5.2    SAP Activate Phases

Using the scenario for a new implementation as an example, this section introduces the individual phases of the SAP Activate methodology. We’ll take a closer look at the phases of a typical SAP S/4HANA project. The individual SAP Activate phases cover simple cloud implementations as well as complex installations of on-premise systems.

The following four phases are based on redesigned ASAP and SAP Launch methods:

  1. Prepare
    In this phase, you’ll initiate and plan your SAP S/4HANA project, including quality gates and risk plans. You’ll also set up the system landscape and determine the best practices for predefined business processes.
  2. Explore
    In this phase, you’ll explore SAP S/4HANA’s features and compare them to your requirements. In so-called fit-to-gap workshops     (or fit-to-standard workshops for SAP S/4HANA Cloud), you’ll meet with an SAP representative in person to define the target configuration and possible SAP Best Practices extensions.
  3. Realize
    You’ll configure and enhance the SAP S/4HANA system according to the requirements you prioritized in the previous phase. The configuration and subsequent adaptations are implemented in short cycles to allow for regular validations and to obtain feedback from business departments. This phase also includes structured system tests and migration activities.
  4. Deploy
    The new SAP S/4HANA system is about to go live    , so you’ll carry out some final preparations for the cutover to prepare the system, the users, and the data for production. Then, the new system will go live and replace the legacy system.

For SAP S/4HANA projects, these four phases are divided into various activities. The type of activity depends on the deployment model selected (cloud, i.e., software as a service (SaaS), or on-premise, which also includes private cloud or hybrid scenarios). Figure 5.12 and Figure 5.13 demonstrate the concepts that SAP uses in the SAP Activate methodology for these individual activities.

SAP Activate Phases and Activities for SAP S/4HANA Cloud Editions

Figure 5.12    SAP Activate Phases and Activities for SAP S/4HANA Cloud Editions

SAP Activate Phases and Activities for SAP S/4HANA, On-Premise

Figure 5.13    SAP Activate Phases and Activities for SAP S/4HANA, On-Premise

[»]  Roadmap Viewer

With the Roadmap Viewer, SAP provides an externally accessible portal for SAP Activate and thus an entry point for the implementation of SAP S/4HANA—on-premise or in the cloud. The following link introduces the SAP Fiori interface and displays the described phases and their individual steps: http://go.support.sap.com/roadmapviewer.

The Roadmap Viewer provides the following functions:

The roadmaps are continuously updated and can be useful companions for your journey to SAP S/4HANA, regardless of what scenario you selected (see Chapter 4, Section 4.2).

Ideally, you can combine SAP Activate with the SAP Solution Manager because SAP Activate is fully integrated into SAP Solution Manager 7.2: SAP Activate provides SAP Best Practices directly within the SAP Solution Manager, and the SAP Solution Manager is the ideal platform for carrying out fit gap analyses to log requirements and changes.

Figure 5.14 illustrates the individual phases and necessary steps for a system conversion (top) and for a new implementation (bottom).

SAP Activate Phases

Figure 5.14    SAP Activate Phases

The following list is an example of the steps needed for a new implementation of SAP S/4HANA, on-premise:

  1. Preparing the system landscape
    • Preparing the trial system for SAP Best Practices
    • Preparing the three-tier system landscape consisting of development, test, and production systems
    • Preparing SAP Solution Manager 7.2
  2. Carrying out a fit gap analysis, based on best practices reference processes, with SAP Solution Manager 7.2
    • Evaluating the target scope using the SAP Best Practices bill of materials (BOM) in in-person workshops
    • Determining your requirements using SAP Activate tools
  3. Selecting the solution scope and activating the content in the development client
    • Importing the reference content
    • Selecting the solution scope
    • Activating the selected solution scope using Solution Builder
  4. Configuration and transport management
    • Delta configuration after initial activation using the Implementation Guide
    • Additional customizing in SAP Client 000 (beyond SAP Best Practices), for more information see Chapter 6, Section 6.3.
[»]  Up-to-Date Information

To provide further and up-to-date information on the SAP Activate methodology and the individual phases, SAP has created an interactive page in the SAP Jam platform. SAP Jam allows SAP customers, SAP partners, and SAP employees to exchange information and experiences in forums and shared workspaces and to provide further information.

You can access the open SAP Jam group by registering your email address at http://bit.ly/SAPActivate. (Please note the URL is case sensitive.) You’ll receive an invitation to the SAP Jam space and have access to methodology content, discussion forums, and the social collaboration space.

Like all new concepts, and due to SAP S/4HANA updates, SAP Activate is also subject to updates and enhancements. The following sources provide further information and are continuously updated: