The migration to SAP S/4HANA is a complex process that requires specialised skills and expertise. It is not just a technology upgrade, but a significant business transformation that can affect every aspect of your organisation. The migration deadline is fast approaching. with mainstream maintenance for SAP Business Suite 7 scheduled to end in 2027, the transition requires careful planning, resourcing and time.

Resourcing is a critical factor in ensuring a smooth and successful migration to S/4HANA. It includes identifying the skills and experience required for the migration project, determining the size and composition of the team needed, and assessing the availability of internal resources. If internal resources are not available, clients should consider hiring external SAP consultants or contractors who have experience with S/4HANA migrations.

Here we share the top consideration points for your resourcing strategy:

1.  Identifying the skills and experience required

The first step in ensuring successful resourcing for your SAP S/4HANA migration is to identify the skills and experience required for the project. This includes assessing the technical and functional expertise required, as well as understanding any industry-specific or regulatory requirements that may apply to your organisation.

Some of the key skills and expertise required for an SAP S/4HANA migration project may include:

• SAP Basis administration
• Data migration and integration
• Functional expertise in specific SAP modules, such as finance or logistics
• Technical expertise in SAP HANA, ABAP, or other programming languages
• Project management and coordination

2.  Determining the size and composition of the team needed

Once you have identified the skills and expertise required, the next step is to determine the size and composition of the team needed for your SAP S/4HANA migration project. This will depend on factors such as the size and complexity of your organisation, the scope of the project, and the timeline for completion.

Some of the key roles and responsibilities that may be required for an SAP S/4HANA migration project include:

• Project manager
• SAP Basis administrator
• Functional consultants
• Technical consultants
• Data migration specialists
• Testing and quality assurance experts

3.  Assessing the availability of internal resources

Before hiring external consultants or contractors, it is important to assess the availability of internal resources within your organisation. This includes identifying any employees who have the skills and experience required for the project and determining their availability and capacity to take on additional responsibilities.

Assessing the availability of internal resources can help you determine the size and composition of the team needed and identify any skills gaps that may need to be filled with external resources.

4.  Hiring external SAP consultants or contractors

If internal resources are not available or are insufficient to support your SAP S/4HANA migration project, you may need to hire external SAP consultants or contractors. When selecting external resources, you should look for providers with experience in SAP S/4HANA migrations and a track record of successful project delivery.

Some of the benefits of hiring external SAP consultants or contractors may include:

• Access to specialised skills and expertise
• Increased flexibility to scale resources up or down as needed
• Reduced risk of delays or errors due to staff shortages or skill gaps
• Knowledge transfer and upskilling for internal resources

5.  Identifying long-term resourcing needs

In addition to resourcing for the migration project itself, it is also important to consider the long-term resourcing needs of your SAP S/4HANA system. This includes identifying the roles and responsibilities required to support the new system and ensuring that the organisation has the necessary resources and skills to maintain and optimise the system over time.

Some of the key roles and responsibilities that may be required to support an SAP S/4HANA system after the migration include:

• System administration and maintenance
• Functional support for end-users
• Technical support and development
• Data management and governance

6.  Working with an SAP talent provider

Working with an SAP talent provider such as RED Global can help you ensure that you have the right SAP talent in place to support a successful migration project and ongoing system maintenance. 

By working with an expert SAP recruitment agency, you can benefit from:

• Access to a pool of SAP talent with specialised skills and expertise in S/4HANA migrations
• Flexibility to scale resources up or down as needed
• Shortened recruitment and onboarding timelines
• Reduced risk of project delays or errors due to skill gaps or staff shortages
• Training and upskilling for internal resources
• Ongoing support and maintenance for your SAP S/4HANA system

In conclusion, resourcing the right SAP talent for your S/4HANA migration is key to a successful migration project.  By following the above advice, you can minimise the risk of delays, errors, and other issues that can arise during the migration process.

Contact RED Global today to learn more about how we can help you with your SAP talent resourcing needs. As an employer you can also book a strategy call and one of our Directors will be in touch to discuss your S/4HANA talent needs.