How Can Businesses Tackle the Complexities of SAP S/4HANA Integration Process?

⇨ S/4HANA will become a vital ERP platform for many organizations because of both the approaching 2027 SAP deadline and the functional benefits that the system has to offer.

⇨ Only 29 percent of SAP customers had deployed S/4HANA by early 2022 due to the complexity of the transition process.

⇨ Deploying services provided by information management software specialists like OpenText can help SAP users tackle the complexity of transition to S/4HANA through application of low skill integration opportunities and highly structured approach.

Each year it is getting clearer that S/4HANA will become a vital ERP platform for many organizations. This is not just due to the approaching 2027 deadline for SAP ECC’s migration to S/4HANA but also because of the functional benefits that the system has to offer. Despite that, only 29 percent of SAP customers had deployed S/4HANA by early 2022, according to SAPinsider’s research. There are various reasons that define the statistic for the delay in companies’ transition. However, the primary reason that unifies all SAP users who have not yet started their migration journey is the encounter of the complexity of the process.

There are three deployment approaches that SAP users can choose from for their transition: 1) new implementation, 2) system conversion or 3) hybrid deployment. The pros and cons of each will work differently according to individual companies’ needs. The native integration capabilities provided by SAP make connecting S/4HANA with other SAP applications and some common third-party applications relatively straightforward. However, when it comes to integrations that require advanced data transformation or complex data processing, companies do not only need the capable technology, but also the right skills and well-governed processes for integration development and support. Many companies may also require adding external systems together with their ERP which brings yet another layer of complexity to the mix.

To navigate this complexity, many companies turn to specialist advisers and consultants who can assess the company’s individual needs and circumstances. An example of such company is OpenText. A long-standing partner of SAP, OpenText has offered SAP integration through Managed Services since 2001. OpenText provides direct connections to thousands of SAP production instances, more than 100 analysts and mappers with hands-on SAP IDoc and SAP API experience, more than 20,000 maps in production for SAP and numerous connectivity options to enable optimal solution design.

Deploying services provided by information management software specialists like OpenText can help SAP users navigate the complexity of transition to S/4HANA. It is key to respond to the changing requirements by efficiently enabling both low skill integration tasks and the more complex integration use cases that require expertise and a highly structured approach. Instead of feeling that each company must navigate the complexities of this integration alone, leveraging assistance from someone like OpenText can help both ease the transition process and utilize it to its highest potential.