SAP Activate is SAP's methodology for implementing S/4HANA and other SAP cloud solutions. It combines best-practice content, guided configuration and an agile approach.
1. Discover
Understand the value of S/4HANA for your business. Explore a trial system, define the business case and decide on deployment (cloud or on-premise) and transition path.
Deliverables: business case, high-level scope, roadmap.
2. Prepare
Set up the project: team, governance, plan, tools and system landscape. For conversions, run the Readiness Check and custom-code analysis.
Deliverables: project charter, plan, onboarding, system access.
3. Explore
Run fit-to-standard workshops: SAP best-practice processes are demonstrated in a system, and business experts confirm the fit or document gaps (delta requirements). Integration and data migration requirements are defined.
Deliverables: backlog of requirements, fit-gap list, solution design.
4. Realize
Build the solution iteratively in sprints: configuration, extensions (ABAP, Fiori, BTP), interfaces, data migration test cycles and integration testing.
Deliverables: configured and tested system, developments, migration rehearsals.
5. Deploy
Final preparation for go-live: user acceptance tests, end-user training, cut-over plan, final data migration and go-live.
Deliverables: productive system, trained users, cut-over completed.
6. Run
Hypercare support after go-live, then stable operations with application management, continuous improvement and regular updates.
Deliverables: stable system, improvement roadmap.
Tips for success
- Involve business experts early, especially in Explore.
- Stick to the standard where possible – every gap needs justification.
- Start data cleansing early, it always takes longer than expected.
- Plan change management and training from the start.
- Test with real scenarios, not just individual transactions.
We work along SAP Activate in our SAP projects and adapt it to the size of your company.