Digital Transformation through RISE with SAP and AI Joule Implementation- An Intelligent Enterprise Transformation project

Objective:

To modernize our ERP landscape through the SAP RISE Cloud migration, strengthen infrastructure efficiency, and enable intelligent automation with AI Joule as part of the organization’s digital transformation strategy.

The major project goals achieved were:

a) By modernizing the core ERP platform, Thal enhanced scalability, flexibility, and overall system performance. The new functions and features helped Thal improve existing business processes and brought efficiency in the organization

b) By optimizing IT infrastructure, Thal reduced maintenance efforts and improved business continuity.

c) By enabling AI-driven productivity, Thal gained data-driven insights for faster and smarter decision-making.

d) By supporting the digital transformation strategy, Thal ensured agility, innovation, and continuous improvement across all levels of the organization.

The project required extensive work from basis admin, network admin, functional, business teams and PMO. Project requires strong collaboration of teams within organization ,vendor and SAP end.

Following were the outcome:

a) Successful Cloud Migration: Seamless transition from on-premise SAP S/4HANA to RISE with SAP Cloud, ensuring system stability, data integrity, and zero major downtime.

b) Modern and Scalable Infrastructure: Improved system performance, security, and scalability through cloud-based infrastructure, reducing maintenance and hardware costs.

c) Enhanced Business Agility: Enabled faster deployment of updates, easier integrations, and the flexibility to scale business operations as needed.

d) AI-Driven Productivity: SAP Joule AI introduced intelligent automation, simplifying user tasks and improving decision-making through predictive insights.

e) Improved User Experience: Streamlined workflows and self-service capabilities enhanced employee efficiency and satisfaction.

f) Cost Optimization: Reduced total cost of ownership (TCO) by eliminating on-premise hardware and simplifying IT management.

g) Stronger Business Continuity: Enhanced disaster recovery, backup, and system availability through cloud resilience and security features.

h) Foundation for Future Innovation: Established a future-ready digital platform to support upcoming AI, analytics, and automation initiatives.

Following are the core items used during implementation:

1. SAP S/4HANA (RISE with SAP Cloud Edition) Software to manage core ERP system for finance, supply chain and operations.

2. SAP Joule AI assistant to manage automation, analytics and intelligent insights

3. SAP Build and BTP for integration and development

Following are the supporting software and tools used:

1. SAP Fiori Launch pad a user interface for simplified access and workflows

2. SAP Datacenter hosting supporting SAP S4Hana on Rise Cloud

3. MS teams for collaboration with project teams

4. MS Share-point for project documentation

Following are the auxiliary systems and integration

1. Integration with existing business systems (Time Attendance)

2. Data backup, recovery, and security systems integrated via the RISE platform

3. Secured network connection via Firewall, Endpoint tools, Network monitoring tool, IPSec tunnel

The project was highly complex as it combined ERP migration, cloud adoption, and AI implementation within a live business environment. Migrating from on-premise S/4HANA to RISE with SAP Cloud required careful planning to ensure data integrity, system compatibility, and minimal downtime.

Integrating SAP Joule AI added another layer of challenge, as it required process redesign, user training, and effective change management to help teams adapt to AI-driven workflows. Coordinating among multiple stakeholders — business users, SAP consultants, cloud engineers, and management — also demanded strong communication and project governance. Despite these challenges, the project was completed on time and without business disruption, showing strong teamwork and planning.

One major difficulty was the approval process. Proper justification was required for the move from on-premise to cloud. Thal’s IBM hardware was due to expire in October 2024, but as the approval process took time, the Go-Live was rescheduled for March 2025. The IT team secured approval for new Power10 hardware in the IT Steering Committee session, where one member suggested exploring SAP RISE Private Cloud and GROW Public Cloud. Due diligence took about two weeks, during which both options were evaluated with different partners and organizations that had already implemented them.

After the Steering Committee approved the move, the next challenge was obtaining early access approval from SAP Germany for the portal. Normally, SAP provides a 90-day lead time, but in our case, we received access within a month. Another issue was the partner team’s lack of clarity on their role in leading the migration project. Each activity required lead time and coordination with SAP Germany, but the partner was unaware of these dependencies, which delayed the Go-Live.

One key lesson learned was that reliance on the local vendor team should be minimized, as the SAP team provides clearer guidance and better prioritization. The IT team eventually took the lead, directly interacting with SAP, while the partner took a supporting role.

Another major challenge was bandwidth allocation. There were conflicting opinions from the partner and other customers regarding the required bandwidth. During the implementation, a connectivity break interrupted the backup transfer, causing delays. This experience helped the team realize the need to upgrade the bandwidth from 50 Mbps to 150 Mbps during backup transfers.

VPN tunnel connectivity also proved challenging. SAP’s connectivity guidelines needed careful review, and backup connectivity had to be managed in-house. Initially, the IT team was unaware, and the partner lacked expertise, making IPsec tunnel configuration and testing for both primary and DR scenarios difficult within a short timeline.

This project focused on migrating the organization’s SAP S/4HANA system from an on-premise environment to RISE with SAP Cloud as part of a broader digital transformation initiative. The goal was to modernize IT infrastructure, improve scalability, and enhance system reliability while reducing operational costs.

As part of this transformation, SAP Joule AI was implemented to introduce intelligent automation, improve user experience, and provide real-time insights for faster decision-making. The project successfully integrated cloud technology and AI to create a future-ready, efficient, and intelligent enterprise platform aligned with the company’s strategic vision.

Following were the project objectives:

1. Migrate ERP System to Cloud: Successfully move the existing SAP S/4HANA from on-premise infrastructure to RISE with SAP Cloud with minimal downtime and no data loss.

2. Modernize IT Infrastructure: Replace legacy hardware with a scalable, secure, and cost-efficient cloud platform to improve performance, reliability, and disaster recovery. All operating system and database queries are handled by SAP directly, Thal just has to open the case and provide available timeslot permission. Hassle free upgrades and patches by SAP directly leaving time for the Thal IT team to focus more on customer support and improvement ideas

3. Implement AI Joule: Deploy SAP Joule AI to enhance business processes through intelligent insights, automation, and improved user productivity.

4. Ensure Business Continuity: Conduct smooth transition and system testing to ensure all business operations continue seamlessly after migration.

5. Enable Data-Driven Decision Making: Integrate analytics and reporting tools to support real-time insights for better and faster management decisions.

6. Build a Future-Ready Platform: Create a foundation that supports future AI, IoT, and digital innovation initiatives across the organization.

The project was implemented across all Thal Limited business units and subsidiaries in Pakistan, covering multiple locations including head office, manufacturing plants, and regional offices.

The RISE with SAP Cloud platform enabled centralized access and standardization of processes, allowing remote teams to operate efficiently from any location. With the cloud-based infrastructure, the system can now be securely accessed by users from anywhere in the world, supporting future expansion and international collaboration.

Aside this cloud infrastructure has the necessary information security tools and data availability and reliability SLA enhancing the overall trust of the organization