SAP R3 Business BluePrint - Planning Your SAP Implementation

Every SAP implementation project goes through pre-defined stages. Some of you might remember my post on the milestones in an ERP implementation project. Normally, the first stage in a SAP R/3 project is the Business Blueprint stage. Business blueprints help in guiding people through complex business processes. SAP R/3 business blueprint uses computer based graphic modeling methods in integrating technology and business processes. In a nutshell,

Business Blueprints in SAP are a definitive description of R/3, providing a comprehensive view of the main business processes and business solutions available in the R/3 system.

Some important points worth mentioning here are:

1. Business blueprints in SAP R/3 help business users understand complex business processes. Infact, the goal of the business blueprint is to streamline business processes.

2. Business blueprints are often the first step in business engineering. Blueprints help in speeding up SAP R/3 implementations facilitating communication among SAP customers and SAP R/3 consultants.

3. SAP R/3 business blueprint stresses on four key areas:
- Events i.e. when should something be done
- Tasks or Functions i.e. what should be done
- Organization i.e. who should do what
- Communication i.e. what information is required to do the right task

4. To summarize what I just said above, SAP R3 business blueprint tells business process owners who must do what, when and how.