Turning a Challenge into an Opportunity
Every business faces technological shifts, and for a leading e-commerce and retail company in Life Sciences & Healthcare, the deprecation of SAP Commerce Product Cockpit (PC) was a major turning point. With SAP rolling out its new Backoffice PCMT (Product Content Management Tool), the company had to make a move—but not just any move. They needed a smooth transition, zero downtime, and enhanced efficiency. Here’s how they made the shift without missing a beat.
The Challenge: A System That Needed to Evolve
The company relied on Product Cockpit (PC) for catalog and product management, but with SAP discontinuing support, the risks became clear:
Missing Features & Compatibility Issues—The customized tools in the Product Cockpit didn’t exist in the Back Office PCMT.
Inefficient Workflows – The old system required too many manual steps, slowing productivity.
Risk of Business Disruptions – A messy migration could mean downtime, errors, or worse, frustrated customers and lost sales.
With these challenges ahead, they needed a future-proof solution that would improve their system rather than replace it.
The Solution: A Thoughtful, Strategic Migration
1. Bridging the Feature Gap & Refining Processes
The first step? Understanding what was missing.
- Conducted a full audit of the existing Product Cockpit setup and compared it to Backoffice PCMT.
- Identified gaps and missing functionalities, finding more innovative ways to optimize workflows instead of replicating old ones.
- Streamlined catalog and product management, removing redundant steps and automating key processes.
- Aligned business needs with the latest Backoffice PCMT capabilities, making the transition a step forward, not just a swap.
The Result: A well-structured migration plan that not only filled gaps but made operations leaner and more efficient.
2. Smart Development & Migration Strategy
Rather than rushing into migration, the team took a phased, strategic approach to ensure seamless integration and scalability.
- Developed a step-by-step migration roadmap, prioritizing:
- Product enrichment and attribute management.
- Automated catalog workflows to reduce manual tasks.
- User access and permissions aligned with Backoffice PCMT.
- Custom-built extensions where needed, ensuring that essential business processes weren’t just retained but enhanced.
- Refactored API integrations to align with the new Backoffice PCMT structure, keeping ERP, CRM, and payment systems seamlessly connected.
The Result: A future-proof, scalable Backoffice PCMT environment ready to support growth and agility.
3. Testing & Fine-Tuning for a Smooth Rollout
No one wants surprises on launch day. To guarantee a glitch-free transition, the team tested and validated every detail.
- Ran parallel testing between Product Cockpit and Backoffice PCMT to validate accuracy before completing the migration.
- Engaged end-users in testing early, incorporating feedback to refine the UI/UX experience.
- Conducted rigorous data validation to ensure consistency and eliminate errors.
- Built a rollback plan—just in case (though it wasn’t needed!).
The Result: A zero-downtime, risk-free launch with teams and customers transitioning seamlessly.
The Big Wins: What Changed for the Better?
The results spoke for themselves:
- 100% Feature Migration Success – No functionality was lost; in fact, new efficiencies were gained.
- 40% Reduction in Manual Work – Smarter workflows meant fewer manual steps in catalog management.
- Faster Product Setup & Approvals – A streamlined UI meant quicker turnaround times for updates and promotions.
- Zero Downtime, Zero Disruptions – Customers never noticed the switch because it was smooth and uninterrupted.
- A More Scalable Future – The new Backoffice PCMT setup positioned the company for easier updates and long-term growth.
The Takeaway: Why This Was More Than Just a Migration
“This wasn’t just a tech upgrade—it was a business transformation. By using the migration as an opportunity to rethink processes, this retailer didn’t just stay up-to-date; they gained a competitive edge.” - Aleksey Chirkoff, CEO and Founder of inbybob_
What can other businesses learn from this success?
- Don’t just migrate—optimize! Every system update is a chance to improve efficiency and automation.
- Test, test, and test again. A seamless transition depends on rigorous testing and validation.
- Think beyond IT. Migration isn’t just about code; it’s about making business operations smarter and faster.
