PUBLIC

Customer Center of Expertise from SAP

Architecture and Innovation

Overview and Insights for Customer Centers of Expertise

May 2023
Contents
INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................... 3
DISCOVER ........................................................................................................................................................ 4
SAP Readiness Check for SAP S/4HANA ........................................................................................................ 4
SAP Innovation and Optimization Pathfinder .................................................................................................... 4
Process Discovery ............................................................................................................................................. 4
SAP Signavio Process Insights, Discovery Edition ........................................................................................... 4
SAP Road Map Explorer & SAP Transformation Navigator .............................................................................. 5
SAP Business Technology Platform (SAP BTP) ............................................................................................... 5
SAP Discovery Center ....................................................................................................................................... 5
SAP Fiori App Reference Library ...................................................................................................................... 5
PREPARE ......................................................................................................................................................... 6
Knowledge Transfer ........................................................................................................................................... 6
Guides & Best Practice for Customer COE ........................................................................................................ 6
Learning Journeys .............................................................................................................................................. 6
SAP Help Portal .................................................................................................................................................. 7
openSAP ............................................................................................................................................................. 7
Knowledge Offering for SAP User Groups ......................................................................................................... 7
Enterprise Support Academy .............................................................................................................................. 7
SAP Community Voice ....................................................................................................................................... 8
Custom Code Readiness ................................................................................................................................... 8
Hyperscalers ...................................................................................................................................................... 8
EXPLORE .......................................................................................................................................................... 9
RISE with SAP ................................................................................................................................................... 9
SAP Customer Evolution Program .................................................................................................................... 9
Customer Story Finder..................................................................................................................................... 10
Partner Finder .................................................................................................................................................. 10
SAP Event Finder ............................................................................................................................................ 10
Explore Your Custom Code ............................................................................................................................. 10
REALIZE ......................................................................................................................................................... 11
SAP Readiness Check for S/4HANA ............................................................................................................... 11
Best Practice Explorer ..................................................................................................................................... 11
DEPLOY & RUN .............................................................................................................................................. 11
Maintenance Planner ....................................................................................................................................... 11
Continuous Custom Code Management ......................................................................................................... 12
CLOSING REMARKS ..................................................................................................................................... 12

2
INTRODUCTION
Today’s digitalization and our fast-pacing environment increase the pressure on companies to deliver their
products due to their adaption to shorter product cycles. To keep pace with the changes, companies make use
of intelligent enterprises with automated processes based on real-time data. Business processes and networks
relate to data in an intelligent way to support internal processes with smart solutions and technology. SAP
Intelligent Enterprise is the fundament of intelligent enterprises which are going to help the world run better.

We are committed to helping you become the most intelligent version of your enterprise. Although this is a
very ambitious goal, SAP believes in continuous success of its customers. Various programs, tools, and
services are available to support customers at every stage within their journey to an Intelligent Enterprise.

However, every journey differs. Therefore, many tools and services can be used in different
phases as well, new tools and services appear, and some are not used anymore. Because of
that this document gives an overview of the dynamic journey, explains where to start and what
elements the journey consists of.

The ability to innovate is essential for business growth. Because of that the fast pace of our technology-based
and interconnected world requires working closer together than ever before. We put our customers at the
centre to identify future problems, realize unforeseen opportunities, and create competitive advantages with
the help of technology.

We believe you are solving the world’s hardest problems and thus we want to provide you the
infrastructure to help the world run better - and improve your own and your customers´ lives.
SAP’s vision of the future of enterprise IT is simple – software must be hyper-personalized,
modular in nature, and support outcome-based business models.

Therefore, innovation is an essential part of our strategy, which consists of the approach to realize ideas into
innovative solutions. These solutions effect your business in a more sustainable and profitable way.

In this document innovation is defined by the latest and upcoming product features SAP offers
to solve problems in a more efficient or new way. Hence, we will present our product portfolio
regarding the items to help you succeed your journey. We are sure there are at least some tools
you might be interested in. If so, feel free to click the links with every service provided to find
out more information on the solution.

