Advantages of using BPR in an SAP project

[Former Member]

Hi

Could anyone tell me what are the advantages and significance of using the Business Process Respository (BPR) while starting an implementation Project (or template project). Lets say as opposed to NOT using the BPR. What are the pros and cons of the two approaches? And how reliable are these BPR contents?

Appreciate your answers

Drake

[Former Member]

Hi Drake,

BPR comes from SAP and delivered via Software Component ST-ICO. Periodically, SAP keeps upgrading this component and in my view, one of the best enablers of Solution Manager.

From a Project point of view, if you use BPR provided content, at Scenario, Process level, it inherits all 'associated' assignments, like Transaction Codes, IMG nodes relevant for a given Process Step. Also, it loads any other accelerator documents from SAP in General Documentation Tab.

These contents are helpful for Business Process Monitoring (BPM) too when you want to 'inherit' the Processes and Process Steps defined in Project into Solution. There are standard metrics that SAP provides for process steps in BPM that would be more easily compatible if a project had got the same terminology.

BPR, however, isn't as comprehensive as we may like it to be. It's rich on some areas and frugal on certain others.

In terms of 'reliability', well there is no specific aspersions that could be cast on it

If it's rich, it's visible and useful; where it's not good enough, we can always add some content and still make some good use of it.

Another advantage of using BPR is that when a new version of BPR is downloaded and applied, using SA_PROJECT_UPGRADE transaction, the system will offer a chance to see areas which are impacted by a change and those can accepted in SOLAR01/02.

So, BPR-led content can always be kept up-to-date.

In my personal experience, I have realised that 2 consultants can easily have 4 opinions! On ever fluid concepts like Scenario, Processes etc. to attain a convergence of thoughts and minds is a difficult proposition. BPR allows for a project to close the gap and adopt SAP ways of definition and helps jump-start the project. The time saved is better used in value added areas or in rigorous testing and training !

The only firms/ projects which may want to shy from BPR could be those:

- who have a fairly well established vocabulory of defining their day to day processes and where retrofitting SAP definitions can be counter productive

- who have traditionally used advanced platforms like ARIS or other tools

- who work in industries inadequately represented by SAP

Best regards,

Srini