The Digital Discovery Assessment (DDA) is the structured starting point for every SAP Cloud ERP implementation. In the DDA, you define together which business processes the new system should cover — and how well these processes align with the SAP Cloud ERP standard. The result reveals fit, customization needs, and expected project scope before the actual project begins.
Knowing what to expect before you start leads to better decisions. The DDA creates exactly this foundation.
What Is the Digital Discovery Assessment?
The Digital Discovery Assessment is a structured analysis and workshop process from SAP for companies planning to implement SAP Cloud ERP. SAP Cloud ERP — SAP's cloud-based ERP solution for mid-market companies, also known as S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition — is built on standardized business processes. The DDA clarifies upfront which of these processes your company needs and where the SAP standard meets your actual business reality.
In the DDA, the existing as-is processes for each relevant business area are captured and jointly mapped to the target processes of the new system. The result shows:
Based on the DDA results, the license and services scope is estimated and the Cloud ERP system is provisioned. This makes the DDA more than an analysis: it is the direct foundation for project kickoff.
Which Companies Is the DDA Suitable For?
The DDA is open to all companies planning to implement SAP Cloud ERP — regardless of which ERP system is currently in use. Whether you run SAP ECC, SAP R/3, another SAP system, a third-party ERP, or no ERP at all: the DDA is available to everyone.
For companies currently running SAP ECC or R/3, there is an additional option: a voluntary system-assisted pre-analysis, in which SAP automatically reads process data from the existing system. This analysis can significantly reduce the preparation effort in the DDA — but it is not a mandatory step. The DDA works without it, and no system access is required.
What Does the DDA Deliver and How Does It Differ from Traditional Analyses?
ERP projects run into trouble when expectations and reality diverge: underestimated customization effort, overly optimistic timelines, or budget assumptions based on too little information. The DDA addresses this directly.
Knowing after the DDA which processes are covered by the SAP standard and where customization is needed enables realistic planning. Not knowing means estimating — and carrying that estimation risk into the project phase.
The DDA provides a decision-making foundation on two levels. For leadership, it answers the essential questions: Does SAP Cloud ERP fit our company? What needs to change? What does that mean for time and budget? For IT teams, the DDA provides clarity on overall architecture, required adjustments via BTP, and interfaces to existing third-party systems.
This breadth makes the DDA a shared foundation for everyone involved — before the project begins.
Unlike traditional fit-gap projects that often require months of preparation, the DDA starts directly with the company: no documentation project upfront, no system access required. The processes are developed jointly in the DDA — with the people who live them every day.
How Does the Digital Discovery Assessment Work in Practice?
The DDA follows a clear structure that PART works through together with the company. It begins with an initial conversation to define which business areas should be covered in SAP Cloud ERP.
This is followed by dedicated sessions for each business area — typically:
Each session takes approx. 2 to 3 hours. The responsible managers or key users from each area should attend — because in the session, as-is processes are captured and live-mapped to the target processes of the new system. The result emerges directly in the conversation, not in post-session analysis.
Companies should plan for approx. 4 to 8 hours for the entire process — depending on the scope of areas to be covered, 4 to 5 hours is often sufficient. Those who wish can prepare parts of the DDA independently in advance and clarify open questions with PART together.
PART initiates the DDA invitation — typically a contact from the sales team who accompanies and coordinates the process.
The DDA is a free, preparatory step before the project begins. In practice, the result leads to one of three scenarios and all three are valuable outcomes.
Clear go with a realistic plan: The company knows the scope and effort of the implementation, can calculate budget and timeline on solid ground, and starts with credible expectations.
Adjusted approach: The DDA shows that certain areas require more preparation than initially expected. Scope, resources, or timeline are adjusted — before the project starts, not in the middle of it.
Targeted preparation before the start: Sometimes it turns out that certain prerequisites still need to be established. This insight is valuable and comes at the right time.
Whoever conducts the DDA gains clarity in any case. That is the real value of the upfront analysis.
PART Business Solution GmbH specializes in SAP Cloud ERP projects in the process industry — with clients from chemicals, pharmaceuticals, food, and mechanical engineering in the DACH region. This accompaniment begins not at implementation, but already at the DDA.
In the DDA, this means: PART is involved from the start with consultants and a contact from the sales team. PART provides expert context to the results: Which deviations are typical in the process industry? Which adjustments can be efficiently realized via BTP, and which are complex? Where is a process adjustment to the SAP standard recommended and where would an individual solution make more sense?
This context makes the difference. A DDA result without interpretation is raw data. Only the combination of analysis result and project experience becomes a reliable decision-making foundation.
PART understands the specific challenges of ERP projects in production environments with complex formulas, batch traceability, regulatory requirements, and process-industry-specific workflows. This industry depth flows into the assessment of DDA results and into every further step on the path to a successful SAP Cloud ERP implementation.
The Digital Discovery Assessment is not an additional step before the actual project. It is the foundation for starting the project with realistic expectations, a well-grounded plan, and the right priorities.
Companies that use the DDA start their SAP Cloud ERP implementation with greater confidence — and reach their goal more reliably as a result.
Want to know what the DDA means for your company? Talk to PART. We'll show you how the assessment works in your situation — and what insights you can take from it for your SAP Cloud ERP project.
What is the Digital Discovery Assessment?
The Digital Discovery Assessment (DDA) is a structured workshop process from SAP in which companies jointly define which business processes the new SAP Cloud ERP system should cover. The result shows which processes are covered by the SAP standard, where adjustments will be needed, and forms the basis for project scope, license planning, and system provisioning — before the project begins.
Is the DDA only suitable for companies already using SAP?
No. The DDA is open to all companies — regardless of which ERP system is currently in use. For companies with SAP ECC or R/3, there is an additional, voluntary system-assisted pre-analysis that can reduce preparation effort. The DDA itself works without this preparation — and requires no system access.
How much effort does the DDA require from our company?
Companies should plan for approx. 4 to 8 hours for the DDA — depending on the number of business areas to be covered, 4 to 5 hours is often sufficient. Each area typically takes approx. 2 to 3 hours. It's important that the responsible managers or key users from each area are present: they know the processes that are captured together in the DDA.
What do we need to prepare — do we need to provide system access?
No. PART initiates the DDA invitation. What's needed are the right contacts within the company — the responsible managers or key users from the areas to be mapped in the new system. Those who wish can prepare parts of the DDA independently in advance.
What happens if the DDA reveals many deviations?
That's not a setback — it's an important insight at the right time. Knowing where customization is needed before the project starts enables realistic calculation of budget, timeline, and resources. Adjustments not included in the SAP standard are realized via the SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP) — the DDA reveals where and to what extent this will be the case.
How does PART support us during the DDA and beyond?
PART specializes in SAP Cloud ERP projects in the process industry and accompanies the DDA with consultants and a contact from the sales team. PART provides industry-specific context to the results, explains options, and accompanies the entire journey from the initial analysis to successful implementation.