Activate Methodology

SAP ASAP Methodology, Activate
Methodology & SAP Versions

SAP ASAP Methodology, Activate Methodology & detailed info about SAP Versions
SAP ASAP Methodology in ECC 6.0
1- What is ASAP Methodology?
2- Phases of ASAP Methodology 3- Brief explanation of each phase

What is ASAP Methodology?
ASAP stands for Accelerated SAP.
Its purpose is to help design SAP implementation in the most efficient manner possible.
Its goal is to effectively optimize time, people, quality and other resources, using a proven methodology to
implementation.
Phase of ASAP Methodology:
ASAP focuses on tools and training, wrapped up in a five-phase process oriented road map for guiding
implementation.
The road map is composed of five well-known consecutive phases
• Phase 1 Project Preparation

• Phase 2 Business Blueprint
• Phase 3 Realization
• Phase 4 Final Preparation
• Phase 5 Go-Live & support
Info@ambikeya.com || www.ambikeya.com || +917746805189

Brief explanation of each phase:
Phase 1: Project Preparation
Phase-1 initiates with a retrieval of information and resources. It is an important time to assemble the necessary
components for the implementation. Some important milestones that need to be accomplished for phase 1 include
• Obtaining senior-level management/stakeholder support

• Identifying clear project objectives
• Architect an efficient decision-making process
• Creating an environment suitable for change and re-engineering
• Building a qualified and capable project team.
Phase 2: Business Blueprint
SAP has defined a business blueprint phase to help extract pertinent information about your company that is
necessary for implementation. These blueprints are in the form of questionnaires that are designed to probe for
information that uncovers how your company does business. As such, they also serve to document the
implementation.
Each business blueprint document essentially outlines your future business processes and business requirements.
The kinds of questions asked are germane to the particular business function, as seen in the following sample
questions:
1) What information do you capture on a purchase order?
2) What information is required to complete a purchase order?
Phase - 3: Realization
With the completion of the business in phase 2, “functional” experts are now ready to begin configuring SAP.
The Realization phase is broken in to two parts.
1) Your SAP consulting team helps you configure your baseline system, called the baseline configuration.
2) Your implementation project team fine-tunes that system to meet all your business and process requirements as
part of the fine tuning configuration.
The initial configuration completed during the base line configuration is based on the information that you provided
in your blueprint document. The remaining approximately 20% of your configuration that was not tackled during the
baseline configuration is completed during the fine tuning configuration.
Fine tuning usually deals with the exceptions that are not covered in baseline configuration. This final bit of tweaking
represents the work necessary to fit your special needs.
Configuration Testing:

With the help of your SAP consulting team, you segregate your business processes into cycles of related business
flows. The cycles serve as independent units that enable you to test specific parts of the business process. You can
also work through configuring the SAP implementation guide (IMG). A tool used to assist you in configuring your SAP
system in a step by step manner.
Knowledge Transfer:
As the configuration phase comes to a close, it becomes necessary for the Project team to be self-sufficient in their
knowledge of the configuration of your SAP system.
Knowledge transfer to the configuration team tasked with system maintenance (that is, maintenance of the business
processes after Go-live) needs to be completed at this time. In addition, the end users tasked with actually using the
system for day-to-day business purposes must be trained.
Phase 4: Final Preparation:
As phase 3 merges into phase 4, you should find yourselves not only in the midst of SAP training, but also in the midst
of rigorous functional and stress testing.
Phase 4 also concentrates on the fine tuning of your configuration before Go-live and more importantly, the
migration of data from your old system or systems to SAP.
Workload testing (including peak volume, daily load, and other forms of stress testing), and integration or functional
testing are conducted to ensure the accuracy of your data and the stability of your SAP system.
Now is an important time to perform preventative maintenance checks to ensure optimal performance at your SAP
system. At the conclusion of phase 4, take time to plan and document a Go-live strategy. Preparation for Go-live
means preparing for your end-users questions as they start actively working on the new SAP system.
Phase 5: Go-live and Support:
The Go-live milestone is itself is easy to achieve; a smooth and uneventful Go-live is another matter altogether.
Preparation is the key, including attention to what-if scenarios related not only to the individual business processes
deployed but also to the functioning of technology underpinning these business processes and preparation for
ongoing support, including maintenance contracts and documented processes and procedures are essential.
Activate Methodology in S/4 HANA:

