Day 1 of the SAPinsider SAP S/4HANA Summit 2023: A Detailed Overview

⇨ In the first day of the SAPinsider SAP S/4HANA Summit 2023 in Dallas, customers are learning to modernize their system landscapes to become intelligent and sustainable enterprises.

⇨ The summit provided attendees with numerous learning opportunities, including keynote addresses, interactive workshops, panel discussions, networking sessions, and expert insights.

⇨ Many large enterprises prioritize the move to S/4HANA, but with each new release introducing innovative capabilities, the journey doesn't end with the initial migration.

The first day of the SAPinsider SAP S/4HANA Summit 2023 provided finance professionals with many learning opportunities. This event brought together business executives, IT managers, SAP thought leaders and SAP customers to exchange insights and experiences regarding enterprise transformation and modernizing finance operations.

Keynote Address by Steve Schnoll 

The summit started with a keynote address by Steve Schnoll, who discussed the transition to SAP S/4HANA and its benefits in terms of growth, risk reduction, and compliance alignment with business goals. Schnoll also introduced the SAP Customer Evolution Program, which assists customers in modernizing their system landscapes to become intelligent and sustainable enterprises. The program offers tools to navigate the technical challenges of such transitions.

The conference featured interactive workshops that allowed customers to explore SAP S/4HANA functionalities, focusing on accounting, financial planning, reporting, and process automation. 

Notable Workshop Highlights 

SAP S/4HANA Finance + Central Finance Roadmap: Stephanie Miller from SAP explained the advantages of adopting a “Finance First” approach to SAP S/4HANA. She highlighted Central Finance‘s role in integrating SAP and non-SAP transactions into an SAP S/4HANA RISE environment. 

Material Ledger is Required for SAP S/4HANA Finance: What Does That Mean for Your Company: Paul Ovigele emphasized the importance of material ledger conversion in migrating to SAP S/4HANA. 

Intelligent Finance with SAP S/4HANA: Anurag Barua explained how SAP S/4HANA Finance incorporates intelligence into its standard capabilities, enabling data-driven decisions and operational efficiency. 

Panel Discussion: Continuous Transformation with SAP S/4HANA 

A standout moment for me was participating in a panel discussion hosted by Carsten Hilker, featuring experts Stephanie Miller from SAP, Mark Slater from Reynolds Consumer Products (formerly with Walgreens Boots Alliance), and Paul Ovigele from ERPfixers. They shared insights on the ongoing journey of transformation with SAP S/4HANA. 

Many large enterprises prioritize the move to S/4HANA, but with each new release introducing innovative capabilities, the journey doesn’t end with the initial migration. Transformation has become synonymous with continuous improvement, analogous to the evolution of mobile technology. This shift challenges traditional one-time change models and encourages an ongoing evolution approach. 

Networking Opportunities 

Networking opportunities were abundant throughout the day. While many attendees had migration challenges and opportunities at the forefront of their thoughts, there were concerns surrounding licensing costs for new SAP modules and solutions within the context of RISE for SAP. These discussions served as a platform for addressing crucial issues and fostering a supportive community. Stay tuned for further discussions on this topic.

Closing Keynote 

The day concluded with a closing keynote moderated by Riz Ahmed, featuring a customer panel discussion with Cynthia Kendall, Carol McMillan, and Mark Slater. The panelists shared practical insights and lessons learned from their SAP S/4HANA transformation journeys, covering challenges, strategies, and successes. 

Day 1 of the SAPinsider SAP S/4HANA Summit 2023 provided attendees numerous learning opportunities, including keynote addresses, interactive workshops, panel discussions, networking sessions, and expert insights. The event offered valuable information for finance professionals navigating the transformation journeys with SAP S/4HANA and left attendees eager for more insights on Day 2 of the conference.