Road Map for SAP S/4HANA Implementation

The purpose of the road map SAP S/4HANA Implementation is to support on-premise
implementation projects to SAP S/4HANA, in order to eliminate related risks - manage them proactively
- and to make such an implementation project predictable - create transparency about all involved tasks
and roles and thus create viable foundation. SAP offers additional road maps for cloud implementation
projects.
The structure of the road map is release-independent. Release information is given explicitly in case a
certain activity or task is only required for a dedicated release (e.g. SAP Simple Finance on-premise
edition 1503).
SAP sees three implementation scenarios to SAP S/4HANA:

New Implementation:
For customers, who would like to implement a new instance of SAP S/4HANA, by either migrating
a legacy system, or by running a net-new SAP S/4HANA installation
Landscape Transformation:
For customers, who would like to consolidate the existing SAP landscape or carve out selected
entities or processes as part of their move to SAP S/4HANA
System Conversion:
For customers, who would like to convert the existing SAP ERP system to SAP S/4HANA onpremise including business data and configuration.

This road map mainly focuses on the scenarios Landscape Transformation and System Conversion.
The New Implementation scenario will be fully included with the next version of this roadmap.
With this road map, SAP Digital Business Services addresses SAP S/4HANA implementation projects
holistically, covering all project phases and work streams, in alignment with SAPs latest implementation
methodology called SAP Activate. It addresses questions including the following:
1 How do I get an ideal SAP S/4HANA strategy, which identifies the value for my company? What is
my customer specific road map for SAP S/4HANA?
2 What simplifications are ideal for my company? What can I implement as part of the project?
3 How do I identify custom code that needs to be adjusted for SAP HANA and SAP S/4HANA?
4 Will the SAP database seamlessly fit into the existing infrastructure?
5 What does this change mean for the operations team?
6 What is the overall project duration, what are related efforts?
7 What are potential risks and how can they be mitigated?
8 What trainings are needed for my team and which training strategy fits best into the company
requirements?
This road map is the backbone of an SAP offering that consists of methodologies and best practices
(accelerators referenced from the road map). The road map supports you in running the implementation
project yourself, together with your software and hardware partner, and together with SAP. The
accelerators are stored in various places, for instance Public web, SAP Community Network, SAP Service
Market Place, and SAP Enterprise Support Academy. You may need to register, or may have SAP
Enterprise Support status to get access.
The road map documents an SAP S/4HANA implementation project, and as such provides a structured
read-through documentation for Project Managers. In case it is used as the foundation for a specific
implementation project, then it must be tailored to customers specific business and IT requirements,
because not all activities documented here are required in all implementation cases.

Prerequisites
The prerequisites for using this road map depends on the implementation scenario.
Customers who are interested in Landscape Transformation or System Conversion, start from an SAP
ERP system on-premise, whereas the New Implementation scenario can also start from a legacy system.
For System Conversion and Landscape Transformation, the start release may also have impact on the
steps required to go to SAP S/4HANA. For System Conversion, the road map assumes that the start
release of SAP ECC is release 6.0. Upgrade from older releases could be included into this change event
as well. Customers who are on SAP Suite on HANA already, can skip references to the OS/DB migration
part of the road map.
This road map is designed to be used in conjunction with SAP Premium Engagement offerings for SAP
S/4HANA. SAP has designed four unique packages for Premium Engagement and MAXATTENTION
customers, which can be tailored to project scope and requirements, to assist in the implementation to
SAP S/4HANA. Throughout the road map there are references to SAP services and offerings that can be
requested as part of these packages. Please note that SAP S/4HANA implementation services will not be
offered individually on a pick-and-choose basis, but only as part of a SAP S/4HANA service packages.
Customers who are interested in accessing the full capabilities of this road map should contact the local
SAP sales representative to find out which SAP S/4HANA service package can best support the
implementation project needs.

Procedure
The SAP S/4HANA Implementation road map is time-wise structured in phases:

Discover
Prepare
Explore
Realize
Deploy
Run

The phase names are in alignment with SAPs new implementation methodology called SAP Activate
(see Accelerators section).

