If you’re an existing SAP ECC customer, then you know you’re at a crossroads when it comes to transitioning to S/4HANA, the next-generation business suite for ERP from SAP. Do you take the plunge all at once? Or do you go for the two-step approach instead of one big leap?
The latter option would be to migrate to Suite on HANA (SoH), which essentially moves your database to SAP HANA, leaving your ERP data structures and application layer intact. And then, when you’re ready, you can make the big transition to the new S/4HANA data model and application code line.
If you’d like to learn more about SoH and its benefits, check out our article, What is SAP Suite on HANA? In this article, we’ll clue you in on some best practices for migrating from SAP ECC to SoH. Let’s get started.
Determine Your Readiness
Do you know if your system is even ready for migration? That’s the first question you’ll need to answer. We often advise our clients to start with a proof-of-concept so that you can test your solution and get the entire organization on board with the migration.
Moving from SAP ECC to SoH can be a significant undertaking, one that requires adequate time, resources, and budget to successfully reach the finish line. The readiness phase will help you determine if your system and your organization as a whole are actually prepared for such an undertaking.
Assign Your Team
Getting the right team in place for your migration is one of the most important steps in the process. To be successful, your team will require a mix of in-house and third-party partners. You’ll need resources that have functional and technical skills, as well as SAP expertise. (And don’t forget to bring on a project manager as early as possible in the process. Trust us—doing so will save plenty of headaches down the line.)
Develop a Migration Plan
The next step to migrating to SAP Suite on HANA? Create your migration plan! A third-party consultant and project manager can help lead this initiative and ensure everyone stays on task. Some things to consider as you create your plan include:
- Budget
- Functionality Goals
- Performance
- Timeline
Creating (and sticking to) your migration plan will help minimize any unforeseen risks and reduce system downtime during the actual migration, making it easier to achieve value faster.
Data Cleansing
With SAP HANA, you’re going to have access to real-time data that will allow you to perform advanced analytics and enhance your business operations. But as the old saying goes, Garbage In, Garbage Out. In the same way that you wouldn’t box up your trash bags when moving house, you need to make sure that you’re only moving the cleanest data when you migrate to SAP HANA. Thoroughly cleaning up your data beforehand will help your system perform better once you’ve got it up and running.
Prepare for Go-live
It’s vital to make sure your organization is ready to start running on a new system. So before that day arrives, prep your staff with the proper training. Consider conducting a mock go-live to run through the process so you’re better prepared for curveballs that might happen when you actually migrate. And of course, this training will need to include everyone that will be involved in the real thing, from the IT support team to administrators.
Start Thinking Ahead
Once you’ve migrated from SAP ECC to SoH, you can celebrate your success, but remember that Suite on HANA is a stepping stone, not a stopping point. You’ll need to continue to fine-tune your system and perform maintenance routines. You’ll also want to document your experience so that you can improve your plans for your next step: moving to SAP S/4HANA.
Partner with SAP Experts
Getting ready for an SAP migration might seem daunting, but with careful planning and experienced partners on your side, the move can be seamless. Our senior-level US-based SAP consulting team can assist you on any phase of your SAP migration journey, whether you’re considering one in the future or you’d like to get started ASAP.
Contact us today to learn how Surety Systems can help.
