Contents:

❖ What is SAP ERP

❖ Different types of SAP Products
❖ What is Centralised ERP System
❖ Types of SAP Modules
❖ Why SAP ERP is required
❖ What is HANA
❖ SAP System Landscaping
❖ SAP Deployment Models
❖ Different types of SAP Implementation methodologies
❖ Types of SAP Project Types
❖ SAP software Release Management
❖ SDLC Model
What is SAP?
Definition of SAP ERP Software
❖ SAP stands for Systems Applications and Products in Data Processing. SAP, by definition,
is also the name of the ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) software as well as the name
of the company.

❖ SAP Software is a European (Germany) multinational, founded in 1972 by Wellenreuther,

Hopp, Hector, Plattner, and Tschira. They develop software solutions for managing
business operations and customer relationships.

❖ SAP system consists of several fully integrated modules, which covers virtually every
aspect of business management.

❖ SAP is #1 in the ERP market. As of 2010, SAP has more than 140,000 installations
worldwide, over 25 industry-specific business solutions and more than 75,000 customers
in 120 countries.

❖ Other Competitive products of SAP Software in the market are Oracle, Microsoft
Dynamics, etc.

Different ERP products of SAP:

❖ SAP Enterprise ERP can provide solution to all kind of industries like small scale, Medium
Scale, and large scale irrespective of all modules and countries with multi-Language
provisions and all compliance.

Solution Type:
❖ SAP S/4 HANA On premise Solution edition (All Functional &Technical modules)

❖ SAP S/4 HANA Cloud Solution-Provides both Public and private Cloud solutions editions
(All Functional and Technical Modules)
SAP Modules Overall

What is SAP ERP? Why is it required?

The following video will explain the need for an ERP software like SAP in an enterprise
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYCEQqSM08I&feature=youtu.be

The very fundamental question for any beginners is why Enterprise Resource Planning also called
ERP, is required? To answer this, let’s examine this typical business scenario.
Key benefits of the centralized system are:

•It eliminates the duplication, discontinuity, and redundancy in data

•Provides information across departments in real time.

•SAP System provides control over various business processes

•Increases productivity, better inventory management, promotes quality, reduced material cost,
effective human resources management, reduced overheads boosts profits

•Better customer interaction and increased throughput. It also improves customer service

•Hence, a centralized enterprise management system is required.

•SAP Software is a centralized enterprise management system, also known as Enterprise Resource
Planning.

•The meaning of the acronym SAP is Systems Applications and Products in Data Processing

SAP ERP Functional & Technical Modules

SAP Modules can be categorized into

•Functional Modules

These functional and technical modules are tightly coupled. Below is a list of key SAP Modules

1. SAP FI Module - FI stands for Financial Accounting

SAP FI module is very robust and covers almost all financial business process encountered in various
industries. It is one of the widely implemented modules in SAP.

2. SAP CO Module - CO stands for Controlling

Cost Accounting (CO) module of SAP provides information to managers decision makers to understand
where the company's money is being spent. CO helps them to optimize business costs.

3. SAP HCM Module - HR stands for Human Resources

SAP Human Capital Management (HCM) is also called SAP-HR.

SAP HCM consists of sub-modules like Personnel Administration (PA), Organizational Management
(OM), Time, and Payroll that help in employee management.

4. SAP MM Module - MM is Materials Management

Materials Management module in SAP consists of several components and sub-components including
Master Data, Purchasing, and Inventory.
5. SAP QM Module - QM stands for Quality Management

SAP QM (Quality Management) is an integral part of several key business processes of SAP like
production, sales, procurement, material management, etc.

6. SAP PP Module - PP is Production Planning

SAP PP (Production Planning) is a SAP module, specially designed for integrating different department
involved in production and manufacturing. It has various components like Data Center, BOM, Work
Center, CRP etc.

7. SAP SD Module - SD is Sales and Distribution

SAP Sales and Distribution (SD) is an important module of SAP ERP consisting of business processes
required in selling, shipping, billing of a product. The module is tightly integrated with SAP MM & SAP
PP. Key sub-modules of SAP SD are Customer and Vendor Master Data, Sales, Delivery, Billing, Pricing
and Credit Management.

