5 Mistakes You Are Making with SAP Functional Specifications [Template]

How To Get Control Of Your WRICEFs

In every SAP implementation, almost without exception, the need will arise for one or more developments, popularly known as FRICE-W (Forms, Reports, Interface, Conversions and Enhancements and Workflows).  In the current SAP ASAP methodology, these are normally identified during the blueprint phase, but developed during the Realization Phase.

The Functional Specification part of this process is where monster’s lie.

Specifically, the methodology allows you to wait until the Realization Phase to finish the Functional Specifications.  No good can come of this.

Why? This chart should make it clear that the closer you are running to full capacity, the higher the impact of any delays.

Per the SAP ASAP methodology, you, the Project Manager, need to revalidate the project timelines at the beginning of each phase.  If you have not yet finalized all of your FRICE-W Functional Specifications when you've finished the blueprint phase, then you have made the following 5 mistakes:

• Allowing a change to the project scope to seep into the project without having the information to evaluate its impact on your schedule (especially on the Realization Phase), cost or estimated completion date.
  
  
• Functional Specifications typically require a high degree of involvement from the customer business process expert.  If they are late, you will be late.
  
  
• As functional gaps identified during the blueprint phase (or before) are taken by the end user as functionality they won’t see in the delivered product, you have allowed friction to enter into your client-customer relationship.
  
  
• Caused false analysis results vis-à-vis available standard functionality.
  
  
• Missed the impact on your schedule the developments will have.

Why is this such a big deal? 

Well, in my experience, and as it turns out, in many other SAP implementations, a project review almost always yields a statement like the following from 3^rd party project evaluators.

“Delays in writing functional specifications and in completing required legacy

system interfaces could put additional strain on implementors' off-shore

resources to generate code for a large number of objects in a short amount

of time. Delays caused by poor or rushed off-shore development may not

manifest itself until integration testing.”

As you can see, the above evaluation result clearly misses the root cause of costly project delays - failing to get the functional specifications completed during the blueprint phase. As you recall from your SAP Academy training, the Business Blueprint documents how the business intends to run it's business using SAP solutions post Go-Live.

Solution:  As soon as a gap is identified, get the functional specification completed, even if in only a preliminary state. To ensure your specifications are up to par, you can use our template.

Want to benefit from these and many other experienced based pieces of advice?  We've made a series of Project Management videos you might enjoy. 

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