FIT 4 SAP Proof of Concept

How It Works

Watercolour of Isard Haasakker in glasses and a white shirt walking down a warehouse aisle with a programme lead with curly grey hair and a short beard, both in hi-vis vests, between tall pallet racking in warm light. The programme lead gestures as he explains; an operative scans boxes at a packing station and a forklift waits in the background.

This page walks through the four phases of a FIT 4 SAP engagement: from initial questionnaire through scope agreement, delivery sprint, and final decision point. Each phase has clear entry criteria, defined deliverables, and explicit exit conditions that prevent drift.

The Four-Phase Process

Phase 1: Pre-PoC Conversation (Week -2)
Phase 2: Scope Agreement (Week -1)
Phase 3: 30-Day Delivery Sprint (Weeks 1-4)
Phase 4: Review & Decision Point (End of Week 4)

Each phase must be completed before the next begins. No phase starts until the entry criteria are met. No exceptions.

Phase 1: Pre-PoC Conversation

Filter for fit before commitment.

Watercolour of two executives in business casual, a bald man in a light blue shirt and a woman with glasses, reading printed questionnaire pages together at a wooden desk, her pen resting on one question, a city skyline at golden hour in the window.

The executive downloads the questionnaire from the main No Tie Generation website. These questions are designed to reveal the complexity hiding in plain sight.

Example questions:

Do you have intercompany transactions?
Do you invoice customers in multiple currencies?
Do you manufacture to order or to stock?
Do you use customer-specific pricing rules?

If answers reveal the scope is too large for 30 days, the conversation stops, or the scope narrows. Mutual respect for time prevents bad-fit engagements.

Purpose: Surface hidden complexity early, set realistic expectations, and filter prospects who need longer validation.

Key deliverable: Completed questionnaire and initial scope discussion.

Exit criteria: Both parties agree the prototype is feasible OR agree it's not the right fit.

Governance principle: No surprises. Complexity is visible before commitment.

Phase 2: Scope Agreement

Lock the boundaries before Day 1 begins.

Watercolour of a video call in a small meeting room: Isard Haasakker appears on a wall screen, explaining with open hands, while a woman in a blue-and-white scarf signs a short document at a round table and a bearded colleague in a navy cardigan listens, a city skyline at golden hour in the window.

Convert questionnaire insights into a formal scope document. Define ONE critical business scenario to prototype, not a roadmap. Just one thing that truly matters and costs you millions when you get it wrong.

Identify what will NOT be tested. An explicit out-of-scope list prevents "just one more requirement" drift.

We only focus on what a Clean Core S4 can offer, as it forces the essential discussions about business transformation and change management.

Define three possible outcomes with success criteria for each.

Documents produced:

Scope Agreement (maximum two pages, in plain language)
Success criteria matrix
Out-of-scope register

Exit criteria: Both parties sign the Scope Agreement, triggering the payment for the FIT 4 SAP Proof of Concept.

Fee: £50k plus VAT, and travel within the UK included.

Governance principle: Scope locks. No changes. No refund.

Phase 3: 30-Day Delivery Sprint

Day 1 starts after the payment receipt of the FIT 4 SAP Proof of Concept based on the signed Scope Agreement.

Configure, test, document everything, especially what breaks.

Watercolour of Isard Haasakker at his desk with pen and notebook while a woman in a blue-and-white scarf leans in and points at something on his monitor. Through the glass wall behind them, a warehouse with pallet racking, a forklift and an operative in a hi-vis vest.

Configure the S/4HANA system to test the agreed scenario using standard SAP functionality. Clean Core principle applies: no custom code during prototype. Test with realistic data, but anonymised and representative of actual business complexity.

Document everything that doesn't work as expected. Weekly 1-hour check-ins ask one question: "What broke this week, and were we able to fix it?"

What happens during the sprint:

Time on the floor with the people who do the work, to find the workarounds nobody documented.
System configuration using standard S/4HANA functionality.
Testing with realistic business data and scenarios.
Real-time documentation of problems encountered.
Weekly progress check-ins (1 hour, findings-focused).
Governance artefacts are created continuously, not at the end.