Before you start getting into it, let us explain the structure of this document a bit more to you for your better
understanding. It is based on the phases of the SAP Activate Methodology - SAP´s innovation adoption
framework for implementation or migration of SAP solutions. In the following you can see the different phases:

1. Discover
2. Prepare
3. Explore
4. Realize
5. Deploy
6. Run

For more information, please have a look at the different roadmaps, which are orientated to the Activate
Methodology within the Road Map Viewer. That way we want to give you an idea of how this “travelling route”
on your transformation can look like for orientation purposes.

Customer Center of Expertise – Architecture & Innovation 3

DISCOVER
Whenever we are about to start our journey together, we are sure you want to know where we are going and
what our journey is all about. Most certainly the question arises about how SAP’s innovation looks like and
what the tools and services are which are offered by SAP in order to achieve a development towards an
Intelligent Enterprise.

Discover support features and information according to frequently asked questions from people
undergoing the transformation journey. How does SAP S/4HANA support your business goals?
Also, which functionalities are most relevant for each line of business? How does SAP’s future
product portfolio and the Intelligent Enterprise look like to ensure Continuous Success?

If you want to get first insights about the move to S/4 HANA, feel free to check out our Movement Program in
the Realize section.

SAP Readiness Check for SAP S/4HANA

Our recommendation is to start the Readiness Check as early as possible within your transformation analysis
phase. Since you can do these services as often as you like, it´s not only a good starting point but you can
make use of it during other parts of your journey. However, this tool can help you identify where you stand
right now, making next decisions easier while still discovering your journey.

In a nutshell this is a self-service tool which can be run at any time and is included within the SAP
support contract. Not only it offers transparency, but it also rises awareness what topics are being
covered.

Learn More: SAP Readiness Check - SAP Help Portal

SAP Innovation and Optimization Pathfinder

Different customers – different goals. Whether your goal is about improving potential business
processes, optimizing the business in terms of IT or innovating your current system, the
Pathfinder can help you with recommendations regarding the above. In fact, the tool provides
users with an interactive report which compares the differences between other businesses to
recommend suitable SAP services to help you improve.

Learn More: SAP Innovation and Optimization Pathfinder Request

Process Discovery

With this free analysis tool, you can really get started with Business Process Intelligence and SAP
S/4HANA. It enables you to understand your current business process performance and identifies
new functionalities from SAP S/4HANA, SAP Fiori apps, automation, and intelligent technologies.
Thus, it enables to support your individual business goals and helps to achieve success with your
SAP S/4HANA Transformation.

Learn More: SAP Process Discovery

SAP Signavio Process Insights, Discovery Edition

SAP Signavio Process Insights, Discovery Edition is an evolution of Process Discovery, SAP Innovation and
Optimization Pathfinder on Spotlight mentioned above. The service is currently in Beta Version and will be available
end of 2023.

Learn More: SAP Signavio Process Insights, Discovery Edition

Customer Center of Expertise – Architecture & Innovation 4

SAP Road Map Explorer & SAP Transformation Navigator

To offer a simplified path to a future Intelligent Enterprise, you can use the SAP Road Map
Explorer or the SAP Transformation Navigator. By using these tools, road maps including
available and planned innovations can be discovered. Additionally, webinars and transformation
guides can be explored.

While SAP Road Maps are enabling an up-to-date overview, the SAP Transformation Navigator helps you with
choosing the right SAP products and solutions according to your individual journey. Transforming the individual
landscape, extending the business, reviewing benefits, and setting priorities are just several of many
functionalities the Transformation Journey includes.

Learn More: SAP Road Map Explorer SAP Transformation Navigator | SAP S/4HANA Guidance

SAP Business Technology Platform (SAP BTP)

SAP Business Technology Platform is an innovation platform optimized for SAP applications
in the cloud. SAP BTP brings together data and analytics, artificial intelligence, application
development, automation, and integration in one, unified environment. Extend and
personalize SAP applications or integrate and connect entire landscapes with SAP BTP.
Unleash your business users to connect processes and experiences, decide confidently with
integrity and continuous business innovation.

