These are the types of Projects in SAP:
- Implementation
- Support
- Upgrade
- RollOut
Implementation:
SAP Implementation is the whole of processes that defines a complete method to implement SAP software in an organization.
- Customer wants migrate data from Legacy system to SAP system.
Support:
Customer has already installed SAP and wants to give the work of maintaining those systems.
- After a go live, the application needs a support to resolve the issues/tickets raised by the end users when doing the day-to-day activities.
Upgrade:
Upgrading the software with a superior version which has got more advantages when compared to the earlier version.
- Already sap implemented with older version, and they are upgrading to newer version. Like 4.7E to ECC6.0
RollOut:
Customer has upgraded his version and wants to rollout country specific changes.
SAP implemented in one plant some time back, new plant started. So, the customer want SAP implemented in new plant also.
- Roll out is copying same configuration to other Country/plant.
SAP implementation refers to the collective practices and workflows intended to create, design, and tune an SAP landscape. Each SAP implementation is unique. The project is
undertaken to reach high-level goals like better communication and an increase in return on information. Therefore, SAP implementation projects require extensive planning and
execution with a solid method.
Below mentioned comes under Implementation process:
- ASAP Methodology
- Solution Manager
ASAP Methodology
There are mainly 5 steps involved in this process:
- Project preparation
- Business BluePrint
- Realization
- Final preparation
- Go-Live & Support
Project Preparation:
During this phase the team goes through initial planning and preparation for SAP project.
- Modules, Team size, Duration, Budget etc.,
Business Blueprint:
In this phase team will create the business blueprint, which is detailed documentation of results gathered during requirement workshops.
- System Landscape, Implementation Date, Completed and signed off Process Design etc.,
Realization:
In this phase you will implement all the business and process requirements based on Business Blueprint.
- Configuration/Customization, Developments, Integration Test, User Acceptance etc.,
Final Preparation:
In this phase testing is completed. Team will complete testing to finalize your readiness to go live. Serves you to resolve all critical open issues, upon successful completion of this phase.
- Data Converted, Unit test, Cut-Over Plan, End-Users Trained etc.,
Go live and Support:
In this phase all development objects move from a project-oriented, preproduction environment to live production operation.
The list of pros and cons of the SAP implementation project is:
Pros
- Streamline Workflows: The SAP implementation project will allow you to handle multiple modules in one centralized location.
- Better Financial Planning: Due availability of forecasting and reporting the data SAP project aids in financial planning and provides real-time data to make the best decision.
- Improvement in data security and accessibility: A common control system for the organization allows the company to improve its data security and accessibility standards.
Cons
- Slow implementation: It takes a lot of time to adapt to SAP implementation projects.
- Expensive: a new SAP implementation project will cost you thousands, especially if your hardware system is outdated.
There are two common methods used for SAP implementations:
- Big Bang Implementation
- Phased Project
Big Bang Implementation:
Under Big Bang implementation all your computer systems will start using the project on the same day. It is just like turning off your old working system and immediately using the new one.
Generally, organizations select this implementation approach because it is a faster and
cheaper option. In this approach, detailed and end-to-end testing along with data validation
can aid you to identify problems and bugs if any but will never help you to get the idea of the problem in a single area.
Some common pros and cons of Big Bang implementation are:
Pros
- Quick to implement: You can implement the new system in a single day in your entire organization using this approach.
- Uniformity: Big Bang implementation allows the usage of a single system in the entire company.
- Cheaper: As the entire company is using a single system it involves fewer funds.
- More focused training: Under this system, the training is offered with more focus as no one can identify the issues of a single area.
Cons
- Difficult testing: Full testing is quite difficult under this approach before going live.
- Wider scope of issues: Due to the implementation of a new system in the entire organization the scope of potential system issues increases.
Phased Project:
Under this approach, you will roll out the software in a sequence by introducing the new software piece by piece. The phased project does not have one big go-live date, but it has numerous small go-live dates. Thus, offering your system and staff more time to adapt to the changes.
Some common pros and cons of the phased project are:
Pros
- Better Adjustment: Due to piece-by-piece SAP implementation of the entire system everyone gets enough time to properly adjust and adapt to the new system.
- Comprehensive Testing: More comprehensive incremental testing is possible under this approach.
- Easy to fix smaller problems: Phased SAP implementation allows you to find out the smaller bugs and issues in a single area which allows the technical team to fix them quickly and with the utmost ease.
Cons
- Costly: The longer timelines result in higher implementation and consulting costs. Sometimes you even need to spend some amount on the development of interface tools. Thus, making it an expensive option.
- Delay in ROI: Return on investment is delayed due to the last time gap between this start and the final date of implementation.
Development Life Cycle (Functional and Technical)
- Client business Process
- Requirements Gathering GAP Analysis
- Master data creation
- Business documents
- Functional specifications Technical specifications
- Configuration
- Customization
- Cutover activities
- Unit testing
- Scenario testing
- Integration testing
- User Acceptance testing (UAT)
Testing
- Kick off meetings
- Escalations
Weekly Status meetings
SAP Solution Manager
SAP Solution Manager (SolMan) is a module of SAP that provides functionalities like
integrated content, methodologies, tools etc. to implement, operate, monitor and support an enterprise’s SAP solution. SAP solution manager manages the SAP and Non-SAP solutions in the IT landscapes of an organization. It supports the underlying IT infrastructure and
business processes. It is a powerful tool for SAP Basis administrators.
Transport Request:
Transport Request is a collection of changes that are made in the development system. It also records the information regarding the type of change, the purpose of transport, request category and the target system. It is also known as Change Requests.
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- Each TR contains one or more change jobs. Tasks are stored inside a TR, just like multiple files are stored in some folder. TR can be released only once all the tasks inside a TR are released or deleted.
If we want to upload the data through Transport Request from one Landscape to another Landscape first, we have to release the Transpose Request. In Releasing the Transport
Request first, we need to release the Customizing task. Enter the Transaction Code SE01 in the Command field. Click on the Display
Select the Customizing task and click on the Release Directly tab as shown to release the Task. Later then select the Main TR and click on the same tab to release Tab.
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- Without Releasing the customizing task, we can’t release the TR.
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Once Completion of Transport request (TR) Release, the system won’t display that Transport Request.
If you want to transfer the data from Development Server to Quality System (Testing Server)
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- We can release the Transport Request (TR) first and send it to the Basis Team in sequence.
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- BASIS Team will upload/transfer the data by using Transaction code STMS.
If you are Uploading/Transferring data from one client to another client under the same landscape.
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- No need to release the Transport requests.
- We can transfer the data by using the Transaction code SCC1.
Enter the Client Number, TR Number and select the checkbox Include the tasks in request and click on Start Immediately tab.
Workbench Request:
Workbench Request contains repository objects and also ‘cross-client' customizing objects. These requests are responsible for making changes in the ABAP workbench objects.
Customizing Request:
Customizing request contains objects that belong to ‘client-specific' customizing. As per client settings, these requests are automatically recorded as per when users perform
customizing settings, and a target system is automatically assigned as per the transport layer (if defined).