New Solutions by SAP Partners

The portfolio of SAP solutions is a Swiss Army knife for ERP: full of useful attachments which can achieve complex tasks. SAP aims to provide a tool for every business process and they work hard to produce new tools, but they also work with a vast array of SAP partners to develop IT tools for businesses that extend or work in conjunction with SAP platforms.

The SAP PartnerEdge program gives SAP partners the option to build, extend, integrate and market solutions with SAP. Through the program these partners harness their intellectual property and take it quickly to market through the SAP Store.

This week, in order to demonstrate how SAP is being developed rapidly by third parties, as well as within the company, IgniteSAP takes a quick look at just some of the inspiring SAP partners solutions and extensions that have become available recently through this innovation program, contributing to the SAP ecosystem, extending the functionality of SAP solutions. We will also cover some partner projects which are implementing large-scale digital transformations. As a group these SAP partners stories of recent innovations serve as an indicator of the long-term direction of the corporation.

Sphera’s Compliance Engine for EH&S

Our first pick of SAP Partners products is designed to keep a company compliant with environment, health and safety regulations. These regulations are currently going through almost constant change so an automated system can save a great deal of time and resources.

Sphera has developed flexible, comprehensive software that delivers regulatory data, rule sets, phrases, templates and configuration tools to accelerate deployment.

Sphera, is a leading global provider of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) performance and risk management software, as well as data and consulting services. Their Compliance Engine for the EH&S solution has recently achieved SAP certification for integration with SAP S/4HANA.

The Compliance Engine is a “modular, pre-packaged ABAP add-on for SAP Environment, Health and Safety Management” and covers extensive integrated global regulatory content. Out of the box it provides all the components for the creation of compliant regulatory documents like safety data sheets (SDSs). The compliance suite also integrates well with SAP solutions.

Compliance Engine for EH&S allows users to decide which regulatory content gets loaded into their SAP environment. It facilitates review of regulatory assessments before inputting data to a specification database. Users can also understand how results are calculated through audits, and to judge the effect of any changes to their product portfolio within SAP environments. The Compliance Engine helps assess the consistency and quality of data by performing integrity checks: highlighting conflicting primary data or missing data. Configuration is also supported to tailor the output of the system to address regulatory grey zones or other requirements specified by the user.

Sphera CEO and President Paul Marushka said “We are delighted… our Compliance Engine has achieved SAP certified integration with SAP S/4HANA. As a partner in the SAP PartnerEdge program, this certified integration reaffirms our commitment to the SAP marketplace and underscores the value delivered to our customers through our innovative Compliance Engine solution.”

The SAP ICC (Integration and Certification Center) has certified that Sphera’s Compliance Engine for EH&S 4.11.2 integrates with SAP S/4HANA as an add-on to ABAP programming language for use with the SAP S/4HANA application.

Dickinson & Associates: Comprehensive Packages for RISE with SAP

Rise with SAP has been around for almost a year and though it has been slow to get off the ground we are starting to see major companies implementing the offering, so it is interesting to see a IT consultancies among SAP partners taking the opportunity to offer their own services helping SAP customers implement Rise effectively.

The Navisite company Dickinson & Associates, has made available comprehensive packages to complement RISE with SAP called “Elevate with Dickinson”, which simplify the contract and enable lower up-front costs and reduced total cost of ownership (TCO) of SAP S/4HANA Cloud solutions, and also provide a comprehensive stewardship model for SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud.

Customers of Dickinson & Associates can now use their expertise for implementation and advise along with application management services. Dickinson & Associates is delivering Business Transformation as a Service to companies using SAP solutions in public, private and cloud environments, so customers can easily scale operations, processes and resources.

Brad Wolfe, vice president of Sales and Corporate Development at Dickinson & Associates commented: “This is a breakthrough juncture for qualified partners ready to help enterprise customers accelerate ERP advances in the cloud. Everyone is looking for a new edge, especially in the cloud considering the pandemic’s effects today and over the past year. On-premise isn’t dead, of course, but moving to the cloud for ERP… makes undeniable sense for most organisations. Those that do are in position to more rapidly innovate and continuously meet changing customer expectations: all with greater agility regardless of economic conditions.”

