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5 SAP case studies from 2019 to inspire, caution you
These five SAP case studies serve as learning tools so you can avoid making the mistake someone has already made and get succinct reminders of what's important.
For any company that's considering a move to SAP or an upgrade from their current SAP system, learning from others' experiences is a must. Enter SAP case studies.
The takeaways from five SAP case studies we published this year serve as helpful reminders of what's important and cautionary tales of what to avoid. Read the full version of each to dive deeper.
S/4HANA implementation contributes to candy shortage
The great gummy bear shortage of late 2018 may not have been caused by a troubled S/4HANA implementation, but deployment issues sure didn't help. Haribo experienced gummy bear supply problems when it implemented S/4HANA, and analysts who reviewed the situation said it's a reminder of tried-and-true ERP best practices.
Lesson: Sound project planning is key to any implementation, but this is especially true when a company is an early adopter. Companies must make a realistic plan to account for a complex project.
Read more lessons from Haribo's gummy bear troubles.
SAP Leonardo challenges an old shop
Packaging manufacturer Pregis Corp. turned to SAP Leonardo's IoT technology to monitor and analyze its machines and reduce downtime. The company had been forecasting demand using spreadsheets for the last 20 years, and the technology team was excited about the prospect of modern technology. Unfortunately, IT didn't involve the business side and experienced buy-in issues. The company also made other missteps, such as not working more closely with customers to position new pricing models as beneficial. In short, key members of the Leonardo implementation team neglected the people side of the implementation.
Lesson: Never underestimate the importance of change management.
Read more about Pregis's implementation of Leonardo.
Catching traceability data with SAP blockchain
Bumble Bee Foods turned to SAP Cloud Platform Blockchain for better true traceability. Although the hype around blockchain paints the technology as almost magical in its ability to get data into each block of the chain, blockchain in the supply chain requires human or system input. Indeed, Bumble Bee had to create a way for data to be uploaded, which is not an infallible process.
Lesson: Even the most automated technology poses many technical and people issues. In other words, to create a successful implementation, foundations such as solid project management and proactive change management are musts.
Read more about Bumble Bee's blockchain project.
Consolidating ERP to create a better supply chain
Verizon is integrating several SAP systems to help manage more than $80 billion in annual spend. To build inventory systems that work across the business and that also speak to vertical needs, company leaders wanted one system for financial reporting and accountability. One of the most critical components leaders are using: They're tightly aligning finance, the supply chain and IT.
Lesson: Cross-departmental collaboration is key to a successful implementation.
Read more about Verizon's supply chain transformation.
