Process Framework for ERP & SAP S/4 based on APQC SAP BPML alternative

SAP Accelerator Overview

In the 90s SAP published something called the Business Process Master List (BPML) as part of their ASAP methodology. It was a fantastic accelerator for scoping SAP projects, defining blueprints, and driving testing and training.

But SAP dropped it. In it's absence, we decided to create the Holy Grail for ERP solution definition - a ready-made process framework that would accelerate solution definition, and could be adapted to multiple industries.

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The Resulting Process Framework links back to APQC Best Practice (including their 19 industry variants) but has been fine-tuned to align with SAP terminology. What's more, we've even linked it to the SAP Application Hierarchy (aka Modules) and S/4HANA Scope Items.

Next, we augmented it with descriptive meta-data that helps guide ERP solution design. As a final flourish, our clever marketing guys have turned it into a visual format that gets instant business buy-in and understanding.

Then, we baked it into FusionGraph so that it can be visualised and maintained as a single version of the truth - which means that you can use it to define process scope for your ERP or S/4HANA project and beyond to drive ongoing process improvements and benefits realization.

What's the Resulting Process Framework?

APQC Cross Referenced

APQC is the best practice Process Framework model - available in 20 industry flavours on an Open Source basis. So this is where we started, by building on existing best practice and retaining references back to it.

SAP Package Ready

Based on decades of SAP implementations, we tweaked the structure to more closely reflect common packages and their functionality. This includes a comprehensive cross reference to SAP ECC and S/4HANA.

Process Categorization

Not all processes are the same, so we categorised the process taxonomy with meta data that aids solution design. This provides a baseline to categorise your business processes in a way that's meaningful to you.

High Impact = Buy-in

Yes, it's available in Excel. But the magic happens when we present your processes back in a simple but high-impact format that gets instant business buy-in. We color code based on your meta data to provide different process views.

Process Framework in action

The Resulting Process Framework massively accelerates SAP solution scoping and design. Within days, you have 90% of your SAP scope defined in meaningful business language that can be linked directly to SAP requirements.

And because we've done the heavy lifting in linking the framework to APQC and SAP, you can save months in elapsed time and many, many expensive consulting days of effort right at the start of your SAP project. What's more, defining process scope early pays dividends later, supporting change management, testing, training and business process optimization.

APQC & SAP already baked in

The Resulting Process Framework references APQC's PCF and KPI framework, including the core process model and 19 industry variants.

There are pre-built links to:

SAP Application Hierarchy (e.g. MM-PUR-RFQ) - which can be linked to SAP Transactions & Fiori Apps
S/4HANA Scope Items - the cryptic codes that unlock and enable S/4 functionality. This means that you can finally unravel the jargon that your Systems Integrator uses

Process Meta Data

The Process Framework comes with pre-built categorisations which can be used to accelerate your ERP solution design.

Which processes are commodity (don't customize these) vs. driving competitive advantage (spend your customization dollars on these areas) ?
Which processes are strong candidates for Shared Services, Standardization or Automation (RPA) ?
Which processes are likely to require high change management effort?
Which processes touch the fewest and greatest number of users?
Which processes have signature requirements which may involve heavily modified functionality?

consulting-deliverable-white Using this as a basis, we jointly define your own specific process categorization which provides a critical foundation for your SAP solution map and vendor briefing.

SAP Scope in business language

By creating an early view of process scope in language that the business understands, you build much stronger buy-in to your SAP change programme.

This avoids the translation problem that most SAP programmes wrestle with - mapping technical jargon back to terminology that business people and Execs understand.

The high-impact visual format provides an easy-to-understand framework that anchors process transformation and adoption.

One asset with many uses

Your Process Framework services a whole host of purposes during and beyond your S/4HANA go-live.