How to Find the Most-Promising Investments to Further Your Path Towards an Intelligent Enterprise

The decision to move forward with a new ERP system can be tough to make when you don’t know where to start. But with help from SAP, many companies are beginning to change this part of their digital transformation narrative by safely diving into their doubts and surfacing beyond their fears with solid answers and direction.

Narrowing down the possibilities with trust and confidence

To help SAP customers prepare for their transition to SAP S/4HANA, we created the SAP Innovation and Optimization Pathfinder service. This Service, free of charge for all customers on SAP maintenace, delivers a personalized report of recommended improvements, innovations, and services that can help customers reap the most benefits from their SAP systems, while preparing their systems and processes for a move to the latest SAP technologies.

According to Maurizio Caiazza, a member of the Infrastructure Management and Technical Architecture team at Coop Consorzio Nord Ovest,

“The SAP Innovation and Optimization Pathfinder report identified the most promising areas for investment, helping us reach our targets for IT and business-process improvement as well as innovation.”

With this level of insight, our customers are engaging in deep discussions on topics that were never known before. And the results are nothing short of amazing. We find the cloud of doubt dissipates when business and IT stakeholders together gain a better understanding of the full potential of their investment in software and support services from SAP.

Brazilian eucalyptus-hardwood pulp maker Celulose Nipo-Brasileira S.A. (CENIBRA) is no stranger to such a journey. Known for its operational efficiency and high-quality products, the company laid the foundation for migrating to a next-generation digital core. This approach will help the growing business maximize customer satisfaction by continuously improving its products and customer services with flourishing innovation and the benefits of Industry 4.0. Plus, the company will increase productivity while maintaining minimal impacts on the environment.

To lay this groundwork for its digital transformation, CENIBRA worked with a variety of SAP Enterprise Support services, including SAP Innovation and Optimization Pathfinder and SAP Readiness Check for SAP S/4HANA. This approach allowed the pulp maker to develop a comprehensive road map for a smooth migration to SAP S/4HANA and prepare its existing IT landscape for the change. The company received recommendations for 36 different business scenarios for SAP S/4HANA – all customized to help address its business challenges and further its vision.

“Using SAP Enterprise Support services, we are preparing the ground for a successful migration to SAP S/4HANA,” shares Anamaria Ferreira de Oliveira, CENIBRA’s IT manager. “And we now better understand the wide-ranging benefits our new digital core will bring to the business.”

Securing buy-in from business stakeholders with fact-based insights

Since its initial launch in May 2017, SAP Innovation and Optimization Pathfinder has helped over 850 SAP customers see precisely which operational improvements, process changes, and innovations can deliver relevant value to all areas of the business. For CIOs, on-demand access to this level of insight is an unparalleled advantage.

And thanks to overwhelming feedback from our customers, SAP is providing the support necessary to further their digital visions – a dedicated, tailor-made decision proposal that stakeholders can use to guide meaningful discussion about current and future digital transformation strategies. We have also introduced specific line-of-business editions in October 2018, covering finance, sales, manufacturing, asset management, procurement, and supply chain organizations.

Now companies, such as Cooper Standard Automotive, can help ensure that every IT investment is a step toward achieving their key business goals and market leadership.

“SAP Innovation and Optimization Pathfinder provides a framework to help align IT with LoB stakeholders and get their buy-in on new projects,” says Soma Venkat, Vice President of Information Technology at Cooper Standard Automotive. “ It helps ensure each initiative serves to optimize global operations.”

It is now time for you to discover the opportunities for your business future. Explore the SAP Innovation and Optimization Pathfinder, available free for charge for all customers on SAP maintenance.