It’s a period of rapid change and innovation in the SAP ecosystem, with customers evaluating potential adoption of cloud ERP, SAP S/4HANA, and artificial intelligence while simultaneously focusing on maximizing their existing investments in SAP technology.
This is especially true in the ASUG community, where members are additionally focused on integration, sustainability, and automation within their technology landscapes. One of the biggest takeaways from the recent SAP Sapphire and ASUG Annual Conference in Orlando was how many announcements closely aligned with topics critical to ASUG members. With that in mind, here is a quick breakdown of key announcements for the ASUG community.
Cloud ERP and Integration Strategy:
2024 ASUG Pulse of the SAP Customer Research indicated that moving to SAP S/4HANA is the top focus area for ASUG members, with 48% calling it the “most important” focus for their organizations this year. The results also showed that integration is a leading challenge for 34% of respondents.
Seeing as how these priorities align with SAP’s strategy to help transition customers from on-premises ERP environments to the cloud, it’s no surprise that major announcements at SAP Sapphire & ASUG Annual Conference Orlando included significant advancements and support for cloud ERP migration and integration initiatives, including:
- Expansion of the SAP Business Transformation Center – SAP unveiled new scenarios for transitioning from SAP ERP Central Component (ECC) to SAP S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition. Traditionally, customers making this jump could choose between deploying a brand-new solution or doing a system conversion. Moving forward, customers can choose a "lean selective data transition scenario,” which will help eliminate extraneous custom code and enable customers to adopt a clean data foundation. In a release, SAP said these scenarios will help customers "extract, transform, and load relevant data; and validate data for completeness, consistency and correctness.”
- New SAP S/4HANA Cloud Certification – Available now on the SAP Learning Hub, this new certification ensures IT professionals “possess the core skills required to explain and execute core implementation tasks.” Specific skills covered in the certification include “deploying, adopting, and extending SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition.”
- SAP Integration Suite Anomaly Detection – Fueled by machine-learning capabilities, SAP Integration Suite now possesses application programming interface (API) anomaly detection capabilities to identify API call surges and drops easily.
Generative AI took center stage at the conference, playing a critical role in both executive keynote addresses. During his keynote, Christian Klein, SAP CEO and Member of the Executive Board of SAP SE, declared, “We are entering a new phase of AI, with endless possibilities for all.”
The announcements about AI innovations, products, and strategic partnerships clearly showcased SAP’s dedication to pushing these technologies forward. Over one-third (38%) of ASUG members identified AI as impactful for their digital transformation initiatives this year; this figure marked an increase from just 23% in 2023, indicating the growing importance of AI to the ASUG community.
AI-specific announcements from the conference included:
- Ongoing integration of Joule, SAP’s generative AI copilot, across the SAP enterprise portfolio, including SAP Ariba and SAP Analytics Cloud later in 2024.
- New consulting capabilities within Joule, critical for customers transitioning to SAP S/4HANA Cloud as part of the RISE with SAP program.
- Additional embedded AI capabilities through business applications for CX, ERP and finance, HR, procurement, and more.
Sustainability also emerged as a key topic at the event, reflecting yet another critical area for ASUG members, as revealed by our inaugural ASUG and SAP Sustainability Research Study. The challenges and opportunities associated with this topic are becoming increasingly important to the ASUG community, and SAP continues to equip customers with new tools and capabilities necessary for long-term success in driving sustainability initiatives year over year.
Sustainability announcements spanned a variety of functions, from tracking to monitoring and reporting capabilities, embedded into the SAP cloud ERP portfolio, with specifics related to key SAP Sustainability solutions, including:
- SAP Sustainability Control Tower – Customers can automatically report their available environmental, social, and governance (ESG) data.
- SAP Sustainability Footprint Management – The solution now possesses AI-enabled capabilities that increase the accuracy and speed of carbon footprint calculations. Additionally, SAP said in a release this solution enables “intelligent emission factor mapping recommendations.”
- Carbon Calculator Engine – SAP Sustainability Control Tower and SAP Sustainability Footprint Management are now equipped with features allowing users to “address the full scope of required emissions reporting in alignment with universally accepted carbon accounting practices defined in the Greenhouse Gas Protocol.”
Other key announcements that align with this year’s strategic topic programming included:
- New SAP BTP solution diagrams designed to help accelerate project timelines.
- Extended capabilities within SAP Analytics Cloud, allowing customers to integrate with Microsoft PowerPoint natively.
- New SAP Build and ABAP Cloud capabilities, letting developers extend the capabilities of their ERP systems while keeping their core clean.
- New generative AI capabilities across SAP Signavio.
It’s encouraging to see so many of this year’s SAP Sapphire & ASUG Annual Conference Orlando announcements directly address critical focus areas for the ASUG community. ASUG's aim is to continuously meet members' top needs by providing ongoing guidance, education, and support. Sharing these key announcements with the broader community fosters deeper understanding and engagement across strategic topics, ensuring that ASUG's year-round programming remains aligned with SAP's strategic direction and members' evolving priorities.
To see a full list of announcements, check out the SAP Sapphire News Guide 2024. And to discover best practices, lessons learned, and other insights on these topics, visit asug.com/insights.
Kelly Dowling is Director of Content Strategy at ASUG.