Realizing SAP Business Benefit

By |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

By |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 [...]

A Cautionary Tale About SAP Knowledge Transfer

By |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 [...]

The Agile SAP Enterprise and Regulatory Compliance

By |February 21st, 2008|

How can you be more nimble? Are you in an agile enterprise? The very nature of regulatory compliance makes creating an agile enterprise difficult. Often, regulatory compliance acts as a tax on the enterprise. Most businesses with highly regulatory environments struggle to process the improvements, streamlining, cost reductions, and simplifications that they need to stay competitive in a global environment. After doing several projects for U.S. companies subject to Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) compliance [...]

SAP, ERP III, SOA — The Learning Organization

By |April 27th, 2007|

  SAP Knowledge Management Introduction In the technology and business sectors, people are surrounded by buzzwords: ERP, SAP, SOA, you name it. However, these acronyms simply describe ways companies leverage technology for competitive business advantage. The systems are designed to reduce costs, streamline operations, increase revenue, and transform your organization [1]. Since ERP applications such as SAP have entered the business world, enterprises have struggled with one area: capturi [...]

SAP as a Change Enabler

By |April 17th, 2007|

SAP is known to improve business efficiency, but did you know that it can also transform your business operations? While many are aware that SAP offers strong benefits, they may not use the program to its full potential. If your company decides to implement or upgrade SAP, the results you achieve depend on several factors. The main elements for success are well-established business reasons and commitment to excellence in staffing your SAP project. That excellence in staffing is not just your in [...]