Companies expect cost savings of up to 30
percent through AI
- Increasing complexity of the IT
landscape makes seamless integration and communication between SAP
and non-SAP applications a central concern for respondents.
- Cloud is the trend: Over 70 percent of
the surveyed companies opt for the latest version of SAP S/4HANA,
preferably in the cloud.
- High demands on SAP partners:
Competencies in the security of SAP systems and smooth operation
are among the must-have criteria at 77 percent.
BIELEFELD, Germany, July 2, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- To better understand the current status quo and
future developments in SAP operations, the analyst firm PAC,
commissioned by the global IT service provider NTT DATA Business
Solutions, surveyed 200 SAP and IT managers in Europe and the USA. The results of the study "SAP Application
Management in Europe and the
USA", conducted between
January and March 2024, highlight the
impacts and opportunities presented by innovative technologies. It
provides insights into how companies manage their software
applications and what challenges they face using SAP S/4HANA and
developments in the areas of Cloud, Artificial Intelligence (AI)
and other innovative topics.
Innovative technologies such as Cloud Computing, Automation and
AI are transforming SAP Application Management (AM) by providing
new possibilities for efficiency and performance optimization.
Simultaneously, the complexity of the evolving IT landscape is
increasing, leading to new expectations for IT service providers:
They must be knowledgeable about the latest technologies but also
able to integrate and manage them effectively. The SAP Business
Technology Platform (BTP) will play a crucial role as the
technological foundation, creating a central platform for
implementing various technologies and systems.
New technologies open new opportunities
In the international sample, most respondents (>70%)
indicated they chose the latest version of SAP S/4HANA, with the
majority preferring a Cloud version. The decision for the public
Cloud is accompanied by a choice of RISE with SAP for 67 percent.
The use of SAP software outside Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
is particularly strong in Customer Relationship Management and
Customer Experience (CRM/CX), Human Capital Management (HCM) and
Supplier Relationship Management and Procurement (SRM). With a
share of 72 percent, Software as a Service (SaaS) models are mainly
used to support individual business processes, such as SAP
SuccessFactors for optimal management of all aspects of the
employee lifecycle in Human Capital Management (HCM).
In addition to SAP systems, many organizations use other
software products from other leading platform providers like
Microsoft (35%), Salesforce (30%) and Adobe (26%). However, the
variety of business applications companies use alongside the core
SAP system presents new challenges. "Seamless integration and
communication between SAP and non-SAP applications are essential
for operating both systems in parallel long-term," explains
Ulrich Kreitz, Executive Manager at
NTT DATA Business Solutions Germany and Head of Managed Services.
"This often requires special interfaces, data integration
strategies and tools, as well as solutions for managing user
identities and access rights. Complex orchestration solutions must
be implemented to monitor and control the performance, availability
and security of on-premise and Cloud-based resources."
Strong SAP partners are crucial for SAP system
integration
Collaboration with external partners, particularly in SAP
consulting and system integration, plays a crucial role for many
companies as system complexity increases, especially when it comes
to cloud solutions. The respondents set high demands for an SAP
partner: expertise in SAP system security and smooth operations are
must-have criteria for 77 percent.
IT partners such as NTT DATA Business Solutions offer expertise
and support companies in the implementation, management and
optimization of SAP systems in the cloud. "We know the best
practices, tools and methods that support, automate and accelerate
Cloud migration. Additionally, we offer our own frameworks that can
partially or fully automate tasks such as system monitoring,
troubleshooting or patch management," adds Ulrich Kreitz. "The IT market is experiencing
increasingly shorter innovation cycles. Soon, AI will take a firm
place in SAP's products and the entire portfolio. SAP users expect
their partners to act proactively and inform them about the
benefits, opportunities and risks of new technologies, going far
beyond ensuring smooth, secure operations."
Focus on Automation and AI
Respondents see significant potential in automated processes in
SAP AM. The study found that the degree of automation is highest in
the areas of Service Desk (31%), Security (37%) and Testing (46%).
Automation not only increases efficiency but also reduces error
susceptibility and identifies potential threats more quickly.
Manufacturing companies particularly benefit from this, as
operational interruptions are minimized and production continuity
is ensured.
The majority of respondents expect further efficiency gains and
cost savings of up to 30 percent from integrating AI into AM,
especially in Monitoring (71%), Documentation (79%) and System
Administration (76%). The results show that SAP BTP will form the
technological foundation for all SAP cloud products in the near
future, as well as for all functional extensions and innovations of
SAP S/4HANA. It provides the ability to complement, extend and
integrate solutions from SAP or SAP partners using the same data
model. These help to develop innovations faster with traditional
tools, no-code/low-code solutions, preconfigured analysis models
and self-service analytics. As companies increasingly switch to the
Cloud-based S/4HANA edition, the demand for SAP BTP also rises, as
custom extensions need to be developed and integrated.
How complex digital transformation is for companies and what
challenges it presents were highlighted by NTT DATA Business
Solutions together with their subsidiary Natuvion GmbH in the
recently released Transformation Study 2024: 1,200 CEOs, CIOs and
IT decision-makers from 15 countries shared their experiences with
and requirements for the transformation process.
About NTT DATA Business Solutions
NTT DATA Business Solutions is a leading global IT service
provider focused on SAP with a powerful ecosystem of partners. With
more than 35 years of in-depth experience, we enable companies
worldwide to become Intelligent Enterprises. We deliver end-to-end
solutions that accelerate sustainable growth and success – from
strategic consulting and implementation to managed services and
beyond. As a global strategic SAP partner, we drive innovation and
leverage the latest technologies to support our customers
individually and across all industries. Our more than 15,300
dedicated employees in over 30 countries work passionately every
day to make it happen.
NTT DATA Business Solutions is part of NTT DATA, a $30+ billion
trusted global innovator of business and technology services
headquartered in Tokyo. As One NTT
DATA we serve 75% of the Fortune Global 100 and are committed to
helping customers innovate, optimize and transform for long-term
success. NTT DATA is part of NTT Group.
Press Contact NTT DATA Business Solutions
Jasmin Straeter
Head of Global Communications
NTT DATA Business Solutions AG
Königsbreede 1, 33605 Bielefeld, Germany
Phone: +49 521 9 14 48 108
Email: Jasmin.Straeter@nttdata.com
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SOURCE NTT DATA Business Solutions AG