SAP

Activate Methodology in a Nutshell

Sudipta Malakar

• Publisher: BPB Publications
• Year: 2019
• Topic: Computer Science
• eBook ISBN:
  9789388176873
• Subtopic: Bioinformatics
• Index: Computer Science

Phases of SAP Activate Methodology Key Features

• 400 PLUS Real-time SAP Activate & SAP S/4 HANA Interview questions and answers
• Numerous Tricky Real-time SAP Activate Case Studies and Demos
• SAP S/4 HANA—Approach & Guidelines
• Explore the application scenarios of SAP Activate
• SAP Activate issues and challenges in large-, mid- and small-scale projects and mitigation plan
• Digital transformation tips and tricks
• Intelligent enterprise tips and tricks
• Integration of SAP S/4HANA with machine learning intelligence.

Description
The book promises to make you understand and practise the SAP Activate Framework. The focus is to take you on a journey of all the phases of SAP Activate methodology and make you understand all the phases with real life examples, lessons learnt, accelerators and best practices. Well articulation on how SAP Activate methodology can be used through real-world use cases, with a comprehensive discussion on Agile and Scrum, in the context of SAP Project.
SAP Activate is an innovative, next generation business suite that allows producing working deliverables straight away. SAP Activate Methodology is a harmonized agile implementation approach for cloud, on premise, and hybrid deployments for delivering shippable product increments in an iterative and incremental way. What You Will Learn
You will get familiar with SAP S4HANA which is an incredibly innovative platform for businesses that can store business data, interpret it, analyze it, process it in real time, and use it when it is needed depending upon the business requirement. This book articulates integration of SAP S/4HANA with machine learning intelligence, intelligent enterprise tips & tricks, SAP Geographical Enablement Framework, Agricultural Contract Management, SAP Activate issues and challenges in large-, mid- and small-scale projects and mitigation plan, Fit/Gap Workshops, Master Data Management, Vendor-Managed Inventory, useful Tips & Tricks for successful implementation of any Greenfield or brownfield, use of Agile, Scrum, Kanban, XP in SAP S/4 HANA Project and contains 400 PLUS Real-time SAP Activate & SAP S/4 HANA Interview questions and answers. Who This Book is For
SAP Consultants, SAP technical, business analysts, architects, team leads, project Leads, project managers, account manager, account executives, CEO, CTO, COO, CIO, Sr. VP, and Directors. Table of Contents
1. SAP Activate Methodology - Introduction
2. Journey New Implementation (In Cloud)
3. Journey New Implementation (On-Premise)
4. Journey System Conversion for SAP S/4 HANA
5. Journey Landscape Transformation for SAP S/4 HANA
6. Activate Methodology and SAP Activate – Top 410 Plus
7. SAP S/4 HANA and SAP Activate – Test your knowledge
8. SAP S/4 HANA and SAP Activate – Key Takeaways About the Author
Sudipta Malakar is an accomplished IT SAP Project Manager, Program Manager, Agile Coach with 15+ years of experience in directing SAP DEV teams in supporting many major fortune 500 clients in multiple large accounts that include more than 7 years of experience in IT Project/Program & Solution Delivery Management and 5+ years of experience in Agile as SCRUM Master, Agile Coach.
He is certified Disruptive Strategy professional from HBX Harvard Business School, USA, Bachelor degree in Technology (B. TECH) in Chemical Technology from Calcutta University.
He is certified Sr. Project Manager in (Prince-2), CSP®, CSM®, KMP, ICP-ACC®, TKP®, ITIL, DevOps, ISO, Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, CMMi.

CHAPTER 1

SAP Activate Methodology - Introduction

SAP Activate is the first Agile and S4/HANA focused methodology for SAP projects. It is one simple, modular and agile methodology supporting all S/4 HANA transition scenarios. This book will provide you with detailed training to make you an expert in the methodology and enable you to use the Agile Methodology on your SAP project immediately.

In short, SAP Activate is a combination of SAP Best Practices, SAP guided configuration, and agile methodology which allows building smart and simplify the adoption of SAP S/4 HANA. SAP Activate gives the freedom to run fast with Fiori UX and with a lower TCO and continuous innovation with built-in extensibility to fit different needs. The key take away will be that SAP Activate is one methodology for any deployment mode - cloud, hybrid, on premise, or mobile for S\4 HANA.

It provides best practices for migration, integration and configuration for SAP S/4 HANA. It supports different starting points for customers to adopt SAP S/4 HANA - new implementation, system conversion and landscape transformation.

Figure 1.1 Purpose and goals of SAP Activate
Image Source: SAP SE / AG

The figure shows the key shift that we are seeing in the delivery of projects. The left side of the figure represents the continuous push for lower costs of implementation and compressed time to value (which you can also approximate with the time it takes to deploy the solutions into production environment). The pace of change is increasing and there is more pressure to deliver the projects faster.

Another change we have seen is the shift from the big-bang deployment projects to more focused projects that are implemented incrementally in multiple releases. In this new environment, customers are also looking to implement projects in a shorter time line with accelerators and with jump- start content that they can start with.

Customers are also looking for a higher flexibility in choices for solution deployment - ranging from deployment in the cloud, on-premise, hybrid, and access to information on mobile devices.

To meet this demand, SAP now offers the ability to deploy and manage solutions in the cloud, on-premise, and in the hybrid environment. SAP also offers mobile access to solution capabilities.

