SAP ASAP Methodology

ASAP mean Accelerated SAP and it was released long time ago. To be honest I don’t remember exactly when it was
released but it was looooooong time ago. ASAP was the standard methodology used to deliver SAP applications in
implementation projects until 2015. Its purpose was to help design SAP implementations in the most efficient way
possible using a fixed number of phases and deliverables. So, what we wanted was to optimize time, people and
resources when using ASAP methodology.
ASAP is composed of 5 phases:

ASAP Phases
Some people included a 6th phase for Operation just after Go Live & Support. The description of each phase is the
following one:

1. Project Preparation: Basically, lay the foundations for successful implementation. We defined the project
goals and objectives, the scope of implementation, the project schedule and the project organization and
resources.
2. Business Blueprint: We create a blueprint using SAP Questions and Answer Database (Q&Adb). The
blueprint contains the business processes and organizational structure that will be represented in the SAP
system.
3. Realization: Considering the Business Blueprint we configure the requirements into the system. Also, during
this phase, we perform integration test and create the end user documentation.
4. Final preparation: Testing, end user training and cut-over activities before Go Live. Be sure the system fulfills
the requirements and that there won’t be any problem after Go Live.
5. Go Live & Support: Move from pre-production environment to live system. So basically, the end users start
using the system. They are happy and love SAP forever and ever.

In each of the phases there are a list of work packages, activities and tasks to be done. Also, each phases produces a
list of deliverables such as project team structure organization chart, project strategies, hardware sizing, quality
assurance plan, etc. There are tons of derivable for each phase and at least one for each activity and tasks.
SAP was quite popular on big projects among consulting companies. If a company said that they complied with SAP
Best Practices it was expected that hey followed the ASAP methodology for delivering their projects. At the end it wasn’t
always like this and it was not that common to use ASAP methodology. The main reason was that ASAP project took
a lot of time and effort to be finished and there were certain projects where ASAP was not the best methodology at all.
Considering this SAP decided to release SAP RDS as a new ‘methodology’.

PEGAH TALEBI: SAP LOGISTIC CONSULTANT WWW.LINKEDIN.COM/IN/PEGAH-TALEBI

SAP Activate Methodology
SAP released SAP Launch methodology in 2014 as an evolution of the ASAP methodology focused in Cloud scenarios.
In 2015 SAP released a new methodology as an evolution from the ASAP methodology.

SAP Activate Methodology is the next generation project implementation methodology used to implement and deliver
SAP innovations and solutions. Built on the Agile methodology, SAP Activate methodology takes an iterative approach
to continuously improve and deliver to increase the project quality and success.

SAP named this new methodology SAP Activate and it has two different types:

• A product-based methodology focuses in the implementation of SAP S/4HANA. It covers both the
implementation of SAP S/4HANA Cloud and the transaction from old ERP versions to SAP S/4HANA.
• A general methodology applicable to SAP products and solutions. In this case we had two types: Cloud
oriented and On-Premise oriented.

Activate Phases
Some people included a 6th phase for Operation just after Go Live & Support. The description of each phase is the
following one

1. Discover: The Discover phase is where the customer realizes there is a need for a solution to satisfy their
business pain point and starts looking out for the right SAP solution to map their requirements. During this
phase, customers can apply for a free trial solution if applicable and try it out for themselves to check the
features and functionalities of the solution. Customers can even reach out to partners like iQuantM to get the
best consulting advise based on years of industry and SAP product experience to find the best solution. By
the end of this phase, customers finalize to go ahead with the required SAP solution and move to the next
phase in their implementation lifecycle.

2. Prepare: In this phase, initial project planning starts, where project plan for S4HANA implementation is defined
which includes team assignments, defining project goals, scope, budget, roles and responsibilities and project
timelines, trainings – all these details are captured in project charter by mutual consent from customer and
partner and Sandbox system set up is done with SAP Best practices

PEGAH TALEBI: SAP LOGISTIC CONSULTANT WWW.LINKEDIN.COM/IN/PEGAH-TALEBI

 3. Explore: The explore phase’s goal is to establish configuration values, necessary extensions, and analytics
needs while doing a fit-to-standard study to check that the solution’s standard functionality fits your business’s
needs. The explore phase also entails developing identity and access management, identifying necessary
integrations, and determining data requirements. Data requirements and configuration values are noted and
added to the list for the explore phase. The project team begins assembling a learning team as part of the
adoption workstream, which oversees the OCM and end-user enablement activities, as well as preparing for
the execution of data migration activities, testing plans, and team building during the explore phase.

4. Realize: Once the Explore Phase deliverables are signed off, the project team can start working on the Quality
system provisioned by SAP. In this phase, the SAP consultants start configuring the SAP system according
to the Backlog document that is signed off. This happens in an iterative approach where the project team
works based on multiple sprints that have been planned to execute the project by breaking down the backlog
requirements into smaller deliverables that need to be showcased to the business process owner and signed
off as completed once it matches the agreed-upon completion criteria. This is the phase where consultants
are in regular touch with the business process owner to showcase to them, the SAP system they are building
through multiple Solution Walkthrough’s that are scheduled through the Realize Phase.

The technical teamwork on completed the WRICEF objects that were noted in the Backlog document during
this phase and work hand in hand with the SAP functional consultants and business users to ensure the
custom objects are delivered with quality within the timeline.

User Roles and Authorizations can be a hectic process to finalize on, especially in large projects. For the
same, SAP has provided us with standard persona-based roles that help the business users with their tasks
through an End-to-End business process. For example, a maintenance technician will be provided with
standard roles required for a maintenance technician in the SAP system and a maintenance manager will be
provided with the standard role enabling him to perform his tasks as per the best practice in the SAP system.

In this phase, multiple levels of testing such as Unit Testing, String Testing, Integration Testing and User
Acceptance Testing is performed to ensure the SAP system is configured according to the customer
requirements provided by the business process owners. Data migration testing is also done to ensure the data
filled in by the business users are in the correct format and ready to import to the brand-new SAP system.

Once all the deliverables are satisfied, a cutover plan is made to move the configurations, WRICEF objects
and master and transactional data to the Production system which will be the system used by the business in
real-time. This signifies the end of the Realize Phase.

5. Deploy: In the Deploy Phase, once every checkbox is ticked and everything is ready, the business faces a
temporary downtime as the new SAP system is Deployed for usage to the business users. This is typically
done during a weekend to ensure that customers have little to no effect due to the downtime. The cutover is
a process that sometimes gives consultants sleepless nights as this is the culmination of all their hard work
being moved into the SAP system for the usage of an entire organization.

Once the cutover is done successfully and checked by the partner and the customer, the business users are
supported by the consultants and the key users who now form the first line of defense in case users have
doubts or face an issue. The customers and partners can now relish the success of the project through an
intense time filled with dedication and hard work from all stakeholders involved.

6. Run: Business is live with new implementation and any issues, errors or incorrect entries that may have
occurred during the first few days of S/4HANA going live are quickly corrected and hyper care support is
provided.

SAP Activate Elements provides project team to ready-to-use templates, accelerators which can be used in entire
Activate journey with the help of step-by-step guidelines, what needs to be delivered in each phase and deploy the
solution in Cloud/On-premise according to business needs. I can say, SAP Activate is a complete package which helps
customers and partners implement SAP S4HANA smoothly.

PEGAH TALEBI: SAP LOGISTIC CONSULTANT WWW.LINKEDIN.COM/IN/PEGAH-TALEBI