ACTIVATE

1 DEFINITION
It is a complete framework for implementation. There’ll be multiple pillars. Methodology is one of the pillar.

ASAP Methodology started with ECC and then was upgraded to ACTIVATE. Documentation has improved a lot.
ACTIVATE can help you and guide you during implementation and SHORTEN your implementation journey. Activate is
supported with accelerators: templates (meetings, reporting), documentation, blogs,

Systems: On premise / Public Cloud/ Private Cloud / Ariba

Implementation type: Green field, Hybrid, Brown field (conversion).

Methodology: Waterfall , Agile. Aglie is nothing but a Mindset. ACTIVATE can be used by both.

Is it mandatory to use ACTIVATE? No. SAP Partners and companies have their own frameworks: what kind of steps,
milestones, gates, quality checks etc. Often businesses use some parts of ACTIVATE that is applicable for them.

Who can use it? PMO (project management team), IT team, Consultants, Core Users

2 Major Pillars of ACTIVATE:

2.1 Best Practices https://me.sap.com/processnavigator
Best solutions suggested by SAP for the industries. E.g. Procure to Pay – what can be the standard process which can
be used? SAP defined it. It is a set of standard processes. The standard config for Procure to Pay can be within 1 hr.
All the things are already connected and given for you. Now SAP has taken the next step. SAP also gave the Best
Practice Client (= System). It is provided with the Company Specific Enterprise Structure (for US it is 171* , e.g. 1710,
1711.. Company codes). In this system the basic configurations will be there and the company specific enterprise
structure, as well as the master data, standard roles.

Another thing that was provided is Documentation > process flow diagrams, detailed test scripts (step by step, here
all Fiori apps, Master data, Enterprise, Roles, Expected result have been given)
What Business need to do? Install Best practice system Client. Basis team must do it. It would take 2-7days. Business
just need to tell which Country specific Enterprice structure is needed. There’s a free 1month trial for SAP Best
Practice.

For the system users, you must create SAP users, assign roles (it’s all provided in the documentation). Business must
receive clear instructions as to no change in config, no change in master data! If we need master data, we must
create our own master data. We should also create own org levels! If we want to investigate the impact of a slight
change (compared to the standard config), functional consultants could do this change and evaluate the impact.

Which system can you use best practices >> Sandbox, DEV, QA or Production? In general, it will be only used in the
Sandbox system. It can be installed in DEV as well, but you should never bring SAP best practice master data to QA or
PRD.

Application? It can be used to explore the system. In Prepare / Explore / Discover phases of ACTIVATE. Main users of
this system are consultants, internal IT team, core user. Another use case is Fit/Gap Workshops (to show end-to-end
process).

SAP Best Practices Explorer – service was retired end June 30th 2023. This was replaced by Processnavigator with
Signavio

https://me.sap.com/processnavigator

S4H ON PREMISE: Process Navigator - SAP for Me

Flowcharts are .bpmn files >> you can use any process flow/flowchart tool that supports these files. Another option
is to open the files via Solution manager.

Accelerators
We downloaded "Test script” for Consumable Purchasing (BNX) for United stated.
Content library is a great tool:

This is an overview of all the processes with available documentation

Other great docs are: Enterprise structure and Process steps with Business roles and list of Fiori apps:
You also have VIDEO - TASK TUTORIALs and these tutorials (especially Fiori part or process description is very
common also for On Premise solution). This is mainly targeted for end users. Acccess to video tutorials is through the
content >> Process Navigator - SAP for Me

Inventory management for MM can be found in Supply chain. Invoices are in Sourcing and Procurement and Finance
(search for invoice* and accounts payable*).

