Bridge SAP Governance
with Jira Cloud

Most Jira setups are generic or follow only a simple task management process. They lack SAP Activate governance, SAP Focused Build structure, and end-to-end Requirement to Deploy traceability. R2D ALM for Jira is not “just another Jira project” it’s a pre-configured internally integrated framework that makes Jira fit for SAP S/4HANA projects.

SAP Cloud ALM is a strong step forward compared to Solution Manager. It’s cloud-based, simpler to get started with, and aligned with SAP’s roadmap for the future. For many teams, it promises easier onboarding and a lighter technical footprint. Currently Cloud ALM is evolving but is still limited and less flexible, so you will need to wait before it delivers what it promises. With R2D ALM for Jira, you can manage your S/4HANA project today, in a proven tool your teams may already use or will quickly learn. Later you can decide if and how Cloud ALM fits into your landscape. You’re not locked in.

Focused Build embedded in Solution Manager is robust and solid as a method, but Solution Manager is being phased out in 2027. R2D ALM for Jira preserves the strengths and structure of Focused Build, but delivers it in Jira Cloud. A modern, user-friendly, and future-proof platform that is also available for the Service Management, needed later for SAP landscape maintenance.

The framework is based directly on elements derived from SAP Activate and SAP Focused Build process. It’s not theory: it has been tested in real-world S/4HANA transformation scenarios, and mirrors the way SAP programs are governed but with Jira’s flexibility and attractive UX.

R2D ALM for Jira is designed primarily for SAP S/4HANA implementations. However, the framework is scalable and adaptable to other SAP systems such as SuccessFactors. The key is alignment with SAP Activate and SAP Roadmaps - if SAP has published a roadmap and the project follows SAP Activate methodology, this framework can support such implementation.

Not at all. The solution is technically well and detailed documented in Confluence, and your Jira administrators (or Atlassian services vendors) have complete control. You own the license to use the configuration, no black box, no hidden dependencies. Optional support and customization are available, but never mandatory. You can hire any Atlassian consultant for this purpose.

R2D ALM for Jira is delivered and implemented together with your team in the shortest possible time. The most important is the motivation of your team and the PMO, especially the SAP Project Manager. The implementation itself is transparent and quick: you see the ready-to-use configuration in action, you learn how to use it yourself during hands-on workshops, you learn more from recorded videos, you get the process documentation, you control the final setup. Every milestone is measurable and transparent. There will be no “let me hear your requirements” during endless workshops. You simply get what you saw. If the team is engaged, the time needed to introduce the framework in practice in your project will be really short, most likely within 4 weeks.

R2D ALM for Jira is designed for fast value at fixed cost. The Discovery Workshop cost is low before you make an informed decision about implementing the full package. The time saved on reporting, audits, and rework quickly offsets the investment, which is not high in relation to the SAP implementation project budget or Atlassian consulting services needed to build a similar solution.

R2D ALM runs on Atlassian Cloud with enterprise-grade security controls. On top of that, the framework ensures audit-ready evidence: approvals, test results, release notes exportable to PDFs. A Security summary document is available for IT review.

Quite the opposite. Jira’s interface is far easier to learn and it takes less time. SAP-native tools often frustrate not only non-technical users but SAP consultants too. Also, very often Jira is often already in use outside the context of IT projects. R2D ALM simplifies adoption by embedding governance into workflows with automation, without adding unnecessary clicks.

Adoption is simplified with role-based enablement. Everyone learns basic navigation and only what he/she needs. Training start with key users and then we practice the delivery process in demo system role by role. Jira’s friendly interface keeps learning curves short. What can be a challenge is the level of knowledge and experience of the PMO and the Project Manger. R2D ALM for Jira embeds these methods and processes in the Atlassian toolset but the management team should be experienced in managing SAP projects. That is why they should be familiar with SAP Activate and SAP project management to be able fully levarage the value of the Requirement to Deploy process embeded in Jira.

R2D ALM for Jira implementation includes role-based training, video recordings, and detailed process documentation. Post-go-live support is included to answer questions and make small adjustments. As long as your team members get motivated to learn new ways of working and see there personal benefits, they will get the needed support.

R2D ALM for Jira is built on the SAP Activate methodology and the Requirements-to-Deploy process, so especially Project Managers and ideally Functional Stream Leaders should already be familiar with these concepts. The training provided as part of R2D ALM for Jira implementation focuses on how the methodology and the R2D process is digitized in Jira and Confluence. Teaching SAP Activate, R2D process or Scrum fundamentals from scratch is beyond the scope of this offer. This ensures the implementation is short and effective without duplicating knowledge that SAP teams are expected to bring to the SAP project anyway. SAP offers free courses about SAP Activate methodology on their SAP Learning portal.

R2D ALM includes the test management module with the integrated Jira app called Xray. Requirements, test cases, and defects are linked to SAP processes being implemented, providing full traceability. Auditors and managers can follow the chain from Requirements to Deploy without any Excel spreadsheets. Hence the name of the product. Testers can enjoy simple to use tool to track their test scripts and test steps.