Key Lessons from SAP Business One Projects

I still remember my days in SAP support. I was just out of 6 implementations and eager to make an impact, but soon I found myself caught in a loop—just solving tickets. It felt like I was on autopilot, missing out on the bigger picture. That’s when I realized, if I wanted to grow, I had to dig deeper. 💡 💼 Lesson 1: Don’t just solve the ticket. Explore the entire functionality.  When a ticket came my way, instead of just fixing the issue, I began asking questions. What’s the root cause? How does this functionality fit into the overall business process? This approach didn’t just solve the problem at hand—it built my understanding of the system as a whole. 🔍 Lesson 2: Know the config, the business processes, and the T codes.  I started diving into the configuration, understanding how it was set up, and why. I learned the ins and outs of the business processes. I didn’t just memorize T codes—I understood their significance. This knowledge became my backbone. In fact the system was setup by someone who heads a Consulting Powerhouses in India now. His config were the best of breed. 🔄 Lesson 3: Run end-to-end process cycles on the SAP system.  One of the most valuable things I did was running these cycles myself. It was like taking the system for a test drive. I got to see how everything interconnected, which made me better equipped to solve complex issues. 👨💻 Lesson 4: Understand the exits used—the BAPI, BADI, and routines. Digging into the exits was a game changer. I wasn’t just solving issues; I was understanding the very tools that made the system tick. This gave me the confidence to step up my game. 📝 Lesson 5: Document everything. Every time I resolved an issue or learned something new, I documented it. Over time, this became a valuable resource, not just for me, but for the entire team. It’s also the key to clearing interviews—your documentation becomes your personal success manual. 📈 Lesson 6: Learn from the Change Management process. I took it upon myself to create Change Management documents. At first, it seemed daunting, but it taught me the importance of ITSM processes. It’s like learning to see the bigger picture—how each change impacts the entire system. 👨🏫 Lesson 7: Learn from your boss’s management style. Lastly, I closely observed how my boss handled things. I watched, I learned, and I started incorporating those management techniques into my work. After all, if you aim to grow, you need to see yourself in your boss’s shoes. These lessons didn’t just help me survive in SAP support—they helped me thrive. My biggest salary hikes and promotions came during this period. If you feel like you’re not learning enough in your support project, remember, it’s not about waiting for opportunities. It’s about creating them. Take control, dive deeper, and push yourself to learn beyond the ticket. Your future self will thank you. #SAP #SAPS4HANA #S4HANA #SAPConsulting #SAPCommunity #SAPConsultant #SAPConsultants #SAPSupport

𝗚𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗟𝗶𝗱𝗹 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘄𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝗳𝗳 €𝟱𝟬𝟬 𝗠𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗼𝗻 𝗮 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝗔𝗣 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. Seven years. 1,000 employees. Hundreds of consultants. Zero ROI. The German retail giant had to scrap their entire eLWIS project and revert to legacy systems. What went catastrophically wrong? ➤ Refused to adapt processes to SAP standards (insisted on purchase price vs retail price inventory valuation) ➤ Massive over-customization that broke system integrity ➤ Executive turnover killed project continuity (CEO + Head of IT both left mid-project) ➤ Inadequate change management despite massive investment The kicker? SAP awarded Lidl a "best customer" prize in April 2017... then Lidl killed the project 15 months later. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: 𝟱𝟱-𝟳𝟱% 𝗼𝗳 𝗘𝗥𝗣 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗹. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝘂𝘀𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘁? 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝘀𝗼 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵. 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀: ✅ Set hard budget escalation limits (50%, 100%, 150% triggers) ✅ Limit customization to TRUE competitive differentiators ✅ Ensure leadership stability during multi-year projects ✅ Change management isn't optional - it's survival ERP success isn't about buying the best software. It's about executing the best transformation strategy. #ERP #DigitalTransformation #CFO #ProjectManagement #SAP Key lessons for finance leaders:  Set hard budget escalation limits (50%, 100%, 150% triggers)  Limit customization to TRUE competitive differentiators  Ensure leadership stability during multi-year projects  Change management isn't optional - it's survival ERP success isn't about buying the best software. It's about executing the best transformation strategy. What's the most expensive implementation mistake you've witnessed? #ERP #DigitalTransformation #CFO #ProjectManagement #SAP

💸 “We spent millions on SAP and still don’t have what we need.” I’ve heard this from CIOs, COOs, and even CFOs — months after go-live. And they’re not wrong to feel frustrated. They expected transformation. What they got was transactions. Here’s what often went wrong: ❌ The project started with technical scope, not business outcomes ❌ Discovery was rushed — or skipped ❌ Consultants configured what was asked, not what was needed ❌ Legacy processes were re-implemented without challenge ❌ No one asked, “What does success look like after go-live?” SAP didn’t fail. The vision did. The alignment did. The leadership did. When you spend millions and still feel stuck, it’s not a system issue — it’s a strategy issue. SAP can’t deliver what you need… If no one defined what “need” really means. 🚀 Real transformation starts when: ✅ The business leads with purpose ✅ Consultants guide, not just execute ✅ Decisions are made for scale, not comfort ✅ Success is defined before a single configuration If your team just finished a project and still feels like nothing changed… You didn’t implement SAP. You implemented a system — without a strategy. What have you seen go wrong (or right) in projects with big spend but low impact? Let’s talk. #SAP #ERP #DigitalTransformation #BusinessOutcomes #Leadership #EnterpriseSoftware #PostGoLive