On the second day of the DSAG Annual Congress 2024, the keynote speakers once again explored the question of how users, SAP and partners can improve their interaction to ensure that companies are successful in their business transformation. The challenge: Companies have to deal with an enormous variety of topics – from moving to SAP S/4HANA to dealing with artificial intelligence (AI) and fulfilling legal obligations. To a certain extent, the companies are caught between building a future-proof ERP system as the strong backbone of corporate IT and the beneficial use of innovations and new technologies. The aim is to combine both aspects in the best possible way.
Day 2: Symphony of interaction
Modular ERP is often seen as the architecture of the future. A cloud ERP system is combined with the appropriate LoB solutions (LoB = Line of Business) – with SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP) acting as the technological basis. The aim of such a modular structure is to reduce the complexity of the IT landscape. At the same time, however, it does present technical and commercial challenges. And for international companies, legal requirements from various countries also need to be taken into account.
Despite SAP’s cloud offensive, hybrid IT landscapes remain a reality for the time being. Given the diversity of IT systems from different manufacturers, integration plays a crucial role in the functioning of the system landscape. With regard to AI, after the initial hype, the next phase is about providing use cases that deliver real added value for companies.
In order for SAP to better fulfill its role as a reliable player in the digital transformation in the future, DSAG has submitted a number of requests to Walldorf. For example, greater stability in the product portfolio should ensure more reliable framework conditions and make it easier for companies to make strategic decisions in favor of a specific SAP solution. DSAG would also like to see better regulations for “detached” ERP functionalities for which alternative solutions are already available on SAP BTP, even if they have not yet been officially discontinued as part of the ERP system.
DSAG is also calling for more clarity with regard to the large number of comparable SAP products in areas such as CX, as valid statements regarding discontinuations and strategic target solutions have been lacking to date. Legal changes must be reliably taken into account and delivered. On the one hand, global legal requirements call for early information and the certainty that the SAP software used will cover the new regulations. On the other hand, increasing national regulations are making cross-border business more difficult.
In order to recognize the growing importance of SAP partners for the success of companies’ digital transformation, a partner keynote was held for the first time at the DSAG Annual Congress 2024. In addition, the DSAG Partner Advisory Board, which was established last year, aims to give more weight to the interests of the more than 1,200 partner companies organized in DSAG and to represent them towards SAP in the interests of the entire SAP ecosystem.
But what is the role of SAP partners? In addition to technological and technical expertise, communication and trust also play a major role in successfully shaping the relationship with user companies. To stay in the language of music: By acting as conductors in the orchestra of SAP and users, SAP partners create the best conditions for redesigning business processes and models and mastering the digital transformation.
Photo: DSAG