This is a series of three blog articles that will demonstrate how process mining can support you in your SAP S/4HANA Transformation.
Part 3: Using process mining as monitoring tool during the SAP S/4HANA transformation
For a successful SAP S/4HANA transformation it is essential to assess how well our processes are performing compared to the desired target state. To do this, process mining offers you a revolutionary process repository that allows you to document and store the company’s best practices. With this technology, you can save your process models and compare them with the current SAP system processes of your organization. This enables you to identify which process steps require attention and focus.
Once you have your process models, you can utilize data-driven methodologies such as Conformance Checking to compare them with your company’s compliance guidelines. This allows you to determine areas where your process may not meet the required standards.
Figure 1: Conformance Checking analysis
Figure 1 shows the process conformance evolution and identifies which activities are non-conforming to the SAP S/4HANA target process. In this case, the process steps violations double the throughput time in contrast to processes without violations. A detailed list of the undesired process step is shown on the left-hand side of the figure. For example, the process step „Extend Confirmed Delivery Date” is undesirable, but occurs in 17 % of the total sales orders items. To ensure an effective SAP S/4HANA transformation, these types of process steps need to be addressed and harmonized.
Figure 2 provides a more detailed view of the non-conforming cases, indicating the number of cases running with non-conforming process steps and showing their details on the right-hand side.
Figure 2: Conformance Checking Non-Conformant View
In this detailed view, the non-conforming ratio can provide valuable insights on which sales organizations within the company may require more effort to migrate to the new SAP S/4HANA system. The benefit of utilizing process mining is to offer a comprehensive description of the issues, enabling organizations to address the exact problems causing the most difficulties during the migration process. The Go-Live phase of a SAP S/4HANA migration is often challenging due to the regional, organizational, and cultural characteristics at the local level. However, with process mining, it is possible to monitor how users are adapting to the new system, identify areas where adoption is going well, as well as track the performance of adoption over time, total process costs, and any necessary reworks (Figure 3).
Figure 3: Transformation Journey Overview
Process mining offers a vast range of possibilities to address various challenges that may arise during the SAP S/4HANA transformation. The potential goes beyond just measuring speed and efficiency when monitoring the transformation. Process mining provides organizations a holistic view of their migration journey, enabling them to assess the process performance, conduct fit-gap analyses, and monitor the user adoption. It also supports compliance, data-driven decision-making, continuous improvement, and effective change management throughout the migration process. Embracing process mining as a monitoring tool offers a significant advantage, helping companies unlock the full potential of their SAP S/4HANA transformation.
In conclusion, this three-part blog series has only scratched the surface of how process mining can significantly support companies during their SAP S/4HANA migration. By offering comprehensive insights into the S/4HANA transformation journey, analyzing processes, identifying areas for improvement with business capability maps, creating dashboards for the analysis, and enabling data-driven decisions, process mining becomes invaluable for a successful migration journey. Its ability to enhance efficiency, ensure compliance, and foster continuous improvement makes it an essential tool for companies seeking a smooth and optimized transformation to SAP S/4HANA. Embracing process mining opens the door to a world of possibilities, empowering companies to navigate migration challenges with confidence and realize their full potential in the new digital landscape.