Learn More: SAP Business Technology Platform

Take the chance to try out SAP BTP before you take the next steps. Many tutorials support you, for example,
to build your first own applications and help you to better understand the possibilities of SAP BTP.

The free-tier model for SAP BTP let you start with a productive account right away — try out selected services
up to a specified capacity limit and switch easily to the paid service plan, without losing any work.

Learn More: SAP Business Technology Platform “Free Tier Model”

SAP Discovery Center

Within SAP BTP you can browse and search for key BTP use cases (via use case finder). To take these use
cases one step further, SAP Discovery Center provides so-called Missions. The Missions enhance the use
cases with structured learning, best practices, and step-by-step guidance for implementing use cases, with a
well-established support from mission experts and SAP Community. To see what this meant, take a tour of the
Discovery Center or browse the Mission Catalog.

Learn More: SAP Discovery Center

SAP Fiori App Reference Library

To ensure a successful passing through the different phases of an SAP Fiori implementation, you can visit the
SAP Fiori Apps Reference Library.

The library supports you with various tools and functions, starting by exploring the different
applications available. This way you can find out whether the own business processes are
covered by the applications SAP Fiori provides. Moreover, technical data relevant for each
application is being displayed. Also, setting up and configuring the individual system
landscape for the selected apps based on your individual needs is offered, as well as running
the applications.

Learn More: SAP Fiori Apps Reference Library

Customer Center of Expertise – Architecture & Innovation 5

PREPARE

Before starting any journey, preparing for it in the right way is crucial to ensure a smooth
experience. Making sure you have enough provisions and really knowing where to go instead of
checking your map every ten seconds will allow you to fully experience your journey.

However, the preparation phase in terms of our transformation journey is already part of it. Because of that we
want to provide you different tools and guides to make sure you are really going in the right direction – for
instance also regarding the organizational aspects.

Learn More: Media Library

How do I organize my internal organization best? How do I collaborate with SAP best? What
Partnerships does SAP have and how can I benefit from them? How can I improve my knowledge
with SAP? What strategy fits best to my individual situation? How can I handle Custom Code
when moving my existing SAP ERP system to SAP S/4HANA?

Keep in mind that within our journey all of our customers don´t have the exact same starting point. Also, some
might walk faster whilst others aren’t in a rush. Because of that you will find tools more applicable to your
walking style down below. Feel free to decide what is fitting best to you.

Knowledge Transfer

Efficient learning which enables you to achieve your goals is defined by the quality of input you
receive, and the level of individual content being presented to you. Now we will present you some
services which goal is to provide you with the knowledge you need and to develop yourself
further.

Guides & Best Practice for Customer COE

You want to get more detailed information and knowledge on organizational requirements in
the context of the Customer Center of Expertise? Our goal is to enable you to shape your
organization’s structure individually towards a digital future. To help achieving this goal you
can discover how to identify and establish the right set-up for your enterprise to implement a
new digital core.

Also, further knowledge on how SAP has outlined its guidelines with regards to Artificial Intelligence for
instance can be collected.

Learn More: Guides and Best Practice for Customer COE

Learning Journeys

If you are looking for visual guides to help you complete the solution you always wanted to get
more educated in, our Learning Journeys can help you there. Further you are given the
opportunity to explore, filter and access a set of learning offerings for SAP topics, depending
on what fits best to your role.

The journey usually is a recommended path, but it is not required to complete all the learning offerings. The
content is split up into several so-called learning scenarios. Furthermore, it is given the chance to take on an
official certification or an expert certification when expanding the skills aimed for.

Learn More: Learning Journey - Landing Page

Customer Center of Expertise – Architecture & Innovation 6

SAP Help Portal

Since we have already mentioned every Transformation Journey is so individual it has never
occurred twice, we offer a service for you to personalize your experience. You can do so by
simply logging onto the SAP Help Portal. By creating an account and adding favourite pages,
you can keep track of your interests. Therefore, you are aware of the directions within your
journey where you really want to head to.

