SAP implementation: Your path to a new IT architecture

SAP Implementation: Start your project now with GAMBIT

You use an ERP system such as SAP ECC or SAP R/3, work with an IT system that has become increasingly complex in recent years - and now you want to implement a lean, modern and, above all, future-proof IT landscape?

Or you have never had anything to do with SAP before, are managing an agile, rapidly growing company - and are looking for the first time for an ERP solution that will keep you flexible and agile? And in your search you have now come across SAP?

In both cases, we can recommend software to you: SAP S/4HANA. And we can also recommend a way to get there: a new implementation, which is also called greenfield approach. SAP Greenfield means "on a greenfield site". So the system is being set up from scratch.

The best SAP solution for your business

If you are a SAP beginner and do not yet work with an ERP system from SAP, then it is simple: The greenfield approach is the only way for you to implement SAP S/4HANA.

If, on the other hand, you are already using an ERP system from SAP, you can choose between two main paths to SAP S/4HANA: the new implementation and the system conversion ("brownfield"). Other approaches are usually always based on System Conversion, which is enriched by selective data migration.

SAP Greenfield vs. Brownfield

Brownfield means that SAP experts upgrade the existing SAP ERP system to SAP S/4HANA in one step. However, data and developments are also transferred - including old code, obsolete data and functions that either have no successor in SAP S/4HANA or were discontinued by SAP by the end of 2027.

If, on the other hand, you choose the greenfield approach, you make a clean cut between the previous ERP system and SAP S/4HANA. You create the foundation for a future-proof IT architecture and get the opportunity to resolve pain points in the course of the new implementation.

We discuss the topic in detail in the article Greenfield vs. Brownfield.

SAP Best Practice - close to the standard

The software is implemented in line with SAP best practice processes, i.e. close to the standard. In addition, the master data is taken over from the existing systems, if necessary with cleansing and harmonization.

Are you looking for a partner with whom you can now tackle such a greenfield implementation?

• GAMBIT has already mastered numerous SAP implementations according to the Greenfield methodology for customers from medium-sized businesses and industry.
• We have more than 25 years of experience with SAP, we are SAP Gold Partner and can show all necessary certifications.
• Our team of about 140 consultants consists of experts for SAP S/4HANA, IT architectures and data migration.
• And of course, we also have the right tools and methods to make your project a success.
  

Grown over many years: the typical SAP system

In order to better understand why we recommend that most of our customers go greenfield, we should first take a look together at where many companies currently stand that use SAP ERP or SAP R/3.

If you already use an ERP system from SAP, your ERP landscape probably looks like this:

• In your SAP core there are numerous in-house developments (so-called Z developments) - that is, your own individual adaptations and solutions that have been developed over many years.
• In addition, there are also various environment systems - connected to this conglomerate of functions and components via classic interface technology.

It is a world that is now used by almost every company that uses SAP ERP. This world was state of the art for a long time. And it still has its advantages.

Above all, independence from third parties should be mentioned here, because requirements can be implemented independently. In addition, it is possible to adapt almost any development and solution individually to one's own needs.

From today's perspective, however, the disadvantages still outweigh the advantages. The classical structure of ERP systems has become outdated. Today it slows down companies in their further development.

In what condition is your ERP system?

Do you have such a classic system in use? Then you know what you have to deal with. Because a conventional ERP system is

• mostly historically grown, highly complex and heterogeneous,
• difficult to maintain as a result, and
• cumbersome to upgrade and keep up-to-date.
• Moreover, many developments are strongly interdependent,
• the responsiveness of IT decreases and
• serious know-how problems can arise if employees with expert knowledge are no longer available.

All this makes necessary adjustments to new requirements extremely difficult. Often the supposed digital core - i.e. the ERP system - is an insurmountable hurdle for the rapid implementation of requirements from the market. A complex system causes costs and makes companies slow and cumbersome.

Anyone planning to implement SAP S/4HANA now should therefore carefully consider whether to take the software of the old ERP world - as in a system conversion - one-to-one with them into the new world of SAP S/4HANA. This is especially true since a system conversion does not allow the way to best practices. This also means that a later switch to a cloud solution is significantly more cost-intensive. You should therefore include future developments in your planning today.

Implementation of SAP Conversion

Should you decide to convert, we will also implement this with you.

SAP provides a standardized roadmap and various helpful tools for the transformation. Our experts use their consulting know-how to carefully and proactively adapt this best-practice solution to your individual requirements and goals.

We accompany and support you at every stage of your brownfield project - before, during and after the S/4HANA migration. In this way, we ensure successful implementation of your SAP S/4HANA conversion with as little downtime as possible.

Together we implement the SAP S/4HANA conversion step by step with you and guide you transparently through the decisive phases.

