Is Rise with SAP just a mutation for S/4?

SAP has a particularly diverse customer structure, which understandably not only wants to be picked up on the S/4 transformation path towards the cloud, but also accompanied. There are a number of different programs for this purpose.

However, the current problem for customers is that these programs have already been offered with similar benefits in recent years. An example would be Hana Enterprise Cloud or the transformation of Adoption Starter Programs into the S/4 Value Starter Program. What is new is the focus on enabling technologies. As a result, many SAP customers are wondering what new benefits Rise with SAP actually brings.

Based on initial information, one should take a closer look at the strategy associated with Rise with SAP and point out possible effects of already known content. However, experience shows that after every major announcement, course corrections are still made in the maturity phase until implementation.

In SAP's balance sheet, the corporate strategy clearly points in the direction of the cloud, with the revenue drivers primarily to be found in the company acquisitions of recent years. In order to continue to increase this cloud strategy with the core, SAP must supplement its past orientation with new framework conditions.

It can be assumed that the USP will continue to focus on licenses for a fully integrated ERP solution including industry solutions, but with a focus on the cloud. This leads to the conclusion that the growth of further license revenues for applicative cloud solutions can only be achieved via the basic technology.

But the topics of sourcing and basic technology are known to date to be "not the world" of SAP. Therefore, the cooperation with hyperscalers and the new SAP Business Technology Platform are the most important components in the Rise with SAP program. The goal is to ensure the necessary growth through license sales in the cloud with Rise with SAP. The target architecture for this is made palatable by the well-known "burger".

Rise with SAP is designed to answer the following simple question from customers: How do you get to the cloud? In doing so, every possible starting position of the customer is to be taken into account. SAP is focusing the new program on the private cloud with the aim of achieving cost savings of around 20 percent for customers.

At the same time, SAP is assuming general contractor responsibility for the customers, which is a very bold path. The legal issue with the planned SAP commitment of "one face to the customer" in the complex contract and licensing system will also be exciting, which could develop into a challenge of its own due to the many variants and the integration of the hyperscalers.

In addition, for many on-prem customers there are major concerns about the one-time conversion of all licenses to the subscription model and the associated economic dependency. The new technical transformation path to the S/4 Hana Cloud with "Business Transformation as a Service" consists partly of familiar steps, but with new tools and technologies, for example the "Business Process Redesign" to prepare all processes.

At the same time, SAP is using the integration of the latest acquisition of the company Signavio. The new acquisition is intended to achieve faster integration of business processes. The other phases focus on the extensive and necessary technological steps up to productive operation in the cloud.

One of the services offered is to convert a complete R/3 ECC system with all modifications and in-house developments to the S/4 Hana Cloud. Initial practical experience will show whether this "mutation" can meet customer expectations.