Global Technology Company – Process Decomposition & Documentation for Finance and Accounting Transformation

Introduction

A global technology company was preparing to migrate its finance and accounting operations into SAP. Before such a large-scale transformation could take place, the organization needed clear, complete, and standardized documentation of all related business processes — something that had never been formally captured across teams and regions.

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The Problem (Gut-Based Decisions)

Prior to the engagement, the finance and accounting organization faced several challenges:

• Processes had evolved organically and were inconsistently followed across teams
• Critical steps in workflows were known only to individuals — not documented formally
• Inefficiencies and variations existed in how core financial tasks were performed
• Dependencies, handoffs, and exception paths were not clearly mapped
• The team could not move SAP requirements forward without an accurate representation of the current state
• Lack of documentation created risk for both the transformation and day-to-day operations

Without a decomposed process inventory, the SAP implementation would be costly, risky, and prone to design gaps.

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The Solution (How Data Changes the Game)

We conducted a structured, enterprise-grade process decomposition and documentation initiative to create a full blueprint of finance and accounting operations.

1. Stakeholder Interviews & Workshops

• Engaged with process owners across controllership, AP, AR, fixed assets, revenue accounting, and FP&A
• Captured tacit knowledge held by subject-matter experts
• Identified pain points, variations, and regional differences

2. End-to-End Process Mapping

• Decomposed broad financial processes into detailed sub-processes and step-level workflows
• Mapped handoffs between teams and systems
• Documented exceptions, controls, and compliance requirements
• Highlighted redundancies and inefficiencies

3. Standardized Process Documentation

• Created a unified process taxonomy
• Developed comprehensive documentation including:
  • Swimlane diagrams
  • Sub-process hierarchies
  • Inputs and outputs
  • Key controls
  • System interactions
• Ensured all processes were expressed in a format compatible with SAP blueprinting

4. Foundation for SAP Requirements

• Delivered complete, clean, and validated documentation
• Enabled the SAP implementation team to accurately capture requirements
• Provided a stable foundation for configuration, testing, and change management

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Real-World Example (Specific Client Outcomes)

After our engagement:

• The finance organization had its first enterprise-wide process inventory
• SAP blueprinting moved forward with clarity and alignment
• Redundant or unnecessary steps were identified and streamlined
• Teams gained shared understanding of end-to-end workflows
• Process knowledge was no longer held in silos
• The company reduced risk associated with system migration and operational continuity

The documentation became the cornerstone for a successful SAP transformation.

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Conclusion

By conducting deep process decomposition and documentation across finance and accounting, the organization gained the structure, clarity, and alignment required to successfully transition to SAP. The engagement provided a unified view of how work was actually performed, identified opportunities for improvement, and enabled a scalable, controlled transformation. What began as undocumented tribal knowledge became a formal, enterprise-ready blueprint essential for the next stage of operational excellence.