- SAP Managed Tags
Intro:
Let us see the S/4 Hana Green field Implementation from Consultant point of view. This might help someone. SAP provides a lot of tools and instruction to implement a SAP Project like a software installation and initial setup in mobile. let's see.
Overview:
Before starting let us get to know about three pillars of SAP Activate.
- SAP Best Practices
- SAP Guided Configuration
- SAP Activate methodology
1.1 SAP Best Practices: It is a set of standardized, pre-configured solutions made for different industries to implement SAP solutions.
After buying SAP ERP license we should activate the best practice in SAP GUI via transaction /n/SMB/BBI. On activating this the basic configuration will be copied to new system. So that you can do copy the standard configs based on business and do hands-on with the test scripts which are available in Best practice explorer.
Once implemented configuration in SIMG will appear. (OPJH)
On implementing this basic master data also will be copied to fresh SAP system for performing the test scripts which are available in Signavio (Previously SAP Best practice explorer)
1.2 Guided Configuration : It's a set of tools, assets, and accelerators, designed for easy configuration of SAP systems and business processes. Using the SAP roadmap viewer, customers can identify which SAP Activate roadmap is needed, depending on the SAP solution in question.By exploring “SAP Endorsed Apps” you can find solutions such as the LeanIX EAM, which has integration with SAP Signavio.
Tools - Manage your Solution, Configure your solution apps in SAP Cloud edition will help on configuring the system like how we do initial setup after buying a mobile.
SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP) tools for extensibility is used to do customization in fiori apps (like hana studio or eclipse).
You can add SOLMAN (on-premise) and Cloud ALM tools as well which are used for task assignments, Defects monitoring, Project managements, and Creating Process flow docs.
Assets & Accelerators - SAP Signavio Process Navigator - It includes assets like best practices process flows, test documetns, templates, and documentation that provide guidance and support throughout the configuration process. Using this documents we can run the test scripts in SAP to get clear idea. Note: You need Suser id to download the test scripts.
Downloaded Test script contains data:
Business roles needed will be added to system by scope activation in on premise.
In Cloud apps like Maintain Business Roles are available:
In Process flow diagram same roles can be seen on top
1.3 Activate Methodology: Roadmap It's a project-implementation methodology used to plan and implement complex SAP solutions. It is built on the Agile methodology, which takes an iterative approach to continuously improve processes to increase the project’s overall quality and success. (Sucessor of ASAP). The 6 phases of Activate methodology are
Discover - > Prepare - > Explore - > Realize - > Deploy - > Run
Main Part (Based on Experience)
Discover phase
In the Discover phase customer’s core team is enabled to understand breadth, depth, and functionality of RISE with SAP S/4HANA Cloud, private edition. The team would learn the benefits and value the solution can bring to customers’ business.
Consultant Activities:
Here Sales team/Solution architects/Consultants will interact with the Business process owners (The person who closely works with materials in shopfloor to plan and produce it) and get a list of business process (Global Scope items - J44, BJ5 - MTS) that the business have. Sample . Link
| L1 - Level 1 | L2 | L3 | L4 | Explanation | Availability |
| Manufacturing | Production Planning | J44 - Material Requirements Planning Main scenario | This process enables your material requirements planning (MRP) department to automate the procurement planning. | YES | |
| Manufacturing | Production Operation | BJ5 - Make-to-Stock Production - Discrete Manufacturing (OP) | This scope item enables production planning in make-to-stock scenarios for a serial number managed finished good. | NO |
This list will be shared to Project Management team to write the contract, Cost, Resources, and so on. Implement only the necessary GSI on first live. If timeline is big consider all. If time is less consider less GSI. Otherwise you will not get time for documentation and pressure will be more. If you are new to this, then go through the GSI in Signavio, Download the test scripts and execute each business process to get idea. Collect all the GSI is worksheet and explain it to BPO to get a confirmation on it. Also customer will provided with demo system to understand the SAP.
Deliverable: Documentation to be given to client which got prepared by consultants or PM.
1.3.2 Prepare phase
The purpose of the Prepare phase is to provide the initial planning and preparation for the project. In this phase, the project is started, plans are finalized, project team is assigned, and work is under way to start the project optimally.
Consultant Activities: NA
But project management team will use the outputs from Discover phase to prepare a budget, timeline, policies and so on and give it to sales team. Later sales team in SAP Partner (Infosys, TCS) will sit with Client (Pepsi, Aramco) and finalize the agreement considering the cost, timeline, benefits and so on. Client will choose the SAP partner based on their wish. Once agreement got signed Service companies (Info, TCS) will post in LinkedIn that they won a project and start it.
Deliverable: PM, Client, Partner aggrements.
1.3.3 Explore phase - DEV
In this Explore phase the project team will conduct fit-to-standard workshops, verify, and confirm the to-be business processes with process models. Meanwhile master data and organizational requirements get identified. Organizational learning needs are identified and documented. After sign-off on delta requirements, design documents, and implementation plan the Q-gate from Explore to realize gets closed.
Consultant activities:
Prepare a PPT with process flow taken from .