8. SAP BW Module - where BW stands for Business (Data) Warehouse

SAP BI (Business Intelligence) or SAP BW is a leading data warehousing and reporting tool. It helps
convert raw data into information and insights that help improve business margins. Learn more about
SAP BW

9. SAP CRM - where CRM stands for Customer Relationship Management

SAP CRM is the Market Leader in Customer Relationship Management Software. SAP CRM plays a
pivotal role in strengthening customer relationships.

•Technical Modules

10.SAP Basis

SAP Basis is a set of programs and tools that act as an interface with Database, Operating system,
communication protocols and other SAP modules like FI, HCM, SD etc.

11. SAP ABAP

ABAP (Advanced Business Application Programming) is the default programming language for SAP
applications. You can also use Java to code in SAP.

Database system In SAP S/4:

12. SAP HANA - where Hana stands for High-performance Analytic Appliance.

SAP HANA is an in-memory computing platform that allows real-time data analysis.
SAP System Landscaping:

Landscape: is the arrangement for the servers

IDES: it is purely for educational purpose and is NOT INCLUDED in the landscape.

DEVELOPMENT ---> QUALITY ----> PRODUCTION

DEVELOPMENT: is where the consultants do the customization as per the company's requirement.
QUALITY: is where the core team members and other members test the customization.
PRODUCTION: is where the live data of the company is recorded.

A request will flow from Dev -> Qual -> Prod and not backwards.

1. 1. Sandbox server: In the initial stages of any implementation project, you are given a sandbox
server where you do all the configuration/customization as per the company’s business process.

2. 2. Development Server: - Once the BBP gets signed off, the configuration is done is development
server and saved on workbench requests, to be transported to the Production server.

3. 3. Production Server: This is the last/ most refined client where the user will work after project
GO LIVE. Any changes/ new development is made is development client and the request is
transported to production.
 ❖ These three are landscapes of any Company. They organized their office in these three ways.
Developer develops their program in Development server and then transports it to test server.
In testing server tester check/test the program and then transport it to Production Server. Later
it will deploy to the client from the production server.

Presentation Server- Where SAP GUI /Fiori UI it has.

Application Server - Where SAP Installed.
Database Server - Where Database installed.

Different kinds of SAP Project Implementation METHODOLOGIES:

1. ASAP Methodology

❖ ASAP stands for Accelerated SAP. Its goal is to help design the execution of SAP in the most
successful way possible. Its aim is to maximize time, people, output and other resources
efficiently, using a validated ASAP methodology for implementation. ASAP focuses on
preparation, bundled up in a five-phase process-oriented road map for implementation
guidance for the project manager, Consultants.
There are 5 stages in the ASAP methodology

1. Project Initial Preparation - Gathering the requirements (Project docs) – 3-5 months

2. Business Blueprint – Preparation of AS-IS and TO BE documents, MoM, workshops, (AS-IS will be
given by Project Owner & TO-BE Should be prepared by company) – 3 -5 months

3. Realization – Complete configurations settings in backend will be done. Test cases, Test scripts. – 6 –
8 months
4.Final Preparation- Unit testing, integration testing, UAT and end user training

5. Go live and Support: data migrations, cutover activities – Overnight. (01.01.2020) – 31.12.2019

2.Agile methodology

❖ The Agile Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) is an iterative and incremental software
development methodology that prioritizes flexibility, collaboration, and customer feedback.
Unlike traditional SDLC models, such as the waterfall model, which completes each step
sequentially, the agile SDLC divides the development process into smaller iterations or
increments.

Phases of Implementation method In Agile model:

The major factors of agile, are following four:

• Early customer involvement

• Iterative development

• Self-organizing teams

• Adaptation to change
3.Activate methodology

❖ SAP Activate is the unique combination of SAP Best Practices, methodology, content, and tools
that help customers and partners deploy SAP S/4HANA.
❖ The methodology for each of the deployment modes (cloud, on premise, hybrid) is SAP
ACTIVATE.
The primary purpose of the SAP Activate Methodology is to provide end-to-end Application
Lifecycle Management and to accelerate the initial implementation of SAP S/4HANA.
 Discover ------> Prepare ------> Explore ------> Realize ------> Deploy ------> Run

• SAP Activate is the unique combination of SAP Best Practices, methodology, content, and tools
that help customers and partners deploy SAP S/4HANA.
• The methodology for each of the deployment modes (cloud, on premise, hybrid) is SAP
ACTIVATE.
• The primary purpose of the SAP Activate Methodology is to provide end-to-end Application
Lifecycle Management and to accelerate the initial implementation of SAP S/4HANA

1. In the Discovery phase, customers become familiar with the benefits of the solution. Preliminary
project assessment of the solution options is performed and, once the customer understands the solution,
they begin the trial of the solution.