LTI Creates Large Scale Digital Transformation for PIH Group of Companies

IgniteSAP is always interested in case studies of lockdown implementations and this multi-company, and multinational SAP partners integration is one of the most ambitious to have occurred over the period.

LTI has demonstrated profound expertise in Engineering & Construction with an SAP implementation across 63 companies in the Power International Holdings group.

PIH is a conglomerate with more than 60,000 employees based in Qatar and operating in several countries across six sectors.

Larsen & Toubro Infotech is a technology consulting and digital solutions company. They recently partnered with PIH to enable a very large scale digital transformation involving a vast selection of SAP solutions in order to reinforce and accelerates PIH’s “digital-first, data-driven” business strategy.

The 63 companies of the group in four business areas were subject to transformation of more than 250 processes. The implementation utilised SAP S/4HANA, SuccessFactors, and SAP’s industry cloud solutions and extensions built on SAP BTP.

This used several of LTI’s IP-based solutions for the engineering and construction sector, including a “planning synchroniser, project pay chain, resource deployment tool, project management cockpit for performance forecasting, engineering cashflow and supplier portal.” The initiative allows for a smooth flow of data between companies in the group, enabling time-sensitive decision making across the companies’ network and has also contributed to business strategies for new acquisitions, mergers or de-mergers.

Commenting on the project the President & Executive Board Member of LTI, Sudhir Chaturvedi
said: 

“The digital acceleration caused by the pandemic has brought the benefits of embracing disruptive technologies to the fore. Digitising the core can enhance process efficiency, customer satisfaction and reduce costs that together help in achieving business excellence. LTI’s rich heritage of experience in the Engineering & Construction industry and our robust partnership with SAP as a global strategic service partner makes us the ideal partner of PIH for this ambitious engagement.”

Jasim Abdul Rahman, PIH’s Group Chief Information Officer, added:

“At PIH, we have resolved to evolve, diversify and grow by adopting a digital-first approach. Toward this objective, we wanted a solution that not only encapsulates existing businesses under a single digital framework but also provides the flexibility to equip our foray into newer industries in future. LTI’s proven expertise in enabling disruptive digital transformation systems is globally acclaimed and together with SAP, our partnership has enabled PIH’s transformative journey.”

Alaa Jaber, Managing Director for SAP Qatar and Fast Growth Markets said:

“The current times emphasise the importance of agility, flexibility and scalability for Qatar’s businesses to continue marching towards growth. PIH’s digital transformation with LTI stands out as an ideal testimony to showcase a proactive approach in embracing technology to help large businesses scale up with pace.”

MODELYZR Market Intelligence Platform

The link between internal and external data really differentiates this solution from its competitors in business data analysis. This German company knows that businesses can never make strategic decisions in a vacuum, and those that take account of market context can get a competitive edge.

Modelyzr GmbH is a software company based in Münster specialising in data analytics in the marketing and sales which operates internationally. Their MODELYZR software is a centralised platform for data analyses.

This IT specialist created a solution which integrates machine learning methods and creates market transparency in granular detail. By structuring and linking internal company data with external data from a focused market environment, the solution reveals insights which can be used, for example, to identify market potential in the B2B environment, to inform decision-making bases for sales in existing markets or to assess potential new markets.

Modelyzr integrates with SAP S/4HANA and SAP HANA , and using SAP Business Technology Platform, creates the platform for business data analysis. Customers can now get access to Modelyzer through the SAP store.

Nils Niehörster, the founder and managing director of Modelyzr said:

“The availability of MODELYZR in SAP Store is a confirmation of our work, raises the visibility of the solution, and offers advantages both for potential customers and for our sales partners. The solution offers real added value and can increase sales opportunities for users. In this respect, one can speak of a real breakthrough in our company’s history.”

