This is a series of blogs written by SAP subject matter experts to prepare you for your journey to SAP S/4HANA. Ready? Let’s go!
Topic #9 explains how you can better plan and estimate your migration path to SAP S/4HANA by using a “simplification list.”
The "simplification list" describes in detail, on a functional level, what happens to individual transactions and solution capabilities in SAP S/4HANA. In other words, it describes disruptive changes in functionality and software architecture.
The simplification check report (/SDF/RC_START_CHECK) serves two purposes:
- Relevance check – The report evaluates which items on the simplification list are relevant for the given system, thus assessing the functional technical impact of the conversion.
- Consistency check – The data in your SAP ERP application must be error-free and consistent to enable a smooth migration to the new data structures. If the report identifies data inconsistencies or missing preparation activities that could cause the conversion to fail, it makes you aware of these issues so you can correct or exempt them before conversion starts.
Actual usage of the functionality in SAP ERP varies greatly from one system to another. However, on average, the simplification check report identifies some 50 to 80 simplification items as relevant for a given system – out of the more than 600 currently in SAP’s simplification list.
We recommend repeating the simplification check report several times during your SAP S/4HANA conversion project and making sure all checks are passed successfully.
To conclude, a few practical tips:
- Execute the SAP Readiness Check tool for SAP S/4HANA and the simplification check report at least six months before the planned project to give your team time to assess the changes and associated impact.
- Scrutinize the relevant simplification items and pay close attention to the topics that involve business decisions and, possibly, entail a business process redesign or require preparations and changes in your existing ERP system.
- Incorporate the respective action items into the corresponding work packages in each project phase (before, during, or after conversion) and start the execution. Don’t wait until the first sandbox conversion cycle.
- Review simplification items that have corresponding consistency checks. Attach high priority to the issues reported as “yellow” and “red.” You must resolve the red ones before triggering the conversion with the Software Update Manager tool.
- Repeat the check with /SDF/RC_START_CHECK prior to the first conversion cycle.
Read this
blog to learn more.
Check out all topics of the series:
tip #1:
Check Your Add-ons. Now.
tip #2:
Check Your Finance Data Quality
tip #3:
Don’t Just Rework Custom Code. Rethink it!
tip #4:
How to Build Custom Extensions
tip #5:
Plan Ahead with Compatibility Packs
tip #6:
Gain Insight to Build a Solid Business Case
tip #7:
Hardware Planning and Data Volume Management
tip #8:
Curate Your Master Data before Deployment
tip #9:
Understand the Functional Impact
tip #10:
Fix Issues Without Bogging Down Conversion
tip #11:
Optimizing Downtime in Conversions
tip #12:
Find Relevant SAP Notes
tip #13:
Accelerate your Rollout with Test Automation
tip #14:
Implementing SAP Fiori
tip #15:
Integration Analysis in SAP Readiness Check
