SAP Change Competence Is Now Critical

These are the findings of the SAP Change Management Index 2025, an independent study commissioned by Basis Technologies, a company that provides ICM (Intelligent Change Management) software for SAP companies.

The study of 200 managers responsible for SAP change across the UK, US, and Germany found the speed at which a business can adapt, optimize, and make changes to its SAP systems now directly impacts its capacity for growth and its ability to drive mission-critical operations efficiently, placing increased pressure on change managers, whose success or failure directly impacts the overall business strategy.

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"For too long, SAP change has been seen as a bottleneck by some business leader. But this research shows that organizations are now acknowledging the opportunity to turn change into a competitive edge.”

Martin Metcalf,
CEO,
Basis Technologies

The study found 48 percent of respondents are experiencing significantly shortened business request-to-delivery timelines, while 41 percent cite increased pressure for faster ROI, highlighting the evolving demands on SAP managers. In parallel, SAP leaders are still encountering persistent challenges around change management approaches including having to start from scratch with each change request (46 percent), lengthy requirements gathering (44 percent), and difficulties scaling to meet business needs (42 percent).

The data also revealed that SAP managers have new responsibilities. These individuals are increasingly expected to lead cross-team communications, training and engagement (54 percent), drive initiatives that support broader business goals (53 percent) and contribute to early-stage strategic planning and stakeholder alignment (45 percent).

At the same time, continuous and complex change is putting pressure on businesses to move away from siloed information to a new era of decision making. More than half (59 percent) of respondents say they plan to adopt AI to automate manual SAP change processes.

Metcalf continued, “In the old world, SAP change managers were working below deck, out of sight. In the new world today, they are front and center, on deck and in the spotlight—driving strategy, enabling innovation, and shaping business outcomes.” He concluded with, “Those responsible for SAP change are under pressure like never before, but it’s also their moment. By embracing automation and intelligence, they can transform SAP change from a source of risk into a source of competitive advantage, helping their organization keep pace with the demands of modern business.”

Source: Basis Technologies