It is the very high level of detail in the data analytics solution that creates market transparency for B2B companies. By connecting internal with external data, analysis is not performed in a vacuum and higher sales potential can be achieved. This targeted market approach and dramatically improves the acquisition of new customers.

Value Stream Management Adapter from ConnectALL

Successful business outcomes are now dependent on complex software development. ConnectALL provides a centralised visual platform from which to direct your IT team and keep them aligned to business processes.

ConnectALL is a value stream management company. Their purpose is to help customers achieve greater “agility, traceability, predictability and velocity”. ConnectALL improves an organisation’s ability to connect people to processes and technology from the software development to the delivery value stream. By aligning digital initiatives to business outcomes, companies can improve the speed at which they deliver software.

ConnectALL integrates with SAP Solution Manager so organisations can improve flow, visibility, and traceability. It also improves the data harvesting required to increase predictability via smart analytics

The Value Stream Manager adapter enables organisations to connect any tool with SAP Solution Manager and visually represent the workflow, capture data for analytics, resulting in ultimate connectivity, real-time transparency, and an uninterrupted flow of information.

Lance Knight, President & Chief Operating Officer of ConnectALL said:

“Being able to integrate a solution like SAP Solution Manager with so many tools in the software delivery value stream is a great opportunity to help our customers see, measure, and automate their value streams. This added capability can provide organisations more visibility into optimisation opportunities at the planning stage and further establish ConnectALL as a leader in value stream management.”

With overarching visualisation capabilities, organisations can manage the workflow between SAP Solution Manager and other project management tools, connecting business ideas to their technology implementation.

In this way organisations can now include SAP Solution Manager in their efforts to optimise software delivery progress and identify blocks, bottlenecks, and other problems in delivery and resolve them. By enabling comprehensive integration, and project management across the entire software delivery value stream, ConnectALL streamlines collaboration, scheduling, and automated event triggering: mapping the software value stream, and assessing the productivity of the software delivery value stream.

FORCAM FORCE IIOT Adapter

Following the theme of end-to-end connectivity we would like to draw attention to the latest innovation by SAP partners FORCAM. In this case the German technology company is focussed on providing clear lines of communication between the management tier and the machines on the shop floor of industrial production.

FORCAM is a provider of data-driven modular solutions for smart factories, their most recent release is a bi-directional communication adaptor between MES (Manufacturing Execution Systems) and ERP.

FORCAM FORCE IIOT Adapter has SAP certified integration with SAP S/4HANA and through more direct lines of communication can bring about significant increases in production and planning efficiency.

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The IIoT communication adaptor is based on award winning open IIoT platform technology, and FORCAM technology is used by companies including Dynomax Aerospace, Howmet Aerospace, Kostal, Krones, Lockheed Martin, Richards Industrials and Schaeffler. Currently FORCAM technology is used to monitor in more than 100,000 machines globally.

Dr. Andrea Rösinger, who is the joint Chief Executive Officer and Chief Technical Officer of FORCAM, said:

“We are delighted to announce that we now offer two FORCAM adapters for businesses using SAP technologies, allowing them to integrate with SAP S/4HANA and SAP ECC. The ability of FORCAM solutions to integrate with SAP technologies will prove highly beneficial to our current and future customers.”

The SAP Integration and Certification Center (SAP ICC) has certified that FORCAM FORCE IIOT Adapter 2109 integrates with SAP S/4HANA using standard integration technologies.

Figaf Migration Tool for SAP Integration Suite

This Danish company has found a niche producing software which automates a resource intensive area of upgrades and migrations.

Migrations are complex and time consuming. Ensuring that the systems work faultlessly and reliably requires a lot of work. Manual interface testing involves additional staff and feedback loops, the flush out problems. The Figaf migration and testing automation tools help to minimise resources and accelerate migrations from SAP Process Integration to SAP Integration Suite with the award-winning Figaf Migration Tool for SAP Integration Suite.

