Dr. Andreas Hufgard

Most SAP user organizations recognize the benefits of standard enterprise software. They're also familiar with the relatively high costs associated with SAP systems. These include licensing, implementation, upgrades and operation. RBE Plus Situation and Potential analyses help keep tabs on an SAP system's cost/benefit ratio. The following article describes target groups, appropriate scenarios, and recommended analysis intervals.

 

Situation Analysis: defining current status, planning projects, monitoring system usage regularly

For each application area the Situation Analysis gives you a detailed picture of system usage, enhancements, and management. It generates in-depth profiles on transactions and reports -- supplying data on usage intensity, continuity and number of users. It reveals user-specific additions like customer transactions, tables and programs. And it includes details related to system management, such as the risks lurking in critical transactions. It also gives you key metrics of system operation. As a result, it is suited to ongoing system monitoring, and project planning and management.

Our recommendation for analysis frequency varies from case to case. A CIO should conduct one about every six months; a project manager might want to do one at the start of a planning phase for an upgrade, system extension or reorganization project. The Situation Analysis offers businesses with complex system landscapes particular benefits. It gives decision-makers a better overall picture of system usage in various organizations or sites -- following rollout projects, for instance, or to check cost efficiency.

 

Ensuring reliable results

To achieve accurate results, thoroughness is a must. At the very least, you'll need to take a close look at master data, customizing and transaction data. Results are presented in two ways: One, in the productivity matrix, which compares key metrics for each application area. These include the number of dialog users, documents per month and degree of automation. At a glance, the CIO can assess workload distribution and productivity in all areas. And two, in the summary report, which affords an overview of effective process usage for each application area, much in the same way a balance sheet is used to review an organization's financial standing. This report is based on process statistics, master data applications and key customizing figures. IBIS has drawn on its extensive hands-on consulting experience in creating this reporting functionality – for instance, in focusing on the most important factors, and presenting them in context.

 

Detailed analysis sheets, as the name suggests, go into more specifics. Linked to respective general overviews, these indicate, for example, which sales documents have been configured; or of the documents configured, which ones have been used since the system went live and which ones in the last three to six months. Along with the summary report, we include a complete list of the processes and check steps analyzed, providing you with an additional resource.

The CIO summary includes key facts and figures for regular monitoring of system usage. It offers a concise overview, detailing technical and business aspects, pointing out potential security threats and any abnormalities. This gives CIOs and project managers visibility into system usage -- at regular intervals and from all perspectives. 

 

Interpreting results

Set aside an hour apiece for the CIO summary and the summary report. You'll need this time to get a grasp on the major issues. IBIS can advise you, and help you with interpreting the results. Depending on the particular problems addressed in your project, IBIS consultants explain relevant details or correlations so you can apply this information effectively. Plan on spending one to two days of the workshop checking usage and being briefed on the analysis. The time required will, of course, vary from organization to organization.

The Potential Analysis digs deeper, unearths more details. For example, when the Situation Analysis is applied to a sales order, it highlights three key aspects of usage. The Potential Analysis, in contrast, looks at 35 different parameters. Its comprehensiveness makes it better suited to upgrades or system harmonization projects. It also spotlights unnecessary costs, and how these can be eliminated.

Another plus point is that it documents your SAP system in its current state -- with all its specific characteristics and from several different perspectives. When used to compare two or more systems, or one system with itself over time, even more benefits become apparent: differences between clients or organizations are made transparent. What's more, its documenting capability can accelerate the training of new employees.

The Potential Analysis is geared toward the needs of project teams looking to evaluate current usage, harmonize organizational structures or streamline systems. It should be performed once annually as the basis for reporting and documentation.

 

Presenting results

Potential Analysis results are presented in summaries similar to those of the Situation Analysis. But there are three additional reporting formats: subject folders, scorecards and usage profiles.

The sales order subject folder, for example, examines document types, item types and further aspects. These include scheduling lines, requirement types and integration into other application areas. It shows use and non-use, revealing functions that are not being fully exploited.

 

Version 2009 works with scorecards, a tool familiar from strategic management. Sales and distribution, pre-sales, outline agreements, sales orders, deliveries and invoices  - each of these application areas comprises five subjects; each subject has its own scorecard, with between three and five dimensions.

 

The user also receives a breakdown of document types and how often they are used, sees which processes are executed and how often. Established criteria for gauging efficiency, such as the percentage of blocked or cancelled orders, are also documented. A unique feature of Version 2009 is its focus on users. It tracks workload distribution by identifying the number of power users. These metrics help you decide what action to take. For instance, you could reduce the number of users who create only a few orders a month.

A key focus is very infrequent events. These offer huge potential for improvement and savings, and can be pinpointed with usage profiles. Rare use is generally associated with certain types of documents, process variants or master-data types. This insight can make a big difference, especially when training staff or making improvements. For example, you can identify document types that are seldom needed, or an underlying process that is exceptional. When we discuss these issues at workshops, we can quickly determine where hidden potential lies. Ultimately, this is the basis for standardization and simplification.

The analysis can be extended to include the potential business benefit of a new release. This entails determining whether an upgrade includes useful functions, whether they can be implemented quickly, and whether they can replace custom developments. This analysis can be conducted anytime, independently of technical upgrade projects.

 

Interpreting the results

Results can be viewed in RBE Plus Browser, complete with graphics and a new search function. This helps users translate information into insight, and ultimately put this knowledge into practice. Holding a workshop with IBIS experts to interpret findings and develop a concrete plan of action can accelerate this process. Workshops can be between two and four days long, depending on the subject. We recommend local follow-up sessions and two separate workshops.

Bottom line

Both Situation and Potential Analyses help examine, monitor and improve SAP system operation and usage. Whereas the Situation Analysis is recommended for project planning and supervision, and for system monitoring, the Potential Analysis is ideal for IT departments, user departments and project teams. Since this particular analysis type focuses on detail, it is especially suitable for project management and for improving systems and processes. The bottom line: both packages help you significantly improve usage of your SAP system and ultimately reduce costs. Both deliver a relatively rapid return on investment (ROI).

RBE Plus Situation and Potential Analyses – two great options

The Situation Analysis and the Potential Analysis are two different ways of examining your SAP systems, gaining insights, and optimizing your IT landscape. Each package differs with respect to its content, functions and target group. The choice is yours.