PM will take consultants to client place and introduce them to BPO. Then arrange meetings between them to discuss about the GSI base on there timeline. Here Consultant should collect the master data from bpo to understand the business process. Using the BOM & Routing consultant should frame & map the process in SAP. Ofcourse bpo will take consultant to shopfloor for showcasing their prodution process. From ourside we need to categorize the mrp date for materials (Finished - MRP based, Raw - Consumption or time based) in our mind. Understand how many employee working as planners, supervisors, operators for material and capacity. Also we can frame SAP roles and authorization based on their activities. Find out the process which we cannot map it in standard and note it down as backlogs/ Custom objects. Prepare Functional specification document. Don't assume any fields by yourselves on preparing it. Get idea from BPO (from where the fields are to be fetched). Frame a business process flow for the client by taking reference from Signavio best practice explorer. Try to map the process on fit to standard basis.
Collect the key data structure information for doing the configurations.
| MRP Controller | Plant | MRP Controller | MRP controller name |
| 0001 | 01 | Cartridge Packing | |
| 0001 | 02 | Cartridge Assembly |
| Order Types and Number Range | Order Type | Description | NR From | NR To |
| PP01 | Standard production order | 000001000000 | 000001999999 | |
| PP02 | Standard production order (external NA) | 100000000000 | 2ZZZZZZZZZZZ |
Get idea about there products and understand the list of MRP types that are used by them like CBP, MRP, TBP, and so on.
Convert the LTMC Excel template to easy layman format and share it with BPO to get the list of master data.
At last put all the collected information (Process flow, Roles, Backlogs, KDS) in Solution design document
Deliverable:
Key Data Structure Signoff - Documents contains the key figures that are going to be configured in system.
FTS signoff - Document contain the process flow diagrams. Optional
SDD signoff - Document contains the to be business process flow, steps, Backlogs, and Roles.
FRS Signoff - Functional requirment specification for backlogs.
TRS - Technical requirment specification for backlogs.
Note: Signoff documents to be verified by BPO, PM, Consultants and signed.
1.3.4 Realize phase - DEV - QAS
Project management joint with workstreams will plan sprints. Project team focuses on implementing defined solution using incremental build iterations. It will configure, extend, integrate, test, confirm, and document the entire end-to-end solution and prepare for legacy data conversion. The project team actively works with business representatives to ensure a good fit of the built solution to the requirements from the backlog.
The team executes build cycles called ‘Sprints’ to build and test the functionality. The team will conduct walkthroughs with the business users within each sprint to provide frequent checkpoints that the build is meeting the requirements. And will go through multiple iterations to develop functionality that is then ready to be released to production. For each release, the team conducts full end-to-end testing. The project team releases results of multiple iterations to the business users to accelerate time to value and provide early access to finalized functionality. Each sprint release is thoroughly tested in the end-to-end integration test and the user acceptance test.
Consultant Activities:
Do Configuration in the system based on the KDS document in DEV. Maintain some master data which you collected from business during explore phase. Do the WRICEF objects against each GSI in DEV. Later move all to QAS. Do all integration testing with other modules in QAS.
Run through the business GSI process with new custom configurations and WRICEF (backlogs) to BPO.
Collect the changes and correct it and show it on next GSI sessions.
After all session, give the User test scripts to BPO for testing and training for testing the same.
Provide user manuals.
Deliverable:
Configuration Files: Document contains Module wise SIMG/SPRO configurations
Solution walk through PPT:
User acceptance testing Signoff Excel: Test scripts contains test values which operator do with the WRICEF.
User Manuals Word: Document contains step by step guide with screenshots for user reference in future.
1.3.5 Deploy phase - PRD
In the Deploy phase, the team makes sure that the business is ready to perform the cutover activities. The complexity of these activities will depend on various factors including the number of users that are impacted by the solution and the business scope of the deployment. Teams may need to conduct multiple cutover simulations as part of the preparation for go-live. Once the solution is live, the project team provides a defined period of post go-live support (hyper-care period). The project is then formally closed, and the solution is now in a separate PRODUCTIVE OPERATIONS or RUN phase
Consultant Activities:
After UAT acceptance signoff move the configuration & WRICEF from QAS to PRD. Find out the report in SAP which can be used to verify the count of master data. Share the collected master data with bpo and get it verified. After confirmation upload it to system. Later share SAP reports with the bpo and get it verified. Find out the open orders, Transactional data which need to be moved to new system. Close it in old system if possible. Move only the orders which will run for a long while during the blackout period. Get confirmation for that also. Before uploading the open orders use custom external number range and upload it with old legasy order numbers. Later we can change the NR. Also before uploading order sort in ascending. After uploading get that also verified with BPO. After golive anouncement on golive day, sit with Operators in shopfloor to complete the transactions (PO creation, Confirmation, GR posting) in PRD system.
Deliverable:
Master data Validation & Transaction execution signoff.
1.3.6 Run phase
Customer is live, with this begins the continuous learning process, that includes validation of newly released features and value assessment of business relevant innovations against current solution.
Behind this high-level phase descriptions, SAP Activate Methodology provides helpful details for deliverables and tasks as well as more sources to relevant information.
Consultant Activities:
Monitor the system and Identify innovation opportunities and implement it.
Deliverable:
Change documents.
Conclusion:
I hope this may help you on your implementation project. Please comment if there are changes. Have a look to Link
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