Data and Custom Code in SAP S/4HANA Migrations: Why CEO’s Combine the Conversation

In a recent fireside chat, Syniti CEO, Kevin Campbell, conducted a deep dive into data and custom code with Derek Oats, CEO of smartShift, the world's leading provider of Intelligent Automation for SAP transformations, Last year, Syniti and smartShift joined forces to create a succinct solution of data migration and custom code remediation for companies moving to SAP S/4HANA via the Selective Data Transition approach.

You can watch the entire fireside chat here, however, for a quick summary, I’ve focused in on the conversation’s key theme - why executives believe data and custom code remediation should be a combined conversation.

Derek Oats, CEO of smartShift and formerly of SAP, kicked it off.

“Having been in this space for a long time, a couple of topics always show up. It’s always about data and custom code and how to address them. When I joined smartShift (in 2020) it was clear there was a natural partnership (between Syniti and smartShift) that should occur. For businesses, there’s a lot of economies of scale in having this conversation - of data and custom code- together.”

Derek Oats, CEO at smartShift

After addressing the drivers that pulled Syniti and smartShift together into partnership, Kevin Campbell, shared some of the consistent scenarios he hears from fellow CEOs when discussing SAP S/4HANA migrations, and how these two topics of data and custom code are always raised.

“The two biggest issues (for CEOs) are: my data stinks, and then that I have all these enhancements that my business relies on… How do I make sure that is addressed when I migrate to the new platform?”

Kevin Campbell, CEO at Syniti

Kevin went on to discuss the Selective Data Transition approach and how a combined data and custom code conversation can accelerate and enhance the S/4 transformation.

“It’s all about the business case. Nobody wakes up in the morning thinking they want to do a business transformation. It’s getting to the business benefits at the end of it and getting to them as fast as you can. The SDT approach allows you to focus on the most critical areas and get them out of the way first. Migrate (business relevant data) in an automated fashion, and then take those legacy customizations and move them over to take advantage of the new platform (S/4). smartshift has a great approach for this: a quick, efficient automated way that is frankly spectacular.”

Kevin Campbell, CEO at Syniti

From Derek’s experience, he found that finance and the CFO office found benefits in talking about data and custom code together as it helps consolidate the group conversations around business transformation. He continued by addressing the importance of specialisation in these highly technical areas.

“It’s important to have the market leaders as partners in the particular areas that are responsible for delivering the plan. Syniti for data. smartShift for custom code.”

Derek Oats, CEO at smartShift

To which, Kevin added.

“As CEOs, predictability is the biggest thing. Predictability leads to credibility. This automation (from both Syniti and smartshift solutions) is done to take out a bunch of variabilities and get it done faster.”

Kevin Campbell, CEO at Syniti

The discussion between the two CEOs, included further customer stories and plenty of insights from their personal experiences. I’d recommend you give the whole conversation a listen using this link to hear it all.

To learn more about the combined approach from Syniti and smartShift to address data and custom code challenges in S/4HANA migrations, visit our Selective Data Transition webpage.

To read more news and thought leadership from Syniti visit our blog at blog.syniti.com.