The Implementation Guide (IMG) is the tool which adjusts the R/3 System to the requirements of a company. You use the implementation guide to structure and organize the implementation of the R/3 System in your company.

The implementation guide is a hierarchical structure of the application areas in the component hierarchy. It contains all the work steps required for the implementation with documentation.

There are three implementation guide variants:

• the SAP Reference IMG
• Project IMGs
• Project view IMGs

SAP delivers an Implementation Guide, the SAP Reference IMG, that contains the work steps for all applications as IMG activities in the R/3 System.

To reduce the complexity of the configuration process in the SAP Reference IMG, you generally create separate implementation projects. In the implementation projects, you choose only those functions that you need for the processes in your project. You generate separate project IMGs for each implementation project and for release updates.

You can generate views to structure your project activities by selecting attributes by specified criteria. For example, the mandatory activities view contains only those activities that are required.

You can use the IMG to:

• Configure R/3 functions in your company in a quick, safe and cost-effective manner
• Adapt standard functions to meet your company requirements
• Manage, edit and analyze implementation or upgrade projects
• Document and monitor implementation phases with a project management tool
• Transfer configuration data automatically from the quality assurance system to the production system to ensure consistency

The implementation project team is led through all required Customizing settings and is given the necessary system configuration documentation for all required steps.