You are considering starting an SAP project in your company, but you are not sure what to expect concretely. How long will it last? How many internal resources will it require? How will it change the daily work of the people involved? These are legitimate and important questions, and their answer depends in part on the type of project, but there are common elements to any SAP consulting path for companies that are worth knowing before you start.
What an SAP consultancy for business typically includes
Professional SAP consulting includes at least five areas of work. The first isanalysis: before configuring anything, the consultant needs to understand how the business works, what the critical processes are, where there are problems, and what the goals of the project are. The second is design: defining how SAP will be configured to support the company’s processes, with any necessary customizations. The third isimplementation: system configuration, development of customizations, data migration. The fourth is testing: validation of the solution with users before go-live. The fifth is support: assistance in the first weeks after go-live and then full-scale support.
How to prepare for an SAP project
Companies that prepare well for SAP projects achieve better results, faster and with fewer surprises. What does it mean to prepare? It means designating a project sponsor with real authority and availability, identifying key users for each functional area and ensuring they have time dedicated to the project, having a clear vision of business objectives (not just technical goals), and making process decisions before the project begins, not during.
One of the most frequent causes of delays in SAP projects is the unavailability of business contacts during critical project phases. The SAP consultant needs time and attention from the client: without this, the project inevitably slows down.
How long does an SAP project last
The duration of an SAP project varies greatly depending on the complexity of the system to be implemented, the number of modules, the size of the company, and the quality of the source data. A simple project for an SME may take 4-6 months; a full implementation for a large company may take 18-24 months or more. SAP ECC to S/4HANA migration projects vary in time depending on the path chosen (greenfield, brownfield or selective).
To get a realistic estimate for your specific situation, the starting point is an SAP Quick Assessment that analyzes the current system and defines a roadmap with indications of time and resources.
How the project team works
An SAP project requires two teams working in a coordinated way: the consultant’s team (project manager, functional consultant per area, technical architect) and the client’s internal team (project sponsor, key user per area, internal IT). The quality of collaboration between these two teams is one of the factors that determine the success of the project more than any other.
To choose the right consultant for your SAP project, read our article on SAP consulting and how to choose a partner and our article on how to choose an SAP partner in Italy.
Do you want to start an SAP project in your company? Contact Technis Blu to discuss your specific case with our consultants.
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