ASAP is SAP’s solution to effective project implementation and management. ASAP stands for Accelerated SAP. The word “Accelerated” refers to the many so called “Accelerators” ( Tools & Information ) available in SAP to expedite the implementation of SAP in an enterprise. So, simply put , ASAP is a methodology or a step-by-step approach used to effectively and efficiently implement SAP.
ASAP is divided into 5 major phases as follows:
1. Project Preparation
2. Business Blueprint
3. Realization
4. Final Preparation
5. Go Live and Support
Below are the common tasks or activities covered for every phase:
Project Preparation
1. Initial project Planning, scoping and goal setting
2. Implementation strategy
3. Team formation
4. Project Kickoff
5. Training
Business Blueprint
1. Refining goals and objectives
2. Requirement gathering
3. As-Is & To-Be documentation
4. Gaps Analysis
5. Documentation
Realization
1. Business Process Requirement implementation based on defined blueprint
2. Baseline configuration and confirmation
3. Integration configuration
4. System management
5. Final configuration and confirmation
6. Development of program interfaces
Final Preparation
1. Unit testing
2. Integration Testing
3. User training
4. System management
5. Cutover
Go Live and Support
1. Migration to production environment
2. Support
3. Monitoring
4. Performance optimization
There are 3 key tools used in ASAP:
- SAP Solution Composer
Solution Composer is the core tool of the ASAP implementation methodology. It provides a way to map and maintain the key business processes in an enterprise. It is a windows installable that basically provides a graphical view of the solution maps
- ASAP Roadmaps
ASAP roadmaps are the heart of the ASAP implementation methodology. Solution composer is just a graphical tool used to create, maintain and manage ASAP ( and other ) roadmaps. The standard SAP provided roadmaps can be viewed either in Solution Composer or in plain HTML format.
- SAP Solution Manager
Sol Man is used in this phase primarily to materialize and store the roadmaps designed. The tools inside solman that are used in this phase are the Question and Answers database , BPML, and document storage.
ASAP methodology gives the project managers the requisite technology and management roadmap to implement an SAP project following global standards and well acknowledged strategies. This approach also greatly reduces the risk and improves project timelines by giving the project manager tools to monitor and maintain metrics necessary for a successful implementation. Team members should be conversant with the general implementation roadmap as well as the specific accelerators that should be used to speed up the implementation.
In summary, a successful and accelerated SAP implementation is what Accelerated SAP or ASAP methodology is all about.
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