Permanently optimal processes

Regardless of the choice of migration method, the change to S/4 Hana is both an impetus and a necessity for companies to evaluate their processes and, if possible, to improve and simplify them. It is now common knowledge that process mining is the best way to do this, as it provides a data-based and thus valid overview of the real processes as well as the deviations from them.

But there is also often considerable potential for optimization in the use of process mining itself: In order to create a visual real-time representation of the process flows, all relevant data sources should ideally be used. Because in view of the typically very heterogeneous IT landscapes, a limitation to data exclusively from the core systems such as ERP and CRM often only leads to incomplete results.

The use of process mining should not be limited to the phases of the actual S/4 migration, i.e., from planning to template design to rollout. The subsequent control and evaluation is also elementary in order to be able to recognize and eliminate any inefficiencies in processes that may arise after the migration at an early stage.

Despite all the advantages of process mining, its possibilities used to be limited purely to diagnosis: process inefficiencies could be identified, but not eliminated automatically. This significant improvement for the sustainable and continuous optimization of company processes is only made possible by execution management based on process mining. Companies can use it to control their entire business performance in a targeted manner and continuously adapt it to changing requirements. This also applies to complex and cross-system processes.

Another advantage is that decision-makers can also use it to simulate changes and thus predict how they will affect the achievement of business goals. This helps not only in regular business operations, but also, for example, in minimizing the risks of an S/4 migration and redesigning processes - based on valid data.

Reduction of cycle times

The possibilities offered by execution management are illustrated by the example of Fresenius Kabi. The global healthcare company with around 40,000 employees provides drugs and medical products for infusion, transfusion and clinical nutrition. Fresenius Kabi wanted to optimize its processes using Celonis' Execution Management System (EMS) and started with accounts payable, among other things.

The goals of the project were to reduce cash losses due to duplicate payments or the loss of cash discounts, to shorten the cycle time in general, and to significantly reduce the number of human interventions in the process.

Thanks to the analysis and enrichment of live data from the ERP system, accounting staff now have exactly the insights they need to make optimal decisions and optimize processes. The results include a 24 percent higher discount realization rate within just three months and savings of around 100,000 euros within the first six months.

Fresenius Kabi is a prime example of how modern process mining and the execution management systems based on it enable companies to achieve significant added business value on a lasting and sustainable basis - provided they use the appropriate technologies.