Challenge 1: Custom code compatibility and modernization
For a long time, organizations have used custom SAP ABAP code to address business requirements that standard SAP functionality doesn’t meet. Businesses adopting a Brownfield approach port custom code to the S/4HANA system to maintain current functionality. Doing so allows them to modernize and optimize systems after the migration.
Studies show that mature SAP organization leveraging custom code retain about 40% of that code during a migration. This code is created for ECC systems and is often incompatiblity with S/4HANA, so it’s likely to be changed (or modernized) before the project begins.
Rev-Trac Platinum can enforce an approach where (iterative) code modernization begins during the preparation phase. Out latest release, Rev-Trac Platinum 8.3.4, integrates with the ABAP Test Cockpit (ATC) for S/4HANA Readiness Checks.
Imagine you start preparing custom code by making enhancements during Business As Usual (BAU) changes in the ECC environment before shifting to S/4HANA. In this instance, organizations can use the S/4HANA Readiness Checks to verify the code’s compatibility with the new ERP system.
You can adopt. a’shift-left’ approach, configuring Rev-Trac Platinum to enforce modernization in the DEV environment. Gradually modernizing custom code ensures it is almost pre-ready before your Brownfield migration begins. Ensuring code is S/4HANA compatible before leaving the DEV system reduces the need for reworks and eliminates functional downgrades when your S/4HANA systems go live.
Challenge 2: Dual maintenance
Managing dual landscapes – legacy ECC and new S/4HANA environment – is a significant challenge for organizations adopting a Brownfield approach. Keeping your systems in sync until cutover is essential to avoid change freezes or costly unscheduled downtime.
You will like have to make BAU ECC changes during the migration to enhance your production system. These changes must be accounted for and considered for retrofit to the S/4HANA environment. Automating the retrofit of SAP changes helps lower the risk and accelerate your Brownfield migration project.
With Rev-Trac Platinum, you can keep systems in sync for the life of the project. The software incorporates retrofitting capabilities that enable you to synchronize changes between your live ECC system and in-progress S/4HANA systems. BAU change requests are automatically cloned and sent to the S/4HANA (DEV) system for consideration and easy reapplication, keeping systems in sync.
Conducting S/4HANA Readiness Checks in the ECC DEV system allows developers to correct an incompatible change before releasing the transport and advancing it through testing and authorization requirements with other changes. You can also determine the suitability of the clone for the retrofit. If the change is compatible, the S/4HANA compatibility report is attached the cloned request for easy reference.
Challenge 3: Managing Cross Landscape Dependencies
When migrating to S/4HANA, it’s essential to understand the dependencies between your ECC system and other landscapes, like BW, BOBJ, and CRM, that may make up your legacy SAP environment. You must accommodate cross-landscape dependency between data integrations. Otherwise, you run the risk of parts of the application not working in the S/4HANA environment. Additionally, different landscapes may undergo separate SAP S/4HANA transitions, so having a clear plan to manage multiple transformations is essential.
With Rev-Trac, you can define dependencies the software automatically checks before transports are migrated to target systems. The dependencies can only be applied to transports attached to a Rev-Trac Request. However, they don’t have to be attached to the same request or relate to the same landscape.
The request migrates to the target system if the dependencies are satisfied. Otherwise, you will get an error alert and a report that gives details of all the unsatisfied dependencies.
The Bottom Line!
A Brownfield S/4HANA migration can be challenging. The goal is to maintain current functionality during the transition to S/4HANA and modernize and optimize systems after the migration. Yet, custom code compatibility, when and how do you modernize code, dual maintenance and the capability to manage cross landscape dependencies are all obstacles to a successful S/4HANA transition.
This is where Rev-Trac Platinum comes into play. With Rev-Trac you can ensure any change made to code is S/4HANA compatible and keep your ECC and S/4HANA in sync until the final cutover, streamlining the migration process and reducing risks.
In adopting Rev-Trac Platinum, your organization can navigate the challenges of a Brownfield migration with confidence, unlocking the full potential of SAP S/4HANA and driving long-term success.
Are you considering a Brownfield implementation of S/4HANA? Reach out to an in-house expert to discover how Rev-Trac Platinum can smooth your S/4HANA migration.