Further favourites can be found on the homepage, arranged according to your personal preferences, which
you can edit at any time. In addition, searching by favourite products can be done by simply inserting the
product name into the search bar. Try it out, it works just like a compass which always navigates you towards
you want to go to.

Learn More: SAP Help Portal

openSAP

Since learning is a lifelong task that occurs daily, openSAP provides innovative learning for
everybody. To address every individual, online learning is not only offered globally for free on
the one hand, but on the other hand also provides a huge variety of different possibilities. Thus,
you can choose between different ways of learning new things.

Open SAP Massive Online Courses for instance remind of the classic classroom concept, which is being
enhanced here by including gamification, more flexibility and discussion forums, to allow for exchange with
others. Through podcasts every perspective can be explored, since knowledge is being provided by SAP
employees, partners, and customers. Additionally, Microlearning offers the possibility of watching self-
contained videos, based on the individual level of experience.

Learn more: open.sap.com

Knowledge Offering for SAP User Groups

The Knowledge Offering for SAP User Groups ensures we are aligning on vision and strategy
together. The offerings provide you with the latest information on SAP´s strategy and
innovations, enable connecting to SAP experts, and further support sharing insights and best
practices.

The learning content is being transferred to user groups matching their individual desires and priorities. Here
you can get more information through different Webcasts, Workshops, Events, Guides, and eBooks.

Learn More: Knowledge Transfer for SAP User Groups |

Enterprise Support Academy

Since the way to an Intelligent Enterprise is not always easy, we are offering our support with an enablement
program.

The SAP Enterprise Support Academy supports you on your transformation journey. This is
not only ensured by experts offering their guidance and knowledge, but also by self-paced
learnings and live sessions giving you the input you really need. This input is most likely
increasing your skill sets, providing a fundament to adapt to the fast-changing digital economy
and to grasp and use the potential software is offering.

Learn More: SAP Enterprise Support Academy

Customer Center of Expertise – Architecture & Innovation 7

SAP Community Voice

With SAP Community being the leading online community in a software business context, it
has been made possible for professionals around the globe to connect with each other,
exchange information, engage, and receive recognition from the community in return for their
achievements. It doesn´t matter how far you have come along your journey or how many times
you have completed it already. Everybody, including you, is given the possibility to exchange
with others who have already gained experience.

Learn More: SAP Community | Questions, Answers, and Blogs

Custom Code Readiness

Custom code development is used by most customers as an easy and powerful way to extend the standard
SAP software and implement customer-specific business requirements.
At the same time, custom code is known as one of the major TCO drivers for complex customer solutions,
translating the need of an efficient and effective custom code management.

As you might have already experienced during your trip, travelling with light luggage is way
more comfortable. Because of that we want you to take care of your Custom Code early on
during our journey and learn how to decide on whether Custom Code must be complemented
or not. We will take a closer look at the management and the resulting benefits of Custom Code
in our Explore section.

Among others with the SAP Readiness Check you can keep track of your individual development in an
early phase of your transformation journey.

Hyperscalers

With the various cooperations SAP currently has, you can get more information about the
partnership between SAP and hyperscalers like Amazon Web Services or Google Cloud for
instance.

Therefore, you can get to know your own opportunities more to improve your organization in many ways. Also,
SAP Cloud Platform Services which are offered for hyperscalers can be discovered, as well as options for
deploying SAP solutions and applications. Feel free to secure your business with the support from an
innovative and reliable partner. You can learn more about security and data protection measures, regular
compliance checks, and the availability of our cloud services worldwide right on our SAP Trust Center.

Learn More: SAP and Hyperscalers

Customer Center of Expertise – Architecture & Innovation 8

EXPLORE
This is probably the most exciting part. What is a journey without trying out new things? Getting off the track is
okay sometimes if you are aware of your destination. Together, we want to explore new tracks and maybe find
a shortcut here and there to make sure we are achieving your goals faster.