Based on Figaf’s solid automation software framework that converts integrated configuration objects (ICOs) within SAP Process Integration to iFlows, the migration tool reduces manual testing work and so makes it much easier to upgrade. The development of the migration tool won Figaf a #Hack2Build “Beyond a Hackathon” award and the tool is now part of the Figaf DevOps Suite, which includes testing capabilities.

Daniel Graversen, an expert in SAP technologies at Figaf, said:“In the last five months, we have been focused on building a tool to migrate customers from SAP Process Integration to SAP Integration Suite.This is a major achievement in our quest to become an industry-leader in integration automation for SAP technologies. We will be able to migrate our customers more quickly to SAP Integration Suite, leveraging all their existing investments in their integration capabilities.”

Using the Figaf tools, converting the first integrated configuration object takes less than an hour. After the conversions take place, customers can validate the conversions with the Figaf testing tool.

Using the Figaf Migration Tool customers benefit from simplified migration from SAP Process Integration to SAP Integration Suite, along with conversion of ICOs within SAP Process Integration to iFlows in a few clicks. The package includes migration of message mapping, and migration of test cases.

Verusen’s Artificial Intelligence Supply Chain Platform

AI is being used in this product to collect and present supply chain data for analysis in real-time: ensuring daily business decisions are alway well informed.

Verusen specialises in supply chain materials management using AI to provide data, inventory optimisation, and procurement intelligence. The company’s system combines material data from legacy systems and processes, while providing trusted data to the enterprise to reduce supplier and operational risk. This results in a single data platform that organisations can use to inform digital transformation.

Verusen Materials Management solution is available through the SAP Store.The AI-driven platform works with the materials management module of SAP ERP Central Component (SAP ECC) and SAP S/4HANA, meaning businesses can digitally transform their connected supply chain and materials management.

Paul Noble, the founder and CEO of Verusen said:“Our always-on, always-learning platform now integrates with SAP ECC and SAP S/4HANA, including procurement and inventory business applications to provide one of the simplest, fastest and most sustainable materials management solutions for businesses using SAP solutions across all verticals. Our integration with SAP technology will help accelerate the operational reliability of any enterprise’s digitally connected supply chain to ensure the right materials are in the right place, at the right time; reduce supply chain risk to build supply network resiliency and help lower overall operating costs.”

The AI platform simplifies data complexity and decision-making: creating an efficient supply chain without the need for a data-cleanse process. The functions of the platform include network inventory, procurement intelligence, supplier alignment. This means companies can transform their materials management and supply chain strategy to balance operational and supplier risk at the most cost-effective level.

Enterra Solutions: Autonomous Decision Science Technology

Automation in business began by addressing simple repetitive tasks. Autonomous Decision-Making is one of the first attempts at free up the time of management so that they can focus on long-term proactive strategy rather than day-to-day reactions to business events.

Enterra’s revenue growth intelligence system carries out generalised optimisation and Autonomous Decision-Making across revenue drivers for consumer product and retail companies. This delivers revenue growth and profitability, along with increased efficiency with limited human oversight.

Enterra Solutions, LLC is the first Autonomous Decision Science company powered by cognitive computing technology and advanced mathematics. Enterra Solutions solves complex problems at the intersection of academic research, business, and government. The world’s biggest brands optimise their value chains using Enterra for competitive advantage.

Businesses that use SAP solutions will now have access to Enterra’s industry-leading Autonomous Decision Science technology to inform digital transformation of their businesses: improving control, resilience, and customers experience. The SAP PartnerEdge program provides the tools, benefits, and support to build high-quality, disruptive applications focused on business needs: quickly and cost-effectively. The program makes all relevant SAP technologies accessible under a single, global contract, including bundled licenses of SAP Business Technology Platform with partner applications.

Consumer packaged goods manufacturers who using SAP solutions can use Enterra Revenue Growth Intelligence System (RGIS) to maximise revenue and profits through holistic optimisation of commercial revenue drivers. Enterra’s RGIS is part of an integrated end-to-end optimisation application that spans the value chain, integrating consumer insight, revenue optimisation, and supply and demand intelligence in one generalised optimisation and autonomous decision-making function.

