SAP Business One Implementation – Final Preparation

The Final Preparation phase is the Penultimate stage of the SAP Business One implementation process, just before the system goes live. It is a critical phase that ensures all aspects of the implementation are thoroughly reviewed, tested, and ready for production use. The goal is to ensure a smooth transition from the implementation environment to the live system.

The Final Preparation phase covers the period before go-live. During this phase, the SAP Business One system and the client organization are transitioned into production mode. This includes training end users to use the new system.

A decision and date for go-live are agreed with the customer. Accounting balances and final transactions from the legacy system are transferred to the production system. The transfer of the balances takes place before go-live in what is called the “cutover” period.

The actual switch to go live happens at the end of this phase.

Key activities in the Final Preparation phase include –

• Training of End Users.
• Decision & Date for Go-Live agreed with the Customer.
• Accounting Balances & Final Transactions transfer to Production System (Cutover).

Below is a brief view of the key the milestones in Final Preparation stage:

• End users are trained & fully prepared to use the new system. Depending on the contract terms, end-user training is sometimes the responsibility of the customer. Even so, the partner still has a responsibility to assess that users can perform their jobs effectively.
• System readiness is a key decision that the client and the customer make together. It is to ensure that the system is ready for production operations. Everything must be in place: users trained, IT procedures, backup and recovery tests, functioning external interfaces etc.
• The third milestone stipulates that all cutover tasks are completed. Many critical activities must be completed in a short period to transfer operations from the legacy system to the new SAP Business One system.
• The last milestone is the checkpoint for the phase. Sign-off indicates that the customer agrees that all the conditions for go-live have been met. The SAP Business One system can now be put into production, at an agreed time and date.

The Final Preparation phase is pivotal for identifying and resolving any last-minute issues, ensuring that the SAP Business One system is ready for production use.

A successful Final Preparation phase sets the stage for a smooth go-live and a successful implementation of SAP Business One across the organization.