Discover Phase: Discover the value of SAP S/4HANA

In the Discover phase, customers create an overall strategy for the digital transformation, and an
implementation plan for the next couple of years. SAP S/4HANA will play a key role within this strategy
therefore it is important to make customers familiar with the benefits and the value of SAP S/4HANA. The
experience of a cloud trial may help in this context. Next customers need to identify at a high-level the
areas of the existing solution landscape that can benefit from the move to SAP S/4HANA. Additionally, this
phase will also help to shed light on any potential problematic areas with the implementation, based on the
current system state and usage patterns.
Then SAP recommends to create a value-based and company specific implementation strategy for SAP
S/4HANA. This includes the decision on the implementation scenario (e.g. the decision to either convert
the existing system, or to install a new one), and a high-level road map that sequences the innovation
steps related to SAP S/4HANA on a time line.
Last, the impact on the technical architecture and IT infrastructure is evaluated, which is together with
the implementation strategy - the foundation of the business case.

Prepare Phase: Start the implementation project

Once the business case has been approved, the project is officially initiated in the Prepare phase. A first
version of an implementation plan includes the findings from the Discover Phase, and sets the stage for
the entire project (Note: There are also customers who create a first version of the implementation plan at
an earlier point in time, and as a necessary input for the Business Case).
Common project preparation activities, like staffing, governance, or reporting requirements, take place
here as well.

Explore Phase: Define all details

As of the Explore phase, the implementation project split into several work streams:

Project Management work stream: Performs common project and quality management tasks,
including project reporting. The Technical Quality Manager (TQM) from SAP is included in all SAP
S/4HANA service packages. The TQM is part of this work stream, and jointly works together with
the project manager (from the customer and/or the implementation partner).
Application: Solution Adoption work stream: This work stream handles Organizational Change
Management (OCM). In addition the training strategy and the learning paths for the project team,
key users, and end users are defined. The training of the project team members takes place in
this phase as well.
Application: Design & Configuration work stream: Identifies and designs functional changes
based on a Fit / Gap analysis, and SAP S/4HANA functionality in scope of the implementation
project. Moreover, it could be advisable to reduce data volumes before converting to SAP
S/4HANA to lower hardware resources and to help reduce downtime in a system conversion
scenario.
Application: Testing work stream: Covers test planning and execution (integration, regression,
user acceptance).
Analytics & Digital Boardroom work stream: Covers the analytics aspects of an SAP S/4HANA
implementation project.
Custom Code Extensions work stream: Custom code potentially needs adjustment to function
properly with SAP S/4HANA. Affected custom code in productive use has to be identified, and
code adjustment has to be planned and executed accordingly.
System & Data Migration work stream: The implementation of the SAP S/4HANA systems
(sandbox, copies of production, supporting non-production systems (e.g. DEV, QAS, PRE), and
production) is planned in this work stream. Depending on the scenario, it includes the migration
from any database to SAP HANA, the implementation of SAP S/4HANA, the conversion of
business data into the new and simplified business data model, or landscape transformation
activities.
Technical Architecture & Infrastructure work stream: SAP S/4HANA comes with SAP HANA
as the underlying database. The introduction of SAP HANA in customers data center needs to be
properly planned based on business and IT requirements.
Transition to Operations: IT Operational procedures and tools need to be adjusted before GoLive to ensure safe operations. IT support experts need to be trained as well.

By the end of the Explore Phase, all technical and functional aspects of the implementation project (e.g.
solution scoping and content activation) are fully planned and documented in detail, and ready for
execution.

Realize Phase: Implement technical and functional changes

In the Realize phase, the technical architecture and infrastructure is prepared and set up for SAP
S/4HANA. Supporting systems are either set up or converted according to SAP best practices, and
according to the implementation plan. Custom code is adjusted to run on SAP S/4HANA. Application and
analytics functionality are implemented, configured and tested. Integration Validation supports the Realize
phase, e.g. by solving performance problems of key business processes. In parallel IT can adjust
operational tools and procedures to be prepared to operate SAP S/4HANA. Finally, end user training
including project specific training material, and team setup are prepared as required. Key users are
enabled for performing the end user training.

Deploy Phase: Prepare for Go-Live

The purpose of the Deploy phase is to finalize the readiness for SAP S/4HANA and the business
processes for production go live. This includes final testing, cut-over rehearsal, and IT infrastructure and
operations finalization. End user trainings are delivered by the enabled key users or by SAP trainers.
Finally the implementation of the productive SAP S/4HANA takes place on the Go-Live weekend.

