What specific challenges and costs does a company face when it changes something as central as its time management system? This was the question that prompted ZDF to carry out a proof of concept together with DATAGROUP. This involved analyzing the effort and costs involved in converting the previous COBOL-based system to SAP HCM.
Many companies are still using old, COBOL-based systems. There is a simple reason for this: they work and are often deeply networked in the IT systems. In the long term, however, such systems mean high maintenance costs, especially as the necessary specialists are not available. But can a system that has grown with the company over many years be mapped in modern, standardized systems such as SAP HCM to a sufficient extent and with a reasonable amount of work?
ZDF commissioned the SAP HCM experts at DATAGROUP to find out exactly that. ZDF had already introduced SAP for personnel administration and organizational management, so there were already some interfaces to the previous system. The idea of mapping the previous time management system there was therefore an obvious one.
The evaluation took place in workshops with the HR and IT managers, in which the status quo was analyzed in detail. The aim was to understand exactly what had to be implemented from a technical perspective, such as collective agreements or works agreements, and what the process requirements were. The SAP HCM experts from DATAGROUP then checked the extent to which everything could be mapped in SAP HCM. The initial result was sobering: implementation would be possible, but would involve very high costs.
However, DATAGROUP did not stop there, but showed where simplifications in the process flows would still lead to the desired end result, but would significantly reduce the costs of the changeover.
The feasibility analysis now provides ZDF with a comprehensive final document that breaks down the costs in a comprehensible manner and also clearly sets out the next steps required, such as prototyping or project planning.
"Thanks to the feasibility analysis, we have a much more concrete idea and, above all, reliable cost estimates for moving our system to SAP HCM. This makes it much easier for us to plan and implement this system change."
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