Governance Artefacts Created During the Sprint

Scar Log

Running document of every problem encountered. Chronological entries, dated, no euphemisms.

Prevents "we didn't know" defences. Valuable document for the full implementation team.

Decision Register

Log of every scope negotiation or deviation request. Records who requested what, when, and what was decided.

Shows where organisational pressure tries to break discipline. Demonstrates that the consultant held the line, and where a request deserves it, recommends a separate proof of concept.

Board Pack

Executive summary (ten slides maximum) designed to brief the board or steering committee in 15 minutes.

Structure:

Executive Summary (outcome + key insights)
What We Tested (scope reminder)
What Worked (green lights)
What Didn't Work (scars summary)
What Changed (decision register highlights)
Recommendations (three options with trade-offs)

Evidence-based, not opinion-based. Problems named directly, not hidden in passive voice.

What "Fixed Timeline" Actually Means

Day 30 arrives regardless of completion status.

If scenario works: green light, proceed with full implementation
If scenario partially works: document gaps, decide if fixable before commitment
If scenario fails: document why, provide redesign recommendations

You WILL get deliverables on Day 30. The question is whether they say "proceed" or "fix this first."

What Happens When Things Go Wrong

Not every PoC succeeds technically, but every PoC succeeds as a learning exercise.

If the prototype breaks irreparably (Day 20 meltdown), switch to Findings-First Mode:

Stop trying to make it work
Document what broke, why it broke, and what that means
Research alternative approaches (process change vs. custom code vs. third-party tool)
Deliver governance artefacts as scheduled on Day 30, focused on "what we learned"

Key message: Failure to prove viability is valuable evidence. You paid for truth, not false hope.

Exit criteria: Day 30 arrives. All governance artefacts complete.

Governance principle: Transparency is insurance against amnesia.

Phase 4: Review & Decision Point

Evidence-based decision making.

Watercolour of Isard Haasakker presenting to four managers in business casual around a boardroom table, beside a screen showing three blocks in green, amber and red. A thin printed report lies in front of each manager; a city skyline at golden hour in the window.

Present findings via Board Pack. Walk through Scar Log (problems encountered), Decision Register (scope pressure points), Board Pack (recommendations).

Three Possible Outcomes

1. Green Light with Confidence

You’ve seen standard S/4HANA handle your scenario. Proceed to full implementation knowing it works. Scar Log documents the edge cases. Decision Register shows where stakeholders tried to expand scope.

2. Fix Gaps Before Committing

We found where standard SAP breaks. We prototyped what is possible within a Clean Core system. You know exactly what custom rules you’ll need.

3. Redesign with Evidence

Your operating model needs rethinking when your business requirements don’t fit standard S/4. Design a custom solution OR change the business process. Better to know now than after £10M spent. Board Pack provides evidence for the process redesign business case.

Exit criteria: Executive makes informed decision based on evidence, not promises.

Governance principle: No outcome is "failure." Truth is success.

Why This Process Works

Fixed timeline prevents "one more sprint" syndrome. Locked scope forces prioritisation. It reveals what organisation REALLY cares about vs. what they claimed in requirements. Governance artefacts prevent gaslighting and capture learning.

Standard functionality bias exposes business process problems early. Weekly check-ins keep surprises small. The Findings-First Mode ensures honest findings even when the prototype fails technically.

Common Questions

Q: What if my scenario is too complex for 30 days?

A: Then we narrow the scope to ONE testable element. If nothing is isolatable, that's a finding: your business model may not fit standard S/4. Better to learn this before the £10M commitment.

Q: What if requirements change during the 30 days?

A: We document the change request in the Decision Register, explain the impact on the timeline, and mutually decide whether to accept or defer. Scope doesn't change silently. Every deviation is recorded and justified.

Q: What if the prototype fails?

A: That's a successful engagement. You learned your business model needs redesign BEFORE spending millions. Failure to prove viability is valuable evidence that prevents larger disasters.

Q: Can we extend to 45 days if needed?

A: No. Deadlines without consequences aren't deadlines. Day 30 forces truth. If 45 days seems necessary, that reveals the scope was wrong. Better to run a second focused PoC than drift into "project mode" where timelines become negotiable.