2.2 Guided Configurations

How to set up the system (incl. Basis activities). Here we will be talking abount functional consultants only. This is not
great. It’s worse than SPRO note. In Public cloud it is done in “Manage My Solution”. There’re are 2 places > (1)
Expert Configuration (must be done by SAP itself, you just provide the excel spreadsheet to them). (2) Business
Configuration (similar to SPRO). In includes Enterprise configuration, Company code config and Plant config.
For On Premise:

/n/smb/bbi (solution builder) - gui t code

You can find the folder with latest hana version and country code US and open one of the hyperlinks., e.g. purchase
contract:

You can also open “Building block builder” to see what was implemented for procurement
Here for example, you select “Procurement of direct materials” on the left and on the right side you’ll see all the
building blocks that are available and need to be configured to run this process.

Next thing is to show Config info >> jump in each building block:
2.3 Methodology

Waterfall , Agile

WATERFALL:

Preparation > Design > Realization/Build > Test > Cutover > Go Live > Support

There will be some overlapping between the phases and mainly one phase run after each other. Methodology
concepts are crucial to do

AGILE:

It is not really a methodology, but more of a mindset. For Waterfall, we do not show half done system to the end
user. For AGILE, your business is part of the team and it is involved from the very beginning. You always involve users
in the design phase and then tesing + cutover. However, since there can be a significant time gap of 6 months
between design and UAT testing phase, the end user team could have been changed! Another challenge is that the
business scenarious could have been changed. Another thing is misunderstanding of the requirement. This all does
not improve the project success.

With AGILE we need to change the following principles:

1- Business must be available all the time . Business has a shared responsibility with IT about the project
outcome. System access is given to the end users at the preparation phase.
2- Before the test prototype of the solution exists, users must get access to Best practice environment and do
some exploration there. AGILE does not allow to comlete a project milestone (e.g. preparation and design)
without any system envolvement! This is the reason, why users are given the access to best practice system.
With access to the test system, business can address more specific and clear requirements.
3- Regular demos. Even if we set up a config for PO or if we did some development for the report and only
selection screen is available, we can call users for the demo and show.
These actions reduce frictions during UAT phase. Business can provide comments and IT can do corrective actions
and resolution at much earlier stages than with the waterfall approach.

In Agile , the build is splitted into sprints (smaller buckets). And all other phases are also splitted. E.g. I set up my
system. Then I add more Fioiri apps and reports and analytics. Then I introduce IBP, TM etc.

3 Phases of ACTIVATE

RUN goes to support

DISCOVER is alsno not really part of the project.

Implementation Project starts with PREPARE and ends at DEPLOY. >>> 4 phases in total.

3.1 DISCOVER

It will be very early. Even if the impelmentation partner is not there.

Activities to be done in this case… The Company must define a business case such as

 high-level budget,
 ROI,
 KPI for improvements,
 KPI – how to measure the project success and the improvements,
 Sponsor (IT or Business Team).

To prepare the business case, you can use Spotlight software. Also implementation partner can help with preparation
of the business case.

Second thing which is needed is a high level scope:

 On premise/Public cloud/ private cloud

 Version of S/4 Hana
 Green Field/ Conversion
 Modules in scope
 Other products such as Ariba, IBP, MDG…
 Interface – Fiori/ GUI
 Implementation Waves

Third thing is a high level project planning

 Wave planning
 High level scope for 1st wave
Another things are IT strategy for business (e.g. new acquisitions), Risk mitigation/risk matrix (in each phase we
identify risks and try to resolve them – covid, political risk, resources etc.)

Last thing is to identify the implementation partner (IBM, Accenture..). They will help with Pre-Sales, IT strategy
definition, will help to prepare Business Case. Business partner in this phase can do System exploration + Best
Practice client. They will also provide their Proposal and Response to RFPs (request for proposal) incl cost estimates,
number of heads, timeline etc.

The company needs to evaluate system readiness. By end of Discover phase , it is recommended to have the
sendbox installed.

Also Team – Key people/key positions must be identified – only high-level:

 Program manager
 Project manager – IT team
 Key Positions – Proeduct Owner

Documentation (optional)
 Project charter (high-level scope, timeline and resources). Project sponsors will sign it off
 SOW
 Contract – Agreement with 3d parties.

