Simplifying and speeding up SAP implementations with SAP Activate

The last couple of years SAP is advocating the necessity of speed, agility and simplification. With the introduction of S/4HANA, these three elements came together. But not only SAP software has undergone a “facelift”, also the implementation methodology has been changed and reformulated.

The well-known ASAP methodology has been succeeded by the SAP Activate Methodology, which is aligned with best practices that the Project Management Institute (PMI) has documented in its PM Body of Knowledge (PMBOK).

The goal of SAP Activate is to help customers take advantage of all the power and the full potential of SAP S/4HANA, tailored to their circumstances and business needs. SAP Activate is the unique combination of 1) SAP best practices, 2) Guided Configuration and 3) Methodology that helps customers and partners deploy SAP S/4HANA.

• SAP Best Practices for SAP S/4HANA are ready-to-run OLTP and OLAP processes optimized for SAP S/4HANA. These ready-to-run business processes are derived from the collective implementation knowledge of thousands of SAP customers. They also cover integration and migration fundamentals and are designed for guidance through an optimal migration process, whether you’re moving from a legacy SAP system or a non-SAP database.
• The guided configuration contains a set of tools and enables you to apply updates and changes to your configuration. It is provided through the “Manage Your Solution” Fiori-application and consists of the following elements:

• The guided configuration empowers business and IT to work closely together and bridge the well-known gap.
• The SAP Activate methodology uses a consistent approach for any deployment mode chosen: cloud, on premise or hybrid. It supersedes the ASAP methodology for which no further content enhancements will be made. From now onwards all new implementation methodology assets will be made available through the SAP Activate framework. In contradiction to ASAP, which was a rigid/waterfall like methodology, SAP Activate has a more agile/lean approach as to be seen in the overview below:

Conclusion:

SAP Activate is a combination of SAP Best Practices, guided configuration and methodology which allows you to simplify your build- and run activities. It is a big step forward in taking advantage of all the power and potential of SAP S/4HANA and endorses an agile approach which improves flexibility and lowers TCO. Last but not least the improved User eXperience, using a Fiori front-end application, is the icing on the cake. If you’re interested in what S/4HANA and SAP Activate can do for your business, feel free to contact us. 

Simply McCoy