How to Implement SAP Business one
projects.
Pre Sales:
1. Pre sales person
should know the functionality of the b1.(At least he should know what can be
done what can not be done)
2. Targeted industry
should be achievable, for example we should avoid to target the Textile
Industry (for example B1 wont support Size wise Colour wise item master) or
Project management or Jewellery etc.. But still add-ons are available in
the market.
3. First we should do
high level analysis of their business then we have to give commitment.
4. While showing demo
we should do it in SAP itself not in PDF file or some other documents. This
will avoid the miscommunication between both side.
5. After demo lead
should get an idea in terms of what they will get in the B1. For example if the
company is manufacturing, then they will expect below process
1. Subcontracting
2. Maintenance
3. Production
including WIP cost
4. Capacity planning
5. Cost sheet
6. Quality process
including control panel.
6. In terms of system
requirement we have to analysis their Server and Client system configuration.
If the configuration is not met then project may get failure in training stage.
So we have to communicate clearly what they need to buy.
7. If they have multiple
branch then we have to discuss how they are going setup their network. Then
they have to plan for get Static IP or VPN or CITRIX etc.....
8. Some lead may ask
to migrate their past one year data into SAP, better we avoid this.
9. Once order has
confirmed we have to ensure that below points has communicate clearly
1. Total number
license
2. Target date to
Go-Live
3. Modules or
Departments going to be implemented in SAP
4. Number of company
or Number of location going to be implemented in SAP
5. Hardware and
Software requirement (SQL, Window server 2008, No of User CAL(Client Access
License) etc....)
6. Yearly maintenance.
7. Additional cost for
the Add-on like (Payroll, Project management etc...)
In this blog am going to
explain the below points:
1. How to Start the
project.
2. Steps to be follow
for successful Go Live.
3. Steps to be done
before Go Live
4. Steps to be done
one day before Go Live
5. Steps to be done
after Go Live
6. Steps to be
followed from day one to till GO-LIVE
1. How to Start the project >>
·
Before going to the client place go through his website. For
example
1. What are all items
they are selling (This will help you while discuss about Item master)
2. How many branch
they have (This will help you while discuss about Project or Dimension)
3. They have multiple
branch or multiple company (This will help you while discuss about Segment)
4. Refer they are
doing Import /Export (This will help you while discuss about Multiple currency)
.
Like this you can have an idea before you go to system study.
·
Intro meeting:
1. Arrange meeting in
client place and do the below points
2. Finalize the
project manager from your side and client side
3. Finalize the
Process owner for all the departments in client side
4. Give short
introduction about AS IS and TO BE document to client and Tell them they have
to sign,
5. End of this step we
should know who is going sign the document.
·
Prepare Project Plan:
1. Prepare project
plan including target dates and team members and daily milestones.
2. Keep updating this
sheet on daily basis
3. Send this project
plan to every one on weekly basis.
4. If you notice that
dates are deviating then write a mail to client side project manager, saying
that we are deviating from plan. This mail will help you to move your steps
faster.
5. End of this step we
should know when we can make it live the project.
2. Steps to be follow for
successful Go Live >>
·
Master data collection.
1. Explain our DTW
template to concern department owner.
2. Ask them to fill it
in our DTW template file
3. Ask them to send it
through mail (There may be a chance to say by client, its wrong data I have not
given. In that time we can show this mail).
4. Collect list of SAP
users.
5. End of this step we
should know that client can able to fill the temple and they accepted to fill
it.
·
Arrange department wise meeting
1. In this meeting all
the department owner should present. Otherwise they wont sign the document.
2. Start the
discussion in below sequence. for example we are discussion with Purchase
department,
3. Point the Scenario
list like Import purchase , Local purchase , Service purchase and other
different type of purchase.
4. Then start the
detail discussion based on scenario list.
5. Once you complete
the discussion do a draft document then present it to the department head and
ask for sign off.
6. Also include the
following, list of Reports with format, list of approval, list of alert and
list of PLDs with formats
7. Like this you have
to do for all the departments. Once all the department owners has signed then
you go to next step.
8. End of this step we
should know all the requirements of the each departments.
·
Finalize the document with all team members.
1. Collate all the
document into one document.
2. Arrange one meeting
with all the team members
3. Present your
document and ask the sign off.
4. End of this meeting
we should ensure that both (we and client) in same path.
