Project Management Role of PP Consultant

ERP systems come in modular fashion and do not have to be implemented entirely at once. Several companies follow a phase-in approach in which one module is implemented at a time. For example, SAP R/3 is composed of several "complete" modules that could be chosen and implemented, depending on an organization's needs. Some of the most commonly installed modules are sales and distribution (SD), materials management (MM), production and planning (PP), and finance and controlling (FI) modules.

PP module can be useful in the Industry where there is a Production process. In any manufacturing company PP will be a driving module. Once PP module is implemented we can Plan the production quantity, Monitor the shop floor activities, Cost the Materials etc. There is much functionality in PP for manufacturing process.

The project normally starts off  with a Kick off meeting in which the team size, team members, reporting system, responsibilities, duties, methodology, dates and schedules, working hours which have been pre-decided are formally defined.

ASAP, it won't be possible for me to explain it here, but all I can tell you about it is that it is SAP standard implementation methodology, which SAP prescribes but is not mandatory for any company to follow, but recommended to follow the same.

Five Phases of ASAP methodlogy

Phase 1:

Objective

Project Preparation - The purpose of this phase is to provide initial planning and preparation for your SAP project.

Activities

Ø  Project team training

Key Deliverables

Ø  Project team organization

Phase 2:

Objective

Business Blueprint - The purpose of this phase is to achieve a common understanding of how the company intends to run its business within the SAP System. The result is the Business Blueprint, a detailed documentation of the results gathered during requirements workshops.

The Business Blueprint document represents the business process requirements of the company. It is the agreed statement of how the company intends to run its business within the SAP System.

Activities

Ø  Blueprint workshop and prototypes

Key Deliverables

Ø  The business process definition/ flow diagram are used as input into configuration during Realization Phase.

Ø  FRICE (Form, Report, Interface, Conversion & Enhancement) control list.

Phase 3:

Objective

Realization - The purpose of this phase is to implement all the business process requirements based on the Business Blueprint. The system configuration methodology is provided in two work packages: Baseline (major scope); and Final configuration (remaining scope).

Activities

Ø  Unit Test

Ø  Integration Test

Ø  FRICE Developments

Ø  Data cleaning, preparation, collection, validation and testing

Ø  Train to process owner

Key Deliverables

Ø  Final user acceptance

Phase 4:

Objective

Final Preparation - The purpose of this phase is to complete the final preparation (including testing, end user training, system management and cutover activities) to finalize your readiness to go live.

The Final Preparation phase also serves to resolve all critical open issues. On successful completion of this phase, you are ready to run your business in your live SAP System.

Activities

Ø  Final system rehearsal

Ø  End-user training (Final level)

Ø  Cutover

Ø  Help desk support preparation

Key Deliverables

Ø  Final system cutover

Phase 5:

Objective

Go Live and Support - The purpose of this phase is to move from a project-oriented, pre-production environment to live production operation.

Activities

Ø  Review issue log

Ø  Help desk support

Key Deliverables

Ø  Project Handover