SAP Managed Services:

Best Practices
and Implementation
Strategies

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INTRODUCTION

Introduction to SAP Managed Services.

SAP Best Practices

and Implementation Strategies.

Skillmine: Your Trusted Partner

for Comprehensive End-to-End SAP
ERP Solutions.

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Introduction to
SAP Managed
Services.

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 SAP, an acronym for Systems, Applications, and Products in
Data Processing, holds a prominent position as a worldwide
frontrunner in enterprise software solutions. Commenced in
1972, SAP has remained at the vanguard of business
transformation, delivering an extensive array of software
solutions aimed at enhancing operational efficiency, process
optimization, and innovation facilitation. Presently, SAP
caters to enterprises across various scales and sectors,
providing a diverse spectrum of services and solutions tailored
to address a wide array of business requirements.

User
Deployed friendly
globally
Liable

Why

SAP?
Support
all Fields Easy to
Process

Improve
Effectiveness Accurate &
Affordable instant

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 SAP Managed Services refers to the outsourced management,
monitoring, and support of an organization's SAP environment
by a specialized service provider. As businesses increasingly
rely on SAP systems to drive their operations, manage data,
and facilitate critical processes, ensuring the seamless
operation, security, and optimization of these systems
becomes paramount.

SAP Managed Service providers offer a range of expertise,

from technical maintenance and troubleshooting to strategic
guidance, enabling companies to focus on their core activities
while entrusting the intricate management of their SAP
infrastructure to dedicated professionals. These services
encompass a broad spectrum of tasks, including system
monitoring, performance tuning, regular updates, patches,
and backups, as well as proactive issue resolution and security
management.

By leveraging the expertise of these external partners,

organizations can reduce the burden on their in-house IT
teams, access specialized knowledge, and stay current with
the rapidly evolving SAP ecosystem. This ebook will explore
the best practices and strategies for successful SAP
implementation.

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Mastering SAP
Best Practices
through Strategic
Implementation.

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SAP Best Practices
and Implementation Strategies

The implementation of SAP can be a challenging, costly, and

time-consuming endeavour.Many SAP implementations fail because
companies jump right in without doing the necessary planning and
research, or by putting a management team in charge who lacks
experience in SAP implementation.

To ensure success, it's crucial to get the preparation right and

assemble the right team to handle the SAP implementation.
Getting these aspects in place is vital for a successful outcome.

SAP Implementation

Project
Preparation Business Bluprint

Realization

Go Live & Support &

Continuous -

Final preparation

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Here are a few best practices for successful SAP implementation.

Start with a well-defined project plan:

The first step in any SAP implementation is to create a clear project
plan that outlines the project's scope, timeline, and budget. It's
crucial to involve key stakeholders in this planning process to ensure
alignment and set appropriate expectations.

Planning Phase Recommendations:

1. Develop a compelling operations. It is crucial to not only

business case: capture common scenarios but
Create a solid business case also exceptions and how they are
that outlines the tangible benefits, currently handled. This upfront
both in terms of business identification of business
outcomes, operational scenarios during the planning
improvements, and technology phase ensures that your business
advancements, that will result can continue running smoothly
from the transformation. after the transition.

2. Define the program 3. Incorporate enhancements

scope clearly: and new solutions:

Each business function, such as
Sales, HR, Supply Chain,
Distribution, Finance, etc., should
produce a scope document that
identifies all the important
business scenarios for day-to-day
Ensure that the scope and business
case include enhancements to
existing processes and the
deployment of new solutions to
address current pain points.
Consider investing in innovative

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solutions like cloud computing,
SAP HANA, etc., to enhance the
customer experience. Evaluate
your market competition and
include initiatives in the scope
that will help you stay ahead of
competitors.
4. Finalize the project charter:
The project charter should be
completed and include essential
elements such as program
governance, success criteria,
budget, timeline, and operating
structure. This document serves
as a guiding framework for the
entire program.

Select the appropriate implementation methodology:

There are various implementation methodologies available. It's
important to choose the methodology that best fits your project
goals and organizational structure.

