SAP Landscapes In Upheaval: What We Know So Far

How have these offers been received on the market? How far have users progressed on their path toward cloud computing, S/4 Hana, digital transformation, etc.? And, more importantly: Do they even want to go down this path?

For answers to these and other questions, we at PAC have launched a survey together with E-3 Magazine. An initial review of the preliminary answers (status at the time of writing this article: approximately 70 participants) has produced some surprising results.

Uncertainty surrounding cloud computing

Although the use of public and private cloud solutions is steadily advancing, there are persistent reservations: More than one in three of the IT directors and business managers surveyed cannot see any advantages in operating SAP in the cloud – which, conversely, means that the vast majority certainly expect and appreciate cloud-related improvements such as greater agility, continuous optimization of software, and cost savings.

However, a look at the responses of participants at management level (C-level) adds an interesting factor to the above reservations: The majority of them stated that they are unable to estimate the costs and risks of a cloud migration or that they expect increasing costs and risks. Both factors have a deterrent effect on decision-makers.

The importance of data

The initial results of the survey show: There is no lack of tools, but there is a lack of strategy. The tools offered by SAP are frequently used and – not surprisingly – popular among respondents. However, a significant number of participants also use analytics solutions from other providers. It is worrying that between 30 and 50 percent (depending on job description) of the participants stated that they were aware of the importance of data but had not yet implemented a corresponding strategy. In view of ever-increasing data volumes, this is a cause for concern.

Now it’s your turn!

As mentioned, these are only preliminary results from our current survey. The results may still change significantly depending on the progress of the survey. You are welcome to confirm or refute the above results by participating in the survey by clicking here or using the link provided below. It only takes a few minutes to fill out, and your contribution would be greatly appreciated to provide more market transparency in the SAP community.