NorthWestern Energy powers digital transformation with SAP S/4HANA®
NorthWestern EnergyThe Challenge
The energy industry is facing a huge transition, prompted by the COVID-19pandemic and the resulting shift in consumer behavior and fluctuating globalmarkets. NorthWestern Energy is confronting these changes head-on, puttingtechnology at the center of its business strategy.The company came to SNP for help with their transformational journey to migratetheir current SAP ECC solution to SAP’s next-generation offering, S/4HANA.To achieve that goal, they needed a clear roadmap, a defined business case, andkey functionality upgrades.The company sought to migrate 20 years of data from their old ECC platform whilesimplifying and standardizing processes, cleansing and removing legacy data,eliminating unused SAP transactions, and consolidating or retiring company codes.
The Project
Project Type
Full ECC migration to SAP S/4HANA
Highlights
- Substantial time and resource savings from rapid project implementation.
- Optimizing and planning for scalability by having a complete view of all SAP landscapes.
- State-of-the-art SAP S/4HANA technology enables a higher-performing ERP system and reliable planning for future technology investments.
SNP Products
- CrystalBridge® – The Data Transformation Platform
- Analysis: Enterprise Structure (Es)
- Transformation: Transformation Cockpit (Tc), Transformation Content (Co)
Scope
- Migration from Classic GL to the Universal Ledger
- Customer/vendor to business partner conversion (1:1 migration of customers/vendors to BP)
- Migration to MRP areas
- Third-party solutions: PowerPlan, Serrala, PWC Utility Accounting
In-scope applications:
- ECC 6.0 EHP 8 migration to S/4HANA for the following ECC 6.0 modules:
- SAP FICO – GL, AR, AP, CO, PRA, JVA, PS, FERC
- SAP MM/IM – Purchasing & Inventory
- SAP HCM – OM/PA, Payroll
- SAP SD
- SAP PM
Our collaboration with NorthWestern Energy & the resulting Benefits
SNP worked with NorthWestern Energy and other partners to design, plan, and execute a successful migration strategy. The core project involved upgrading SAP ERP to SAP S/4HANA. The move to S/4HANA provides NorthWestern Energy with a faster, higher- performing ERP system that reduces “technical debt”, eases user adoption through the new Fiori UI, and allows the implementation of future SAP innovations and support.The entire legacy ERP portfolio was transformed by this upgrade.
Traditionally it takes companies about two years to upgrade their SAP ECC system. Using IBM’s Rapid Move powered by SNP’s one-step BLUEFIELDTM approach, NorthWestern Energy was able to complete the S/4 migration in just nine months.
- One-step approach to achieve rapid and cost-efficient project implementation
- State-of-the-art SAP S/4HANA technology enables a higher-performing ERP system and reliable planning for future technology investments
- Greater efficiency, variability, and flexibility
- Smooth business continuity due to very short downtime
Key Facts
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Affected Countries
USA
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Project duration
9 months
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Partner
IBM
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Project type
SAP S/4HANA migration
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Migration size
1.5 TB
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Users
2,500
The experts at SNP helped us implement one of the most complex and innovative projects in our history, and we did it on time and on budget.
Jeanne Vold
CIO NorthWestern Energy
About NorthWestern Energy
NorthWestern Energy provides essential energy infrastructure and valuable services that enrich lives and empower communities while serving as long-term partners to customers and communities. They work to deliver safe, reliable, and innovative energy solutions that create value for customers, communities, employees, and investors. This includes bridging their history as a regulated utility safely providing low-cost and reliable service with their future as a globally aware company offering a broader array of services performed by highly adaptable and skilled employees. The company provides electricity and natural gas to approximately 743,000 customers in Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Yellowstone National Park.
