Figure 88: SAP Activate
SAP Activate is a combination of Methodology, Tools and Content to help customers simplify and accelerate the adoption of SAP Solutions such as SAP S/4HANA.
SAP Activate was introduced as an innovation adoption framework for SAP S/4HANA. We often hear in the field that SAP Activate is a new methodology but that is only a third of what it actually is. SAP Activate is a framework consisting of three closely integrated components:
● SAP Best Practices:
Delivers ready-to-run business processes as well as best practices for migration and integration
Available both in the cloud and on-premise (we will discuss the differences during the course)
● SAP Activate Methodology:
Uses agile techniques to implement the SAP S/4HANA solution in the cloud or on-premise Let me expand a little bit on the configuration tools. The Guided Configuration capabilities and Content Lifecycle Management tools are available today in the SAP S/4HANA cloud solutions. In the on-premise implementation, the project teams will use the IMG (Implementation Guide or SPRO) tools to configure the solution. Later in this course, we will discuss the different configuration tools in the respective units dealing with the cloud and on-premise
implementation approach.
When designing the implementation experience for customers who are moving to SAP S/ 4HANA, we must consider the different scenarios that the customers will be following along with the flexibility of choice of deployment. SAP Activate supports the following deployment scenarios of SAP S/4HANA:
● New Implementation ● System Conversion ● Landscape Transformation
New Implementation Scenario
Figure 89: New Implementation Scenario
This scenario describes a New implementation of SAP S/4HANA, for example, for customers migrating a legacy system, also known as “Greenfield” approach.
Customers can gain from a re-engineering and process simplification based on ready-to-run business processes. The implementation will be accelerated through predefined migration objects & best practices available with guided configuration. This approach helps reduce time to value and customer total cost of ownership and rapid adoption of new innovations.
Project Duration Parameters
● Number of data migration objects (Material, Customer, Vendor, etc.)
● Volume and Complexity per data migration object
For SAP S/4HANA Cloud there is no installation required of the software; the customers simply:
● Activate the required business processes
● Migrate the business data from the legacy systems
Remember, the implementation project does not start from scratch. The initial configuration of SAP S/4HANA is based on preconfigured system, providing ready-to-run business processes with sample data, and this marks the starting point.
Existing SAP System Conversion Scenario
Figure 90: System Conversion Scenario
This scenario focuses on existing SAP Business suite customers who want to convert their current system into an SAP S/4HANA system. That means database, SAP NetWeaver, and application transition in one step.
Obviously, the biggest advantage for customers choosing this option is the conversion without re-implementation. This means a non-disruptive approach for existing business processes while still being able to transition over time to the simplified and innovative processes. The good news is that existing customizations can also be converted but there should be a re-evaluation of customization and existing process flows.
It is important that we describe this scenario as conversion, rather than upgrade. We are converting from one SAP product to another SAP product. Upgrades are when we move to the newer version of a product we already run.
Conversion Scenario Steps
● Update your system to SAP NetWeaver Application Server ABAP 7.5.
● Migrate the database to SAP HANA, but only in cases in which the SAP Business Suite Unit 5: Adoption
● Migrate data from the old data structures to the new, simplified data structures.
Landscape Transformation Scenario
Figure 91: Landscape Transformation
In this third scenario supports SAP Business Suite customers who want to consolidate their landscape or to selectively transform data into an SAP S/4HANA system.
The customers can benefit from selective data transformation allowing a phased approach, focusing on parts of the business with highest ROI and lowest TCI. The system and landscape consolidation with harmonized/simplified processes and unified master data will lead to a lower TCO.
Project Duration Parameters
● General: Depending on the selected sub-scenario (System Consolidation, Selective
Migration, Central Finance)
● Specific: Number of systems to be consolidated, volume of selected data
Transformation to SAP S/4HANA Steps
● Possibly a new installation of S/4HANA or a conversion from ERP to S/4HANA. ● Additional migration steps that are based on SAP Landscape Transformation Replication
Server (SLT) in order to move or replicate the data.
● Set up of a central finance instance. This approach is used so that individual legacy source
systems (SAP or non-SAP) can begin to post their finance data in real time to a central S/ 4HANA system (cloud or on premise). This allows customers to get started early with S/ 4HANA Finance, but keep their legacy applications running on existing systems until they are ready to fully convert.
LESSON SUMMARY You should now be able to:
Describe the overall aim of SAP Activate