Why Insights into Processes are Crucial for Pre-Migration (S/4HANA use case)

Embarking on the journey towards migration such as SAP S/4HANA is a significant undertaking for businesses, requiring careful planning and preparation. Before migration, gaining insights into existing processes is crucial. In this article, we will explore the reasons why insights into processes are essential for the pre-migration phase, how they can pave the way for a successful transition and why using process mining could be the perfect solution for your firm.

Prior to delving into the ways process mining can contribute to pre-migration use cases, it is crucial for a company to take various aspects into account before initiating a migration. Firstly, the company should consider the different types of migration, such as Brownfield or Greenfield, which are commonly encountered. Additionally, a company should be aware of the processes that are currently functioning effectively, as well as those that are not. Are there any unconventional pathways deviating from the ideal “Happy Path”? Before embarking on a migration, a company should have a clear understanding of the existing system and processes, including its flaws. This is precisely where process mining can provide valuable assistance to your company. In the following discussion, we will explore the three most significant reasons for utilizing process mining in pre-migration scenarios.

Why use process mining pre-migration?

Process Evaluation and Optimization

Pre-migration insights allow organizations to thoroughly evaluate their existing processes, identifying inefficiencies, redundancies, and bottlenecks. By understanding how processes currently function, businesses can identify areas for improvement and optimization. This evaluation serves as a foundation for aligning processes with S/4HANA’s best practices and determining the necessary changes required to streamline operations and enhance overall efficiency. Before migrating, you should be aware of the specifics of your process and process mining supports your system by providing fit-gap analysis, conformance checks, benchmarking, potential rework suggestions and more.

Data Cleansing and Harmonization

SAP S/4HANA relies on clean, consistent, and harmonized data to function optimally. Gaining insights into processes before migration enables businesses to identify data inconsistencies, duplicates, and inaccuracies. Due to the use of a variety of master data tables, Celonis can help to identify these inconsistent datasets and readily available apps via the Celonis marketplace can show you duplicated mismatches, as well as outdated data. By conducting data cleansing activities and ensuring data harmonization, organizations can establish a solid data foundation for the migration process. This ensures a smooth transition to S/4HANA and reduces the risk of data-related issues post-migration.

Scope Definition and Prioritization

Insights into processes aid in defining the scope of the migration project and prioritizing the key areas to focus on. By understanding current processes, businesses can determine which functionalities and processes are critical for their operations. This helps in prioritizing migration efforts, ensuring that the most important processes are addressed first and minimizing disruption to daily operations. Insights also enable organizations to identify any gaps between current processes and S/4HANA’s capabilities, allowing for proactive planning and customization. An example of an implementation of scope definition and prioritization is defining which system and functionalities will be required. Based on these requirements, a business case can be defined and certain investments in systems can be prioritized.

Conclusion

In conclusion, process mining plays a crucial role in pre-migration scenarios by providing valuable insights into existing processes, enabling organizations to evaluate and optimize their processes, cleanse and harmonize data, and define the scope and priorities of the migration project. By leveraging process mining, businesses can ensure a successful migration to SAP S/4HANA, streamline operations, enhance efficiency, and minimize the risk of data-related issues. Investing time and resources in process mining before migration is a strategic decision that can significantly contribute to the overall success of the migration project and the long-term success of the organization.

At Apolix we are process-mining specialists using Celonis as software, we support migration processes and subsequently optimize these processes to reach your company’s maximized potential. Would you like a demo? You can contact us here.