Too many S/4HANA programmes are driven by deadlines rather than informed strategic decisions. The University of Sheffield chose a different path. Before committing to a migration route or confirming the target end-state, Sheffield made a deliberate decision to understand the true data reality within its existing SAP ECC environment: a no-regret diagnostic designed to deliver value regardless of the migration path.

 

In this session, Arthur Clune, CTO at the University of Sheffield, and Alex Smith, Head of Solutions at Xmateria, will share the discovery approach and explain the importance of what this work revealed. You will hear how a focused data discovery assessment created a foundation for confident strategic decision-making across scope, risk, timelines and future ERP operating model and how, for the first time, it pulled IT, HR and Finance into a shared conversation about data.

 

The session will show why starting with data rather than deadlines or migration assumptions changes the nature of every discussion that follows. You will understand why analysing ECC data ahead of the project and establishing data governance foundations early is critical to unlocking future AI value in S/4HANA. AI capabilities will only ever be as effective as the accuracy of the underlying data model: something this assessment made visible before any ERP migration project commenced.

 

This is a practical, experience-led session for SAP customers who want to navigate S/4HANA strategic choices with clarity and confidence, grounded in their own data landscape rather than generic industry assumptions.