Case Study: S/4HANA Conversion

Problem

This page uses a case study to show how to convert SAP to S/4HANA.

The customer is an international pharmaceutical company. Since the current SAP releases will be out of maintenance in the next few years and SAP S / 4HANA will provide a more efficient and faster platform, the SAP currently in use worldwide is to be converted to S / 4HANA. The main challenges here are in

  • Maintaining production for the locations around the world with minimal disruption
  • The optimal testing without having to test all functions multiple times in each country (approx. Locations spread over time zones)
  • The parallel adjustment of changes resulting from S / 4AHANA together with ongoing changes from the operation of the locations
  • Ensuring the technical conversion
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Project execution

Various clusters were formed to handle the global character. QFINITY was responsible for the template and the EMEA cluster for all validation activities.

The project was divided into a technical conversion phase in which the existing development was adapted to S / 4HANA and the necessary adjustments to the standard were carried out at the same time. Based on this, the influence on the documentation was checked and, above all, the test cases were adapted. In the next phase, the technical conversion was checked several times in test cycles and informal testing was carried out in parallel by the business. With the template approach, tests were mainly carried out at a central level and tests were only carried out in the case of localizations or specific local risks. At the same time, the local sites also had the opportunity to carry out further informal tests. Well over 2000 tests were carried out and followed up. This enabled a large number of potential changes and errors to be found. Numerous change requests had to be recorded, tracked and later also formally tested.

The main challenge, however, was the formal testing, which mainly focused on integrative tests at the local sites. Functional tests were mainly covered by the template team, as the system has a high degree of global standardization. In some cases, more than 10 FTE validation resources had to be coordinated in parallel.

Result and benefit

The system converted to S / 4HANA was able to go productive successfully and there were no local failures or problems with restarting after the days of the actual conversion. Also the tests could be checked and approved in the planned time and this also under corona conditions, which put the project and communication to a severe test, as local support was not possible. The go-live could still be held.

If you also need help to convert SAP to S/4HANA, contact us here!

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