What is ASAP methodology for implementation?

[Former Member]

What is ASAP methodology for implementation?

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi Vikash,

ASAP is an approach that is followed while Implementing regular SAP Projects. Still there are other methodologies like ASAP FOCUS in implementing Rapid Deployment Solution sought of projects.

According to SAP redefined ASAP methodology follows below 6 phases.

ASAP Implementation Phases

The individual phases of the ASAP Implementation Methodology are:

Phase 1: Project Preparation

During this phase the team goes through initial planning and preparation for SAP project.

Phase 2: Business Blueprint

The purpose of this phase is to achieve a common understanding of how the company intends to run SAP to support their business. In Standard ASAP 8 the result is the Business Blueprint, a detailed documentation of the results gathered during requirements workshops. In Agile ASAP 8 the result is a Baseline Build and Project Backlog

reflecting the solution requirements prioritized by business value.

Phase 3: Realization

The purpose of this phase is to implement all the business process requirements based on the Business Blueprint or Project Backlog. The system configuration in Standard ASAP is done in two work packages: Baseline configuration (major scope); and Final configuration (remaining scope). In Agile ASAP project team splits Realization phase into multiple releases with number of time-boxed iterations focused on building up the functionality.

Phase 4: Final Preparation

The purpose of this phase is to complete the final preparation (including testing, end user training, system management and cutover activities) to finalize your readiness to go live. The Final Preparation phase also serves to resolve all critical open issues. On successful completion of this phase, you are ready to run your business in your live SAP System.

Phase 5: Go Live Support

The purpose of this phase is to move from a project-oriented, pre-production environment to live production operation.

Phase 6: Operate

The primary goal of this phase is to ensure the operability of the solution.

Each phase has a set of deliverables that are produced during the duration of the phase and serve as the input to follow-up phases. Each deliverable provides list of Outputs it consist of and Methods that are used to produce the deliverable.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Thanks a lot.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Thanks a lot

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

nice

[mpreddy_mettu]

The implementation of your SAP System covers the following phases:

• Project Preparation
  

In this phase you plan your project and lay the foundations for successful implementation. It is at this stage that you make the strategic decisions crucial to your project:

• Define your project goals and objectives
• Clarify the scope of your implementation
• Define your project schedule, budget plan, and implementation sequence
• Establish the project organization and relevant committees and assign resources

• Business Blueprint

In this phase you create a blueprint using the

Q & A

, which documents your enterprise’s requirements and establishes how your business processes and organizational structure are to be represented in the SAP System. You also refine the original project goals and objectives and revise the overall project schedule in this phase. 

• Realization
  

In this phase, you configure the requirements contained in the Business Blueprint. Baseline configuration (major scope) is followed by final configuration (remaining scope), which can consist of up to four cycles. Other key focal areas of this phase are conducting integration tests and drawing up end user documentation. 

• Final Preparation

In this phase you complete your preparations, including testing, end user training, system management, and cutover activities. You also need to resolve all open issues in this phase. At this stage you need to ensure that all the prerequisites for your system to go live have been fulfilled. 

• Go Live & Support
  

In this phase you move from a pre-production environment to the live system. The most important elements include setting up production support, monitoring system transactions, and optimizing overall system performance. 

After your system has gone live, you can use a separate Roadmap with six work packages, in order to optimize your SAP System continuously.

[janmusil]

Vikash,

you got some good responses on the forum. I want to add to the previously provided answers that ASAP in its latest version if a framework for delivery of services and projects. It provides methodology including guides, templates, samples and white papers for various implementation projects including HANA implementation, implementation of assemble-to-order projects that leverage RDS and Engineered Services for baseline setup and Agile implementation approach that is used in projects with emergent requirements.

The official definition is on the page of this community. You can access methodology on SAP Service Marketplace at http://service.sap.com/asap

There are also training resources including e-learning that you can use to learn more about ASAP and prepare for C_PM_71 certification exam. https://training.sap.com/shop/course/asa38r-asap-80-methodology-for-implementation-e-learning-095-us...

Let me know if you need anything else.

Jan

[Former Member]

nice

[former_member184495]

Hi Jan,

so does it mean that C_PM_71 helps only implementation projects? cant the methodology be used in support/upgrade projects as well?

