S/4HANA implementation at EnBW: KPMG supports energy supplier with transformation

The introduction of S/4HANA, the new enterprise resource planning system (ERP) from SAP, is an important step for companies in setting the course for the future. However, replacing the software leads to a radical change in the internal system landscape and is therefore a complex and time-consuming task. KPMG supported the Baden-Württemberg energy supply group EnBW with the S/4HANA conversion. In this video, those involved talk about the remarkable background to the major "sCORE 25" project, which ran for five years.

S/4HANA is replacing the R/3 system landscape at EnBW, which is more than 20 years old. The process reorganisation focused on more than 300 companies with more than 10,000 users. 100 members of the core project team and, at peak times, 60 consultants from KPMG worked on "sCORE 25".

According to EnBW, the previous system landscape had shown "more and more limits". Now those responsible wanted to reduce complexity across the board and standardise processes. This is what Hubert Walterer from the technical programme management at EnBW says. The new platform should make it possible to use innovations quickly and implement digitalisation initiatives. According to Walterer, the project required a "strong partner", which was found in KPMG.

Watch the video to find out how KPMG supported the client EnBW with the S/4HANA transformation as part of the "sCore25" project.

The project was divided into four phases. The first phase involved analysing the status quo and future requirements. In the second phase, the implementation of a prototype in a pilot company was developed and put "live" within a year. This involved redesigning functionalities around the "commercial core" of the system. This created a basis for other companies. Process changes were jointly redesigned in teams.

The third phase involved large-scale implementation: the functional scope of S/4HANA was extended to EnBW's core business. After two years of the project, 80 per cent of the S/4HANA functional scope had already been implemented at the large EnBW companies. A key aspect of the third phase was data migration, which was intended to ensure a smooth transition from the old to the new system landscape.

The fourth and final phase of the project involved the roll-in of the other EnBW companies. In the end, around 300 companies were transferred to the new ERP system within around three years. Change management was particularly relevant in the final phase. The focus was on communication and different learning formats in order to sharpen the skills of the users and ultimately prepare the employees for the "go live" in the best possible way.