To Enable Transformation, SNP Tackles SAP Data Management

The ever-evolving ERP landscape poses significant data management challenges for businesses in the midst of, or planning for, transformation initiatives. These can be either foundational (e.g., systems consolidation, migration to S/4HANA, move to cloud infrastructure) or advanced (e.g., digital thread, predictive service management, sense-and-respond supply chain). Companies shape their strategies and market position through key decisions regarding how to migrate, engineer, govern and validate data, which subsequently influence the technology driving their business operations. However, modifying applications, data, and infrastructure can escalate into extensive projects requiring significant time and posing considerable risks. This often leads to a disconnect between business decisions and their practical execution.

SNP squarely addresses these challenges, offering innovative solutions that streamline these processes. The company aids customers in their journey to SAP S/4HANA, whether private or public cloud platforms with ‘clean core’ methodology that translates to an optimized and effective migration with minimal excess data. This streamlined strategy not only results in a more effective system but also maximizes the innovative features of SAP S/4HANA.

SNP brings automated solutions and supporting services via its proprietary CrystalBridge® transformation platform and SNP Glue. These solutions significantly narrow the gap between business strategy and technological implementation, achieving results in weeks or months instead of months or years. Additionally, SNP provides a unique BLUEFIELD™ method for SAP S/4HANA integration, allowing companies to upgrade and migrate to SAP S/4HANA in a single go-live project.

Data Transformation and Project Consolidation

SNP excels in navigating the complexities that businesses encounter with aging SAP systems, which are often hindered by obsolete processes and a buildup of extensive data. They offer expert services designed to restructure this data, ensuring compatibility with the advanced frameworks of SAP S/4HANA. SNP’s adeptness in integrating diverse initiatives, like the establishment of business partners, into a unified transformation endeavor significantly cuts down on implementation time—often by as much as 50%—while also boosting the efficiency and smoothness of the transition.

Recognizing the paramount importance of maintaining business operations, SNP introduces an innovative approach to SAP migrations with its Near-Zero Downtime (NZD) solution. This methodology drastically cuts down the typical technical downtime associated with SAP S/4HANA migrations, on average reducing it to a mere 12-36 hours. This swift transition significantly mitigates operational disruptions and financial risks.

As business landscapes evolve, so must their operational frameworks and data structures. SNP assists organizations in adapting their foundational data aspects to mirror their current operational reality more accurately. This includes realigning fiscal calendars, purging obsolete data from previous divestitures, and streamlining the new SAP S/4HANA system to eliminate data redundancy.

The BLUEFIELD™ Approach

SNP has been instrumental in introducing and popularizing the BLUEFIELD™ approach for SAP S/4 HANA migration and integration. This innovative strategy is a blend, incorporating the best elements of both Greenfield (starting afresh) and Brownfield (upgrading existing systems) methodologies. BLUEFIELD™offers a versatile pathway for data transformation, allowing companies to retain invaluable data while shedding the unnecessary, striking a perfect balance between preservation and innovation.

“What BLUEFIELD™ is emphasizing is the process of selectively gathering data and modifying it to extract extra value. This involves discarding unnecessary data, removing irrelevant elements from the operational system, and improving data quality. For instance, we’re currently assisting a client in altering their financial recording methods to incorporate document splitting,” says Benjamin Deaver, Solutions Architect – Software at SNP.

SNP’s engagement transcends typical client interactions, encompassing a wide range of stakeholders from CIOs and CFOs to IT directors and data management teams. Its approach is rooted in a profound respect for technology and the significance of business data. A central aspect of their methodology is the automation of extensive testing to guarantee data accuracy post-migration, ensuring a seamless transition and maintaining business continuity.

Customer Case – The Coop Cooperative

The Coop Cooperative, a major retail and wholesale entity in Switzerland, boasts around 2.5 million members and employs about 95,000 people. This diverse cooperative operates various businesses, including supermarkets, department stores, restaurants, pharmacies, and gas station stores.

Facing the challenge of modernizing their IT infrastructure, Coop commissioned SNP to migrate two critical ECC SAP systems, CCR and CTC, to SAP S/4HANA. These systems, crucial for processing 50% of Coop’s sales, comprised a 56 TB retail system (CCR) and an 8 TB trading system (CTC), each having operated for 20 and 12 years respectively. Given their importance, the migration had to be executed with minimal downtime, limited to just 18 hours, using the NZD approach for the larger CCR system.

The migration involved extensive preparation, including a detailed analysis of the existing systems, which featured over 400 in-house developments and interfaces. Coop opted to transfer only the last two years of data to the new system, keeping older data accessible on read-only systems. This process required thorough custom code checks and SAP simplification item checks. An initial migration for the CCR system was conducted a week before the final migration, followed by daily delta migrations to minimize the data set for the final go-live weekend.

The project, spanning 18 months, was a success. It employed the CrystalBridge® transformation platform for guided, end-to-end project planning, resulting in standardized, automated processes. This approach combined several projects into one, reduced the need for staffing and consultants, and minimized risks by not altering the current SAP landscape during the migration. The selective data migration strategy, focusing only on essential historical data, further streamlined the process. Remarkably, the systems went live after just 14 hours of downtime, less than the maximum allocated time.

What’s in it for SAPinsiders?

For organizations facing challenges in migration or data management, SNP recommends initiating the data management journey promptly. They emphasize the significance of early involvement, comprehensive system analysis, and a lucid vision of the desired outcomes to guarantee a successful migration and transformation experience. Below are other key actions SAPinsiders can take.

Start Data Management Early: Deaver emphasizes that beginning a data management journey sooner is better, as delays only make the process more challenging. With evolving technologies and the nearing end of maintenance periods for older systems, starting early helps in smoother transitions.

Focus on Desired Outcomes: Organizations should clearly define their desired outcomes from data management. This includes understanding what they want to achieve, such as improved analytics, predictive capabilities, or streamlined reporting. By focusing on outcomes, companies can better align their data management strategies with their business goals.

Adopt a Proactive Approach to Data Archiving and Integration: While data archiving might not be inherently exciting, it is crucial for operational efficiency. Proactively identifying and divesting redundant or unnecessary data, and integrating essential data into various platforms, can significantly enhance system performance and decision-making capabilities.

Leverage Expertise in Data Management: Engaging with experienced data management firms like SNP can provide valuable insights and support. These firms offer services like system scans to identify data silos and help in strategizing effective data management. This partnership can lead to more efficient and less risky data transitions.

Consider Different Methodologies: Whether it is Greenfield, Brownfield, or Bluefield approaches, each organization must evaluate and choose the methodology that best suits its needs. This decision should be based on the current system’s state, desired outcomes, and the organization’s capacity to adapt to changes. Early and thoughtful planning is key to successful implementation.