Day 19 of 30 Days of EA Learning
In the talk "Clean Core: Mastering a future-proof and agile ERP" at the Next Generation SAP Enterprise Architect Forum 2024, Steffen Pietsch, Vice President and Head of BTP Product Management at SAP, navigated through the crucial strategies for achieving a future-proof and agile ERP system. He emphasized the significance of agility and upgrade readiness in the rapidly evolving technological landscape, advocating for a balanced approach between standardization and differentiation to maintain competitive edge.
In a world where digital evolution is relentless, Steffen emphasizes the criticality of maintaining an up-to-date, efficient, and clean ERP core. By advocating for a strategic reduction in custom code and promoting the three-tier extensibility model alongside SAP's Business Technology Platform (BTP), he presents a compelling case for fostering innovation while preserving the integrity of core ERP systems.
Key Insights:
- The agility of ERP systems is paramount in adapting to the rapidly changing digital landscape.
- A "clean core" strategy is essential for simplifying upgrades and lowering the total cost of ownership (TCO).
- The strategic balance between standardization and differentiation is crucial for competitive advantage.
- Leveraging SAP BTP enables businesses to develop flexible, scalable applications without compromising core system cleanliness.
Steffen’s session is a must-watch for those looking to navigate the complexities of modern ERP systems effectively.
Main Themes
The main themes that run across the "Clean Core: Mastering a future-proof and agile ERP" talk include:
- The Importance of Agility and Upgrade Readiness: The rapidly changing business and technological landscape necessitates that organizations remain agile and ready to upgrade. This agility allows companies to adopt innovations swiftly and stay competitive.
- The Balance Between Standardization and Differentiation: While standardizing processes is essential for efficiency and consistency, differentiation is crucial for maintaining a competitive edge. The talk emphasizes the need for businesses to find the right balance between adopting standard solutions and customizing processes to meet unique business needs.
- Custom Code as a Liability: Custom code is identified as a significant liability rather than an asset, due to the maintenance and upgrade challenges it introduces. The talk advocates for minimizing custom code and managing it effectively to ensure a clean core.
- The Strategy of Clean Core: A clean core, characterized by an up-to-date, unmodified, and efficient ERP system, is crucial for ensuring agility, simplifying upgrades, and lowering total cost of ownership (TCO). The concept of a clean core is central to future-proofing ERP systems.
- Decoupling Custom Code from SAP Code: The talk underscores the importance of decoupling custom code from SAP code to maintain system integrity and upgrade safety. This involves adopting a three-tier extensibility model and leveraging SAP's Business Technology Platform (BTP) for side-by-side extensions.
- Leveraging SAP's Business Technology Platform (BTP): BTP is presented as a key tool for innovation, allowing businesses to build applications that complement the core ERP system without compromising its cleanliness. The platform offers a wide range of capabilities for developing flexible and scalable applications.
These themes collectively highlight the talk's focus on preparing for a future where agility, efficient management of custom code, and the strategic use of SAP technologies are crucial for maintaining a competitive and innovative ERP system.
Remember:
"Code is a liability, not an asset.” – T. Winters, T. Manshreck, H. Wright (Software Engineering at Google)
“Clean Core helps to outbalance value generation and liability to future-proof your ERP landscape.” - Steffen Pietsch"
Access Presentation: Here
Watch the YouTube Video of Steffen's Presentation: Here
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