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The dust has settled after the excitement of SAP Sapphire 2024, so what better time for Mustansir Saifuddin to meet up with industry experts Barry Sjostedt and Julea Ferrara to get their insights.
With attendance at the Sapphire conference in the thousands, and with hundreds of sessions, it can be easy to get lost in the hype and glitz of a event.
Here are some key takeaways from us and our SAP colleagues:
The Role of Generative AI: Hype vs. Reality
A significant theme at Sapphire was Generative AI (Gen AI) and its potential to revolutionize business processes. However, both Ferrara and Sjostedt cautioned against getting lost in the hype.
While AI holds immense promise, success depends on doing the proper groundwork and taking the time to understand how AI tools can function within your specific organization. Think about well-defined data and clear processes, they said.
People may not understand the process of preparing an organization for AI. It’s important, said Ferrara, to work with partners and vendors to understand the details. The ASUG network and ASUG pre-conference conversations at Sapphire, she added, were great to help in getting things set up for data processes for the AI to work.
From Sjostedt’s perspective: AI is “in its infancy.” “It’s here, it’s evolving,” he added. “It’s quick and it’s going to happen faster.”
It is also important to remember that technology is just a tool, and that teams need to have their processes evaluated. Otherwise it is masking a bad process with another tool that will likely not reach the organization’s business goals.
Collaboration is Key: Bringing the Right People to the Table
As Saifuddin, Ferrara and Sjostedt reflected on the Sapphire event, it became clear that SAP clients frequently have IT team members attend events such as Sapphire. However, Ferrara emphasized, it’s important to send a diverse team to such conferences, including representatives from business functions. This helps to ensure a holistic understanding of the presented solutions. Business teams can then assess how these advancements align with their specific needs, preventing the scenario of adopting tools without a clear understanding of how they integrate with existing workflows.
Also a good idea: bringing your data and security team members along to the conference. Having attendance by people with different skill sets provides organizations with a more thorough understanding how teams will be affected by the path taken in SAP initiatives. Providing access to the full team allows for more effective and efficient project planning and execution.
The Power of Peer-to-Peer Learning and Network Building
How can individuals navigate and decipher all the information that is available? Leverage resources available within the SAP community, to start. Organizations such as Americas SAP User Group (ASUG) offer valuable resources and opportunities to connect with peers who have already navigated similar challenges.
Sharing best practices, learning from others’ experiences, and collaborating with smaller, specialized service providers can significantly enhance your SAP journey. Often, SAP customers think of large system integrators (SIs), but Ferrara shared: “If you want to work with bigger, like Deloitte and Accenture and EY, to help navigate these things, you still need small providers to come in, to really understand your landscape a little bit more, to help guide those teams.”
Niche service providers offer more targeted and focused support for specialty areas.
S/4HANA Deadline Looms: Planning and Preparation are Paramount
With the 2027 deadline for ECC maintenance support approaching, organizations face a critical decision regarding their SAP migration path. Both guests emphasized the importance of careful planning and resource allocation.
“I’ve seen different industries who rely on SAP education to only be in the IT department,” Ferrara said. “You talk to business departments … (that) solely rely on IT creating the documentation, putting everything together.” Instead, IT and business should work together to understand the process and business requirements.
“My biggest takeaway to customers,” she said, is the most success comes when organizations “have SAP education throughout your whole organization.”
As clients prepare for any migration project, cleaning up existing data and streamlining processes (“Clean Core”) can significantly reduce migration complexity and costs. This is something that is often overlooked.
Key Takeaways for Your SAP Journey
Don’t be overwhelmed by the hype: Focus on building a solid foundation for AI adoption by ensuring clean data, clear processes and a well-defined purpose.
Collaboration is critical: Send diverse teams to industry events to gain a comprehensive understanding of new technologies.
Network and learn from peers: Utilize resources like ASUG and collaborate with experienced partners for guidance.
Prepare for the future: Prioritize data cleansing, process optimization (“Clean Core”), and thorough planning to navigate the cloud migration smoothly.
By adopting these insights and leveraging the available resources, you can help ensure a successful journey toward a more efficient and future-proof SAP environment.
About the podcast guests
Julea Ferrera is the founder of J. Ferrara Consulting Solutions, founding director of Techqueria x MKE and is on the America’s SAP User Group Wisconsin board of directors. She has worked in business transformation as a technofunctional consultant in a variety of different companies globally throughout the years promoting lean process and operation excellence through community impact.
Barry Sjostedt is a business operations consultant specializing in finance and organizational excellence, having collaborated with numerous global organizations to drive lean processes and optimization through innovative technology solutions. His expertise spans various business areas, uniting teams for enhanced collaboration and future success.
Resources
SAP Sapphire Virtual 2024: on-demand sessions (registered users)
