Client Overview
A major multinational clothing brand headquartered in the U.S. partnered with Tekrise Solutions to undertake a transformative Greenfield S/4HANA implementation. This retail and fashion giant aimed to modernize its data landscape, integrating systems such as SAP Master Data Governance (MDG) and Customer Activity Repository (CAR) to streamline operations and enhance business insights. Tekrise Solutions was selected as the strategic partner to guide the client in developing an advanced analytics roadmap and migrating their data integration needs to SAP’s cloud-based solutions.
The Challenge
The client’s existing SAP BW environment needed to evolve to support the demands of a modern, cloud-based analytics platform. They required a comprehensive strategy to consolidate data from SAP and non-SAP sources, enable data cleansing and governance, and empower business users with real-time insights for better decision-making. The project’s scope included a full migration to SAP Datasphere (formerly SAP Data Warehouse Cloud), SAP Analytics Cloud (SAC), and SAP Data Intelligence on SAP’s Business Technology Platform (BTP).
Key challenges included:
- Developing a future-proof data and analytics strategy aligned with SAP’s evolving product suite.
- Establishing a cloud-based data architecture that supports a vast number of external data interfaces.
- Ensuring data governance and accuracy for key functions like inventory management, sales analysis, and returns analysis.
- Collaborating with SAP product teams to address integration limitations and shape product roadmaps.
Solution and Implementation
As the SI technical lead, Tekrise Solutions partnered with the client to design and implement a data-driven solution using SAP’s advanced analytics and data integration tools. Our team of experienced data architects, technical leads, and developers worked closely with both the client and SAP to build a system that met the client’s analytics needs while setting the foundation for long-term scalability.
Key Contributions
Roadmap for Data Modernization and SAP BW Sunset
Tekrise crafted a roadmap to phase out the existing SAP BW environment, migrating all data integration and reporting needs to SAP Datasphere, SAC, BW Bridge, and SAP Data Intelligence. This roadmap also provided a structured transition plan for the client’s data team.
Executive Engagement and Visualization of Capabilities
Working with client executives, Tekrise demonstrated the “art of the possible” by showcasing SAP’s capabilities using actual customer data. This helped key stakeholders understand the value of modernizing to SAP’s cloud-native solutions and the potential for real-time data access and analytics.
Seamless Data Integration Strategy
Tekrise designed a robust strategy using SAP Data Intelligence to handle a high volume of SAP and non-SAP data sources. Given the client’s need for diverse external interfaces, we defined a data integration framework that overcame product limitations for both supported and unsupported data targets.
Data Governance and Cleansing in SAP Data Intelligence
To ensure accurate and high-quality data, we implemented a data cleansing and governance strategy within SAP Data Intelligence. This empowered the client to maintain data consistency and reliability, essential for inventory management, sales analysis, and return analysis.
Future-State Architecture Design
Tekrise led the design of the interim and future-state architecture, incorporating SAP Fiori, Datasphere, Data Intelligence, and SAC to meet the client’s analytics and reporting needs. We created workflows to streamline the choice between Embedded Analytics, SAC, and data federation for efficient reporting.
Ground-Up Environment Setup
Tekrise built the entire customer landscape from scratch, working closely on basis activities with SAP to configure essential connections, set up the DP agent for Datasphere, and establish secure connections across S/4HANA and other systems.
Space Management and Master Data in Datasphere
To optimize the new data environment, we developed space management strategies and managed master data, dimension, and text associations within Datasphere, enabling the client to better organize and retrieve data.
Custom Fiori Apps and Advanced Reporting Capabilities:**
Our team designed and developed custom Fiori apps using custom CDS views and OData services. This enabled business users to access tailored analytics and reporting solutions directly within their SAP ecosystem.
BW Bridge Environment for Legacy Data Migration
Using SAP BW Bridge, we facilitated the migration of legacy data by developing dataflows, exposing ADSo objects in Datasphere, and supplementing with custom development for areas such as Material Management, Inventory, and Logistics.
End-to-End Functional and Technical Support
Tekrise developed detailed functional and technical specifications to support the client’s reporting needs. This included building complex data models in Datasphere and Data Intelligence, developing inventory models, creating HANA views, and enabling real-time data replication from S/4HANA, MDG, and CAR systems.
The Outcome
Through Tekrise Solutions’ expert guidance, the client successfully transitioned to a state-of-the-art analytics and data integration platform powered by SAP’s Business Technology Platform. The new cloud-based architecture has allowed the company to streamline its data processes, integrate SAP and non-SAP data, and achieve reliable, real-time insights for critical decision-making.
Key Benefits
Unified, Real-Time Analytics
With SAP Datasphere and SAP Analytics Cloud, the client now has a centralized analytics platform that provides accurate, real-time insights for inventory, sales, and return analysis.
Efficient Data Governance
Tekrise’s data cleansing and governance strategy ensured that the client’s data remains accurate and reliable, improving reporting quality across departments.
Scalable Data Integration Framework
The client’s new data integration setup with SAP Data Intelligence supports diverse data sources, enabling flexibility and scalability for future data needs.
Improved User Experience
Custom Fiori apps and embedded analytics offer a user-friendly experience, enabling business users to access and act on insights quickly.
Conclusion
Tekrise Solutions enabled this global apparel brand to achieve a transformative analytics overhaul using SAP’s advanced cloud-based solutions. By implementing a unified data strategy with SAP Datasphere, SAC, and SAP Data Intelligence, Tekrise set the foundation for the client to make data-driven decisions, streamline operations, and adapt to future challenges with ease.
This partnership underscores Tekrise’s commitment to delivering tailored, future-ready solutions that drive business value and foster growth.