Importance Of Implementing SAP

Why do we need to implement SAP?
SAP implementation is quite an expensive “pleasure”. In many senses, it is a resource-consuming step which many companies have to undertake nowadays to maintain and further develop their business activities. [page 16]
There are two point of views from where we could take a look up this matter: strategic and tactical.
From strategic point of view, a lot of companies these days are facing challenges like business transformation, seamless integration, collaboration, flexibility and maximization of profits. All those complex process are desired to be achieved without sacrificing internal controls.
Those questions are acquiring more and more significance for companies which are running on the global markets.
How

170):
Project Preparation phase focuses on describing all activities that must occur prior to project kickoff.
Business Blueprint phase specifies required SAP functionality, SAP organizational structure, and, what is the most important aspect, how SAP fits into your company’s organizational structure.
Realization phase is about the steps and processes that are followed to enable the functionality described in the Business Blueprint phase.
Final Preparation phase focuses on the steps and processes that are followed to make the business organization and SAP production system ready for go-live (delivering end-user training, developing detailed system cutover plans, conducting technical make-ready tasks such as backup, restore, and disaster-recovery procedures, cutover dress rehearsals, and final data and open transaction loads).
Go-Live and Support phase describes the steps and processes that turn over the system to steady-state support functions such as data center operations, end-user help desk support team, and application support. This phase also includes formal project closure and sign-off.
Let’s consider each of these phases in deeper

This Phase includes several steps.
Initial Project Planning
At this step the SAP implementation team needs to obtain the sponsorship of executives and to make sure they will have enough funding and the high-level project requirements and constraints are clear. Another important step pertaining to this Phase is creating Requests for Proposals that are necessary for approaching system integrators and third-party subcontractors who are going to support your implementation.
The Initial Project Planning includes the following substeps (pp. 173-176):
- Review and refine the implementation strategy. What the staffing model will be used (an onshore, near-shore, or offshore model, or a combination of these). What cutover approaches is going to be applied (big bang/turn everything on at once or sequential rollouts of functionality by geographic location)? What is the end-user training strategy? What are holistic testing plans?
- Determine the project organizational structure. What are the chain in command (executive champion, executive sponsor, steering committee)? What are the third parties? Who are the members of your SAP technical team? Members of your SAP technical