HP'S Accelerated SAP Implementation Approach Cuts R/3 Implementation Time in Half

Business Wire, May 24, 1996

PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 24, 1996-- Hewlett-Packard Company today announced an accelerated SAP R/3 implementation approach that may cut by more than half the time it takes to implement SAP R/3 systems. The new approach, developed by HP's Professional Services Organization, is designed to enable organizations to implement some R/3 systems in as little as four to six months.

The accelerated approach addresses many of the issues being faced by organizations that want to implement SAP R/3 but are concerned about major cost and time overruns, poor system performance, problem ownership, resources, complexity and ongoing dependency on consultants. Customers benefit from fixed prices, ensured delivery schedules and performance benchmarks, single vendor ownership, reduced in-house resource requirements and effective knowledge transfer.

Customers working with HP's Professional Services Organization to implement R/3 using the accelerated approach purchase a bundled product that includes the components and services required for a rapid, low-cost implementation. Much of the integration and configuration is performed in parallel using standard templates that have been engineered to produce a stable, maintainable R/3 system environment.

Using the accelerated implementation approach, HP's Professional Services Organization recently completed the implementation of R/3 on the HP-UX(1) platform at JBL Professional, a California-based organization that markets professional audio equipment. The fixed-price project was completed in four months and included the finance, sales and distribution, control and materials-management modules of R/3.

"We wanted assurance that the R/3 system would be delivered -- and that our staff would be ready to use it -- on time and within budget," said Dennis Barry, vice president of finance and administration at JBL Professional. "We could not afford delays or cutover problems. HP's Professional Services Organization used its accelerated approach to project-manage the implementation, which was achieved in a third of the time and at a third of the cost we had expected.

"HP was staging the production systems even before the hardware arrived at our site. We were receiving education and training both on-site and at HP Education Centers while the implementation progressed. We went 'live' just four months after assessment."

The new UNIX(R) system R/3 system at JBL Professional replaces an IBM AS-400 system and includes HP 9000 K-class and E-class servers and HP Vectra personal computers.

"We believe that technical knowledge, business knowledge and application knowledge integrated through superior project-management skills are vital to the success of an R/3 implementation," said Lenny Alugas, Americas SAP practice manager with HP's Professional Services Organization. "Using our accelerated approach, HP professional services consultants will work with the customer's organization to transfer the skills and knowledge needed to support and maintain the new environment. By focusing on a multidisciplined, empowered core group from the customer's organization, we can do this quickly and effectively. These key people then become 'agents of change,' with the self-sufficiency necessary to maintain and enhance the system."

"HP's new accelerated R/3 implementation approach should appeal to many organizations that are looking to implement a relatively basic R/3 system on the HP platform," said Cheryl Groover, SAP's Global Partnership manager for HP. "The approach allows companies to push the implementation through in a matter of months -- minimizing implementation costs and disruption to ongoing business operations."

In addition to education and training services, HP's Professional Services Organization performs the application implementation and IT architecture and integration activities simultaneously. "We hit the project running, and we keep running," said Alugas. "The team is disciplined to stay highly focused and achieve a great deal in a short period of time, aided by fast feedback loops. We do not spend time creating throwaway prototypes but concentrate on delivering a fully functional system on time and within budget."

The HP accelerated SAP implementation approach is not suitable for all R/3 implementation projects. For example, if extensive business-process re-engineering services are required, or if a highly customized version of SAP R/3 is needed, a custom implementation approach may be best. HP's Professional Services Organization will continue to provide services to address these needs. The HP accelerated approach is currently available in the United States. It will be made available internationally in a phased manner.

HP Professional Services Organization provides open, client/server technical consulting, education, application implementation and systems-integration services to help customers around the world meet their challenges in today's fast-changing business environment. HP's professional-services consultants apply their own experience, leverage HP's knowledge base in client/server computing and draw on partner resources to deliver end-to-end enterprise-technology solutions that are open and flexible.