The 3 Pillars of SAP Activate framework:
SAP Activate is a framework that consists of 3 important pillars:
1. SAP Best Practices

2. Guided Configurations 3. SAP Activate Methodology.
Pillar 1 – SAP Best Practices:
SAP, with their 45+ years of widely accepted industry-specific, best practice knowledge and experience has
delivered ready-to-run business processes that are optimized for SAP S/HANA.
These business processes are well documented and pre-delivered by SAP and can be viewed in the Best Practice
Explorer. It consists of best practices for integration, migration, and extensibility to expand the existing processes
with the customer’s own processes.
This forms the first pillar of the SAP Activate framework.
Pillar 2 – Guided Configuration:
The second pillar of the SAP Activate framework comes in the form of guided configurations to make it an easier
experience for consultants and customers to configure their SAP system.
SAP is working to globalize and standardize best practices across industries. In accordance with the same, SAP
provides users with standard configurations that can be used to run a business process.
Additionally, for customer-specific requirements, SAP is providing a self-service configuration user experience. The
guided configuration also offers capabilities of content lifecycle management that essentially involves looking at the
configuration settings and ensuring that the configuration settings that are set in that solution are not impacted by a
new version of best practices or a new version of processes that are being shipped in the next release of the SAP
solution.

Pillar 3 – SAP Activate Methodology:
Discover Phase:
The Discover phase is where the customer realizes there is a need for a solution to satisfy their business pain point
and starts looking out for the right SAP solution to map their requirements. During this phase, customers can apply
for a free trial solution if applicable and try it out for themselves to check the features and functionalities of the
solution. By the end of this phase, customers finalize to go ahead with the required SAP solution and move to the next
phase in their implementation lifecycle.
Prepare Phase:
As the name suggests, this phase is crucial to both customers and partners as key activities that are crucial to the
success of the project are completed with mutual consent. The system is provisioned to the customer post-signing of
the contract with SAP and the partner. Simultaneously, key resources are identified from the partner side in terms of
the SAP Consultants getting on boarded and enabled. From the customer side, business process owners are identified
to provide the right requirements to the consultants implementing the project. A high-level project plan along with
roles and responsibilities is finalized along with the project team, project governance procedure and escalation
matrix and the project is ready to kick-off!
During this phase, an initial level of requirement is already collected when the business process owners fill in the
Business-Driven Configuration Assessment questionnaire. This is a readily available document for the project team
that can be downloaded and used to fasten the project delivery. Based on the answers obtained from the assessment,
consultants need to plan for the next and probably most important phase of the SAP Activate Methodology – the
Explore Phase.
Explore Phase:
The Explore phase is foundation for the success of the project. In this phase, customers and partners collaborate with
each other for one outcome to finalize the business process to be followed in the new SAP system. This is done by a
series of “Fit-to-Standard Analysis” sessions, where the SAP Best Practice business process flow is showcased to the
Business Process Owner. Consultants first display a flowchart of the business process and later drive a demo of the
same using the initial system that was provisioned to them. The project team then have a healthy discussion on how
the business can map their business to the best practices.
Another major point that SAP Activate has made easier for consultants is the standard migration templates that are
readily available to download. This comes as a point of relief, especially for consultants who otherwise used to spend
a lot of time coming up with a migration template to help the business fill in the information that is required to be
migrated to the new system. This helps the project team save an immense amount of time and the business finds it
comfortable to fill in the required information as advised by SAP. The business users are enabled on the migration
templates and they can now internally start working on data consolidation, cleansing, and formatting to be filled into
the standard migration templates. This comes as a huge relief to both the customer and partner project teams as
working on data is arguable one of the most difficult portions of a project!
One of the best parts of the explore phase is the “Customer Execution of Standard Processes”. What SAP Activate tries
to achieve is to build an early relationship between the end-users and the SAP system for an easier and accelerated
adoption of widely accepted business processes. Consultants provide the business users with the documents
required and help them run an end-to-end cycle in the SAP system. The previously self-enabled business is now
familiar with the system and provides their concurrence that they have executed the business process in the system.
They are provided with their own user access to explore and get familiarized with the system. This is great,
especially in the initial stages of the project because this helps for an easier UAT in the next phase of the project.

