Decentralized enterprise data management with operational data stored in separate databases results in multiple challenges associated with accessing information across business functions, data duplication, increased IT storage costs, and data error risks. These challenges can be easily mitigated by a successful SAP implementation that provides enterprises a single source of truth by centralizing data management across business functions.
Enabling business transformation with intelligent enterprise solutions
SAP has always been the preferred choice of enterprises across industries – from Walmart in retail to National Grid in utilities – for achieving business transformation using enterprise software solutions. SAP helps transform enterprises, irrespective of size or industry, into intelligent businesses. It caters to the flexibility that today’s organizations demand while ensuring data security with a wide range of best-in-class business solutions. With proprietary ERP software solutions and a rich partner ecosystem of global leaders including IBM, Wipro, EY, and Accenture, SAP can improve your organization’s performance by automating repetitive tasks, resulting in better time, money, and resource utilization.
Types of SAP implementation
SAP offers standard applications, industry solutions, platforms, and technologies to map every business process, collect and process data on a single digital platform, and connect all business functions into an intelligent suite. As SAP landscapes are unique, SAP implementations, either on-premise or cloud-based, are seldom similar. Generally, there are three main types of SAP implementation – ‘greenfield,’ ‘brownfield,’ and ‘hybrid.’
A greenfield SAP implementation approach provides a much-needed fresh start to organizations that want to overhaul their existing SAP usage and minimize complexities. This implementation approach is also ideal for companies that prefer a greenfield deployment for moving their data from a non-SAP system. When ProRail wanted to standardize their procurement processes and enable business transformation with finance insights, they invested in a greenfield SAP S/4HANA implementation.
On the other hand, a brownfield implementation is like an upgrade or modification of an existing SAP ERP landscape. Using a brownfield approach, National Grid was able to achieve a risk-minimized and efficient way to reimplement SAP as SAP S/4HANA.
A third – and probably the most popular – option is a ‘hybrid’ implementation of these two approaches. When TopHat, a leading modular home manufacturer, wanted to transform its housing value chain into a real-time connected ecosystem, they partnered with Wipro to drive this transformation through a hybrid SAP implementation.
SAP implementation process
SAP implementation is a multi-step process including project preparation, business blueprint, realization, final preparation, and go-live. Identifying goals and objectives, defining the project scope, garnering stakeholder support, and aligning resources are major tasks during the initiation phase. This is followed by drawing up the business blueprint or a detailed description of the organization’s business processes and system requirements that the SAP landscape will address. The technical implementation team uses this business blueprint as the starting point to build, test, and refine the landscape in the realization stage. During the final preparation stage, the technical team prepares for migration and go-live. Critical activities after go-live include maintaining the newly-implemented SAP landscape and conducting post-implementation reviews to facilitate user adoption.
SAP drives growth with data-driven business insights
Enterprises across industries – from National Grid in utilities to AIG in insurance – can execute digital transformation across the business value chain. SAP data management solutions transform data into valuable, real-time insights to deliver seamless and personalized customer experiences. SAP is uniquely positioned to offer benefits around:
- Organizational agility to drive automation and business innovation;
- Workforce engagement to optimize employee productivity;
- Hyper-personalized and connected customer experiences to attract, engage, and retain customers;
- Reduced total cost of ownership (TCO) with superior control of each spend category;
- Increased operational efficiency with data-driven approach; and
- Integrated business and technology platform to drive continuous innovation.
SAP powers businesses irrespective of size and sector
In today’s markets, business agility drives resilience, and an organization’s ability to continually innovate defines its success. SAP provides simplified, value-driven, and tested business transformation solutions to large enterprises as well as small and medium businesses (SMBs) worldwide. Large enterprises can enhance productivity, ensure total workforce engagement, and redefine customer experiences through SAP implementation initiatives. There are multiple case studies worth mentioning here. SAP helped consumer goods leader P&G with demand forecasting and resource planning. Utilities major National Grid successfully executed an iOS-based solution for work management by leveraging the SAP Mobility Platform. On the other hand, SAP also empowers SMBs like Swiss sensor company Sensirion to transform into an intelligent enterprise by automating routine tasks, connecting better with their customers, and accomplishing more with less.
A holistic approach to business transformation with SAP
Businesses across the world have the same goal. They want to be leaders in their respective industries by offering innovative products and services, out-of-the-box customer experiences, and top-notch employee engagement. They also want to eliminate departmental silos and integrate data and processes for seamless, renewable, and sustainable business operations. With proven expertise in 25 industries, SAP’s solutions for intelligent enterprises power organizations, large and small, across industries to drive a holistic approach to business transformation and ensure profits in today’s data-driven, digital economy.