Avoid outdated processes in SAP S/4HANA

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗱𝗼 𝘀𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗘𝗥𝗣 𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗹? 𝗕𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗳𝘁𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵, not the business transformation it truly is. Listening to my network, there seems to be a rush to complete ERP migrations, as fast as possible, with SAP S/4HANA plans driving most of it. But an ERP system is more than just an IT upgrade. It’s a chance to redesign how your business operates and build a solution architecture that supports agility and innovation. While necessary, these migrations often become redundant without proper alignment to business goals. Something, I've seen happen! Here some get rights to consider: ◉ 𝗔𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀 Ensure that IT and business leaders are on the same page. ERP systems serve broader business objectives, such as innovation, improving procurement strategies, and enhancing supplier relationships. ◉ 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀. Instead of getting caught up in the technology itself, be clear about the business benefits you'd like to achieve. New ERP functionality can be of support to achieve goals like efficiency, cost reduction, and agility. ◉ 𝗦𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗳𝗹𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗲𝗻𝗱-𝘁𝗼-𝗲𝗻𝗱 Don't just migrate complex, outdated processes but streamline them end-to-end. Reevaluate processes for efficiency and desired outcomes. ◉ 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 - 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 ERP migrations often fail due to poor user adoption. Beyond training, invest in communication & ongoing support showing the value and relevance of the system to users. ◉ 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲 𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀-𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀 ERP impacts every area of the business, so cross-team collaboration is essential. Involve stakeholders from finance, procurement, IT, and operations ensures the system meets everyone’s needs. ◉ 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 - 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗲 An ERP system is only as good as the data it processes. Ensure that data is clean, consistent, and reliable before migration. Dirty or incomplete data is one of the biggest challenges post-go-live. ◉ 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗦𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 𝗳𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 Choose an architecture which allows for future-proofing and integration of new features, scalability and integration. Business models evolve, and your ERP must evolve with them." ◉ 𝗦𝗲𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 - 𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗶𝗳 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 Don’t rush an implementation. ERP migrations are complex and require time to integrate properly. A phased approach allows for troubleshooting and mitigates a risk for failure. ❓Any other "get rights" i missed and you would add from your experience. #erp #businesstransformation #migration #sap4hana

The move from SAP ECC to S/4HANA isn’t just an upgrade—it’s an opportunity to rethink how business processes are orchestrated. Instead of keeping workflows embedded within the ERP, leading organizations are externalizing their process layer, making it more agile, scalable, and future-proof. Why Externalize the Process Layer? Historically, SAP ECC tightly integrated business logic and workflows into the core ERP, making processes: 🔹 Rigid & difficult to change (custom code deeply embedded) 🔹 Expensive to maintain (high rework during upgrades) 🔹 ERP-dependent (limited flexibility across systems) With S/4HANA and modern architectures, organizations can decouple process execution from the ERP and manage it in an external process orchestration layer. How Does This Work? 🔹 ERP as a "System of Record" – S/4HANA holds master/transactional data, while process execution is externalized. 🔹 Loosely Coupled API & Event-Driven Architecture – SAP BTP, Kafka, Event Mesh, and middleware enable seamless orchestration. 🔹 Business-Driven, Adaptable Workflows – External BPMN-based process orchestration engines replace embedded SAP workflows, improving agility. Key Benefits ✅ Cross-System Orchestration – Seamless integration across SAP and non-SAP applications. ✅ No More Hardcoded Workflows – Business-driven process adjustments instead of rigid SAP coding. ✅ Third Party AI Integration – Maximum flexibility to embrace innovative new AI technologies in your business processes. ✅ Future-Proofing & Easier Upgrades – SAP updates won’t disrupt business workflows. Challenges to Consider ⚠️ Governance & Ownership – A clear CoE for process automation is recommended. ⚠️ Latency & Performance – Well-architected API/event-based integrations are key, paired with a highly scalable orchestration engine. ⚠️ Standardized Process Modeling – Full support of the BPMN standard ensures clarity and consistency. Is This Right for Your Organization? ✅ Ideal for: Enterprises with complex, cross-system processes (manufacturing, logistics, financial services). ❌ Less critical for: Companies with highly standardized SAP-centric processes. Final Thought: The shift to S/4HANA is a chance to modernize, not just migrate. Let SAP be the system of record, while a best-of-breed process orchestration layer drives agility, innovation, and scalability. How is your organization approaching process orchestration in its S/4HANA journey?