• Kick-off with extensive on-boarding
• Check of the system requirements
• Testing and optimization of databases
• Practical phase of the migration (content and technical migration)
• Individualization of the system landscape (configuration, customization & security)
• Individual reworking

Why SAP Greenfield is often better

Taking the path of conversion may well be recommended. This is also technically possible as a rule if companies take certain special features into account. In most cases, however, the best way to replace SAP ERP is probably a greenfield migration.

There are two main reasons for this:

1. If you opt for greenfield, you are backing a modern IT architecture and opening the door to best practices. This gives you the unique opportunity to get rid of the ballast of the past years. Instead, you will arrive at a lean, harmonized, uniform and at the same time flexible ERP system - a system that will remain clean in the long term thanks to the flexible handling of interfaces via apps and the new principles of the overall architecture, and which will also have no problems with updates and upgrades in the future.
2. In addition, you are now setting the course for the future: correctly understood, SAP S/4HANA software is not just a technical update of existing systems. Rather, SAP S/4HANA is a strategic opportunity to realign the entire business model - for example, through new analysis options, more easily scalable processes, or the use of artificial intelligence.

Why SAP Greenfield is often better

Taking the path of conversion may well be recommended. This is also technically possible as a rule if companies take certain special features into account. In most cases, however, the best way to replace SAP ERP is probably a greenfield migration.

There are two main reasons for this:

1. If you opt for greenfield, you are backing a modern IT architecture and opening the door to best practices. This gives you the unique opportunity to get rid of the ballast of the past years. Instead, you will arrive at a lean, harmonized, uniform and at the same time flexible ERP system - a system that will remain clean in the long term thanks to the flexible handling of interfaces via apps and the new principles of the overall architecture, and which will also have no problems with updates and upgrades in the future.
2. In addition, you are now setting the course for the future: correctly understood, SAP S/4HANA software is not just a technical update of existing systems. Rather, SAP S/4HANA is a strategic opportunity to realign the entire business model - for example, through new analysis options, more easily scalable processes, or the use of artificial intelligence.

Your new software: faster, more flexible and less complex

A modern IT architecture under SAP S/4HANA looks like this:

• It is close to the SAP standard and thus to Best Practices,
• is thus - despite new functionalities - far less complex,
• the applications are located in part or in whole in the cloud or, depending on requirements, on their own platforms,
• it can be extended individually in many cases by means of modern frameworks and is nevertheless release-safe and
• are mainly connected to each other via real-time interfaces.

The core of such an architecture is the digital core of SAP S/4HANA. This core is based on the HANA database and is preconfigured as standard via scope items. These scope items reflect the end-to-end processes. All central functions are already contained in the core.

After a new implementation, further, separate software components are available in SAP S/4HANA, which are connected to the core via modern API interfaces: from extensions released by SAP (Extensibility Framework), Business Cloud Apps (from SAP or third parties), to further non-SAP environment systems and company-owned apps.

Communication between the applications takes place using API protocols, which have evolved from Web technology to a quasi-standard for developments in general. SAP delivers these protocols as a docking area for connecting apps in the standard system. In conjunction with the powerful SAP HANA in-memory database, they connect all data in real time.

The advantage for you: In this way, you have access to current and fully harmonized financial key figures or customer data at any time and at the push of a button - a clear competitive advantage over those companies that are not yet in this world.

The advantages of a modern SAP ERP system

The advantages of an IT architecture in best practice standard are

• no restrictions in processes and functions,
• high speed of adaptation to new developments,
• lower operating costs,
• greater independence from third parties,
• maximum flexibility in the choice of operating model and
• high investment protection through permanent product up-to-dateness.

Your Company and the SAP Cloud

Anyone who wants to implement such a contemporary architecture will usually do so in whole or in part in the (private) cloud. It is the key to significantly more flexibility, less complexity, greater adaptability of functions and lower costs.

SAP has two options available, the Essential Cloud (the former public cloud edition) and the Extended Cloud. But whichever edition a company chooses in the end: Most of the benefits of the cloud are available in both versions.

Do you want your company to benefit from the advantages of the Cloud?

GAMBIT is certified for all available operating models, has already implemented various cloud projects, is experienced in handling methods and models and is an official SAP S/4-HANA Cloud Partner.

Overview of an SAP Implementation with GAMBIT

You have become curious and are interested in an SAP S/4 HANA Greenfield approach with GAMBIT? Then contact us - our consultants will be pleased to present our process models, tools and strategies to you.

A first overview of an SAP S/4HANA implementation with GAMBIT:

• We always start with a GAMBIT preliminary study and the development of a suitable SAP roadmap - depending on your progress we also build on the results already achieved.
• For the implementation, our well-proven end-to-end procedure model is at your disposal.
• The duration of the project is usually between 6 and 18 months.
• GAMBIT can also support you in evaluating your license situation and you can purchase licenses from us.

