Table of Contents
Introduction
Survey reports outlined by Mphasis in its whitepaper discloses some alarming statistics regarding SAP implementation projects –
- A meager 35% projects reached successful completion
- 45% of projects fail to deliver entirely or cross its budget or schedule
- 20% of projects are cancelled altogether even before completion
The reasons for such failure are multiple, which we will be discussing later. However, the consequences can be devastating. Since a successful SAP system rollout requires a significant amount of investment (and not just monetary), failure results in the wastage of all those resources and a disastrous ROI. Moreover, undoing the digital changes implemented as part of the project requires additional resource expenditure, further adding to your losses.
As you absorb the implications of an unsuccessful SAP deployment, you realize just how important it is to ensure a streamlined SAP system rollout. If you are able to make that happen, you will observe the productivity and efficiency of your business processes go through the roof. At Assima, we guarantee optimized enterprise SAP implementation that will exceed your expectations and deliver outstanding digital adoption results.
Get a detailed look at how Assima ensures a smooth transition to SAP every time.
Understanding SAP System Rollout
SAP system rollout refers to the entire process of planning and implementing the deployment of SAP in the digital environment of the business and consolidating all target business operations within the platform. This can refer to either a new SAP ERP implementation or an ERP system transition to SAP. An SAP system rollout needs thorough planning and careful implementation. There are a massive number of variables and factors associated with SAP due to the software incorporating most business processes in its many modules.
| Steps of SAP System Rollout | Key Components of Each Step | Common Components of Each Step |
| Project Planning and Groundwork |
|
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| Business Blueprint Mapping |
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| Process Design and Configuration |
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| Testing and Training |
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| Data and Process Migration |
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| Go-Live and Support |
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| Analytics and Refinement |
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It is important to note that based on the specific requirements, structure, and expectations of your organization, you may need to revise the steps. Your company experts and consultants can help you do that with ease.
Common Challenges in SAP System Rollout
SAP system rollouts often fail because business leaders fail to properly address the common challenges associated with implementation. Here are a few points you must keep in mind and be ready to tackle during the process:
Lack of Proper Training and Onboarding
When users are not trained in SAP and onboarded properly before implementation, they will be unable to use the software to its full potential. You will not observe the results you predicted, creating a wide chasm between expectations and reality.
System Complexity and Integration Issues
The SAP platform comprises a shockingly large number of modules, functionalities, and plug-ins. It often gives rise to complications during integrations, especially with company systems, security protocols, and proprietary software, resulting in failed deployment.
Improper Data Management and Validation
The quality of data you use for the implementation process affects the results greatly. Incorrect data gives you an inaccurate picture of the state of affairs. This introduces incongruencies between your SAP implementation and your business needs.
Lack of Planning and Preparation
If you make the mistake of not thoroughly planning out and preparing for your SAP implementation, you will be in for a huge shock. It is better to be safe than sorry with over-preparation or you will miss out essential aspects of deployment that will prove fatal for your project.
Budget and Schedule Overshooting
One of the biggest reasons for SAP rollout failure is companies exceeding their budget or timeline or both when implementing SAP. When this happens, every metric is thrown into disarray and you either have to abandon the plan or reform it extensively.
User Resistance and Change Management
Even the best SAP deployment strategy can fail if the users reject it. This happens when users are not sufficiently prepared for the change and the consequences it entails, even if they get trained in SAP. Widespread rejection causes complete SAP failure.
Want a more detailed look into the challenges of SAP adoption and how you can overcome them?
Key Strategies for a Successful SAP Rollout
You must always keep certain points in mind and mandatorily apply them as part of your SAP implementation best practices to ensure a successful rollout:
Planning With All Stakeholder Involvement
An SAP deployment affects most of the business processes that run a company. Hence, it influences a large portion of the workforce as well as the C-suite. It is important to take the needs, perspectives, and opinions of every stakeholder into consideration to ensure that SAP is working as you expected for everyone.
Implementing Structured SAP Training Programs
No matter what software you implement, having a structured training program is essential. It is more so for SAP, a platform that integrates multiple business processes using multiple modules and capabilities. A thoroughly planned and well-structured program that accounts for all factors is the key to success.
Considering the Human Side of the Technical Process
One of the biggest reasons for the failure of SAP user adoption is not realizing that at the end of the day, the people operating the system are humans. Ensure that the SAP infrastructure you build is user friendly. Give attention to small details, make sure the interface creates a pleasant user experience, and keep the operation as free of hurdles as possible.
