Many roads lead to SAP C/4HANA

Just over a year ago, SAP announced the C/4HANA CRM solution package. It is intended to provide companies in the context of commerce, marketing, sales, and service with a uniform view of their customers and end-to-end processes. Not least because of the many different SAP solutions, which often originate from company takeovers, there is a lack of transparency and decision-making ability as to what is the right way to go - especially from the point of view of not only transferring existing processes to the C/4HANA world. But also to improve them and to use the potential for continuous and integrated solutions (CX). Finding the right approach for your own company is the challenge when introducing C/4HANA. The Sybit C/4 Mapping Concept helps to find one's way through the thicket of numerous variants and starts at a decisive point: after the decision to use C/4HANA and the start of the project. There are three steps in the process.

First, the old is not the same as the new process

In the beginning there was strategic alignment - but where does this lead in concrete terms? And what does it mean for the individual departments? These are questions that IT decision-makers in particular are asking themselves. One thing must be clear: By transferring existing processes 1:1 to the new, digital world, companies create a fancy framework - which only costs a lot of money, but is not goal-oriented. Instead, companies should first scrutinize their existing processes. There are various integration scenarios, depending on the existing and planned IT landscape. These scenarios differ not only in terms of the systems and interfaces, but also in terms of the time frame, (operating) costs, or licensing models.

A simple example can be used to illustrate this. In every company, the lead-to-order process looks a little different, especially in the context of quote creation. Quotes from the opportunity, then directly in the ERP or still in the Sales Cloud? Integration via the SCP via SCI or PI? Is a mobile application or even a configuration engine (e.g. SAP CPQ) used via mash-up or web service connection? Should offers also be visible or merged in the commerce solution or portal? Which replication logic is there (bidirectional, unidirectional, pull, API etc.) - and above all which objects are exchanged? Is the order creation done from the quote? The entire process may also differ for individual companies, entities, roles, and partners. Such a generic process already shows the multitude of possible options.

But which variant fits your requirements, framework conditions? These options differ significantly and require preparation and evaluation in order to make the right decision. The procedure can be aggregated to a larger level (introduction of the C/4 Suite) or broken down further to specific (sub-)processes or C/4-relevant topics.

The strength of Sybit C/4 Mapping: It creates an overview and structure, draws an individual map for the company on the way to C/4HANA.

Second: From different variants to concrete utility analysis

The implementation options are now clearly described and the cost of the necessary IT infrastructure quantified. Which variant is now the best depends on criteria that are relevant for the respective company:

• Sustainability (compliant with SAP standard, release security)
• Prerequisites (budget, strategy, timeline, personnel)
• Feasibility, empirical values
• Coverage: global/template approach, strengthen/integrate entities, etc.).
• Political

Based on these and other criteria, Sybit C/4 Mapping evaluates the individual scenarios in the form of a utility value analysis. This results in a clear picture, in which personal assessments and preferences from the individual areas are also included.

Third: The derivation of the right measures

At this point, it is no longer a question of a strategy paper. It is about concrete measures that the favored variant requires.

In a high-level backlog, the project components for implementing the respective variants are structured and estimated - such as the topics of project management, workshops, system setup, go-live preparation, coaching or consulting. In a management decision paper, all results are prepared and presented, and clear recommendations for action are given.

Sybit C/4 Mapping is the basis for a well-founded, coordinated and correct decision and thus the optimum prerequisite for successful design and implementation. The project can thus start.

The Author: Roland Boes is Director Innovation & Portfolio at Sybit GmbH. He combines business thinking with a wealth of experience in IT management. Implementing projects efficiently, asking the right questions at the right time and bringing all stakeholders to the table are the hallmarks of his goal-oriented approach. He is responsible for CX Solutions at Sybit and enthusiastically drives innovative topics such as SAP CPQ, SAP Qualtrics and SAP Leonardo.

About Sybit

As a long-standing SAP consultancy and top 20 digital agency in Germany, Sybit develops solutions that map all end-to-end processes of the customer journey.

As an SAP Cloud Focus Partner for Customer Engagement and Commerce, Sybit relies on the underlying technology platform SAP C/4HANA as a front end in system landscapes with SAP ERP or SAP S/4HANA.

Founded in 2000, the company, headquartered in Radolfzell on Lake Constance, now employs over 250 people. More than 300 renowned customers, primarily corporate groups and globally active medium-sized companies from the mechanical and plant engineering, high-tech industry or the automotive sector, rely on the expertise of the SAP Platinum Partner.

Case studies and customer testimonials at: www.sybit.de