3.2 PREPARE
System Readiness will continue:

 Sand Box system

  Best Practice Client
 Dev Box

Project Kick Off will start here. >> Project kick-off meetings

Team On-boarding & Team Trainings >> 3d parties, internal staff. If project uses Agile methodology, then Agile
training must take place for team members, team bonding

Planning & Strategy >>

 Wave 1 - Project Plan

 Master data strategy for master data/ transaction data / cutover data strategy
 Testing strategy

As-Is Study >>

 As-Is Document (status quo)

 Process Re-engineering (expected outcome)
 Process Flow Diagram (PFD)

Scope Drill Down >>

 Finalize Modules
 High Level Business Scenarious >> Procurement – Direct Buying RM/ Service Procurement/ Consignment/
Sub Contracting / Vendor Returns / QM integrated with GR / Free text procurement etc.
 Integration scope

Change management is also very important topic!

3.3 EXPLORE (= DESIGN)

Design Preparation

Largely we will be working on Business Requirement gathering using As is document from the previous phase. We
will be using Questionnaires, User Stories templates, Fit/Gap Workshops.

Activate recommends to do 2 Fit/Gap Workshops. Here we will be using Best practice client to demonstrate the Best
Practice scenario. Before you go to the workshop, you must do a lot of preparation (ensure that the system is ready –
incl. master data part, config etc), pre-business discussions about business scenarios that should be shown during the
workshops.

Workshop1: We must show business scenarious in the system. Also in the same workshop, we will work on the
process flow diagrams and will prepare User Stories (= REQUIREMENT DOCUMENT). Actually business must write
the user stories themselves: Excel or White board – whenever they see a gap! What are the benefits (quantifyable
/non-quantifyable)?

 Clear Business Requirements

 Business community – who will be using it
 Business benefits – 3 benefits

The outcome of the workshop1 >> Gaps – Product Backlogs. Consultants will be preparing this document. The
backlog will be owned by the Product owner. The backlog is normally a mixture of Business requirements, IT
requirements (e.g. set up the enterprise structure) , RICEFW list.

From this phase, the functional consultants will be 100% there.

Workshop2:

 Open issues from Workshop 1

 Design the User stories
 Closing Open issues
 Cross Functional Discussions (e.g. 2 modules >> MM + Finance, MM + QM, MM + Inventory management &
Warehousing). This is a very important discussion!Account determination and the Invoicing part.

Master data
Very time-consuming activity, therefore we must start early.

 Master data strategy

 Team
 Templates
 Tools for the master data upload
 KDS – key data structure > fields that are required for the MD preparation mandatory and optional

Sprint planning
Requirements must be divided into must have / should have/ could have / would have. Must have/Should have must
be implemented in Wave1. Business must decide about priorities >> We must ask users (business users, super users,
product owners, team management) to rate the list of requirements (user stories) in sequence 1, 2, 3 …. Then
consultants can use this sequence to do the above listed groups: must have/should have…

Documentation
 Business blueprint > Business must Sign Off this document
 RICEFW List
 Process Flow diagrams
 Functional specifications (Overlap between EXPLORE and REALIZE). Can be prepared between Workshop1
and Workshop2

Next phase preparation >> Gate

 Sign off the blueprints

 Testing > Test plan and test scripts
 Demo plan
 Master data timelines


3.4 REALIZE (= BUILD)

Configuration
 Config in System
 Prepare config documents

Realization of sprints
 Sprint 1 – Baseline config (1-2 weeks) + Developments that are independent from Config
 Sprint 2 – RICEFW Must have
 Sprint 3 – RICEFW Could have, Should have , Integration b/w different modules
 Sprint 4 – RICEFW Would have, Improvements from Previous Sprints (This is as per Agile)

In each Sprint you’ll be doing UNIT TEST and DEMO TO BUSINESS.

