At SC Silver Consultancy, we understand that transitioning to SAP S/4HANA is a significant undertaking. To ensure a smooth and successful migration, we have structured our approach into four key phases: Licensing Workshop, Preproject Planning, Premigration Actions, and Actual Migration. These phases align with the SAP Activate methodology, a proven framework that organizes implementation into six phases: Discover, Prepare, Explore, Realize, Deploy, and Run. This alignment ensures your journey to SAP S/4HANA follows a structured, best-practice-driven process.
In this blog series, we will guide you through each phase, providing detailed insights and best practices for a seamless migration. Below, we map our four phases to the SAP Activate methodology and outline what you can expect:
1. Licensing Workshop (Discover Phase)
Our journey begins with the Licensing Workshop, a foundational step that aligns with the Discover phase in the SAP Activate methodology. At SC Silver Consultancy, we collaborate closely with our trusted partner, Prolona, to organize this workshop, ensuring a comprehensive exploration of SAP S/4HANA licensing options. This phase is designed to help your organization evaluate available licensing models, identify the best fit for your specific needs, and set clear expectations for your SAP S/4HANA environment. Together, we establish a solid baseline for managing costs effectively and aligning the project scope. By addressing these elements early in the process, we lay the groundwork for a successful migration.
2. Preproject Planning (Prepare and Explore Phases)
The Preproject Planning phase corresponds to the Prepare and Explore phases of SAP Activate and builds directly on the outcomes of the previous Licensing Workshop. This phase is critical for laying the groundwork for a successful migration, with a focus on system analysis, workshops, and detailed migration planning. Organizations begin by assessing their current system landscape to evaluate readiness for the migration and identify potential challenges. Based on these insights, a detailed migration timeline is developed to manage expectations and allocate resources effectively. Additionally, training sessions and workshops are conducted to familiarize the project team and end-users with SAP S/4HANA functionalities, ensuring that all stakeholders are informed and prepared for the transition. By concluding the analysis and planning efforts initiated in the Licensing Workshop, this phase ensures alignment across the organization and establishes a robust foundation for a smooth migration process.
3. Premigration Actions (Realize Phase)
The Premigration Actions phase aligns with the Realize phase in SAP Activate and marks the beginning of the actual action steps required to prepare for the migration. This phase focuses on both technical and organizational readiness, starting with critical tasks such as Unicode Conversion, which ensures that the system meets SAP S/4HANA prerequisites. Key activities also include converting existing forms to Adobe Forms to enhance reporting capabilities and transitioning the data model to the Business Partner approach for consistent and accurate master data management. Additionally, migrating to the SAP HANA database is another essential step in preparing the environment. While these are just a few examples of the numerous steps involved, all these actions collectively streamline the migration process by reducing complexity, mitigating risks, and optimizing costs and timelines.
4. Actual Migration (Deploy Phase)
The Actual Migration phase is where the transition to SAP S/4HANA takes place, corresponding to the Deploy phase of SAP Activate. During this phase, data is migrated from legacy systems to the new SAP S/4HANA environment with precision and oversight to maintain data integrity. Integration testing and user acceptance testing (UAT) are conducted to ensure that the system functions as expected and aligns with business needs. Finally, the system goes live, with the transition managed carefully to minimize disruption to ongoing operations. This phase requires meticulous planning and execution to ensure a successful go-live and a smooth handover to the operational environment.
5. Post-Migration Insights and Ongoing Support (Run Phase)
Following the migration, the focus shifts to ongoing support and continuous improvement, aligning with the Run phase in SAP Activate. While not explicitly defined as a separate phase, this stage involves revisiting key learnings from each phase of the migration process, optimizing the system’s performance, and addressing any issues that arise post-migration. By establishing a robust support framework, organizations can maximize the value of their SAP S/4HANA environment and ensure that it continues to meet their evolving needs.
At SC Silver Consultancy, our goal is to equip your organization with a clear, structured approach to SAP S/4HANA migration. By aligning our methodology with SAP Activate, we ensure a smooth, efficient, and successful transformation to this next-generation ERP platform. Stay tuned for detailed insights into each phase in our upcoming blog posts!
Contact SC Silver Consultancy today to learn how we can support your SAP S/4HANA migration every step of the way.
