so many ready-to-use scenarios… SAP Document AI, Generative AI Hub... Remember...You don’t have to build everything from scratch. Finally... Pick one business pain point you know very well from your SAP industry And..ask yourself… "how could AI reduce the manual effort here?" Explore more on that. 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐀𝐈 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥… 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥. And here is the most important point: - Use SAP trial systems to experiment freely - Check out SAP official learning courses and tutorials...they are structured, practical, and directly relevant to real business scenarios. - Try small projects in your current work… even a tiny automation counts. - Stay curious… stay connected with experts.. ---------------------------------------------------- What do you think? Is it the right approach? ---------------------------------------------------- #SAP #SAPS4HANA #SAPBTP #BusinessAI #SAPJoule

My thoughts on the most pressing questions many of my fellow CIOs are facing today (other than AI) Modernizing Legacy SAP ERP: the True Costs/ benefit Large Enterprises The push to modernize legacy SAP ERP systems is at a critical juncture. Large enterprises face a strategic dilemma: should they transition to on-premise S/4HANA or migrate to the private cloud via Azure, AWS, or GCP? While SAP and hyperscalers tout cloud as the inevitable future, does the business case truly add up? Let me share my view: The Case for On-Premise S/4HANA ✅ Data Sovereignty & Control: Mission-critical applications remain in-house, ensuring compliance with regulatory and security needs. ✅ Cost Predictability: No recurring cloud subscription fees; costs remain within IT CapEx budgets. ✅ Customization & Performance: High flexibility for industry-specific configurations without cloud provider restrictions. ❌ Infrastructure Costs: Requires substantial upfront investments in hardware, maintenance, and specialized SAP Basis teams. ❌ Scalability Challenges: Upgrading and scaling require additional CapEx and planning, making agility an issue. ❌ Talent Shortages: Finding skilled SAP Basis and ABAP developers is becoming increasingly difficult. The Private Cloud Argument (Azure, AWS, GCP) ✅ Elastic Scalability: Enterprises can scale computing power on demand, avoiding over-provisioning. ✅ Lower IT Overhead: Managed cloud services reduce dependency on in-house SAP technical teams. ✅ Security & Compliance: Hyperscalers offer best-in-class security, but at an additional cost. ✅ Future-Proofing with AI & Analytics: Easier access to cloud-native AI/ML services for real-time analytics. ❌ Lock-in Risk: Enterprises become dependent on SAP’s RISE program and cloud hyperscalers, limiting flexibility. ❌ Cost Overruns: While OpEx pricing seems attractive, long-term cloud costs often exceed on-premise investments. ❌ Performance Variability: Shared cloud environments can lead to latency and unpredictable performance. ❌ Complex Migrations: Moving from ECC to S/4HANA Cloud is not a simple lift-and-shift; extensive reimplementation is needed. Hidden Costs & the SAP-Cloud Hyperscaler Play • SAP Benefits the Most: The cloud-first push enables SAP to enforce RISE contracts, generating steady recurring revenue. • Licensing & Exit Costs: SAP’s licensing structure and vendor lock-in make moving out of RISE costly. • Unclear ROI Timelines: Cloud cost advantages materialize only after years, making the short-term financial case weak. Therefore, No Clear Winner, but a Cloud-First Hype remains • For heavily customized industries (e.g., manufacturing, defense, pharma), on-premise remains relevant. • For fast-scaling, digital-first firms, private cloud offers agility but at a price. • Hybrid cloud models with selective cloud adoption (e.g., AI, analytics, disaster recovery) may be the best compromise.

If your IT landscape is deeply rooted in SAP and you are planning an SAP S/4HANA migration, STOP and rethink before you dive into Phase 0. Many organizations rush into Phase 0 without addressing critical architectural decisions, leading to costly rework and misalignment with long-term business objectives.   1. What is your plan for SAP applications other than Business Suite, which are also nearing the end of their mainstream support? 2. Are you simply following SAP’s roadmap for those applications, or are you designing the right enterprise architecture for your business? 3. Have you considered the full scope of your IT landscape and potential integration points before locking into S/4HANA? 4. Is your architecture flexible enough to adapt to future business needs and technology changes?   Jumping straight into a like-for-like SAP migration might lock you into fragmented decisions. The key? An independent, strategic perspective that evaluates best-of-breed options beyond SAP's default recommendations.   At Baringa, we bring deep SAP and industry expertise with an unbiased, business-led approach helping you make the right architectural choices before you commit to S/4HANA.   Read the full article to uncover the real questions you need to ask before your SAP transformation:   #SAP #S4HANA #EnterpriseArchitecture #SAPMigration #DigitalTransformation Veronika Bratel Rob Kershaw Mandeep Gill Melissa Bailey John van Wyk Silas O'Dea Mark Fidler Andrew Mercer Lisa Maxwell Chris Griffiths Sahir Abdul Eric Dombrowski

𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗜 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗜 𝗴𝗼? - 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗔𝗣 𝗘𝗖𝗖 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗱𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗺𝗮 ⚖️ Imagine this: You’re a medium-sized European manufacturing company in the steel industry. Back in the late 2000s, you made the strategic decision to transition your outdated SAP system to SAP's then-new flagship, ERP 6.0 (ECC). 🚀 The journey was long and costly. Originally estimated at a 7-figure budget, the project dragged on for years, ultimately costing 50% more—reaching into 8 figures. The reasons were many: no tailored industry solution, the rigidity of SAP standards, and extensive customizations required to mold the system to your business needs. But once you finally went live, everything clicked into place. Your entire company was managed from a single, integrated system. 🖥️ For the last 15 years, aside from some necessary HR patches and EhP upgrades, your SAP ECC has been as stable as a rock—supporting your business seamlessly and providing C-level executives with a comprehensive view of operations 📊. The investment was massive, but the returns have finally begun to justify the cost. 💼 𝗙𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁... 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲: 𝗦/𝟰𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗔 𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘆? 🤔 With SAP’s announcement that ECC maintenance will end in 2027, you’re being told to make another significant investment. Enter S/4HANA—a platform that strongly encourages you to start from scratch with a greenfield implementation, once again costing millions 💵. To add to the pressure, SAP’s future roadmap is predominantly cloud-focused, offering only private and public cloud editions. Now, your C-level executives are facing some tough questions: ▪ How do we approach this transformation, especially during challenging economic times with soaring energy costs?  ▪ Do we really want to start over and invest millions again?  ▪ Why are we being cornered into a cloud solution we’re not entirely sold on?  ▪ Will we ever see a return on this new investment? 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗪𝗮𝘆 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱: Two key insights: 1️⃣ You’re not alone. Many companies are grappling with the same tough decisions. 🤝  2️⃣ Be cautious about who you consult. SAP partners or system integrators may have their own agendas. ⚠️ 𝗠𝘆 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲: Don’t rush into a decision based on external pressures. Engage an independent advisor who can provide an unbiased evaluation of all your options. Understand that this decision isn’t just about technology; it’s about the future direction of your business. 🛤️ 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲? Have you faced similar dilemmas? Do your customers find themselves in the same situation? Please share in the comments below. Judith O., Paul Byrne, Carsten Leschke, Kyler Cheatham, Sana Asher - I'd love to hear your expert opinions on this critical issue

I’ve seen the “Cloud decision” stall more SAP projects than budget ever did. S/4HANA Public or Private? RISE or not? It sounds like a technical choice, but it’s really a strategic one. And here’s what most project teams get wrong: They choose based on where they are, not where they want to go. Here’s a quick reality check: Public Cloud is fast and clean — …but it demands real change. Private Cloud gives flexibility — …but at a higher cost and slower pace. The table below breaks it down simply. (No buzzwords, just what actually matters.) But the decision isn’t just about tech. It’s about: • Your internal SAP skills • Appetite for change • Legacy systems (and how much you’re willing to let go) • Risk tolerance and compliance needs I’ve worked with clients who chose Public Cloud and thrived. I’ve seen others regret not going Private. It depends entirely on your business goals and not the sales pitch. If your team is wrestling with this right now, ask: Who's going to manage change, not just the system? How much custom work actually adds value? Can your people and processes adapt to the Cloud rhythm? S/4HANA isn’t just a product decision. It’s a culture shift. If you want to talk through it with someone who knows both — and doesn’t work for SAP — I’m here.

Which of your existing #HubSpot sequences should you switch over to the new Dynamic sequences? The new dynamic sequences beta uses automated emails to engage a prospect, then switches over to manual tasks once they have opened or clicked one of those emails. They're great for ensuring your sales team is spending their time on the warmest leads, but I wouldn't run out and replace ALL of your sequences right away. Instead, I'd take a look at the normal sequences your team uses today and ask yourself: 1) What email-only sequences could benefit from manual touches with engaged contacts? -- Look for sequences with a lot of opens and clicks, but low meeting and reply rates 2) What sequences have manual tasks near the beginning, but those manual tasks are ineffective -- Look for sequences where those first few manual tasks are resulting in low meeting or connection rates These are the sequences that are most likely to perform better with the new dynamic sequences. Those that fall in the first category will get an extra boost from the manual actions, and those in the second category will reduce wasted time without hurting performance. As always, track how things change and use this to inform future decisions! #HubSpotTipsAndTricks #CRM #sales

How SAP Joule Accelerates SAP Implementations AI isn’t just a support tool anymore - it’s accelerating every phase of SAP projects. Implementations are complex, resource-intensive, and often delayed. SAP Joule changes that by embedding AI assistance into all phases of your implementation lifecycle. Here’s how it works: ✅ Project Initiation Joule accelerates scope definition, stakeholder alignment, and early planning. ✅ Requirements Gathering AI translates business needs into structured requirements, reducing ambiguity. ✅ Solution Design Joule suggests optimized process maps, integration points, and configuration ideas. ✅ Configuration Setup Automates validation, generates configuration templates, and reduces setup rework. ✅ Development Phase Supports developers with test scripts, snippets, and integration coding. ✅ Integration Testing Predicts conflicts, designs test cases, and validates workflow accuracy. ✅ User Training Delivers AI-powered simulations, contextual guidance, and personalized training journeys. ✅ Go-Live Preparation Guides cutover planning, risk assessments, and readiness checklists. ✅ Hypercare Support Identifies post-go-live issues early and suggests proactive fixes. ✅ Knowledge Transfer Auto-generates training manuals, user documentation, and process guides. The outcome? Faster delivery, lower costs, fewer delays - and a more confident project team. SAP Joule isn’t theory - it’s transforming SAP implementations in real time. P.S. Save this post - you’ll want these steps handy for your next rollout. Save 💾 ➞ React 👍 ➞ Share ♻️ Follow Alok Kumar for more SAP Joule and implementation insights.