AI Won’t Rescue a Broken SAP Business Case Too many transformation roadmaps still fall into the same trap: “Add AI, and ROI will follow.” But here’s the reality executives don’t like to face: Automating reconciliations that shouldn’t exist in the first place doesn’t create efficiency — it hardwires waste into your future. Migrating outdated processes into S/4HANA doesn’t modernize them — it cements yesterday’s design on tomorrow’s platform. Predictive algorithms can optimize a plan — but if the plan is structurally wrong, you’re just predicting failure faster. AI inside SAP isn’t a silver bullet. It’s a magnifier. It multiplies clarity, control, and efficiency if the underlying process is sound. But if the foundation is broken, AI scales the dysfunction. The real business case is not “AI will save us.” It’s: 1️⃣ Reimagine processes to eliminate waste, redundancy, and friction. 2️⃣ Redesign for resilience, compliance, and agility. 3️⃣ Then automate with AI — to accelerate what truly drives business value. CFOs and CIOs who fall for the “AI shortcut” risk burning millions to make inefficiency run faster. The leaders who win are those who use AI as a force multiplier — not a bandage. Question for you: In your SAP roadmap — are you multiplying value, or multiplying pain? For more visit: www.asardigital.com #ASARDIGITAL #SAP #SAPS4HANA #AI #ERP #DigitalTransformation #FinanceTransformation #ProcessExcellence #CFO #CIO #CTO #BusinessValue #IntelligentEnterprise

** Why "Clean Core" and "Fit to standard" should be guiding principles of your SAP S/4HANA implementation *** In the ever-evolving landscape of SAP ERP projects, two guiding principles stand out as essential pillars for achieving seamless and effective implementations: "Fit to Standard" and "Clean Core." These principles may seem straightforward, but their impact is nothing short of transformative. Let's dive into why they are crucial for doing ERP projects right: 🎯 "Fit to Standard" - Aligning with Best Practices: One size doesn't fit all, but striving for alignment with proven industry best practices sets the foundation for success. Embracing "Fit to Standard" means leveraging the out-of-the-box functionalities offered by modern ERP systems. This approach minimizes unnecessary customizations, streamlines processes, and accelerates implementation timelines. By optimizing existing features, your organization can harness the power of tried-and-true processes, ensuring efficiency and future scalability. 🌟 "Clean Core" - The Essence of Simplicity: Complexity may seem impressive, but simplicity is where true power resides. A "Clean Core" philosophy advocates for a streamlined and uncluttered SAP environment. By avoiding bloated configurations and intricate customizations, you ensure smoother system maintenance, easier upgrades, and reduced risk of bottlenecks. A clean core paves the way for agility, allowing your organization to adapt swiftly to changing business needs. If you need to individualize, SAP BTP is the perfect platform for it, not need to modify your ERP. 📈 The Impact on ROI and Long-Term Success: Embracing "Fit to Standard" and "Clean Core" isn't just about immediate gains – it's an investment in the future. These principles result in a more manageable and cost-effective ERP landscape, driving up your return on investment over time. Moreover, they position your organization to readily adopt innovations and embrace digital transformation without the burden of cumbersome legacy structures. 💡 So, How Can You Leverage These Principles? Begin by fostering a deep understanding of your organization's unique requirements while acknowledging that not every customization is a necessity. Engage in thorough business process analysis, mapping your processes to the standard functionalities offered by your ERP system. Embrace "Clean Core" by focusing on what truly adds value to your operations and resisting the temptation to over-engineer. By adopting "Fit to Standard" and "Clean Core" principles, you're not only setting the stage for a successful ERP implementation but also paving the way for sustained growth, innovation, and competitive advantage. Let's chart a course toward ERP excellence, where simplicity and alignment lead to remarkable achievements. #SAP #FitToStandard #CleanCore #DigitalTransformation #BusinessExcellence #Innovation

ECC LSMW and BDC: These traditional methods rely on flat file uploads and are often limited in the volume of data that can be efficiently migrated. They lack real-time error reporting and require significant manual involvement in the mapping and transformation of legacy data. Manual Data Load: Data migrations through BDC require manual involvement and are often prone to errors. Each data load may require different configurations depending on the source system, and there is a lack of visibility into the status of the migration. S/4HANA SAP S/4HANA Migration Cockpit: Unlike LSMW, the Migration Cockpit offers pre-configured templates and enables real-time data validation and automated error handling during migration. It is capable of handling large volumes of data without significant performance degradation Selective Data Transition: In S/4HANA, Selective Data Transition allows for the migration of specific subsets of data, rather than migrating everything at once. This enables phased migrations, reducing the risk of data corruption and simplifying the testing phase.