2. In the Prepare phase, we define project governance, start the project, define/identify the resources,
define the roles and responsibilities for the project team, and detail the management plans for running the
project.
3. In the Explore phase, we run the fit-to-standard analysis on the working system with the best practices
content up and running. The objective of the Explore phase is to identify the fit of the best practices-based
solution, capture delta configuration requirements, identify gaps, and configuration values. All these are
captured by the project team in the backlog and later, in Realize phase, the backlog items are
implemented in the system. The best practices content is used as a jump-start for the project.

4. During the Realize phase, the project team will use agile approach to iteratively and incrementally
build the functionality from the backlog. This build follows the prioritization given by the product owner
(for example, the business users) that continue to be involved with the project team during the sprints.
During the build the team completes the remaining configuration and development on top of the best
practices content. Additionally, the team performs the unit and string testing during the sprints. In the
Realize phase, the team also works on the integration of the overall solution to meet customer needs. The
Realize phase covers all the build and test activities required to prepare a release of functionality into
production. This includes a full Integration test and user acceptance test before the team can continue into
the Deploy phase.

5. The objective of the Deploy phase is to launch the production environment and confirm readiness to
switch into business operations with the new solution. The team also performs sustainment and hyper-
care activities in the Deploy phase once the system goes live. Once the customer has switched over into
the new environment, the project team supports the customer IT and business. The team stay on-site for a
pre-determined period of time, which is usually defined in the contract or agreed as part of the plan to
transition to operations.

6. The Run phase then represents key steps in running and improving the operations of the environment.
This includes end user support, system monitoring and other activities including continuous
improvements to the solution.

Types of Projects in SAP:

1. Implementation Project

2. Supporting Project

3. Roll- out Project

4. Up-gradation Project

Info: Assigners – Clients

Assignees- Customers
1. Implementation Project:

❖ Fresh Project or can be also called as End to end project, where 40% of the work is given by
client to implementation team for modification / customizing the software
❖ It takes around 10-15 months duration to complete one E-E implementation
❖ Company wants to implement SAP Module (Ex: HCM/MM/SD/FI/CO etc) for the first time. In
implementation projects consultant from various modules do configuration based on company
requirements. Role of consultants are configuration, integration of several modules, Data
migration from Legacy system to SAP system, prepare interfaces/RFC’s to interact with sap/3rd
party systems, testing’s, document preparation, end user training etc Methodology suggests by
SAP for implementation is ASAP.

2. Support Project:

❖ Resolving the issues under SLA (Service Level Agreement)

❖ After implementation of SAP modules customer/business need assistance of consultants in their
day-to-day business operations using SAP software. The end user raise their
concerns,issues,errors etc through a ticket handling tool. A ticket handing tool is must for a
support project, it helps to track the status of tickets. Basically, there is no phases in it. Roles of a
consultant Accept /Acknowledge the tickets, analysis the issue, document it, solve, provide
solutions to client, get confirmation from the user & close the ticket.
❖ Change request and service request is the main roles in support projects.

There are 3 types of issues or tickets- resolved based on SLA’s

a) Critical Issues (priority)

b) Major Issues (2nd level)

c) Minor issues (1st level)

3. Roll- out Project

❖ Uploading the new information into SAP application.

❖ Company has upgraded/implemented SAP HR & wants to rollout country specific changes in
different countries.
❖ Ex: - Location Specific Tax, Employee details, Product details, Customer details, Vendor details
and so on.
4. Up-gradation Project

❖ Upgrading the SAP version from existing to latest version

❖ Customers are moving from the older versions to new versions. It is called as SAP Migration
Projects.
❖ Example: Company migrating from older versions like 4.5,4.6b, 4.6c to ECC 5.0 / ECC 6.0 . SAP
HR EHP3 to SAP HR EHP 5.