Run Phase: Optimize the operability of SAP S/4HANA

With Go-Live, SAP S/4HANA is available for business users to log in and for productive use. IT operations
is further optimized (e.g. bug fixing, system availability, performance) with the help of the project team and
SAP. This phase is called Hyper Care before operational responsibility is fully transferred to the
production support team.

How SAP can help

The business transformation agenda is different from customer to customer. There are customers who
would like to understand their options first, and the opportunities deriving from the discussion. Other
customers have already decided to enter the transformation to SAP S/4HANA. In all cases, SAP ensures
that customer expectations are properly addressed with a meaningful number of offerings that allow
sufficient flexibility to support an agile transformation.

Thats why SAP has structured all services supporting the implementation of SAP S/4HANA into four
service packages.

SAP ActiveEmbedded for Planning & Safeguarding of SAP S/4HANA:

This package is for customers who would like to properly plan the digital transformation together
with SAP. The project execution is supported and safeguarded by SAP, but executed by the
customer and/or the implementation partner. As part of the engagement foundation a Technical
Quality Manager (TQM) supports the customer project manager throughout the project, and builds
the bridge to the Mission Control Center at SAP. The technical and functional implementation is
done by the customer and/or the implementation partner.
SAP ActiveEmbedded for Technical Implementation of SAP S/4HANA:
On top of Planning & Safeguarding, SAP supports in defining the technical platform, and runs the
technical conversion of SAP ERP to SAP S/4HANA according to SAP Best Practices. The
functional design and implementation is done by the customer and/or the implementation partner.
SAP ActiveEmbedded for Functional Implementation of SAP S/4HANA:
On top of the Technical Implementation, SAP supports in the design of business priorities (e.g.
financial business processes of SAP S/4HANA). The functional implementation itself is done by
the customer and/or the implementation partner.
SAP MaxAttention for Innovation with SAP S/4HANA:
This package is for SAP MaxAttention customers who would like to collaborate with SAP and
innovate beyond the conversion to SAP S/4HANA to start and transform their company to e.g.
consumer first, smart services, Internet of Things, Boardroom of the future and Re-Platforming
your business with SAP S/4 HANA. Functional gaps can be addressed by co-innovation. Besides
technical and functional implementation, SAP is also supporting the adapting of custom code to
SAP S/4HANA.

All service packages can be tailored to customer requirements. A short description of the entry package
calculation can be found in the Accelerators section.
The SAP S/4HANA service packages are built up by services. A service may support customers in
executing one or several activities. The following services have been newly designed to support
customers in an SAP S/4HANA implementation:

Engagement Foundation
Planning the Digital Transformation
Build Design Support
Build Execution Support
LT (Landscape Transformation) Design Support
LT Execution Support
Analytics Design Support
Analytics Execution Support
Custom Code Management
Platform Design Support
Platform Execution Support
Transition to Operations
Safeguarding
Hyper Care

Some of the services listed here are offered as fixed-price Engineered Services.
A service consists of one to many service components. This road map provides information how a certain
service component supports the implementation of an activity or task.
The following picture shows the relationship between services and activities as part of the SAP S/4HANA
Implementation road map.

See the Accelerators section for a description of services and service components. Customers who are
interested in the SAP service packages can either contact their main SAP contact person (SAP TQM in
case of an SAP Premium Engagement customer, or the SAP Client Partner). Alternatively customers can
also ask for a tailored offer based on a scenario specific scoping (see Accelerators section for contact
form details).
In addition to the SAP S/4HANA service packages, SAP Enterprise Support customers should also check
the Value Map for SAP HANA and SAP S/4HANA (see Accelerators section), which lists service
offerings and learning modules for SAP Enterprise Support customers, as well as a community
environment for discussions and asking questions to SAP topic experts.

Accelerators:
SAP S/4HANA
o Discover SAP S/4HANA
o SAP S/4HANA at SCN
o SAP S/4HANA Cookbook
SAP S/4HANA Service Packages for SAP S/4HANA Implementation
o SAP S/4HANA Landing Page
o Service Entry Package Information
o Service Package Overview information
o Service / Service Component Descriptions One-sliders
o Contact Form to Request Service Package Offer
SAP Enterprise Support Value Maps
o Value Maps
SAP Activate
o General Information
o Solution Brief
o Methodology
o FAQ