ASAP Methodology

Introduction

Enterprise application software has to cover a broad spectrum of functionality, yet be configured flexibly enough to meet specific requirements, which can vary enormously. SAP’s answers to this challenge are AcceleratedSAP and the R/3 Business Engineer, providing a comprehensive solution for implementing R/3 quickly, easily, and according to your own needs even during productive operation.

Born out of the need to cost effectively configure R/3 to order, AcceleratedSAP and the Business R/3 Engineer support custom configuration of R/3. You can tailor the R/3 components, functions and organizational structures to your needs, hiding and/or deactivating those functions that are not required.

Fig. 1: The R/3 Business Engineer Complements ASAP

AcceleratedSAP (ASAP) is SAP's standard implementation methodology. It contains the Roadmap, a step-by-step guide that incorporates experience from many years of implementing R/3. Along with that, AcceleratedSAP contains a multitude of tools, accelerators and useful information to assist all team members in implementing R/3. Quality checks are incorporated at the end of each phase to easily monitor deliverables and critical success factors. ASAP is delivered as a PC-based package, so that - if required - an implementation project can begin prior to having an R/3 System installed.

The R/3 Business Engineer contains a set of configuration and implementation tools which enable you or your consultants to define and configure R/3 and also to adapt an existing configuration to new needs or changed circumstances. The Business Engineer is resident to R/3.

So that its customers can implement R/3 as quickly as possible, SAP has standardized the implementation procedure, simplified the way functions are presented and reduced the technical complexity of implementation.

AcceleratedSAP and the Business Engineer help you configure R/3 according to your own needs using proven, industry-specific business scenarios and processes. Whether implementing new processes in your enterprise or restructuring old ones, R/3 can release the full potential of change for you. AcceleratedSAP and the Business Engineer help you determine which of R/3’s proven processes are most suited to your business, and then help you configure to meet your specific needs. The benefit is obvious: Restructuring enterprise processes in the R/3 System leads to a rapid and efficient production startup, meaning a faster return on investment.

By simplifying configuration, ASAP and the Business Engineer make the power of R/3 more accessible, helping companies to lower their dependence on expensive specialists or outside consultants. The user-friendliness of ASAP and the Business Engineer make them particularly suitable for the following groups:

• Business professionals who need to discuss, prototype and design their business blueprint (enterprise model)
• IS departments of large enterprises who need to customize R/3 applications more efficiently and more rapidly
• Small and medium-sized companies previously wary of implementing R/3 because of the perceived scale of such projects
• Consultants and SAP partners looking for an efficient way of offering their customers configure-to-order or wishing to develop R/3-based solutions for niche markets

Together, AcceleratedSAP and the Business Engineer empower you to manage cost, time and quality without compromising on implementation requirements. Some of the features offered are:

q Reduced implementation times and faster return on investment through structured planning and preconfiguration

• Intuitive understanding of the wide range of functions offered by R/3

• Process optimization using proven scenarios, processes and value chains, illustrating clearly the software’s capabilities and offering practical help when you configure the R/3 System.

q High quality installations through comprehensive procedural guidelines

q Optimizing business processes using SAP Business Workflow, via process monitoring and automation of procedures

• Continuous, dynamic adjustment and optimization of R/3 applications

• The capability to copy configured areas, for example, by transferring existing settings to new organizational units.

AcceleratedSAP and the Business Engineer are designed for openness and new platforms, using HTML-based documentation. Compatibility with many third-party modeling tools and software packages, for example, Microsoft Excel, is ensured.

Available Tools

Embarking on an implementation project requires a lot of careful thought beforehand. You need to think about what you want to accomplish, the optimum sequence, and the business cases that are best suited to your needs. But SAP has already done a lot of the thinking for you and packaged its findings in the following tools. They are then described in more detail in the following chapters organized according to the corresponding AcceleratedSAP phases.

1. AcceleratedSAP (ASAP): A comprehensive solution for the introduction of the R/3 System in your enterprise. ASAP and most of its tools can be used independently of an R/3 installation.

The tools available for AcceleratedSAP are:

• The Project Estimator, an internal SAP tool which enables SAP consultants to accurately gauge the required resources, the costs and the time frame of implementation. The Project Estimator takes into account the project scope and several project and risk factors.
• The Concept Check Tool, a tool enabling you to carry out quality checks on the project preparation, technical infrastructure and R/3 configuration settings. This is done mainly during the first two implementation phases of the R/3 project. In this way you are alerted to potential data volume and configuration conflicts that could lead to performance issues if not addressed.
• The Implementation Assistant: The ASAP navigation tool that accompanies you through the five phases of implementation down to the task level. It includes a description and a detailed "how-to" for each task in the Roadmap. Along with that, many tools, templates and documents are hyperlinked to the task. The Implementation Assistant contains the following elements:

• ASAP Implementation Roadmap and Project Plan. The Roadmap contains the five phases, from which you can drill down into work packages, activities and tasks. The Project Plan contains three components, a budget plan, a resource plan and a work plan. These are explained in more detail in the next chapter.