Testing
 Unit Test to be done by developers and consultants
 Integration test: ITC1 – by consultants, ITC2 – by core users and super users
 UAT: Core users and End users
 Regression testing

Test documents:

 Test Plan > Test Scenarious incl. Business owner, Testers, time lines
 Test Scripts > Step by step process, KDS to be used?, Master data? Expected result
 Test Results > Each Scenario with pass/fail. Screenshots with successful testing done
 Test Issues > Issue Log Tracker

Training
 Train the trainer
 Core team members & super users
 Support IT Team
Master data
 Master data collection > for all tests
 During tests the quality of master data (that is prepared in the files) will be validated and circled back to the
files to correct the data

Roles and Authorizations

 You could have a small testing (e.g. last week of the UAT) specifically for roles and authorizations with the
actual roles

Typical for Agile is the OVERLAP of the phases > e.g. ITC1/2 testing for sprint1, sprint2 workshops and
implementation.

3.5 DEPLOY

Master data load

End user training
Executing of the cutover plan
The plan itself must be prepared in the previous phase

Business Readiness Check

Day in a life, All IT – Tools & Infra

Change Management Actions

Mock Cutover
Mock 1 and Mock2

Ramp Down & Ramp up plan

You must estimate business down time

Actual Cutovver
Transport Movements and Transaction Load (Open PO, GL balances, Open Production orders, Stocks)

Activities in Production client

number ranges and other activities directly in PRD client that are not moved with TRs

Intensive Care Plan

War Room set up / Bridge call set up

Go Live

3.6 RUN
Intensive Care

Support Team Onboarding and Hand over from impelmentation team

Knowledge transfer

Project Closure activitites from PMO side

Documentation updates & Handover

Issue Log monitoring

Set up of the Ticketing system

4 SAP Official documentation: Roadmap Viewer
Explore roadmaps > switch to On Premise

High level plan in the Overview

You can directly load the project plan from here into your PMO tools incl. MS project, JIRA etc
All accelerators are also available for each phase, e.g. change log templates, functional spec template. How to do the
kick off meeting with .ppt presentation templates

This is your functional specification templates

Workstreams (they can be found in Activate methodology in SAP – see above)

E.g. Configuration, Master data, Testing, Sprint realization. Workstreams can be present in multiple phases > e.g.
master data in explore, realize and deploy.

5 Source and Procurement 2021 Highlights

How to get there?

SAP S/4HANA | SAP Help Portal > What’s New tab

5.1 What’s new viewer
>> Sourcing and Procurement

Here is an example for Highlights for 2021

5.2 Highlights 2021 for Flexible Workflow > S4HANA v.2021 does not have this option
They are introduced for Purchase Requisitions only as of now!
5.2.1 Rework Requested
If you receive an approval request into My Inbox, in the past there was not possibility to return it to requestor to ask
for some changes/add more information and attachments. Now it is possible.

You’ll need to select “Overall release of reworkable Central PR”

For rework you can also set the time constraints whithin which period the requestor must provide their feedback.
Also after feedback is provided, what is the action result: Continue/ Repeat step / Restart workflow

Approvers will get a chance to Approve/ Reject / Send WF for Rework

 5.2.2 Reviewers

Reviewer does not approve, but they can monitor the process and be notified when the WF is triggered.

5.2.2 “Optional Step” setting

There’re lot of places where WF can get stuck. In some cases BADI/ other WF logic will fail to identify who the
approver is >> WF will land in the error.

With the optional step, if the system failed to find the recipient, then it will simply skip this step. But only in this
case!!!

5.2.3 “Exclude Restricted Agents”

Why would it needed? Because when searching for the approver, BADI/ other WF logic could “find” a user who
created this request. Therefore, we can use this feature to automatically “skip” this approval step in this case and
move to the next approval level.
 5.2.4 Determination of Factory Calendor for WF deadline
Deadlines usually use normal calendar. MMPUR_PROC_WF_FACTORY_CALENDAR > after implementation you can
switch to the factory calendar and include only work days

5.3 Query Browser

CDS view is a PUSH DOWN TECHNOLOGY, it’s a code that is written to push down the data from the application layer
to the DB layer to utilize the resources of S4H DB. CDS view only passes the data to the DB and DB performs
calculations and provides the data back to the application/frontend layer.