SAP Deployment Models:

SAP offers the following deployment options (deployment types) for the current SAP Business Suite, as
well as for SAP S/4HANA:

In detail:

The deployment type defines the license model and operational environment.
• On Premise
• Cloud
• Hybrid
• Mobile

a) In the On-Premises type, the customer buys software and hardware and operates the combination
themselves. Therefore, the customer is solely responsible for implementation, the update extensions,
and adaptation, as well as replacements and new investments.

b) In the Cloud type, the cloud company provides infrastructure (hardware and software) and business
software and rents this combination to the customer. The cloud company is responsible for the
operation, updates, extension, and new investments. At SAP, different operational models are available
(for example, public cloud, private cloud, and privately managed cloud) with different software and
service provisioning.

c)In the Hybrid type, the customer runs certain parts of their business software on their own servers
and uses additional solutions from a cloud provider. This deployment type requires an intense
integration between the On-Premises parts and the Cloud types.

d)Mobile, in this model, mobile devices access On Premise, or Cloud applications.

SAP software Release Management-An overview:

❖ At a high level, release management involves planning, scheduling, and controlling software
release build, testing, and deployment. It ensures that new features and updates are delivered
reliably and consistently, minimizing the risk of service disruption on a particular frequency for
each module.

❖ Ex: Success factors (A cloud HXM product) have its release every 2 times in a year.

First Half yearly release by MAY (1H release)/Second Half yearly release by November (2H
release.

Software Development Life Cycle: (SDLC)

❖ Software development life cycle (SDLC) is a structured process that is used to design, develop,
and test good-quality software. SDLC, or software development life cycle, is a methodology that
defines the entire procedure of software development step-by-step.
 Who will be involved in each phase of SDLC:

❖ The goal of the SDLC life cycle model is to deliver high-quality, maintainable software that meets
the user’s requirements. SDLC in software engineering models outlines the plan for each stage
so that each stage of the software development model can perform its task efficiently to deliver
the software at a low cost within a given time frame that meets users’ requirements.
 Various phases in Software development life cycle with detailed
explanation:

Planning→Analysis-→Design→Development→Testing→Implementation→Maintenance

• The System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) consists of several interconnected

phases that provide a structured framework for developing a system.
• These phases include Planning, Analysis, Design, Development, Testing,
Implementation, and Maintenance.
• Each phase plays a vital role in ensuring the system is successfully developed, with
System Design being especially critical in shaping the final product.

Stage 1: Planning
The Planning phase sets the foundation for the entire SDLC. This stage involves identifying
the system’s objectives, defining the scope, setting timelines, and allocating necessary
resources. Effective planning ensures that the development process aligns with the
organization’s goals, guiding the project in a clear and structured direction.

Stage 2: Analysis
In the Analysis phase, the focus is on understanding and documenting the system’s
requirements. This involves gathering input from stakeholders, reviewing current processes,
and identifying the system’s needs. The data collected forms the basis for developing a system
that addresses both user expectations and organizational challenges.

Stage 3: Design
The Design phase translates the requirements gathered during Analysis into a detailed
technical blueprint. This includes designing the system’s architecture, database models, user
interfaces, and defining system components. The outcome of this phase provides the technical
structure needed to guide the upcoming development and implementation activities.

Stage 4: Development
In this phase, the actual coding and development of the system take place. Developers build
the system according to the design specifications, implementing features, creating databases,
and writing code. This phase also includes initial internal testing to ensure the system
functions as expected and adheres to design and functional requirements.

Stage 5: Testing
Testing is a crucial phase that ensures the system is free of errors and functions correctly
under various conditions. This phase includes multiple types of testing, such as unit testing,
integration testing, system testing, and user acceptance testing. The goal is to identify and fix
any issues before the system is deployed.

Stage 6: Implementation
The Implementation phase involves deploying the developed system into a live environment.
Key activities include system installation, migrating data, training users, and configuring
infrastructure. This phase requires thorough planning to ensure a smooth transition from the
existing system to the new one with minimal disruptions.

Stage 7: Maintenance
Maintenance is an ongoing phase where the system is monitored, maintained, and updated as
needed. This includes bug fixes, performance enhancements, security patches, and responding
to user feedback. Proper maintenance ensures the system remains efficient, secure, and
adaptable to future business needs.