Do you prefer hands on experiences rather than theoretical models? Do you like to try out new
things to understand them better? To get a first touch of how SAP S/4HANA feels like, we
provide simulated and fun environments. Convince yourself!

Learn More: SAP S/4HANA VIRTUAL BOARD GAMES | SAP Blogs

How can you make use of Intelligent Innovations to leverage your business to the next level?
How do you even make the first steps? What are the improvement potentials of SAP S/4HANA?

RISE with SAP

Do you want to make your journey towards an Intelligent Enterprise easier? Then we are recommending RISE
with SAP. RISE with SAP can transition your current ERP data and processes to the cloud with less risk and
without compromise. The bundle of tailor-made ERP software, transformation services, business analytics,
and partner expertise guides you along a personalized path to the cloud.

Learn More about the core elements: RISE with SAP

Regarding some core elements we want to provide you with some remarks from our side.

SAP S/4HANA Cloud, private edition is a tailored-to-fit cloud ERP that adapts to your
organization’s unique transformation.

Today your business is all about its processes due to the importance of fast decisions and
agility. When transforming your business processes, RISE with SAP helps you quickly
understand, innovate, and redesign processes. You get a clear picture of how a process works – end to end.
Learn more about process analytics here.

When it comes to efficient processes integration and extensions are of high importance. You
can add, extend, or integrate any other solutions by SAP, partners or third-party providers.
With the help of the data model and the business services of the Business Technology
Platform you can combine all of that.

Hungry for more solutions? Simply explore and RISE with SAP!

SAP Customer Evolution Program

The SAP Customer Evolution Program accelerates our installed base customers' journey toward an intelligent,
sustainable enterprise across solution areas by bringing together best practices from SAP, latest innovations,
services and tools, and the powerful SAP ecosystem. By guiding existing customers on their move from on-
premise solutions to the cloud, the program helps you achieve a successful business process transformation,
tailored to your unique business needs and requirements – no matter if in the cloud or hybrid.

The SAP Customer Evolution kit helps you to understand how to leverage SAP S/4HANA and how to transform
your business into an intelligent, sustainable enterprise. The engagement provides you with a
streamlined methodology to clearly define the incremental value potential of SAP S/4HANA,
explore new capabilities, identify the preferable transition path, build an SAP product road
map, and create a benefit case.

Customer Center of Expertise – Architecture & Innovation 9

Use the SAP Customer Evolution kit to start your journey to the intelligent, sustainable enterprise:
• Engage in 1:1 remote sessions with dedicated SAP experts
• Get answers to your questions around why, what, and how
• Participate free of charge if you have a valid support agreement
• Get an actionable transformation plan specific to your organization in just one week

Learn More: SAP Customer Evolution Program | SAP Customer Evolution Kit

Customer Story Finder

If you are interested in the stories of SAP´s customers and want to get a feeling of what their
journey and experience with SAP has been like, Customer Story Finder is a tool which provides
this information.

Also, gaining an idea of how other organizations have used different products in which case and
the reason they have decided to go with the SAP product might be interesting. You can filter thousands of
testimonials by solution, industry, region, and company size.

Learn More: SAP Customer Reviews & Stories | Software & Technology Solutions

Partner Finder

When it comes to working together, the right partner for you to get along with is essential for a
successful business. With the help of the SAP Partner Finder, you are given the possibility to
easily find a partner best fitting your individual requirements. Also, you can search for partners
based on different criteria, such as the business needs, location, or the solution in order to find
the best matching one to your current situation.

Learn More: Search Results

SAP Event Finder

Are you also not very good at memorizing your whole schedule for this week? The SAP Event
Finder makes sure no event will be missed. Keep track of current events happening, check
further for more details or watch out for upcoming events in the future. A tool which helps getting
organized and always keeping you up to date concerning different events.

Learn More: SAP Events | Finder

Explore Your Custom Code

Already at the beginning of our Transformation Journey we advised you to look at your Custom Code in the
Prepare Phase. If you have not done so, now we are recommending exploring your Custom Code because
that can significantly reduce later efforts and save costs for your future adaption.

