A Natural TranS/4mation Part 3: Empower Your Business

In parts 1 and 2 of this three-part series, I explained why you need to move to SAP S/4HANA and outlined the steps you should take to guarantee a successful conversion. In this third and final part, I will discuss each stage of the conversion process in greater detail.

Preparation: The Key to Success

As I mentioned in Part 2 of this blog series, your journey to SAP S/4HANA involves three principal phases: discover, prepare, and deploy. Discover is where you ascertain exactly what your company can expect from the solution; prepare is where you ensure that the conversion is possible; and deploy is where you perform the conversion itself.

Having established a clear picture of what you hope to achieve with SAP S/4HANA, you can begin the first step of the preparatory phase: running the Maintenance Planner. This SAP-hosted solution checks your system’s business functions, industry solutions, and add-ons, seeking a valid path for conversion. If no valid path is available, the Maintenance Planner prevents the conversion; otherwise, you can move on to performing pre-checks.

Pre-checks provide a list of the steps you have to fulfill before converting to SAP S/4HANA. Yet this is not the only list you will need to refer to during the prepare phase. The Simplification List describes in detail what happens to individual transactions and solution capabilities when converted to SAP S/4HANA. Anything that cannot be conveyed directly may be merged with other elements or reflected within a new solution.

The final step in the prepare phase is to check the Custom Code Migration Worklist. This enables you to determine which of the custom code is being used and which is surplus to requirements. Based on this information, you can then make changes and analyze their impact.

The Final Phase

By now, everything should be in place for the final phase: deploy. This means running the Software Update Manager, which itself comprises three main tasks: installing the SAP HANA database, updating the software, and converting data tables to the new data model. Once you have done all of this, you will be running SAP S/4HANA.

However, this does not necessarily mean that you are getting the most out of the solution; SAP S/4HANA’s true power lies in its capacity for innovation. As such, possible post-conversion follow-on activities include modifying specific applications, enhancing the system based on customer approach and requirements, and configuring SAP Fiori.

Beyond Conversion

Over the past three articles, I have explained why you should make the switch to SAP S/4HANA, what you stand to gain from the move, how to prepare for conversion, and what the process entails. There is undoubtedly a lot to consider, but it is important to remember that NTT DATA Business Solutions will be with you every step of the way – from initial consultation to implementation and beyond. We also offer a variety of workshops on SAP S/4HANA conversion; listen to Part 3 of our webinar series to find out more. Or, for an at-a-glance overview of the process, take a look at our handy Infographic.

Contact us now for more information. We offer workshops tailored to your needs to help you define your organization’s path to SAP S/4HANA. Write us at: [email protected]