In this two-part blog series, we shall be covering important aspects of SAP GTS Implementation. In this Part-1 you will get to know about 2 of the 3 mandatory things one should not miss out on before an SAP GTS Implementation.
Before embarking on any major organizational change/implementation prior planning is mandatory. This needs to be done on priority with due diligence to avoid any pitfalls and unseen delays. It avoids wastage of effort, thereby time and money. With proper planning in advance, one can chart out a detailed SAP GTS implementation roadmap.
It is quite an undertaking for an organization going in for an SAP GTS implementation. If done correctly it helps improve the organization’s – trade compliance, growth prospects, productivity, and bottom line. Let us explore the 3 things that an organization should do before an SAP GTS implementation.
An effective training approach is more than an IT milestone. It is an iterative process, comprising classes, workshops, and “how to” sessions throughout the lifecycle of an SAP GTS implementation. Undertaking training for the employees, aligned to the framework of SAP GTS implementation will ensure the following benefits:
A successful implementation is more than getting the new technology in place. It can backfire if the people who are required to use it are not sufficiently trained. The implementation initiative is process-people-centric. Even though the implementation will have a new system streamline the processes & tasks; change is something everyone tends to resist. Without proper training, the employees will resist adapting to the new system.
Providing hands-on training to the employees will make them productive and effective in executing their day-to-day tasks, which otherwise are as good as done manually. With effective training, they get to be efficient and competent with the tasks on hand.
When the end-user is trained to utilize the full functionality of the SAP GTS system, it will help them adapt to the new technology quickly and use it without any help or delay. The training will help them be proficient and effective in executing their task and thereby will help cut the cost and time involved for each process hey.
When everyone from top to bottom in the organization hierarchy is trained, it ensures that all of them end up using the new system and generate quality data. A one-size-fits-all approach would not get the desired results. An effective role-based training will ensure all the employees are trained on the functions & processes specific to their roles. Having such change management as a part of the SAP GTS implementation strategy will lead to early adoption and mitigate the risk of failure.
During an SAP GTS implementation/integration, the SAP Business Blueprint is a critical mechanism of the project phase that lets you channel the business requirements and define how the outcome of business processes and organizational structure be realized successfully. It is critical to the ultimate success of the implementation because it focuses on understanding, authenticating, and documenting project scope & specifications. It also helps to define the implementation objective conceptually and practically.
It helps understand the system users’ requirements, how business is carried out, and how an organization can implement best processes/practices by implementing SAP GTS.
Detailed steps involved in creating an SAP Blueprint:
It is the first step to gathering an inventory of all the processes in the business. It helps understand the logical flow and process order before planning the implementation of your current system. It helps identify development needs for a custom form, report, enhancement, or workflow.
This stage helps to create the scope of implementation and a plan prior commencement of work on a new software system. Here you also gather system security authorizations and enterprise-wide training requirements. The scope definition document helps you create a foundation for building a business blueprint by defining process boundaries and having some basic information about a given process.
Creating the blueprint involves understanding where a responsibility change occurs between two processes/departments. Here one applies the information by explaining which department or individual is working for which part of the process from beginning to end. Here, one also needs to define the Master Data by focusing on key integration points and supporting organizational activities.
Before laying goals for the process it's essential to have a baseline measurement. In this phase, you need to decide the cost and time of this process. This step also benefits one to define the parameters that will be used to set improvement targets for your organization.
During this phase, it is essential to obtain feedback from appropriate colleagues. This allows you to ascertain if the created SAP Business Blueprint will be able to reflect reality. This stage also allows one to get the support & feedback from the all the stakeholders
To improve business processes, follow an organized approach by using methods like evaluating value-added activities, eliminating redundancy, minimizing processing time, and using automation wherever you can, to create business value.
The next step is to create internal control and metrics to track your progress. It allows developing tools to improve the efficacy & efficiency in implementing SAP GTS.
Performing a trial run helps you to check the SAP system without the need for a larger investment. It helps you to resolve bugs and ensure that the process works according to the plan.
In this step of SAP Blueprint, the newly designed process is introduced. This step allows you to communicate the right set of information to the right people. Without this step, it is difficult to achieve success.
In this concluding stage, you need to follow the continuous improvement concept. This stage establishes a new approach for implementing business process improvements. However, to ensure its effectiveness you will be required to frequently evaluate it.
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In the following week, do not miss to read the concluding Part 2 of this blog about the 3rd most important element of an SAP GTS Implementation – the Design Process.