Leveraging Digital Adoption Platforms
With complicated software like SAP, using a digital adoption platform is the only way to ensure smooth training and user acceptance. When scouting for SAP training solutions, choose the options that suit your target learners, integrate seamlessly with your business, and use a technology that is proven to enhance the learning process.
Provide Ongoing Support After Implementation
Often, despite a successful SAP system rollout, the project fails a few days after go-live. The issue is not with your business-SAP integrability, your SAP go-live readiness, or even your implementation method or plan. It is often the lack of support post go-live. Assembling a helpdesk team specifically for this purpose could save your project.
How Assima Train Helps Simplify Your SAP Rollout
If you want to streamline training, onboarding, and digital adoption for SAP, Assima should be at the top of your list of DAPs. Here are a few reasons why:
Interactive and Hands-On SAP Training
The biggest advantage of using Assima Train for SAP training is that we use a 4X patented cloning technology that helps you create hyper-realistic, hyper-interactive simulations to provide hands-on, scenario-based training to employees. The best way to transition users from training to live system usage of SAP smoothly and confidently is to use experiential, interactive training methods.
Real-time User Assistance and In-App Guidance
Assima In-App Search compliments Assima Train, providing real-time, contextual, in-app guidance. When operating a complex platform like SAP, having an information knowledge library at the palm of your hand, in your live SAP system, gives you more confidence and prevents serious mistakes from impacting your business.
Effortless Maintenance of Training Materials
Our unique, patented simulation technology allows you to edit and modify any part of your training materials and apply these changes to the lessons created from that source without starting from scratch, unlike screenshot-based tools. You can also translate or anonymize data very easily without having to re-capture lessons in every language with working data.
Complete Visibility of Training Progress
Our analytics dashboard allows in-depth data analysis and reporting. You can track the progress of every learner down to a single click and create detailed reports for the progress of individual learners as well as the success of the training program. Having such a 360° perspective of the training process helps you improve and refine it easily.
Cost And Time Savings for Enterprises
SAP implementation and onboarding is a costly, time-consuming process. Cutting corners is never recommended as it will result in problems that will ultimately take more resources and time to resolve. However, Assima helps in reducing SAP training costs and time by streamlining and optimizing the training process and multiplying the ROI of the program.
Assima is a wiz when it comes to transforming systems training and boosting ROI. Here’s how.
Measuring Success: Post-Rollout Best Practices
The best way to assess the success of a training and onboarding solution is to measure the training and post go-live usage metrics. The value of KPIs like training evaluation pass rate, onboarding completion rate, adoption rate, time-to-value, average session duration, usage frequency, number of active users, retention rate, churn rate, NPS, etc. can give you valuable insights regarding the success of the training program and the SAP deployment.
However, this is not a one-time activity. SAP has multiple features and functionalities, and new ones get added frequently. Both progress analysis and refresher training must be made an ongoing process so you can keep optimizing SAP usage productivity and efficiency through business as usual.
Conclusion
Even though an SAP system rollout is a long process with many phases and steps, training is undoubtedly one of the most important aspects of the process. Structured training can go a long way in ensuring the success of your SAP implementation. Using innovative learning technologies like Assima Train will not only help you smoothen the path for SAP deployment but also drive long-term SAP adoption in your organization.
Talk to our experts to understand better our formula for optimizing SAP training.
Frequently Asked Questions
Let’s Answer Some of Your Questions.
SAP system rollout refers to the process of planning and implementing SAP as the ERP system of an organization to manage their business processes on a centralized platform.
The most frequently faced challenges in SAP rollouts include complications due to SAP complexity, integration problems, insufficient training, user resistance, poor change management, budget and time constraints, management resistance, etc.
Detailed planning involving all stakeholders and business leaders, taking into account business needs as well as user expectations, implementing SAP within a strong framework with support, and leveraging learning and digital adoption technologies for a streamlined transition is the key to a smooth SAP rollout.
One of the major causes of SAP rollout failure is lack of user training, which leads to resistance and demotivation, usage errors and demotivation, reduced efficiency, and other issues. Sufficient training is the solution to all these problems.
Assima Train is an advanced digital adoption platform that uses hyper-realistic simulations to train and prepare future users for the transition to SAP. With accurate knowledge and practical skills in their arsenal gained with the help of hands-on, scenario-based training with Assima, users are guaranteed to transition smoothly to the newly implemented system.
Businesses can successfully implement SAP S/4 HANA by enlisting leadership, encouraging a culture of learning and regularly accessing and improving the efficacy of training.
