In the latest community launch, the ASUG S/4HANA (ERP) Alliance combined an animated exchange of technology challenges and opportunities with highlights of the alliance structure, purpose, leadership, and upcoming events.
The growing set of ASUG Alliance structures connects and supports members in industry or technology-related think tanks, peer groups, influence councils, and event collaborations, among other activities. The leadership teams include volunteers, SAP leadership and subject matter experts, and ASUG staff.
SAP S/4HANA (ERP) Alliance leadership team members included: Michael Giessner, alliance chair, and Distinguished Architect, Nike Corp.; Linda Dietzel, education lead and Director, IT Supply Chain and Manufacturing, The Hershey Company; Karen Chirico, task force lead and Director, IT Corporate Staffs, Corning Inc., Todd Lutz, influence council lead and Manager of the Global SAP IT Basis Team, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.; and Peter Keller, SAP lead and Enterprise Architect at SAP.
Biggest Challenges
During the inaugural session, attendees discussed their organization’s biggest SAP S/4HANA challenges—observations that may become topics for future Alliance meetings. The large challenge list included:
- Education and awareness-building for what SAP is and what the new system(s) can do
- Data harmonization across traditional ERP and S/4HANA
- Conducting multiple concurrent SAP technology projects that included S/4HANA Public Cloud, Concur, and SAP SuccessFactors, as well as integrations within and between the new systems
- Running parallel landscapes—legacy and SAP S/4HANA
- How to improve the user experience using SAP tools
- Factors to consider when assessing greenfield or brownfield implementations, and
- Evaluating and making a “purposeful decision” for the “substantial investment” for SAP S/4HANA.