Also would like to know if there are any SAP Press books which would help for certification.

Thanks,

Aditya V

[janmusil]

Hello Aditya,

Yes the ASAP Methodology for Implementation is primarily geared to implementation projects. There is version of ASAP geared to Upgrades that you can find in SAP Solution Manager. C_PM_71 certification exam focuses on the ASAP for Implementation including setup of operations during the project.

As for the books I suggest you to review 'Applying Real-World BPM in an SAP Environment' that covers ASAP 7 - http://www.sap-press.com/products/Applying-Real%252dWorld-BPM-in-an-SAP-Environment.html

There is more up to date book from 2013 that covers the Agile version of ASAP the Rapid Deployment of SAP Solutions - Rapid Deployment of SAP Solutions - SAP PRESS Bookstore

Regards, Jan

[Former Member]

Jan,

Thank you for the links.

I recently read on another website which said that 1) ASAP methodology is now (for the past 4 years) called Solution Manager.  Also, the website claims that 2) SAP no longer gives out the ASAP certification.

Could you or anyone else please clarify this matter?

Thanks in advance,

Murtaza

[janmusil]

That is incorrect.

SAP Solution Manager is a toolset that contains ASAP methodology, but Solution Manager is not the methodology. Probably someone confused about tool vs. content.

SAP still offers ASAP, but it has been succeeded by SAP Activate methodology that SAP introduced in 2015. See SAP.com/activate

While C_PM_71 certification exam is still listed on the SAP Education pages I would steer anyone to the SAP Activate exam that has been just released this week. While ASAP is still used in projects we are moving to SAP Activate and will gradually phase out ASAP content.

Best Regards, Jan

[ErikEbertDK]

Hi Jan

I would like your advice on taking the SAP Activate training if one purely focus on cloud solutions (SuccessFactors).

I believe this is the course:

ACT100 - SAP Activate Methodology | SAP Training and Certification Shop

But I also see content in LearningHub where we already have a paid subscription.

What would be your recommendation?

Regards

Erik Ebert, GP Strategies

[janmusil]

Hi Erik,

the ACT100 covers the SAP Activate approach holistically. You can review the course structure on ACT100 - SAP Activate Methodology | SAP Training and Certification Shop

The general structure is that we first cover the methodology fundamentals on example of S/4HANA and then go into project journeys for following scenarios:

1. New implementation in cloud (S/4HANA cloud editions)

2. New on-premise implementation (S/4HANA on-premise edition)

3. System Conversion to S/4HANA

4. Landscape Transformation to S/4HANA

So technically if you want to learn only about cloud implementation you could attend ACT100 and decide if you want to stay for the on-prem, SC and LT journeys. When I delivered this course in first teach the cloud topic is completed by early morning on second day of the training.

Jan

[ErikEbertDK]

Hi Jan

Thanks for responding. However, my focus at the moment is 100% on SAP SuccessFactors cloud implementations. I see that the SuccessFactors Customer Community has now been updated with SAP Launch materials and this means there will be a pull effect from clients asking about this.

The course ACT100 is related to  S/4 HANA and not so much SAP SuccessFactors which is purely cloud.

Is there no training, apart from the JAM group, on the methodology topic ?

kr. Erik, GP Strategies

[janmusil]

Hello Eric,

the ACT100 and ACT200 courses are the two main courses for SAP Activate. While the courses demonstrate the use of SAP Activate on SAP S/4HANA solution the course covers other products as well.

When we considered the course design we made a decision to use SAP S/4HANA as a solution we references when we explain the SAP Activate approach. The content in the journeys explains the similarities and differences for other cloud and on-premise solutions.

Best Regards, Jan

[Former Member]

Thank you very much Jan for clarifying that!

Murtaza

[Former Member]

HI Vikash,

Check this link,

http://classes.ischool.syr.edu/ist600erp/best/doc/best_asap.pdf

ASAP Methodology is one most important process which you see when you go for an implementation project. It discuss about phases involved during implementation.

Regards,

Praveen

[Former Member]

thanks a lot Praveen.

Regards,

Vikash Kumar

[Former Member]

very helpful