Tips for Upgrading SCM APO-7.0

Tips for Upgrading SCM APO-7.0
SAP develops new releases of its software to accommodate Organization’s evolving business needs and SAP’s products help organization to remain competitive as per the business world change.

Upgrading application is an important task for many SAP customers. It is a valuable opportunity to maximize the value of SAP investment. To take maximum advantage of upgrade opportunity requires appropriate planning and management.


SAP APO Upgrade is complex due to advance technology involved such as liveCache, Optimizer, planning algorithms and inbuilt BW/BI.


SAP APO 7.0 Upgrade’s complexity is based on the functionality implemented on the current source system.


A few important Tips for upgrading SCM APO 7.0 as below:


- Find out main purpose of the Upgrade. Based on it do the Technical Upgrage , Functional Upgrade


- Detailed Scope of the Upgrade project

o Do phase wise technical and functional upgrade.


- Technical prerequisite of the Upgrade release ( Source to Target)

o SAP SCM 4.1 and above can be upgraded directly to SAP SCM 7.0

o LiveCache 7.7

o SCM Optimizer 7.0

o SAP GUI 7.10


- Dependencies of other IT/Non IT projects


- Do impact analysis for Upgrading Source system and Target system SCM APO 7.0

o Impact analysis should consider following :

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Hardware change
*
Software Components change
*
Data base change
*
Business Process wise functionality change
*
Interfaces/Integration with the SAP’s other product, Non SAP products
*
Dependency of other IT /Non IT projects



- While upgrading SCM 4.0 to SCM 7.1 consider inbuilt BW/ BI components release change



- Consider Authorization concept/objects change





- Testing


o Even though, scope of SCM APO 7.0 upgrade project is Technical Upgrade, spend minimum 25% on testing. Testing is most crucial activity in all type of Upgrade project

o Test thoroughly all critical business processes including unit testing, integration testing

o Involved business users in the testing phase

o Testing risk can be minimized by focusing of testing core business processes including following:

§ interfaces

§ Forms

§ Authorizations

§ Developments


- Training

o Follow the ‘Train the Trainer’ approach

o Train all the stakeholders and made aware them the delta changes between the source system and target system

o Provide hands on training so that business users would know the business transaction change, screen look changes, New functionality which they can adapt easily without going major functional upgrade


- Cutover plan

o Based on the Business processes, prepare cutover plan well in advanced by involving all the stakeholders

o Consider Core Interface/ Integration dependency involvement

o Consider Third party tool's integrated with SCM APO and it's compatability


- Minimize the downtime Technical as well as Business


- Plan all Post upgrade activities before handing over upgraded system to Business users

o Consider Adjustments to custom develop objects

o Delta customizing for existing business processes

o Adjustments to interfaces or connection with SAP applications such as R/3, external BI and third party products


- Involve SAP as early as possible to resolve any complex issues come across