Key Questions for reviewing SAP implementation?

Manjunath Ramaiah

1. What business needs and requirements that system should satisfy vis-à-vis the
available resources?
2. Was implementation a controlled process?
3. Was test procedures spelled out in advance?
4. What was data migration or transfer process implemented in order to ensure
completeness and accuracy of the migrated data?
5. Was individual tasks during planning and execution detailed to control each task?
6. Was there frequent changes to contents during the implementation? How was the
change control implemented?
7. Was there any omission of key requirements and functions which was needed but
not considered during the implementation?
8. Were specific needs of business considered prior to implementation?
9. Was their quantitative and qualitative goals set? Were legal and security aspects
given due consideration during implementation or were they treated as secondary
issues?
10. Were there adequate competent, knowledgeable resources from the entity during
the implementation?
11. Was there lack of adequate testing procedures which resulted in uncovering of many
security gaps and errors in production environment after the system has gone live?
12. Do business decision makers receive enough information on whether data is
complete functionally and numerically correct?
13. Did you experience any data leakage or system outage or experience any issues that
indicate new system does not support business strategy?
14. Have the users accepted the system and using it effectively or are they using excel
or manual procedures to maintain information and furnishing excel generated
reports instead of system generated reports? What is the percentage of excel reports
vs. system generated reports?
15. Specifically, whether:
 Were sufficient preparatory activities performed such as adequate definition
of business requirements and resource requirement analysis?
 Was there a quality assurance process to ensure that the system is
implemented and operates according to international or predefined
requirements and legal requirements?
 Were adequate testing procedures performed according to best practices to
ensure necessary controls are developed and operated?
 Was there a data migration validation plan to examine the completeness,
accuracy and reliability of the migrated data?
 Were assessments performed to verify the implemented system’s
functionality meets specification and business requirements?