{"id":82471,"date":"2024-05-02T12:59:45","date_gmt":"2024-05-02T12:59:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/expleo.com\/global\/en\/?post_type=insights&p=82471"},"modified":"2024-05-24T12:58:12","modified_gmt":"2024-05-24T12:58:12","slug":"5-questions-before-s4hana-migration","status":"publish","type":"insights","link":"https:\/\/expleo.com\/global\/en\/insights\/blog\/5-questions-before-s4hana-migration\/","title":{"rendered":"5 critical questions to ask before embarking on your S\/4HANA migration\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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It\u2019s the end of the road for SAP ECC, with the deadline for migration to the new destination of <\/span>S\/4HANA<\/span><\/a> set for 2027.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

And, according to Senior SAP Programme Manager, David McNamee at <\/span>Expleo<\/span><\/a>, organisations are increasingly jumping on board. \u201cAdoption this side of the Atlantic had been lagging. But this is now changing,\u201d he says. \u201cThe 31 December 2027 deadline is critical for most customers still on ECC.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

So the shift is non-negotiable but choosing the right route isn\u2019t that straightforward.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

\u201cFor larger organisations, if you’ve not yet started, it’s already too late to get a full Greenfield implementation,\u201d warns David. \u201cSo the alternatives are Brownfield, or Bluefield, possibly in addition to extended maintenance contracts.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

So how can you set the course that\u2019s right for your business? David advises you to start by asking yourself these five critical questions.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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1. What direction is the business heading in overall?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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A successful migration hinges on alignment with your business goals, not just your IT upgrade requirements. So understanding your business direction is key.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Get a strong handle on where you want to be and what kind of migration will be necessary to get you there. That\u2019s far from straightforward for organisations that only completed their rollout of SAP ECC in the last decade.\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Their solution may still be fit for purpose and they may feel they haven\u2019t yet fully capitalised on that investment \u2013 particularly with complex custom developments. These are often seen as differentiators for their business and may not have a natural home in S\/4HANA.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

To be sure you set the right level of customisation, know your key business drivers. Are you looking to expand into new markets, diversify your product offering, or do you want greater customer engagement?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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2. What are the big risks and opportunities?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The risk\/benefit question makes many businesses reluctant to move, but being clear on the trade-off for your business will ensure you set off in the right direction.\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Remaining on legacy systems poses significant risks. All SAP ECC customers should be planning to fully retire their ECC systems before the deadline. Otherwise, how do you explain to your shareholders that your core ERP is out of support? Or why it hasn’t got official updates to ensure alignment with the latest security or statutory changes?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Despite the risks, the opportunities are immense. Yet many organisations are unclear about the potential benefits beyond it being an IT upgrade. In ASUG\u2019s 2023 survey, over 600 SAP customers cited ‘Retirement of current software’ as the top reason for moving to S\/4HANA.\u202f\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Other drivers such as enhanced functionality\/performance, standardisation of processes and integration of new technology ranked lower down, but should be seen as compelling opportunities for growth and innovation. <\/span>\u00a0
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Meanwhile <\/span>ASUG\u2019s latest survey<\/span><\/a> reveals 48% of organisations are missing or lacking the skillset needed for the migration. While this highlights the inherent risks, such as data complexities and change management hurdles, these can be mitigated with expert guidance from an independent partner like Expleo.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

And while the migration itself carries inherent risks, such as data complexities and change management hurdles, these can be mitigated with expert guidance from an independent partner like Expleo.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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3. What's our broader cloud strategy? <\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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During SAP’s recent update, they introduced two new packages within RISE:\u202f<\/span><\/p>