3. Steps to be done before Go
Live >>
·
Gap analysis
1. Import masters
which we collected. Make sure that duplicate entries are not there
2. Now we have a
document what client need, based on this document define the process in SAP and
do the test entries
3. Try to adopt in
default fields, if not possible then create the UDFs
4. If any special
requirement then start planning to do the Addon.
5. Analyse the reports
and PLDs which we collected. This analysis will help you to create UDFs and
define the process flow
6. Finally , Purchase
to Sales do the test entry till you satisfy.
7. End of this step we
should ensure that, all the entries can be posted in SAP. If you found that
some process not possible to do it in SAP convey to the client saying that they
have to maintain the record manually in excel or some other software
·
Training
1. Create 3 database
with the naming , I. CompanyName_Testing, II. CompanyName_Training,
III.CompanyName_Live
2. Start training on
fist database
3. If you want to test
something test it in second database
4. Third one will keep
it for go-live
5. Create all the
users. Do the form setting else users will get confuse
6. Prepare training
schedule and send it to the department heads and then Start training.
7. What are all the
changes you are collecting while training do it in 3rd database also. This will
help you while go-live preparation
8. Send a entry count
report to all the heads using below link help (This will help you to speed up
your testing)
10.
Now ask the department owner to do training signoff.
11.
End of the training we should ensure that all the users can do
their daily activity in SAP
·
GO-LIVE Preparation:
1. Discuss about how
they want opening balance.
2. For example some
client needs bill wise opening balance for Customers and Vendors. In this case
we have to plan for doing service invoice for each bill.
3. In terms of Banks
you have ask un-reconcile checks list separately. This will help you while do
BRS
4. In terms of Stock
you have to get the details warehouse wise.
5. Now you will get
opening balance for Asset , Liability and Equity.
6. Sum all the amount,
finally you should get zero then only your opening balance is correct.
7. Create 4 account
code in Equity side for opening balance. I Customers Opening Balance II Vendors
Opening Balance III Ledgers Opening Balance and Stock Opening Balance.
8. Import the opening
balance based on above ledgers.
9. End of this step we
should ensure all the changes are replicated from the test database into live
database including PLD and reports.
4. Steps to be done one day
before Go Live >>
1. Check your opening
balance account is Zero.
2. Check you can able
to open all the documents (Some times you will get issue in numbering
series).
3. Login into the
created users and check they can access their screens without any issue.
4. Lock all the user
in training database (their may be a chance, user will wrongly login to test DB
and post their live entries)
5. Tack a backup
before users start entering the entries.
6. Ensure that all the
client system have SAP client and its in accessible mode.
5. Steps to be done after Go
Live >>
1. Collect the
feedback from all the users.
2. Check all the users
can do their daily activity in SAP.
3. If any new request
comes or new changes raise ask the requested users to fill the change log.
(Change log format you can use provided by SAP)
4. Discuss this
changes from the client side project manager then do it. (What happen sometimes
users will ask the changes for their convenience which is not acceptable by top
management )
5. Schedule the auto
backup and check that system is taking backup on schedule time. This you have
to do on daily basis and give training to system admin from the client side.
6. Most important
point is verifying the automatic journal entries. This you have to do at least
10days and you have to get confirmation from finance head and ask the finance
head to check it on daily basis. This will help you while close year end.
7. What happen
sometimes while do year end if something goes wrong, then finance manager may
tell that, SAP has done wrong posing and you only mapped the accounts. So you
have to tally our Balance sheet like that they may put a ball in our court.
8. End of this step
all the users and management should be happy.
6. Steps to be followed from
the day start to till GO-LIVE >>
1. Daily send status
mail to all the team members. for example
1. E-Mail Subject:
Status as on so and so date
1. E-Mail Content:
Deviating point from project plan:
1. Waiting for sample
printout format received from purchase department
2. Waiting for
customer master received from sales department.
3. Like that you have
to mention it in bullet point, so that top management people will read.
2. Weekly basis send
the project plan to all the team members.
3. Weekly basis
organize meeting for update the project plan. If not possible at least conduct
the meeting in phone.
4. If you feel that
dates are deviating immediacy arrange meeting with team members and convey the
delay. This will help you for Go-Live as per schedule date
5. Ensure that all the
team members are clear about the Go-live date.
