Project Setup for Second Deployment

Question

Company has completed first deployment of SAP (Finance) using an Implementation Project in Solution Manager. We are about to embark on our second deployment (Operations/Mfg). We'd like some advice on how to set up our second implementation project. A couple of facts that may affect the decision:
We know in the second deployment there will be many decisions that will have a significant effect on artifacts developed in deployment 1.
Deployment 1 implementation project will be transitioning to a Maintenance project within one month
We know there are options like:
Complete separate implementation project for Deployment 2.
Separate implementation project for Deployment 2 with Reference copy of Deployment 1.
Copy Deployment 1 into Deployment 2 and add ...
Which option of the 3 listed above would you consider and why?

Answer 1

Hi Theresa,
Instead of the options you have listed above, I would recommend the following instead:
1) Create a new Template Project, and include 'content' from your Implementation Project into this Template Project
2) Take care to move all artifacts from Project Documentation to General Documentation tab and remove all artifacts from Project Documentation tab
3) Other content copied into tabs like Transactions, Development, Test Cases can remain as they are
4) Allocate these newly 'reconstructed' structure and contents to 'Templates'
5) Make those Templates public
6) Create a new Implementation Project for Deployment 2 and 'copy from' these Templates, under 'Scope' tab
7) Thereafter, treat the Template Project as the 'master' project where you'd make incremental changes and pass on the values to Implementation project (deployment 2) from time to time [using SA_PROJECT_UPGRADE transaction and then, Adjust and Compare button]
8) Once deployment 2 goes operational, you dont have to worry about artifacts as they'd always be available from the Template Project for all future deployments.
Trust this helps.
I do not normally recommend the one time 'project copy' function when you are fully aware that there are going to be many more deployments or 're-use' of content later.
Template -> Implementation project is a real good functionality from SolMan. It comes with the following two limitations, as I see:
1) Graphics Tab does not copy into Implementation Projects in terms of 'compare and adjust' - so if you intend making good use of Graphics tab (using Free Components/ Business Partners etc.) you'll miss out that in terms of regular 'compare + adjust'
2) There is no automatic cascading of 'Compare + Adjust'; you have to do it node by node.
I have made good use of this in my earlier and current project(s) and see this as a good way to consolidate knowledge.
Cheers,
Srini