All of the customer’s requirements in terms of additional WRICEF objects – Workflows, Reports, Integrations,
Conversions, Enhancements and Forms along with the configuration values are noted in the Backlog document
provided by SAP which is then signed off to sign off mutually between the partner and the customer. This backlog
document consists of all the customer-specific requirements that need to be available in the SAP system for the
business users to perform their daily tasks. Consultants then prioritize according to feasibility, difficulty and
importance and plan the sprints for the Realize Phase where the primary aim is to close each of the Backlog items
one by one.
A change impact analysis is done to understand how the new system will benefit the business and actions to enable a
smooth transition to the new system are decided among the stakeholders of the project. Key users are identified and
an end-user learning needs analysis is done and a learning plan is prepared for the key users who will help drive the
success of the system during the duration of the project.
Realize Phase:
Once the Explore Phase deliverables are signed off, the project team can start working on the Quality system
provisioned by SAP. In this phase, the SAP consultants start configuring the SAP system according to the Backlog
document that is signed off. This happens in an iterative approach where the project team works based on multiple
sprints that have been planned to execute the project by breaking down the backlog requirements into smaller
deliverables that need to be showcased to the business process owner and signed off as completed once it matches
the agreed-upon completion criteria. This is the phase where consultants are in regular touch with the business
process owner to showcase to them, the SAP system they are building through multiple Solution Walkthrough’s that
are scheduled through the Realize Phase.
The technical teamwork on completed the WRICEF objects that were noted in the Backlog document during this
phase and work hand in hand with the SAP functional consultants and business users to ensure the custom objects
are delivered with quality within the timeline.
User Roles and Authorizations can be a hectic process to finalize on, especially in large projects. For the same, SAP
has provided us with standard persona-based roles that help the business users with their tasks through an End-to-
End business process. For example, a maintenance technician will be provided with standard roles required for a
maintenance technician in the SAP system and a maintenance manager will be provided with the standard role
enabling him to perform his tasks as per the best practice in the SAP system.
In this phase, multiple levels of testing such as Unit Testing, String Testing, Integration Testing and User Acceptance
Testing is performed to ensure the SAP system is configured according to the customer requirements provided by
the business process owners. Data migration testing is also done to ensure the data filled in by the business users are
in the correct format and ready to import to the brand-new SAP system.
Once all the deliverables are satisfied, a cutover plan is made to move the configurations, WRICEF objects and master
and transactional data to the Production system which will be the system used by the business in real-time. This
signifies the end of the Realize Phase.
Deploy Phase:
In the Deploy Phase, once every checkbox is ticked and everything is ready, the business faces a temporary downtime
as the new SAP system is deployed for usage to the business users. This is typically done during a weekend to ensure
that customers have less effect due to the downtime. The cutover is a process that sometimes gives consultants
sleepless nights as this is the conclusion time of all their hard work being moved into the SAP system for the usage of
an entire organization.
Once the cutover is done successfully and checked by the partner and the customer, the business users are supported
by the consultants and the key users who now form the first line of defence in case users have doubts or face an

