Establishing a Robust Analytics and MDG Program for an S/4HANA Implementation
Clarkston Consulting partnered with a CPG manufacturer during its SAP S/4HANA transformation to implement enterprise-wide master data governance and an integrated analytics strategy. Read a synopsis of the project below or download the full case study.
Download the Analytics and MDG Program for S/4HANA Case Study Here
During an SAP upgrade from ECC to S/4HANA, a make-to-order CPG manufacturing company engaged Clarkston to establish a robust data foundation and analytics framework to drive process consistency, operational transparency, and intelligent decision-making. The data and analytics program was delivered in parallel with the S/4HANA implementation, ensuring tight integration with core business processes and strong business alignment. The overall approach was anchored in two key pillars—Master Data Governance (MDG) and Analytics—spanning both SAP and the broader enterprise ecosystem.
An enterprise-wide MDG program was designed, along with a phased roadmap to extend governance capabilities across all ERP (and other) systems. In parallel, an SAP MDG solution was designed and implemented, significantly reducing manual master data maintenance by leveraging automated workflows and rule-based validations to improve data accuracy and processing speed.
The second pillar of the initiative—Analytics—presented unique challenges during the SAP upgrade. After many years on a legacy SAP ECC platform, the organization had developed a highly customized environment. These customizations, combined with substantial business process changes introduced by the S/4HANA implementation and fundamental shifts in backend data structures, complicated the definition of data requirements and the integration of reporting solutions.
The Clarkston team defined an optimized integration and architecture strategy to seamlessly incorporate S/4HANA data into the Azure data lake and Qlik reporting environment, while proactively preparing the platform for near-term advanced analytics and AI initiatives. In parallel, real-time operational analytics were deployed across Finance, Supply Chain, and Manufacturing using SAP Embedded Analytics, enhancing operational visibility and enabling faster, more agile decision-making.
Through close collaboration across Clarkston and client teams, the Clarkston project team led a strategically aligned and technically integrated S/4HANA ERP deployment. This initiative successfully established a robust Data Governance and Analytics program, delivering immediate efficiencies in daily operations while laying a strong foundation for future advanced analytics and data-driven decision-making.
