The Fit-to-Standard workshop is a cornerstone activity within the SAP Activate methodology, designed to align an organization’s business processes with SAP’s best practice solutions. This workshop replaces traditional blueprinting by focusing on adopting SAP’s standard processes rather than customizing extensively, helping accelerate implementation while reducing complexity and cost.
This article explains the purpose, structure, and best practices for conducting successful Fit-to-Standard workshops during an SAP implementation.
A Fit-to-Standard workshop is a collaborative session where business stakeholders and SAP consultants review standard SAP processes (delivered via SAP Best Practices) and evaluate how well they meet the organization's business requirements. The goal is to identify:
This workshop typically occurs in the Explore phase of SAP Activate.
Include key business process owners, SAP functional consultants, process experts, and project managers to ensure broad representation.
Structure sessions by process areas or modules relevant to the project scope, allocating sufficient time for review and discussion.
Communicate goals such as understanding standard processes, identifying gaps, and agreeing on next steps.
Use SAP Best Practice process models and demos to illustrate how the standard solution works. Visual aids like process diagrams and system walkthroughs help participants grasp concepts.
Facilitate discussion on how current business practices align or differ from the standard SAP processes.
Document any gaps where standard SAP does not meet specific business needs. Categorize gaps by impact:
Review the gap list with stakeholders to decide on solutions—whether to adopt the standard, adjust business processes, or consider extensions.
Create a detailed Fit-to-Standard Workshop Results document summarizing fit areas, gaps, decisions, and actions.
Fit-to-Standard workshops are a vital step in the SAP Activate methodology, enabling organizations to leverage SAP’s best practices effectively while identifying necessary adaptations. By conducting these workshops thoughtfully, project teams can accelerate implementation, reduce risks, and pave the way for a successful, sustainable SAP solution.