Many SAP IT organisations consist of a small in-house team. Critical functions such as basis, support, and even development are outsourced, often to different partners. The partner carries out all the work, the IT team directs and supervises.
Automation promises better outcomes – improved control, better consistency, reduced reliance on skilled resources, and lower costs.
However, if everything is outsourced why automate when these outcomes are the outsourcing partner’s responsibility?
SAP IT automation
Even in outsourced arrangements, there is plenty of scope for automation. Here are three:
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- Improved control over systems
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- Less reliant on the outsourcing partner.
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- Reduced costs
Control
Automation provides in-house teams with more control.
For example, a fully automated SAP system refresh can be exercised by an in-house team without the involvement of the outsourcing partner. The team has complete control over which systems are refreshed and at what frequency. Refreshed systems are delivered upon request rather than in line with a negotiated frequency.
Reliance
Automation reduces reliance on outsourced skills
For example, if a range of standard or complex SAP jobs is managed by an outsourced basis team, outcomes rely on their knowledge of the processes and systems involved.
Automation will perform the task, or series of tasks, the same way every time. Prerequisites and subsequent tasks are completed in a proven order. Human error is eliminated, and unwanted variation is avoided.
Cost
Automating lowers outsourcing costs
Contract variations due to out-of-scope changes are costly. Human error and unwanted variations are also costly. Although partners pay for the training of those new to the job, delays, errors and retraining all add up.
With many critical outsourced tasks, such costs are avoided.
Outcomes
In an environment where System Integration and Services Partners are struggling to recruit and retain skilled professionals there is no guarantee the people working on your systems today are going to be available tomorrow. Inconsistency, unnecessary costs and loss of control are inevitable.
Automation offers SAP IT teams operating in highly outsourced support models to improve control, and consistency, and reduce costs.
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