The ASAP Roadmap is the successor of the R/3-based Procedure Model, which was used until Rel. 3.1 in R/3 implementation projects.

• Knowledge Corner, containing tips and tricks for configuration from consultants, detailed documentation on SAP’s implementation services, information on technical tools, as well as simplification guidebooks and R/3 Customizing wizards.

• Question and Answer Database (Q&Adb). Using the R/3 Reference Model structure, the Q&Adb is used to assist in gathering requirements for business processes, conversions, reports, interfaces, enhancements and authorizations. The database provides useful questionnaires to help you define the process needs and also serves as a repository for all this information. Since it is a database, it allows for flexible reporting. The business requirements generated from the Q&Adb are collectively known as the Business Blueprint.

• Business Process Master List, to manage configuration, testing and the creation of end user documentation. The Business Process Master List is linked to pre-written Business Process Procedures (BPPs), detailled end-user documentation for R/3 transactions.
• Issues Database: supporting project management, this database supports the entering, monitoring and managing of issues that come up during the project.

1. R/3 Business Engineer: The implementation tools for the high-quality configuration of the R/3 System are:

• R/3 Reference Model: Comprehensive graphical process flows describing the R/3 functionality from different points of view. It contains scenarios, processes and functions, as well as components. The R/3 Reference Model can be viewed using SAP's Business Navigator and the Business Navigator Web, or using third-party modeling tools available from modeling partners.

• Implementation Guide (IMG): Used to configure all system parameters for the business processes in R/3. It contains project management functionality and a menu-driven view of all R/3 Customizing activities. Every activity can be documented in detail, and responsibilities and statuses can be assigned.

1. Preconfigured systems:

• Preconfigured US and Canadian clients: Provides a head start on baseline configuration. It includes a preconfigured US/Canadian chart of accounts, print forms, account determination, units of measure, etc. The predefined test sequences that are included can be a starting point for integration testing.
• Preconfigured industry systems: A number of complete preconfigured clients consisting of an industry-specific model and preconfigured business processes for the needs of a particular industry in R/3 are available. For more information on preconfigured systems, see the description of Phase 2, Business Blueprint or the information on the IDES System in this chapter.

Continuous Business Engineering

In today’s fast-moving, ever-changing business climate, companies are in a constant state of flux and their mission-critical applications must adapt and evolve at the same speed. If software cannot grow with the needs of a company, the company will quickly find itself in a straightjacket.

Furthermore, an ERP application needs to let you move forward fast, knowing that you can roll back changes without downtime.

An enterprise's organizational structure and the corresponding R/3 implementation created using the Business Engineer are not "set in concrete", they can be modified at any time. Examples of possible changes, which can be made rapidly include the following:

• Addition or removal of entities within the organization structure (for example, business units, production plants, warehouses, etc.)
• Introduction of new staff, promotion, reallocation of work tasks, and maintenance of authorization profiles

• Changes to the reporting or cost/profit center structure

• New and concurrent currencies
• Accommodation of changed legal requirements (for example, new tax rates, new employment legislation)
• Activation or deactivation of R/3 functions
• Optimization of business processes
• Support for new and multiple versions of R/3

In addition, SAP offers a range of services if you want support for some of these changes, for example, conversion services to support mergers and acquisitions. Standard Euro services are a further example of the available services.

AcceleratedSAP and R/3 Business Engineer take the hassle out of implementation procedures and change management. Modifications can be made at any time, and the compatibility of changes can be verified with other configuration decisions, thus supporting their smooth, trouble-free introduction into the productive system.

ASAP Implementation Methodology

ASAP Implementation Methodology

Overview Any enterprise application software has to cover a broad spectrum of functionality, yet to be configured enough to meet specific requirements. SAP achieves this by ASAP methodology & R/3 Business Engineer. AcceleratedSAP (ASAP) is SAP’s standard implementation methodology. It contains the Roadmap, a step-by step guide that incorporates experience from many years of implementing SAP. Quality checks are incorporated at end of each phase to ensure quality of deliverables and monitor critical success factors. ASAP is delivered as a PC based package, so that an implementation project can begin prior to having an SAP R/3 system installed. ASAP Tools ASAP Roadmap ASAP and Business Engineer have compatibility with many third party modeling tools and packages like MS Excel etc

ASAP Implementation Methodology

R/3 Business Engineer It contains a set of configuration and implementation tools, which enable you or your consultants to define configuration SAP. It helps to implement SAP R/3 very fast. SAP has standardized the SAP implementation procedure, simplified the way fu8nctions are presented and reduced the technical complexity of implementation. The Business Engineer resides in SAP. ASAP along with Business Engineer is suitable to Business professionals who need to discuss, prototype and design their Business Blueprint (enterprise model) IS departments of large enterprises who need to customize R/3 applications more effectively and more rapidly. Small and medium scale companies, who wish to implement SAP in cost-effective way. Consultants and SAP partners who are looking for efficient way of offering their services. Some of the features of ASAP with Business Engineer are: Reduced implementation time. Intuitive understanding of wide range of functions offered by SAP R/3 Process optimization using proven scenarios, processes and value chains. High quality installations through comprehensive procedural guidelines. Continuous, dynamic adjustment and optimization of SAP R/3 applications. The capability to copy configured areas.