Establish precise business requirements:

Before initiating the implementation process, it's vital to define clear
business requirements that will guide the project. This includes
identifying the necessary support for business processes within the
SAP system and any customization needs.

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Prioritize data quality:
The success of an SAP implementation heavily relies on the quality
of data loaded into the system. Establishing a data governance
strategy is imperative to ensure data accuracy, completeness, and
consistency across the organization.

Develop a robust testing plan:

Testing plays a crucial role in any SAP implementation. It's essential to
create a comprehensive testing plan that covers unit testing, integration
testing, and User Acceptance Testing (UAT) to ensure the system's
thorough evaluation before going live.

Recommendations for Testing

1. Communicate experts (SMEs) or business leads

expectations:
During the testing kickoff, ensure
that all testers have a clear
understanding of the daily goals
that need to be achieved. Review
the tools used for logging testing
output and tracking issues with
all participants.
2. Thoroughly log testing
script outputs:
Log the step-by-step output of
each testing script and obtain
confirmation from subject matter
that the script was completed.
All end-to-end (E2E) testing
scenarios should be signed off
by the respective process owners.
3. Manage updates
to master data:
Any updates to the master data
source resulting from testing
issues should be carried out by
the data migration team and
signed off by the Data Migration
Lead. This ensures proper control
and validation of data changes.

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4. Obtain sign-off from
business stakeholders:

The business functional leads,

along with the Executive Sponsor,
should provide sign-off on testing
completion only when all testing
scenarios are completed and any
defects identified during testing
are resolved through re-tests

5. Set up a new QA system:

Before completing the testing,

the IT Project Manager should
ensure the establishment of a
new Quality Assurance (QA)
system. This system will be used
to perform a migration dry run,
ensuring that all aspects related
to data migration are thoroughly
tested before final implementation.

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By following these recommendations, you can ensure a successful
testing phase and facilitate a smooth transition towards the final
implementation of the project.

Provide comprehensive end-user training:

To enable effective utilization of the SAP system, comprehensive
training should be provided to end-users. This training should cover
system usage as well as any introduced changes in business processes.

Monitor and maintain the system:

Once the SAP system is live, ongoing monitoring and maintenance
are essential to ensure its continued alignment with the organization's
needs. Regular system maintenance, performance monitoring, and
prompt issue resolution should be carried out.

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Skillmine:
Your Trusted Partner
for Comprehensive
End-to-End SAP ERP
Solutions.
Skillmine stands as a prominent
authority in SAP consultancy and
implementation services. We
specialize in assisting
organizations of all sizes in
implementing tailored SAP
solutions to meet their unique
business needs. Our team of
seasoned consultants possesses
the expertise and knowledge
required to ensure that your SAP
implementation project is.
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delivered on schedule and within
budget.
We offer comprehensive services
covering every aspect, from
strategy definition and design to
system installation, customization,
integration, and optimization.
Additionally, our team provides
ongoing support to ensure
seamless and efficient operation
of your SAP system.
Skillmine's SAP Integration
Impact on a Global Manufacturer.

A global manufacturing conglomerate, embarked on a transformative

journey to enhance its operational efficiency and decision-making
processes. Faced with disparate systems and data silos that hindered
agility, the company sought Skillmine’s help to implement SAP's
integrated suite of solutions.

The implementation began with a comprehensive analysis of the

company’s existing processes and requirements, followed by a
meticulous planning phase involving key stakeholders from various
departments. Customization and configuration of SAP modules were
executed to align with the company's specific needs, encompassing
finance, supply chain, human resources, and customer relationship
management.

Post-implementation, the company experienced significant

improvements. Real-time visibility into operations enabled swift
decision-making, reducing production bottlenecks and optimizing
inventory management. Employee productivity rose as manual tasks
were automated, and customer satisfaction improved due to
streamlined order processing and timely support.

In short, the SAP implementation empowered the company to unlock

operational synergies, improve resource allocation, and respond adeptly
to market dynamics.

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