Our way to the new SAP system

We implement SAP S/4HANA together with you using our proven process model.

We roughly divide the process into three phases:

1. In phase 1 we analyze the initial situation. We go in search of the drivers for your SAP S/4HANA implementation. This phase also includes important preliminary analyses for the further preliminary investigation.
2. In phase 2 we prepare the implementation. In doing so, we pay particular attention to budgets, time and risks. Part of this phase is the evaluation of the various operating models as well as the corresponding new license models.
3. In phase 3, the design, implementation and rollout take place. Now the implementation takes place: setting up customer model companies, technical implementation, training and testing, cutover and go-live.

Durable solution with 100 percent standard

The primary goal is to use the SAP standard as much as possible to maintain the sustainability of your SAP S/4HANA system in the long term.

At GAMBIT we also speak of the "Perpetual Green Approach" in this context. This means that product updates and innovations are permanently and regularly available to you and that you can also adapt your system quickly and effectively whenever necessary.

Therefore, our goal is to provide you with a permanently "green" system - a system that optimally supports your processes, is as close as possible to the standard and is therefore open for all operating models of SAP in the future. Such a system also enables you to benefit from new functions in future releases through rapid release upgrades.

Implementation of SAP S/4HANA with SAP Activate

For the implementation of SAP S/4HANA with the Greenfield Methodology GAMBIT relies on SAP Activate. SAP Activate is a combination of best-practice processes, methods and a user-guided configuration in order to implement SAP S/4HANA quickly and safely.

However, we have further developed SAP Activate. Our approach reduces the time required and the complexity of the project. In this way, you can implement SAP S/4HANA even faster and more securely.

The methodology is characterized by the fact that we carry out the implementation - in close cooperation with the specialist departments in your company - agile and in several fast cycles.

Your SAP S/4HANA trial run - live, digital, immediately

The basis of this agile approach are preset live systems, so-called customer-specific model companies.

In our Model Companies we have already integrated the most important digital features outside of SAP S/4HANA to demonstrate the full power of the SAP Intelligent Enterprise family:

• Connection of the SAP Cloud Platform
• Connection of SAP FIORI-based apps
• IoT integration with Digital Twin Simulation
• MDM/MDG integration as integrated data hub
• Rest API-based interfaces for live data streaming
• Mobile Application Docking

Thanks to the live systems, your employees in the specialist departments can access the SAP S/4HANA system at an early stage and actively support the expansion.

The live systems enable users to immediately run through end-to-end process chains. They provide information about the usability and acceptance of the users. In addition, the system can be optimized as early as the conception phase.

The special feature, however, is that we adapt the Model Company to your company so that the experience of a possible new solution becomes very vivid for the later users.

Your advantage: Your system does not have to be adapted later and time-consuming, because the improvement already happens during the implementation. In addition, this approach ensures broad acceptance among users through early and intensive user participation.

Typical errors during SAP implementation

In many companies, companies only look at the technical requirements - and thus run the risk that the chosen operating model or target architecture does not fit the strategic and operational goals of the company.

Sometimes the necessary project effort is also underestimated - and the entire organization suffers under the heavy burden of the implementation and loses productivity.

We are aware of the risks. That is why we attach particular importance to not only looking at the technical side of an implementation.

Rather, we take into account the strategic, business and future requirements in your company - in concrete terms and with the help of measurable target figures.

360-degree approach to SAP S/4HANA implementation

Our experienced consultants keep an eye on the entire process from day one: With our 360-degree approach to the implementation of SAP S/4HANA and a detailed preliminary study, we ensure that risks are minimized and that subsequent difficulties do not arise in the first place.

In this way, you are always on the safe side. You get what you need. And above all, you get exactly the target architecture that best suits your company and your long-term goals.

Your advantages of an SAP implementation with GAMBIT at a glance:

• Business, IT and implementation competence from one source
• Your own individualized Live-Model Company with end-to-end process scenarios available
• Own SAP Data Migration Factory with over 20 years of ANY-TO-SAP migration experience
• Implementation competence and certification for all operating models
• SAP E-Learning Hub integration for cost-saving education and training programs
• SAP E-Library Integration - Avoid redundant and costly documentation
• Certified project management methodology
• Integrated Risk + Compliance Management.

Your SAP Greenfield Project with GAMBIT

We implement SAP S/4HANA Greenfield completely for you.

You too can now benefit from our end-to-end approach model, from our consultants' expertise and experience with SAP S/4HANA, and from our proven project management.

You have questions, you want to know more? Contact us at any time - we will be happy to help you!