1. What is ASAP Methodology?
· ASAP Methodology stands for Accelerated SAP,
· Its purpose is to help design SAP implementation project.
· The objective is an effective optimization of time, people, quality and other resources, using a proven methodology to implementation.
2. Phase of ASAP Methodology
ASAP focuses on tools and training, wrapped up in a five-phase process oriented road map for guiding implementation.
The road map is composed of five well-known consecutive phases
Phase 1- Project Preparation
Phase 2- Business Blue Print
Phase 3- Realization
Phase 4- Final Preparation
Phase 5- Go-Live and Support
Brief explanation of each phase
ASAP Methodology
Phase-1 Project Preparation
Initiates with a retrieval of information and resources, it is an important time to assemble the necessary components for the implementation. Some important milestones that need to be accomplished for phase 1.
· Obtaining senior-level management/stakeholder support
· Identifying clear project objectives
· Architect an efficient decision-making process
· Creating an environment suitable for change and re-engineering
· Building a qualified and capable project team
Phase-2 Business Blueprint
SAP has defined a business blue print phase to help extract pertinent information about your company that is necessary for implementation. These blueprint are in the form of questionnaires that are designed to probe for information that uncovers how company does business, As such, they also serve to document the implementation.
Each Business Blueprint Document essentially outlines your future business processes and business requirements The kinds of questions asked are germane to the particular business function, as seen in the following sample questions
1) What information do you capture in purchase order?
2) What information is required to complete a purchase order?
Phase-3 Realization
With the completion of business in phase 2, “Functional” experts are now ready to begin configuring SAP.
The Realization phase is broken in two parts
1) Your SAP Consultant team helps you configure your baseline system, called baseline configuration.
2) Your implementation team fine tunes that system to meet all your business and process requirements as part of the fine tuning configuration.
The initial configuration completed during baseline configuration is based on the information that you provided in your blueprint document. The remaining approximately 20% configuration that was not talked during the baseline configuration is completed during the fine tuning configuration.
Fine tuning usually deals with the exceptions that are not covered in baseline configuration. This final bit of tweaking represents the work necessary to fit your special needs.
Configuration Testing
With the help of your SAP consulting team, you segregate your business processes into cycles of related workflows. The cycles serve as independent units that enable you to test specific parts of business process. You can also work through configure the SAP Implementation guide (IMG).
SPRO- (SAP Project Reference Object)è SAP IMG
SAP IMG is a tool is used to assist you in configuring your SAP system in step by step manner.
Knowledge Transfer
As the configuration phase comes to close, it becomes necessary for the Project team to be self-sufficient in their knowledge of the configuration of your SAP system.
Knowledge transfer to the configuration team tasked with system maintenance (that is, maintenance of the business processes after Go-live) needs to be completed at this time. In addition, the end-users tasked with actual using the system for day-to-day business purposes must be trained.
Phase-4 Final Preparation
As phase 3 merges into phase 4, you should find yourselves, not only not only in the midst of SAP training, but also in the midst of rigorous functional and stress testing.
Phase 4 also concentrates on the fine tuning of your configuration before Go-live and more importantly, the migration of data from your old system or systems to SAP.
Workload testing (including peak volume, daily load, and other forms of stress testing), and integration or functional testing are conducted to ensure the accuracy of your data and the stability of your SAP System. Because you should have begun testing back in phase 2, you do not have to far to Go-live.
Now is an important time to perform preventive maintenance checks to ensure optimal performance at your SAP System. At the conclusion of phase 4, take a time to plan and document a Go-Live strategy. Preparation for Go-Live means preparing for your end users questions as they start actively working on the New SAP System.
Phase-5 Go-live
The Go-live milestone is itself is easy to achieve; a smooth and uneventful Go-live is another matter all together. Preparation is the key, including attention to what-if scenarios related not only to the individual business processes and preparation for ongoing support, including maintenance contracts and documented processes and procedures are essential.
Rajesh Sharma
SAP MM/EWM Consultant
Linked in Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajesh-sharma-3a565821/
