Foreword

In 2009, SAP announced that it would make the in-memory database the mainstream technology for its SAP ERP and other online transaction processing (OLTP) systems, and launched SAP HANA as a platform. Since then, there has been a lot of momentum and broad changes in how application providers incorporate the in-memory platform to enhance the end-user experience and provide better value for their investments. SAP has, however, taken a very aggressive and unique approach by rethinking how end users, mid-level managers, and executives can interface with the next-generation SAP ERP platform. What started as a database platform, very quickly transformed into a road map with SAP Simple Finance (in 2015), logistics functionality (in 2016), and now with a full suite built from the ground up on and optimized for SAP HANA called SAP S/4HANA Enterprise Management.

A lot of work has been done in this area, and many partners and companies have already started to adopt the in-memory platforms into their application landscape. What started from a business intelligence engine has quickly become a mainstream and “must-have” application platform. SAP has definitely taken the lead and brought forward the much-needed transformative changes to stay relevant in the age of cloud and analytics.

As a company, Synopsys has been a long-time SAP Partner and consumer of its technology. Never before have I seen the excitement and the buzz in the employees as when we launched SAP S/4HANA Finance in June 2017. We continue to be closely aligned with SAP in executing our multiyear business application transformation road map. At the start of our journey, we engaged Deloitte to ensure alignment between various business partners and IT stakeholders, and we have successfully launched SAP S/4HANA in the short span of a little over nine months.

The next destination in our journey is Logistics within SAP S/4HANA Enterprise Management. The new module helps companies move away from legacy systems to a modern and efficient order-to-cash process and frees them up from the constraints of siloed legacy systems. The upside in delivering the innovations within the organization in a much more accelerated timeframe is that your ability to cater to millennials and modern-day executives significantly improves with access to real-time embedded analytics, as well as access to data from anywhere and on any device. The ability to see trends and forward-looking data within the modern SAP Fiori user experience once required significant integration across multiple SAP subsystems, and the drilldown capabilities weren’t possible without extensive IT involvement. Now, this is all available out of the box in the new SAP module.

These new modules help customers leverage SAP’s deep industry experience and offer details on structured purchase order, planning, manufacturing, and streamlined order fulfillment processing.

In my role as a CIO, I realized early on that I must be the change agent and catalyst if the digital transformation initiative were to be successful at my company. The three pillars of the organization—people, process, and technology—need to converge on a single solution. To unlock the potential of transformative changes, the role of the system integrator and expertise is extremely critical to strengthen your team. The journey presents a significant opportunity to completely redesign the processes, reduce manual intervention, and change the information consumption model within your enterprise. The benefit framework made accessible via the SAP S/4HANA platform and simplified architecture helps you get ahead of the curve and helps establish you as a true champion of transformative business.

On a personal note, I have been working with Deb Bhattacharjee and have known him since he was working with SAP customers and executives providing insights on business value and leading the change. I’m glad that you’re considering SAP S/4HANA Enterprise Management for your organization. This book has a thoughtfully put together agenda and provides a clear overview of the true potential of the SAP S/4HANA Enterprise Management solution. The book captures challenges faced by IT and business leaders of our time and provides an objective point of view on how a technology solution can help transform your business. It is based on Deloitte’s rich experience of working with many organizations and provides a context to your business and how you can lead the change for your organization. The book is unique because it gives you an overview of technical capabilities as well as business challenges, and it immediately strikes a chord for change agents such as you and I. Overall, this book will help you build a comprehensive strategy to migrate to SAP S/4HANA and start your digital transformation journey.

I am confident this book will be an excellent source to help you unleash the full potential of the next generation logistics with SAP S/4HANA. I wish you all the best.

Hasmukh Ranjan
CIO and Corporate VP
Synopsys Inc.