[4328] in sapr3-soft
Re: Should we transition to SAP?
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (nakayama)
Tue Oct 26 08:45:10 1999
To: sapr3-soft@MIT.EDU
Date: 26 Oct 1999 07:43:00 -0500
From: nakayama <nakayama@ix.netcom.com>(by way of SAP Moderator <sap-request@realtimeusa.com>)
Message-Id: <7v47kk$b2k@nexus.netconcepts.com>
Kevin
I recently had an interview with a gentleman working on
an MBA project; SAP implementations.
He was not happy when I told him that many of the so called
SAP implementations "problems" are problems that any company
implementing any software could face.
- Modifying the program.
I worked for a company that had "modified" the source code of
a packaged program so much that the vendor "kicked us off"
maintenance. We had modified the code soo much that they
didn't know what the code was doing anymore.
This was over 15 years ago!
- Organizational issues
Companies reorganize or re-engineer and blame the problems
they run into on the event at the time SAP implementation.
A stand-alone reorg or re-engineering would run into the same
problem without any software being implemented.
"If I don't get what I want....I'm picking up my marbles and leaving"
I've heard this one many times, many years ago...
- Request (very stongly <g>) to get contacts for other SAP
customers who are in your same/similar industry.
They could help you determine just how much you may need
"special" customizing.
This is a standard part of package selection...interview
current customers.
- As has been said, you need a GOOD implementation partner.
The good ones are hard to find, and tend to be booked solid.
But they are worth it !!!
If you find a good one "hang on to him/her"
I was on an implementation as the customer, and the only way
that implementation was completed on schedule was the customer
took over the management of the project from the consultants.
The good consultant would know how to "customize" the configurable
settings, rather than hack the code.
- "Nothing can fit the way we do business"
It might be that they way they do business is the way it was
done in 1920. Is that still the best way to do business?
I used to work for a company that shipped "priority" spare parts
in 24 hours. They thought they were doing good.
Well in the airline industry, standard for priority spares is 2 hours
Quite a difference
Parts is parts...a grounded plane generates no revenue, same as
a stopped production line.
These "problems" could happen (and did happen) with many of
the older mainframe/mini based applications...nothing new here.
- SAP has implementation "aids" that are available to everyone.
These aids are meant to speed up and/or make various parts
of the implementation easier/faster.
Most are "free"
Make sure that these are used, and if not why not.
The good consultants would know about these aids, and use them
to help the customer. A happy customer means "repeat business."
- One item that people don't seem to realize is that R/3 is BIG.
The FI+CO modules are the equivalent of many mainframe systems.
SAP R/3 FI+CO = mainframe GL + AP + AR + FinPlan + ???
Similarly with many of the other modules.
nuf said...good luck
If you want more info, you can email me
gary nakayama
nakayama@ix.netcom.com