ASAP Implementation Methodology

ASAP Roadmap Phase 1: Project Preparation Phase 2: Business Blueprint Phase 3: Realization Phase 4: Final Preparation Phase 5: Go Live & Support

ASAP Implementation Methodology

Phase 1 : Project Preparation In this phase of the ASAP Roadmap, decision-makers define clear project objectives and an efficient decision-making process. Here Project Organization and roles are defined and implementation scope is finalized. System landscape and Technical Requirement Infrastructure need (Hardware/interfaces): Available- QuickSizing Service: to be accessed via SAPNet System Landscape High level strategies for client Archiving strategy Issues Database: Issues must be resolved before phase completion ot before beginning of the next phase. The issues can be Unanticipated tasks Normal tasks that can not be completed External factors that need to be dealt with. Issues database allows the project team to enter, track and report on project issues.

ASAP Implementation Methodology

Phase 2: Business Blueprint In this phase scope of the R/3 implementation is defined & Business Blueprint is created. Business Blueprint is a detailed documentation of company’s requirements. Various tools are used in this phase. AcceleratedSAP Implementation Assistant Question & Answer Database (Q&Adb) Business Process Master List (BPML) R/3 Structure Modeler Business Navigator and external modeling tools Project Management: Activities in this work package are: Conducting Status meeting for project team Conducting steering committee meetings General project management Addressing organizational issues relating to organizational change management. Other activities include: Project Team Training Developing the System Environment Defining Organizational Structure Defining the Business processes R/3 reference model can be used for Comparing the standard functionality with your companies own organizational requirements Creating documentation for the conceptual design Optimizing business processes Training the project team and users Writing user documentation Question and Answer Database can be used to determine The Baseline Scope Cycle Plan Integration test Plan

ASAP Implementation Methodology

Phase 3: Realization The purpose of Phase 3 is to configure the R/3 system. The configuration is carries out in two steps; baseline configuration & Final configuration. Business Process Master List (BPML) is created in phase 2 as a report from Q&A database. It is used to identify, plan, schedule and monitor the configuration and testing of all R/3 scenarios and processes within the scope of an implementation. BPML is a representation of the R/3 business and transactions that are contained within the scope of the project. BPML is feeds all business information to all subsequent worksheets. Implementation Guide (IMG): It is the main tool for setting the parameters to configure or ‘Customize’ R/3 during the realization phase. IMG reflect the chronological order in which the customizing activities are carried out. The following aspects of configuration are also to be considered: Defining authorizations in the R/3 system Defining workflows Creating user documentation System Manager Procedures Developing system test plans Defining service level commitment Establishing system administration functions Setting up Quality Assurance environment Defining the design of the productive system Defining system management procedures for the productive system Setting up the productive environment At the end of this phase, Project Manager must check the status of deliverables for completeness and accuracy. This internal quality check should be carried out in addition to an external, independent third party Quality Audit. Preparation for end-user training needs to be gone through and approved at and of this phase.

ASAP Implementation Methodology

Phase 4: Final Preparation The purpose of this phase is to complete the final preparation of the R/3 system for going live. This includes testing, user training, system management and cutover activities, to finalize your readiness to go live. In this phase the R/3 system is handed over to individual departments for productive operation. This includes preparation of end-user documentation and training the end-users. The technical environment is installed on production system & is tested. Project managers prepare plans for going live, transfer of legacy data and support at early stages. End-user training is a critical activity for success of the project. InfoDB may be used to plan for the User Training activities. Computer Center Management System (CCMS) must be set at this time. Simulation of productive operation system & testing the same is of great important. The test plan contains the following activities Testing conversion procedures and programs. Testing interface programs Conducting volume & stress testing Conducting final user acceptance testing Developing a final go-live strategy. The Computer Aided Test Tool (CATT) can be used to automate test sequences for key business processes. Phase 4 also provides for the testing of the disaster recovery plan for the productive environment. Disaster downtimes are verified and details on de-escalation.

ASAP Implementation Methodology

Phase 5: Go Live & Support This phase is concerned with supporting and optimizing the operative R/3 system. Following activities are carried out Production support facilities are defined. Validation of business processes and their configuration. Follow-up training for users Signoffs etc. During phase 5, the first EarlyWatch session should be held, where experts from SAP analyze the system’s technical infrastructure. The aim is to ensure the system functions as smooth as possible. Version upgrades should be planned whenever found necessary. AcceleratedSAP contains a continuous roadmap, with standard activities necessary after implementation. The tasks in that structure provide solutions for all known types of continuous change: Business changes, technology changes or changes in user community.