Home » Finance & Accounting » Guide to SAP Project Types: From Implementation to Support

[Free] Guide To Sap Project Types: From Implementation To Support

Explained with real time Examples – Free Course

Added on April 20, 2025 Finance & Accounting 2 min read

What you’ll learn

• Understand All 5 Types of SAP Projects
• Learn Industry Best Practices
• Real-World Case Studies & Examples
• Practical Skills for SAP Consultants & Project Managers

Requirements

• No technical skills required

Description

In SAP, there are five primary types of projects that organizations undertake:

1. Implementation Project

2. Support Project

3. Rollout Project

4. Enhancement Project

5. Upgrade Project

1. Implementation Project

Definition:
The process of deploying SAP for the first time within an organization, typically replacing legacy systems such as Tally, Oracle, or Microsoft Dynamics.

Example:
A manufacturing company transitions from QuickBooks to SAP S/4HANA to improve operational efficiency and integrate business processes.

2. Support Project

Definition:
Ongoing maintenance of an existing SAP system, addressing minor changes, fixes, and user requests after the initial go-live phase.

Types of SAP Support:

A) Ticket-Based Support

• Operates on a request-driven model (similar to submitting a service ticket for technical issues).

• Common use cases:

  • Updating tax codes (e.g., GST rate adjustments)

  • Modifying invoice formats

B) Production Support (24/7 Emergency Support)

• Provides real-time assistance for mission-critical systems.

• Typically used in industries where system downtime has severe financial or operational consequences:

  • Banking: A five-minute SAP outage in a major bank like SBI could result in millions in lost transactions.

  • Healthcare: Pharmaceutical companies like Apollo Pharmacy rely on SAP to manage critical drug supply chains.

Why is Production Support Expensive?

• Requires dedicated, on-call consultants to ensure immediate issue resolution.

• Example: A cargo shipping company could lose $7 million per minute if SAP fails during high-volume operations.

3. Rollout Project

Definition:
Expanding an existing SAP implementation to additional locations or business units within the same organization.

Example:
A global retail chain deploys SAP across 100+ stores to standardize inventory and financial reporting.

4. Enhancement Project

Definition:
Improving existing SAP functionalities by introducing new features, reports, or workflows.

Example:
A retail company integrates AI-driven demand forecasting into its SAP system to optimize inventory management.

5. Upgrade Project

Definition:
Migrating from an older SAP version to a newer one (e.g., transitioning from ECC to S/4HANA).

Example:
A pharmaceutical company upgrades its SAP system to comply with new FDA regulations and leverage advanced analytics.

Key Takeaways

• Implementation: Initial SAP deployment in an organization.

• Support: Ongoing maintenance, including ticket-based and emergency support.

• Rollout: Expanding SAP to new locations or departments.

• Enhancement: Adding new features to improve functionality.

• Upgrade: Moving to a newer SAP version for better performance and compliance.

Real-World Impact

• Banking: SAP system failures can result in millions of dollars in lost transactions within minutes.

• Healthcare: SAP ensures the availability of life-saving medications through efficient supply chain management.