issue. The customers and partners can now relish the success of the project through an intense time filled with
dedication and hard work from all stakeholders involved.
Run Phase:
The run phase signifies the end of the customer’s lifecycle from identifying a solution for their business need to
finally implement the solution and running their business process on the same. In the Run phase, the customer
project team are given task to be updated with the latest innovation and technologies in SAP, especially in the
product they have implemented by having a “Continuous Learning” to keep up with the pace of technology.
Additional Info:
The SAP ERP Business Suite is SAP's ERP offering prior to the introduction of the SAP HANA platform. The SAP ERP
Business Suite is also known as SAP ECC or simply SAP ERP. The latest version of the SAP ERP Business Suite is SAP
ERP 6.0.
Business Suite on HANA is the name given to the operation of SAP ECC on the HANA database. It has been possible to
follow this path since 2013. Users could thus benefit from the advantages of the HANA in-memory database even
before the introduction of SAP S/4HANA (available since 2015).
SAP S/4HANA is the latest ERP software suite from SAP. It is completely based on the HANA platform. SAP S/4HANA
is an "intelligent" solution that enables companies to simplify, accelerate and improve their business processes.
Among other things, SAP S/4HANA offers a new user interface for all devices, real-time analysis functions and the
free choice of operating model.
SAP R/3 Version Releases:
SAP ECC Versions:
S/4HANA Versions
S/4 HANA is offered on two different platforms: On-Premise or Cloud. Both products are very similar in terms of
lines of business, coverage and functionality.
• On-Premise is located on your organization’s own servers and managed inhouse. It has an annual innovation
cycle with several smaller updates each year.
• Cloud is hosted externally on SAP’s servers and maintained by SAP. It has a quarterly innovation cycle.
Until 2020, all S/4HANA versions were named after the year and month that they were released (YYMM). For
example, S/4HANA 1909 was released September 2019.
SAP revised the naming convention in 2020. Going forward, On-Premise releases will be named for the year only
(YYYY), starting with S/4HANA 2020 in October 2020. Cloud releases will continue with the YYMM naming
convention.

SAP S/4HANA On-Premise releases:
SAP Version Year Architecture
An imagined platform that combines data processing,
February database, and in-memory processing, provides libraries for
SAP S/4 Simple Suite for HANA planning, text processing, predictive, spatial and business
2015
analytics
March 2015
SAP S/4HANA Finance 1503
S/4HANA 1511 release simplified the business processes.

Streamlined Procure to Pay
Accelerated Plant to Product
November
SAP S/4HANA 1511 Optimized Order to Cash
2015
Enhanced Request to Service
Core Human Resource
Core Finance
SAP S/4HANA Finance 1605 May 2016

SAP S/4HANA 1610 with SAP Fiori 2.0 , Industry to Core –
October Retail , Advanced Availability to Promise and Efficient
SAP S/4HANA 1610 Procurement , Extended Warehouse Management and
2016
Quality Management

SAP S/4HANA 1709 On-Premise just got released in
September 2017. With this latest version of SAP’s
most modern business suite, embedded
Transportation Management (TM) as well as the
second release of embedded Extended Warehouse
Management (EWM) are key innovations that
customers can now adopt. Traditionally, supply chain
processes used core ERP systems, supported by
siloed applications that provide additional, more
September
SAP S/4HANA 1709 advanced functionality around TM and EWM. This
2017
approach worked very well in the past, but is no
longer sufficient through today’s pressure on order
fulfillment and logistics processes like Omni channel
retailing across all industries or technology
innovations such as machine learning, real-time
analytics and the Internet of Things (IoT). In-memory
computing and cloud architectures have opened the
door to a new suite of integrated in-memory
enterprise applications.
SAP S/4HANA 1809
Year: September 2018
Supply Chain: This involves
AATP, i.e., advanced available to promise: alternative based confirmation and other one is product allocation:
calculate non-reserving availability.
Industry to the Core- Utilities: This includes
Analytical insight and exception resolution in billing and invoicing

Meter reading analysis
Embedded Transportation: This includes
Mixed pallet building, and load optimization

Carrier invoicing through SAP Logistics Business Network
Industry to the Core- Utilities: This innovation covers
Analytical insight and exclusion resolution related to billing and invoicing

Meter reading analysis
Industry to the Core- Retail, and Fashion: This innovation mainly involves
Merchandise management: Clears in warehouse management integration

