Value ROI TCO Archives - Page 16 of 16 - Innovate. Integrate. Transform. Run.

Realizing SAP Business Benefit
Realizing SAP Business Benefit

Realizing SAP Business Benefit

By Bill Wood|August 26th, 2009|

When implementing or upgrading SAP, too often I encounter vendors and consultants who believe they are more qualified than they actually are. Think of backyard mechanics who changed the oil on someone's cars and checked the tire pressure a few times, then somehow think that qualifies them to do engine overhauls on Formula 1 race cars. Similarly, why do you expect old-style implementation vendors and consultants to transform your business into a competitive powerhouse by only addressing cost-foc [...]

Why SAP Projects Fail to Deliver ROI and How to Change It
Why SAP Projects Fail to Deliver ROI and How to Change It

Why SAP Projects Fail to Deliver ROI and How to Change It

By Bill Wood|July 8th, 2009|

One reason businesses deal with failure of results in SAP implementations is lingering memories of the Y2K effect. At that time, businesses everywhere simply wanted to install ERP systems to take care of the looming potential crisis over the millennial changeover. After Y2K, the brief downturn in demand for ERP systems, along with the tech bubble burst in the stock market, created additional pressure. Unfortunately, they also overlooked SAP's full potential throughout the chaos. Because of this [...]

Change How You Look at SAP to Create ROI
Change How You Look at SAP to Create ROI

Change How You Look at SAP to Create ROI

By Bill Wood|February 20th, 2009|

After participating in several ROI-focused projects, I learned many lessons. A few of those projects achieved great results, but unfortunately many more were mediocre. I will begin a series of articles on how to achieve value and ROI from an SAP implementation. For many years, a lot of literature, guidance, case studies, success stories and methods has discussed using SAP to automate processes and reduce costs. Unfortunately, a company may struggle to find help to achieve revenue and profitabil [...]

A Cautionary Tale About SAP Knowledge Transfer
A Cautionary Tale About SAP Knowledge Transfer

A Cautionary Tale About SAP Knowledge Transfer

By Bill Wood|February 3rd, 2009|

I spent the first few years of my SAP career on SAP training and documentation. During this time, I covered most of the major SAP modules [FN1], which was an invaluable experience for me. That time in front of a classroom doing SAP courses helped me gain an understanding of the user perspective, the client perspective, and how to facilitate effective requirements gathering sessions.Many SAP trainers do not have the luxury of specializing in a single module. Usually, you learn the transactional [...]

Using SAP to Improve Revenue and Profitability
Using SAP to Improve Revenue and Profitability

Using SAP to Improve Revenue and Profitability

By Bill Wood|January 17th, 2009|

For years, CIOs have been under pressure to cut costs, improve operational efficiencies, and automate the enterprise. CIOs who implement SAP have largely been effective at streamlining the back office. They have also succeeded at optimizing the extended supply chain because SAP supports execution activities well, therefore reducing costs. However, times are changing. For IT and SAP to successfully grow revenue and profitability, a business needs to understand where technology fits into the puzz [...]

Planning For a Smooth Go-Live: Part 4
Planning For a Smooth Go-Live: Part 4

Planning For a Smooth Go-Live: Part 4

By Bill Wood|October 12th, 2008|

4. SAP or ERP Software Modification - Custom Development Ultimately, every project needs some development work. And by development work, I mean custom-coded programs to address “FRICE” or “RICEF” objects (Forms, Reports, Interfaces, Conversions, and Enhancements). When you have the right developers, your project will greatly benefit, delivering on time and on budget. On the flip side, inexperienced developers bring significant hidden costs to a project that can cause slipped timelines, blown bu [...]