So, let’s dive into that together. First thing we do together is preparing the system for the so called
fit/gap analysis. Based on this analysis we can take a critical look at your processes and further
identify delta requirements and gaps. That way you can get a feeling what parts of your custom
code should remain, and which can be removed. To get introduced with how to handle your
custom code when moving your SAP ERP System to SAP S/4HANA please watch this video.

After identifying existing custom code which is still needed, as it is not covered in the future functional scope,
the SAP Fiori Custom Code Migration App supports you analyzing your ABAP Custom Code for SAP S/4HANA
readiness. Do you want to find out how to handle and adapt your Custom Code?

Learn More with our Custom Code Adaption Video.

Customer Center of Expertise – Architecture & Innovation 10

REALIZE

During our exciting journey you have read many tools and discovered clever solutions. However,
there still might be some services which can show you perspectives you maybe have not thought
about yet. Do you want to make your next move? What helps you best in your case?

SAP Readiness Check for S/4HANA

SAP Readiness Check again? As you can see, some tools can be useful during different
phases of your journey, especially the Readiness Check – since you get it for free as a
standard service by SAP. During this phase the SAP Readiness Check is assisting you with
your projects for instance. Here it shows which are the most important topics within a
particular project and how to tackle them. Also, it helps estimating the amount of time of work
by explaining what effort it will take to convert the current system to S/4HANA.

Currently the new version comes with improved checks, added topics and which functional changes are
relevant for your current situation. It shows all your activities at one glance without having to read through each
simplification item first.
Learn More: SAP Readiness Check - SAP Help Portal

Best Practice Explorer

SAP Best Practice Explorer is a web channel to search, browse and consume SAP and Partner
Best Practices in terms of your individual situation. Additionally, it provides a baseline
configuration, standard business processes and a library of detailed documentation. Thus, it
supports your implementation projects with ready to run business processes.

Learn More: SAP Best Practices Explorer

DEPLOY & RUN

Although our journey together will continue for a longer period with many more ways to go, we will have a
closer look at the final steps we will make within this document. Keep in mind all the services and tools we
have discussed previously may still impact your future journey. However, the first milestone is being
accomplished here by deploying and running your SAP S/4HANA system.
In the last section of this document, we want to take a closer look at some more important business topics,
without giving away what happens within other Customer COE documents.

Learn More: Customer COE Portal

Where can I manage all the relevant data? Where and how can I maintain and plan my system?
How can I achieve Continuous Success with my solutions? How can I influence SAP solutions
and software development decisions?

Maintenance Planner

The Maintenance Planner is a solution that helps you planning and maintaining your system in
your individual landscape.
You can plan complex activities like installing a new system or updating existing systems.
All changes can be scheduled to be deployed at a convenient time to minimize downtime.

Customer Center of Expertise – Architecture & Innovation 11

Learn More: Maintenance Planner

Continuous Custom Code Management

Why is Custom Code Management an ongoing topic within our journey and the application
lifecycle? The answer - it saves time and effort if you have transparency on your custom code
in your IT landscape on the one hand. On the other hand, you can efficiently and continuously
manage your Custom Code. Besides the already mentioned offerings Custom Code
Management is one of several ALM processes supported by SAP Solution Manager.

Learn More on our SAP Help Portal.

CLOSING REMARKS
Every journey comes to an end at some point. We hope ours does not. With a fast and ever-changing world,
a never-ending journey comes hand in hand. Additionally, our latest and upcoming solutions and services –
basically our definition of innovation – creates a very dynamic and fast pacing environment, due to the many
changes happening around us. Because of that we don’t want you to stand still at any point, instead we invite
you to keep walking with us along our journey. By never getting comfortable with the solutions, we have and
always striving for new innovations and ideas to solve todays hardest problems we – SAP and you – will
achieve Continuous Success together.

Customer Center of Expertise – Architecture & Innovation 12

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