Improved season management Customer Management:

Entrenched service management with removed middle-ware, consistent data models Digital
Manufacturing:
Demand-driven perceptibility and interactive planning

Capability evaluation and MRP controller’s adjustment Finance:
Central finance: it delivers a finance data hub for real-time consolidation

Intercompany reconciliation report Sourcing and Procurement:
Consolidated purchase requests through hub and central contract management hub
Incorporation of SAP Ariba buying with SAP S/4HANA
Asset Management: It contains
Overview page for the planner

Technical object damage analysis
Task list and operations
Sales and Distribution: This covers
Streamlined sales order creation

Perform split analysis in sales billing and invoicing
Approval workflow for acclaim memo requests
Extended Warehouse Management: This innovation includes
Item’s new identification

Innovative report to categorize products based on history warehouse tasks
R&D Engineering: This innovation involves
Alternative configuration, multilevel, CPQ, classification Product

marketability and chemical agreement Inventory Management:
Predictive analytics and machine learning for decision support Placing

the goods receipt for the production order Migration Cockpit: This
particular innovation involves:
Transfer data by staging tables

Adjust the migration objects which are utilized with the Object Modeler
Quality Management: This innovation involves:
Quality inspection, recording results

Complaint management recording and monitoring
Examine KPI’s regarding quality management data

With the 1909 release of SAP S/4HANA, SAP continues to focus on
delivering leading-edge value in three key areas: intelligent
SAP S/4HANA 1909 September 2019 automation, insight and prediction, and nextgeneration best practices.
And tremendous progress can be seen across all lines of business.

The new 2020 release provides companies with 1,269 major and
minor innovations - for example, in the area of user guidance (SAP
Fiori) or in the further automation of business processes through
SAP S/4HANA 2020 October 2020
machine learning and predictive analytics. With Release 2020, SAP
has integrated the SAP Analytics Cloud into the on-premise version of
SAP S/4HANA.
SAP S/4HANA 2021:
Year: October 2021
Sales & Marketing:

Create Sales Orders SAP Fiori app
Mass Change of Sales Documents
Service:
Warranty end dates in In-House Repair
Supply Chain:
Review Availability Check Results
Advanced Shipping and Receiving
Manufacturing
Manage Process Order Operations:
Alert Chart for Projected On-Hand Alerts
Sourcing & Procurement:

Price History for Central Purchase Contracts
Contract Consumption Display and Print Preview in Central Purchase Contracts
Research & Development:

Classify Packaged Dangerous Goods
Asset Management Maintenance
Backlog Overview Spatial Asset
Management:
Finance:
Machine Learning for Intercompany Document Matching
SAP S/4HANA Cloud releases:
SAP Version Year

SAP S/4HANA Cloud 1603 March 2016
SAP S/4HANA Cloud 1605 May 2016
SAP S/4HANA Cloud 1608 August 2016
SAP S/4HANA Cloud 1611 November 2016
SAP S/4HANA Cloud 1702 February 2017
SAP S/4HANA Cloud 2002 January 2020
SAP S/4HANA Cloud 2005 April 2020
SAP S/4HANA Cloud 2008 July 2020


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SAP ASAP Methodology, Activate

Methodology & SAP Versions

SAP ASAP Methodology in ECC 6.0

1- What is ASAP Methodology?

2- Phases of ASAP Methodology 3- Brief explanation of each phase

ASAP stands for Accelerated SAP.

Phase of ASAP Methodology:

The road map is composed of five well-known consecutive phases

• Phase 1 Project Preparation

Info@ambikeya.com || www.ambikeya.com || +917746805189

Phase 1: Project Preparation

• Obtaining senior-level management/stakeholder support

Phase 2: Business Blueprint

1) What information do you capture on a purchase order?

2) What information is required to complete a purchase order?

The Realization phase is broken in to two parts.

Info@ambikeya.com || www.ambikeya.com || +917746805189

Phase 4: Final Preparation:

Phase 5: Go-live and Support: