A greenfield implementation is the process of implementing SAP from scratch which many find as a great opportunity to design and configure their system closely in line with business processes. As part of our work, we have identified that a greenfield project’s success is critically dependent on strategic planning and execution as well as appropriate tools and technologies. In this post, we will look at some of the key tools and technologies you need to consider when planning your SAP greenfield implementation.
1. SAP Activate Methodology
Overview
SAP Activate is the new generation best practice approach and framework for SAP Implementation in a cloud centric world. From initial planning through post-go-live support, it was created to help you every step of the way with your project lifecycle.
Key Features
- Phases and Workstreams: The project are divided into phases in SAP Activate which are Discover, Prepare, Explore, Realize, Deploy and Run. Specific workstreams such as project management, application design and technical architecture happen inside each phase.
- Agile Approach: It is an iterative approach and allows for continuous changes & improvements during the project.
- Pre-configured best practices: Pre-defined best practices ensure to save time and effort by offering tested processes for different sectors.
Benefits
- Speeds up delivery timelines.
- Better control towards predictability of project.
- It accelerates user adoption via direct training and change controls.
2. SAP Solution Manager
Overview
Solution Manager is an integrated platform to manage your SAP and non-SAP solutions. It is a key component in new greenfield deployments with tools for project management, system configuration, testing and monitoring.
Key Features
- Project and Process Management: For Planning, Scheduling, & Controlling Projects and Business Processes.
- Test Management: Allows end to end testing like test planning, execution (test and defect management).
- Change Control Management: Maintains seamless and controlled deployment of changes through the landscape.
- Monitoring & Alerting: For full system performance and health monitoring in real time.
Benefits
- Increased visibility and control over the project lifecycle.
- Minimizes risks with the help of proper change management commenting.
- Improves the performance and stability of systems.
3. SAP Fiori
Overview
SAP Fiori is a design paradigm for SAP applications. With its sleek, elegant appearance of a modern style and an easy-to-use interface that will get you on board in no time. SAP Fiori can be used to design custom applications which are intuitive, easy-to-use and specific for different business requirements during greenfield implementation.
Key Features
- Responsive Design: Optimizes experience for different device types (e.g. desktop, tablet and mobile).
- Role-Based Access: Role-based access gives the user relevant information about their role and responsibilities.
- Integration with SAP S/4HANA: As a native integration with SAP S/4HANA, everything is in the suite to provide you seamless experience across all your processes.
Benefits
- Enhances User Adoption & Satisfaction.
- Improves productivity with simple follow through workflows.
- Saves you time and simulate real use cases which costs less training.
4. SAP Cloud Platform
Overview
The SAP Cloud Platform (SCP) is an enterprise PaaS (Platform as a service) that allows any business to easily develop, extend and integrate applications in the cloud. If you are doing customer greenfield implementation, SCP provides an open and fair environment to develop custom applications and integrations.
Key Features
- Application Development: Supports a wide range of programming languages and frameworks for developing custom applications.Â
- Integrate Services: Provides the APIs, data integration tools and process orchestration to integrate your SAP systems with other non-SAP systems.
- Wrapper Capabilities: Businesses would be able to implement wrapper capabilities around SAP applications, without touching the core system.
Benefits
- Foster innovation and agility through fast app development.
- Improved System Flexibility and Scalability.
- Enables easy integration into existing systems and processes.
5. SAP Data Services
Overview
Data Migration – One of the most critical aspects in an SAP Greenfield implementation. The data integration and transformation tool SAP Data Services helps extract the comprehensive, accurate and efficient migration of legacy systems into a new environment with its new business requirements (SAP).
Key Features
- Data Extraction, Transformation, and Loading (ETL): It offers a powerful ETL capability for extracting data from different sources, transforming it according to business rule needs and loading onto the target.
- Data Quality Management: Ensures the accuracy and quality of data through its processing via data profiling, cleansing, validation.
- Support for Real-Time Data Integration: Real-time data integration and replication capabilities are supported to synchronize the data between different systems.
Benefits
- Mitigates the risk and redoes of data migrations
- Improves data quality and integrity.
- Shortens the data migration process and therefore project timelines.
6. SAP S/4HANA Migration Cockpit
Overview
The SAP S/4HANA Migration cockpit is the migration tool, which legacy system data can load into target HANA Database. It is your ultimate way to help you with data migrations and comes up with pre-built objects due to which it would save much of your time.
Key Features
- Predefined Objects: internal library of predefined objects for frequently used data types e.g. customers, vendors and materials.
- Guided Migration Process: Provides a guided process, step-by-step for migrating contents from the source to the destination with data mapping-validation-load.
- Data Validation and Simulation: Data validation, pre-flight check, or simulation to identify issues before you migrate.
Benefits
- This makes the data migration process much easier and faster.
- Reduces risk of migration with templated designs and guided process.
- Makes the data in the new system more accurate and reliable.
7. SAP Analytics Cloud
Overview
SAP Analytics Cloud (or SAC) is a new generation of cloud-based solutions for business intelligence, planning and predictive analytics. With greenfield implementation, SAC can be leveraged to build and roll out advanced analytics solutions that enable quick informed decision-making.
Key Features
- Data Visualization: Interactive dashboards, graphs for real-time data analysis.
- Predictive Analytics: Delivers predictive models to anticipate trends, patterns and solutions.
- Budgeting and Planning: it combines the budget part and planning capabilities for perfect financial control.
Benefits
- Increases decision-making power by providing analytics and real-time insights.
- Enhanced financial planning and performance management.
- Helps in democratization of data culture across the organization.
8. SAP IntegrationSuite
Overview
SAP Integration Suite, which up until now was known to be SAP Cloud Platform Integration is an integration platform that allows you interconnect various systems among one and another. In greenfield implementation, it is mandatory for the integration of different applications and help in frictionless data flow.
Key Features
- Integration Packages Library: Pre-built integrations and scenario-driven integration packages.
- API Management: Tools for designing, managing and monitoring APIs
- Process Orchestration: This helps in automating and orchestrating the business processes across systems.
Benefits
- Reduces work of integrating with already available systems and applications.
- Increases workforce productivity by automating processes.
- Top-level integration cost and effort reduction with existing packages.
Conclusion
To implement a greenfield version of SAP implementation planning, the correct tools and technologies must be identified for the process to succeed. Health check and Data Sync, Cockpit, and SAP innovations like Fiori, Cloud Platform, Data Services, S/4HANA Migration Cockpit, Analytics Cloud, and Integration Suite are prominent tools that can have a significant impact on the implementation plan. Using these, organizations can have an appropriately effective and sustainable SAP environment in addition to supporting long-term strategic objectives for future-readiness.