There are many advantages in deploying the solutions in the cloud.

Main Characteristics of Cloud

• Deliver value quickly
• Co-Innovate with customer by constantly pursuing new technologies like HANA
• Drive customer satisfaction and solution adoption
• Establish efficient engagement governance

With ‘Cloud’, SAP takes care of system requirements and maintenance. Customers can take advantage of the latest innovations through automatic quarterly updates. With Cloud, customers are up and running quickly, while SAP takes care of future upgrades and enhancements. An implementation methodology helps you minimize risk and streamline and accelerate your project. An advantage of cloud projects is reduced implementation costs and durations - reducing the total implementation time from several years to a few months. With Cloud, functionality is configured in iterations and multi-release schedules instead of all the functionality in a big bang approach. Multi-release schedules may also mean roll-out of functionality from country to country or business organization to business organization instead of everyone at the same time. For cloud implementations, the Agile methodology approach may be a better framework than the classical on-premise waterfall methodologies.

With cloud implementation methodology you can take a disciplined project management approach to your implementation, migration, and change projects.

SAP Activate has following three key elements:

Figure 1.2 The three Pillars of SAP Activate
Image Source: SAP SE / AG

1) SAP Best Practices

Figure 1.3 Portfolio of SAP S/4HANA Best Practices for SAP solutions, integration, and master data
Image Source: SAP SE / AG

The preceding figure shows some of the Best Practices for SAP solutions, integration, and master data.

These ready-to-run business processes are easily integrated.

The best practices packages are available in the SAP Service Marketplace. Customers can download the SAP Best Practices content and use it in their own environment. For Cloud implementations, the Best Practices processes will be pre-activated when the cloud solution is provisioned.

- Business Process Structure with technical steps that include finance and logistical areas.

- Accelerators for your implementation project.

- Integration information with other cloud solutions, such as Success Factors Employee Central or Ariba Network.

- Migration documents which help to migrate either from Non SAP systems or from legacy SAP systems.

- Graphical representation of all the business processes.

- Pre-defined test scripts.

- Testing automation process available in S\4 HANA.

SAP activate has improvements in the following areas:

• Based on use of SAP Best Practices
• Reduced project lifecycle - only four phases
• Up to 10 key deliverables per phase, thus easier access to key guides and accelerators
• Blueprint activities replaced with solution validation
• Agile implementation as a default

2) Guided Con?guration

SAP Activate was introduced as an adoption framework for SAP S/4 HANA. In the on-premise implementation, the project teams will use the IMG (Implementation Guide or SPRO) tools to configure the solution.

3) One Methodology

SAP Activate has following four phases:

1. Prepare: Start with best practices by re-using knowledge assets and prebuild content.
2. Explore: Moving into pre assembly, rapid prototyping, solution validation workshops and delta backlog.
3. Realize: In this phase iterative delta scope implementation and E2E integration testing.
4. Deploy: This is the final phase where the roll out is done.

Figure 1.4 SAP Activate high level summary
Image Source: SAP SE / AG

SAP Activate for new implementation of SAP Ariba High Level Summary.

Figure 1.5 SAP Activate for new implementation of SAP Ariba high level summary
Image Source: SAP SE / AG

SAP Activate is an implementation framework consisting of SAP Best Practices, Guided Configuration, and Methodology. SAP Activate can be used when only one application is being implemented as well as when many solutions are implemented within one project.

SAP Activate can be used for on-premise, hybrid, and cloud implementations.

It can be used when only one application is being implemented as well as when many solutions are implemented within one project.

It can be used for projects managed by customers, SAP Professional Services or SAP Partner. This provides a common approach so that all members of the implementation team know what they will do and when.

Example use:

On-Premise : Used for implementation of S/4 HANA On-Premise editions and other SAP applications.

Cloud : Used for implementation of S/4 HANA Cloud edition, SAP SuccessFactors, and other SAP applications.

Figure 1.6 Deliverables / activities across the workstreams in SAP Activate Methodology
Image Source: SAP SE / AG

Agile Build Iterations with Incremental Configurations

Figure 1.7 Agile Build: Iterative iterations with incremental configurations
Image Source SAP SE / AG

Using MoSCoW prioritization technique we are setting priority of different business requirements within the EXPLORE phase.

MoSCoW prioritization technique

Letter	Stands for	Which means
M	Must Have	Minimum set of essential requirements, without which the system would be useless (MMF). All of these requirements must be satisfied.
S	Should Have	Important requirements for which there is a short- term work-around. The system is useful without them. These requirements can be included in the initial project scope, but may be removed from the project scope to accommodate changed requirements.
C	Could Have	These requirements are valuable and nice-to-hav...

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Preface
• Acknowledgement
• About the Author
• Table of Contents
• Introduction
• 1. SAP Activate Methodology - Introduction
• 2. Journey New Implementation (In Cloud)
• 3. Journey New Implementation (On-Premise)
• 4. Journey System Conversion for SAP S/4 HANA
• 5. Journey Landscape Transformation for SAP S/4 HANA
• 6. SAP S/4 HANA and SAP Activate - Top 410 Plus Interview Questions and Answers
• 7. SAP S/4 HANA and SAP Activate - Test your knowledge
• 8. SAP S/4 HANA and SAP Activate - Key Takeaways