30 May 2024 by Andrew Spicer
MasteringSAP hosted another great conference last week, which was well-attended by over 650 participants representing more than 180 organisations at various levels. Realtech has been supporting and sponsoring this event for over ten years, and we still consider it one of the most informative and genuine events available. This is mainly due to the open sharing of information, experiences, and successes by the people directly involved in the projects and those responsible for making decisions and achieving the benefits driven by the projects and solutions.
Key Themes from the Conference
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
AI was the buzzword of the conference. No presentation was complete without mentioning AI at least once. It was interesting and exciting to see how AI becomes deeply embedded into solutions and benefits users and businesses by providing meaningful automation to offload mundane tasks, enable new ways of working and make access to relevant information easier. This allows employees to use their expertise in other areas more proactively. In my opinion, AI is not a threat to jobs or businesses but an enhancement that will improve experiences and support processes for better outcomes.
Cloud Computing
Cloud computing remains a key focus, with ECC reaching the end of mainstream maintenance in 2027, it is crucial to start the journey to S/4HANA now, the deadline is approaching quickly.
There are good reasons to embark on the journey now, and it can be done in smaller steps with the variety of cloud solutions available. For example, integration, Application Lifecycle Management (ALM), analytics, and other elements can be moved to the cloud while keeping the existing legacy landscape. Organisations may also want to consider moving more significant elements, such as Human Resources (HR) to SuccessFactors and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) to the Cloud CX solutions while planning to move the 'core' ECC system.
Effective Planning
The importance of effective planning was brilliantly highlighted by the keynote speaker, James Castrission, who shared his adventures of kayaking from Australia to New Zealand and his unsupported journey to the South Pole. We often create plans to achieve goals in our everyday lives and work. Still, when the plan and any deviations from it can mean the difference between life and death, it emphasises the importance of planning every aspect to achieve the goal. Whether reaching the South Pole and staying alive or completing a successful go-live of a new system, sound planning is crucial to hit the target date without issues, budget overruns, or other problems.
If you’d like to discuss anything I have covered today or explore what SAP Cloud Solutions can do for your business, don’t hesitate to contact me. I’m just a phone call away.