Nordics SAP S/4 transformation wave is taking off
SAP holds a strong position cross-sector in the Nordics, particularly dominant within the manufacturing industry and the managing of supply chains. Historically, when ERP started to evolve SAP was well-positioned and took market-share at the right time and has maintained this position by developing systems and landscapes through new functional areas.
Data and real-time data will always be vital for organizations to remain competitive so SAP will continue to be strong in the Nordics market. As support for old SAP ECC will end 2027, organizations can harness the benefits of SAP S/4 as real time data enables more effective finance, supply chain and logistics operations.
How to get started with S/4 transformation
SAP S/4 offers much better capabilities and possibilities to design digital more agile future processes and smart finance with real-time reporting and analytics.
You will need to spend some time developing and clarifying your own improvement potential and business case. A pre-study or feasibility study is usually needed to plan the business change, necessary technical steps, and business case.
To improve the process, I recommend:
- That you fully understand your current system.
- Assess fundamental challenges and look at competitors – particular focus on digital natives and how they operate should help you focus in the right direction, for example, retailers should look at Amazon.
- Ask yourself the question: if I could start from scratch what would I do? Here is the direction you should move towards.
Why the time is right for S/4 transformation?
The necessity to shift from SAP to S/4 has been on the table for a while and whilst many organizations postponed their transformation for a while, they are now in a hurry. The technology is mature enough, and the move is less risky than previously with many organizations having already gone through the process. There are good examples of successful transformations out there for business to learn from.
The pandemic caused organizations to pause decision-making on projects such as this, but only momentarily. In fact, COVID-19 made clear the need for robust digital supply chains and that ecommerce services are necessary. It has accelerated S/4 transformation overall across the Nordics, but the investment cycle would have remained largely the same, with or without the COVID impact.
Companies should not think of this only as a technical change, it’s an opportunity to streamline processes and even change the business model as well. The overall goal should be delivering a new system of doing business, so you get more with less effort.
