How to do ATP testing in the existing SAP system at the client.

[Former Member]

Hi SAP gurus,

I want to check the current Avaliabilty check what my client has and have to do the AS-IS process.What all key points should be considered for the AS-IS modelling.I got all the existing enhancements they have made.Apart from that what all things need to be considered.Also if someone can send me example of the AS-IS process related to ATP.

Thanks in advance

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Alok,

Enhancements?  Before you even touch a client's system, you interview the local key users and business process experts, and ASK THEM to describe their 'as is'.  Included in your questioning should be comprehensive listings of their pain points.  Once you have exhausted their ability to describe their 'as is', you document your findings.  Your document should contain a high level description of their current business processes, and a reasonably complete description of their current solution, as detailed as you can make it.  Your document should closely follow their words; don't read anything into their statements or try to draw any conclusions - make them draw the conclusions and let them create the verbiage.

I suppose, if you wanted, you could also investigate their current system, to see if the software solution they have actually does all the things that they say that it does (this is not always the case!).  I personally don't believe in doing this, the current solution will most likely be abandoned, and there is little value in spending a lot of time documenting it.  You use the additional detailed info you discover here to amend your original doc with more detail.

You can see by now that, in actuality, the client is really the one who creates the as-is; since he knows more about it than you will ever hope to know.  You merely serve as a scribe to organize and document the info.  In some projects, the client will already have the as-is written before you even walk in the door. 

Save your real effort for the solution design and the to-be doc.

Best Regards & good luck,

DB49

[Former Member]

Hi DB 49,

Thanks for your valuable suggestion you gave in your last post.Currently I want to know what could be strategy to help my client derive the pain point thereby converting it into a requirement.I have almost done with the AS-IS processes and will need your suggestion on proceeding further

[Former Member]

Alok,

???  You need a 'strategy' to get a list of requirements?  The strategy usually is 'You ask questions.' About all of the subjects that you believe, using your training and professional business experience, will support the achievment of the project goals. 

If you really don't know how to collect the requirements from the client, I don't think that anything I can say will make much difference.  I suggest that you speak to your supervisor, or the project manager, and inform him of the difficulties you are having.  It is his responsibility to ensure that the resources he assigns to a task are a good fit.  It may be that you should be assigned to an aspect of the project that is a better match with your level of experience and knowledge.

Sorry I couldn't be of more assistance.

Best Regards & Good Luck

DB49

[Former Member]

Hi DB49,

Its not that I don't know how to gather the requirements I have worked on couple of projects and I have done my best.Its the client side which are not clear about there requirement and I am finding it hard to manage it and want to strategies that as I am assisting them and helping them derive there pain points.It is but obvious they want to improve there current system but not very clear of the goal they want to achieve.

[Former Member]

Hi DB49,

Its not that I don't know how to gather the requirements I have worked on couple of projects and I have done my best.Its the client side which are not clear about there requirement and I am finding it hard to manage it and want to strategies that as I am assisting them and helping them derive there pain points.It is but obvious they want to improve there current system but not very clear of the goal they want to achieve.

[Former Member]

Alok,

 they want to improve there current system but not very clear of the goal they want to achieve.

Odd.  Most projects I have seen, the business people are unwilling to spend project money until they know they will be getting a return on their investment.  I don't recall ever seeing a company say to their consultants, "here is a bunch of money, make my system better".  I am curious exactly what is written on the Statement of Work contract.

Anyhow, when the business people don't know what they want, then I just propose standard SAP technology, kind of like SAP's 'Rapid Deployment' packages.  Sometime during the project, the business people may wake up and figure out what they really want.  If they don't wake up, and they implement the standard technology, then they will still end up with a proven, robust package that they can later expand on.

Best Regards,

DB49

[Former Member]

Hi DB 49,

Thanks for your valuable information.Will keep you posted.