Reliable companion on the way to SAP S/4HANA
SAP will not discontinue mainstream support for SAP Business Suite until 2027 after all. This means that companies still have around six years to switch to S/4HANA. But that is no reason to put the issue on the back burner, according to Michael Straub, Head of SAP at Fujitsu in Central Europe: "The date suggests that there is still enough time to upgrade. But that is deceptive."
One reason for this is that S/4HANA is much more than a pure software release. It is a digitization platform that allows companies to become more agile and support processes better than before. Technologies such as AI and IoT contribute to this. In addition, according to the DSAG Investment Report 2020, 39 percent of SAP users want to carry out a system conversion to SAP S/4HANA ("brownfield" approach). While this is one of the easiest paths to SAP S/4HANA - thanks in part to suitable tools - the same applies here as to a complete rebuild ("greenfield" approach): The sooner a company starts, the better.
SAP experts from Fujitsu support
But the reality is often different, according to Michael Straub: "According to the DSAG Investment Report, IT departments cite many reasons for not migrating yet, such as a lack of staff or consultants or a lack of know-how." Such obstacles can be removed if a company draws on Fujitsu's SAP expertise and best practices.
Fujitsu recommends a multi-stage approach: First, experts work with users in a Discovery Workshop to analyze which business processes, applications and IT systems are in place - and which goals the user wants to achieve. An important point here is that processes and IT environments are freed from redundancies under the motto "SAP Simplify". Our experts then draw up a migration roadmap based on this. This provides information about the costs and tasks involved in the conversion to SAP S/4HANA. Fujitsu has developed an optimized and field-tested methodology for this purpose with "XpressWay for SAP Application Transformation".
The Best Practices Approach - Experience for a Successful Transformation
In the next step, Fujitsu creates a model of the new SAP S/4HANA environment and checks whether the processes will run as desired. The best practices approach anchored in our XpressWay methodology plays an important role here. With the help of this approach, existing processes can be adapted and simplified as well as new processes defined with a manageable effort that can be calculated in advance. Finally, Fujitsu supports the users in converting the old installation and adapting the code of the SAP applications.
However, Fujitsu goes one step further in its approach: Those who also want to bring the associated IT infrastructure up to the latest technological and energy standards as part of the changeover to S4/HANA can, for example, fall back on the Fujitsu PRIMEFLEX for SAP Landscapes product range. These integrated IT systems support simplification and automation in the management of SAP S/4HANA infrastructures. Companies that want to completely outsource the operation of an S/4HANA environment are also in good hands with Fujitsu as a full-service IT provider: Here, Fujitsu takes over the complete operation of SAP environments, from the infrastructure to the operation of the applications.
For more information, please visit the Fujitsu SAP website: www.fujitsu.com/de/sap-services
We are also looking forward to your virtual booth visit at DSAG Live - And don't miss our presentation "Play of colors - Your personal way to S/4HANA" there on 13.10.2020
15:30-16:00
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