The fall meeting of the Michigan chapter of the Americas SAP Users Group (ASUG) brought together 44 state members and guests on Nov. 19 at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan.
With a backdrop of an inspiring museum of innovation the ASUG members spent the day hearing presentations, sharing ideas and taking time for museum and factory tours.
With presentations in the middle of the day, the group started the day with a chance to walk through the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, one of Michigan’s premier attractions. After meetings concluded there was a tour of the Ford Rouge Plant, where members had the opportunity to see F-150s rolling off the assembly line.
SAP’s Susan Nee presented a look at the newly released SAP S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition 2023 FPS02, which includes advanced AI-assisted capabilities and the expansion of SAP’s copilot Joule, the cutting-edge digital assistant designed to transform the user experience.
The session continued the yearlong emphasis on AI-assisted capabilities, all supporting the SAP push for all customers to move to Datasphere and thus take advantage of the full power of SAP’s AI enhancements.
Sessions during the daylong meeting in Dearborn also included a partner presentation by Infosys, “Achieving S/4HANA Transformation using Finance First Approach.”
The main message: The finance function is rapidly evolving from mere operational bookkeeper to being a trusted adviser.
According to the presentation, here are the nine foundational elements that make for a successful finance transformation:
- Correct at source, right first time
- All granularity desired at transactional level
- Not reporting but KPI driven insight
- Clean harmonized data
- Embedded Intelligence
- Seamless integration and automation
- Extension via cloud
- Adoption based on best practices
- Self Service for Users
There also was a customer presentation from DTE about their experience using SAP Commerce.
DTE Energy has established itself as a pioneer in delivering renewable energy programs to mass market customers across Michigan by offering a variety of programs tailored to meet individual customer needs. These programs are made accessible through digital storefronts powered by SAP Commerce. On this comprehensive platform customers can learn about the offerings and enroll in the programs that best suit their requirements.
Through the integration of SAP Commerce, DTE Energy told the ASUG members that it not only simplifies the enrollment process for renewable energy programs but also provides a robust platform for education and engagement. This innovative approach, said the presenters, underscores DTE’s commitment to sustainability and customer-centricity, positioning the company as a leader in the renewable energy sector.
In the afternoon, Cogent Integrated Business Solutions presented on “Supplier Portal Transformation: Leveraging SAP BTP for Seamless Supplier Integration.” The session walked attendees through a real-world example of leveraging SAP BTP’s tools to develop a modern supplier portal that streamlined operations, reduced costs, and improved supplier relationships.
This ASUG event was a mix of fun and learning, wrapping up the day with a factory tour of the Rouge River factory where attendees saw the Ford 150 being built on the assembly line.
More about ASUG
ASUG is the world’s largest SAP user group, serving thousands of businesses and connecting more than 130,000 professionals with networking and educational resources. Its mission is to help people and organizations get the most value from their investment in SAP technology.
The group holds in-person and virtual events and makes on-demand digital resources available to its members.
Annual ASUG meeting: Chapter members from throughout North America met in Chicago for the annual volunteers meeting.
