Absoft Implements SAP S/4HANA migration to a West Midlands Public Council

A West Midlands Public Council has awarded a significant contract to Absoft, a leading UK-based SAP consultancy, for implementation of the SAP S/4HANA Public Cloud. Markedly, this is the inaugural SAP Public Cloud implementation within a UK local authority.

The contract was won by Absoft following an internal ERP analysis of the council carried out in April 2023. With a looming contract expiration date for its current finance system by the end of 2024, the council desired a new ERP solution. They subsequently selected SAP as the favoured ERP provider and opened the tender process to its partner network, where Absoft proved successful by offering a detailed package outlining a seamless cloud migration strategy.

Absoft has planned for the S/4HANA Public Cloud implementation to go live in December 2024. The deployment will include integration of SAP SuccessFactors and SAP Analytics Cloud. By utilising these comprehensive SAP suite products and continuous innovation from SAP, the council aspires to rationalise data-driven decision-making, thereby generating cost savings across its operations.

Implementing a single source of accurate and real-time information with cloud-based ERP solutions will enable the local authority to optimise their efficiency, automate and streamline processes. By leveraging instinctive analytics, they can adeptly anticipate and plan for alterations in business rates, council tax rates, personnel count, or inflation.

There’s an escalating pressure on local bodies throughout the UK to hasten their digital transformation initiatives. Moreover, budget constraints necessitate exploration of innovative technology applications that would facilitate automated processes, enhance efficiency, and enable effective service delivery amid an ongoing skills shortage.

Digital transformation’s benefits are evidently substantial. Besides cloud-based ERP systems being immensely functional and user-friendly, accompanying tools are purposefully designed to ensure that a local authority can maximise system utility right from the onset.

Providing a statement on Absoft’s win, Don Valentine, Commercial Director of Absoft shared, "Absoft understands the public sector industry thoroughly, and we are genuinely exhilarated about the scale of this SAP S/4HANA implementation. Our services will essentially enable the council to curtail costs, enhance efficiencies, and streamline their ongoing processes. As reliable advisors, we function as an integral part of our clients' businesses, and our dedicated team is pledged to delivering high-quality support."

He went on, "The contract for the Council marks the first public cloud implementation within a UK local authority, a significant win for both SAP and Absoft. We're eager to support the council's digital transformation, and we look forward to seeing what the future holds."