Stephen DeAngelis, CEO of Enterra Solutions said: “For over six years, Enterra has brought the world’s leading business transformation technology and services to businesses that use SAP solutions, and we are thrilled to continue the partnership. We are proud to offer our Autonomous Decision-Making platform and business applications on SAP Business Technology Platform.”

Atos goes live on SAP S/4HANA Cloud

Our final story from SAP partners is another massive implementation success which was achieve under unprecedented conditions.

Atos has over 35 years of experience in implementing SAP solutions. They are a global leader in digital transformation with 105,000 employees and annual revenue of over €11 billion. The Group is the European number one in cybersecurity, cloud and high performance computing, providing tailored end-to-end solutions for all industries in 71 countries. As a pioneer in decarbonisation services and products, Atos is committed to a secure and decarbonised digital for its clients.

Atos is one of the first SAP global partners to go live on SAP S/4HANA Cloud, private edition: a core of the RISE with SAP offering. The successful implementation spanned the entire business and was carried out in record time. In less than nine months, Atos moved all 42 of its business-critical systems with more than 500 interfaces, from SAP S/4HANA on-premise to SAP S/4HANA Cloud. Its business-critical systems include finance, logistics and HR platforms, staff self-service portals and data analytics tools.

Atos now has the latest business processes and practices from SAP to support its own digital transformation and accelerate innovation. With low-latency connection to very advanced cloud services Atos will now be able to utilise and optimise AI, Predictive Analysis, Machine Learning, and Blockchain to accelerate innovation and develop new solutions. Using SAP S/4HANA Cloud, Atos will streamline operations and optimise processes so that ATOS IT teams are free to focus on innovation and projects that bring value to the business.

In addition Atos can support its customers by sharing its first-hand best practice and benefits, who are looking to migrate to SAP S/4HANA Cloud through RISE with SAP.

Moving to the cloud from on-premise also supports their objective to reach net zero by 2028, as it assures that Atos uses only the resources that are needed.

Commenting on the move Frédéric Aubrière , Group CIO at Atos said:“We are really proud to have now successfully completed the full migration to SAP S/4HANA Cloud and in such a short timeline. This ensures that we now have a strong foundation, bringing us speed, flexibility and innovation, on which to build and accelerate our own digital transformation.The benefits are clear: not only in terms of streamlined operations, cost optimisation and resource redeployment meaning we can be more focused on our clients and continue to drive forward our industry-tailored approach, but also in terms of decarbonisation and meeting our carbon objectives.”

Brian Duffy, President of Cloud at SAP added: “SAP is pleased to support Atos‘ digital journey and ongoing business transformation. Thanks to a remarkable collaboration between our teams, we collectively delivered on plans within a nine-month period enabling Atos to further develop its competitive edge and benefit from SAP’s comprehensive, intelligent, customer-centric offering to unlock future opportunities for growth.”

In support of Rise with SAP, Atos brought the Atos OneCloud initiative, to provide customers with extensive cloud expertise, including unique capabilities with SAP-certified BullSequana S high-performance servers. It will accelerate customer journeys to an intelligent enterprise with RISE with SAP by providing a managed, secure, and decarbonised transition to the cloud.

New ways of Working with SAP

This concludes our excursion into the PartnerEdge program. The stories behind these SAP partners products and implementation projects serve as inspiration for new ways to apply existing SAP technology and demonstrate the need to keep up with the pace of change. The SAP ecosystem is vast and sometimes IT consultants can revert to a single way of working in order to get the job done but, even if they don’t have an opportunity to retrain and up-skill immediately it is always valuable to periodically take a quick look at the PartnerEdge program and the SAP store to see new ways of working with SAP, and new possibilities in the SAP market.

If you would like support in reassessing your own position within the SAP ecosystem and getting advice on how to make the most of your SAP skill set, please contact IgniteSAP so we can help you.