The global and independent platform for the SAP community.
Cover story April 2024

SAP Basis with Cloud ALM, on-prem
and licenses.

Salzburg 2024: Hana and S/4 also need a robust SAP basis. The Customer Competence Center of SAP R/3 and Business Suite 7 is transforming itself with ALM, process mining and enterprise architects. The SAP Competence Center Summit in Salzburg is dedicated to this transformation process.

TO THE COVER STORY
Cover story April 2026

Trends and investment 2026

The year 2026 is a critical turning point for the SAP community: SAP's visions meet the reality of existing customers. As the end of maintenance for the old ERP system approaches in 2027, the pressure for S/4 migrations will increase massively and shape the market for service providers.

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Cloud Migration in the Automotive Sector

January 16, 2026
E3 Magazine
The automotive supplier Brose from Coburg has successfully migrated its central SAP systems to SAP Cloud ERP Private on Amazon Web Services (AWS). Further steps to modernize the IT landscape are now to follow.

SAP ECC Through 2030 and Beyond

January 15, 2026
Kuen-Sang Lam, Oracle
The end of support for SAP ECC is approaching and organizations face a pivotal moment in their ERP lifecycle. Businesses must prepare for migration to other ERP systems (not necessarily from SAP), while continuing to ensure uninterrupted SAP ECC operation—until 2030, but probably even beyond.
For years, the healthcare system has evolved and thrived in clinical advancements, but it falls short in operational efficiency.

SAP's New Clothes

January 14, 2026
Peter M. Färbinger, E3 Magazine
After the cloud fashion fiasco, the king has switched to AI. The new clothes don't suit him, and the stock market's response has been lackluster. However, financial analysts still believe in a positive outcome. But can SAP truly master AI?

AI as a Growth Driver for Data Centers

January 13, 2026
E3 Magazine
By 2030, the AI capacities of German data centers are expected to quadruple. The connected load in watts will then rise from the current 530 megawatts to 2020 megawatts.

Data Sovereignty for SMEs

January 12, 2026
Robert Schuhmann, FIS-ASP
Digital transformation is a reality in small and medium-sized enterprises, but it is often incomplete. According to Bitkom, 77 percent of companies have a digitalization strategy, but only 19 percent implement it consistently—mainly due to a lack of data sovereignty.
SAP is rightfully proud of its ERP automation with the AI agent, Joule. However, in its excitement about this successful product, SAP overlooked holding a briefing with customers to discuss where and how far the AI agent can go.
Savoir-vivre—the art of enjoying life! The French seem to have achieved this even with information technology. Viva Technology, an annual IT and AI festival in Paris, attracts 180,000 visitors. AI is revolutionizing information technology. SAP is working on evolutionary optimization.
Although AI agents like SAP Joule show great potential, their ability to adhere to all compliance rules has yet to be proven. Might SAP and other AI providers suffer the same fate as the sorcerer's apprentice in Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's eponymous ballad?

E3 Roundtable on ERP Platforms, Data Streams, and E2E Workflows

Successful ERP, supply chain management, and CRM architectures are built on IT platforms. Data streaming and collaboration are essential to the orchestration of ERP systems. IT platforms are the new operating system for cloud computing. The E3 Roundtable will highlight the importance and strategy of platforms for a holistic IT infrastructure and ERP architecture. SAP customers will implement platform technologies for digital transformation. The E3 Roundtable will discuss the ERP architecture principle of platforms using Boomi's offering as an example.

Comments

At the DSAG Annual Congress, experts will discuss current challenges facing the SAP community—from BTP to AI. The aim is to prevent SAP's visions from bursting like balloons in the face of harsh user reality.
With customs barriers, trade barriers, and wars, the world is being atomized and defragmented by autocrats. Fortunately, we have a global SAP community with a website in German, English, Spanish, and now, French.
No-name column
September 17, 2025

AI Is Not a Luxury

For around three years, we have been experimenting with various combinations of artificial intelligence with our interns. Although a discussion has been initiated, no decision has yet been made regarding the direction to take.
September 4, 2025

SAP Clean Core 2016

E3 Magazine already addressed the topic of "cleaning out" ERP systems in 2016. To that end, the SAP system has been heavily modified in recent years. What now?

SAP News

SAP has published its results for the third quarter of 2025 and presents a mixed, but overall solid picture. The cloud business remains the key growth driver, while total revenue and the outlook are somewhat more subdued.
SAP customers must migrate from SAP Business Suite to S/4 by the end of 2027. However, the migration will open up new opportunities for companies to digitalize and optimize their entire business processes.
The changeover from SAP R/3 to S/4 casts a harsh light on the data quality of master data, EDI connection, and decades of customizing. We take a look at the most common issues.
At Boomi World 2025, which took place in Dallas in May, Ann Maya, EMEA CTO at Boomi, spoke with Laura Cepeda, Managing Editor International, E3 Magazine. The conversation focused on Boomi's role in the SAP environment and the interfaces and opportunities in the EMEA region.

Business Management

The SAP world is on the verge of change: CMIS is the new standard interface between S/4 and ECM systems, while the future of ArchiveLink on the SAP Public Cloud is sealed. However, there is no need to panic, as with a solid archiving strategy (a crucial element), companies can save millions.
The IT service provider Adesso has successfully supported the energy group Uniper with the introduction of SAP S/4 Hana Utilities. Uniper is one of the first companies in the energy industry to work productively with the new platform in the "supplier" market role.
Festo is often referred to as the jewel of German industry. It has been a year since the successful company switched from SAP ERP ECC to S/4 Hana. Looking back, we can see why a differentiated view of SAP is of great importance.
The Blanc & Fischer Group was faced with the task of modernizing its ERP systems. To this end, the company carried out two S/4 transformations in its operational corporate groups E.G.O. and Blanco. The smooth go-live of the E.G.O. Group took place after a project duration of 2.5 years.

IT Management

September 20, 2024

Oracle Java Usage

84 percent of respondents who have already migrated from Oracle Java report that the process was easier than expected or went as planned.
What a typical medium-sized company does to counter growing SAP cybercrime: implement monitoring with SolMan and round-the-clock support for the SAP landscape.
SAP is increasingly pushing customers towards licensing according to authorizations. Most existing SAP customers are therefore threatened with additional payments and a time-consuming inventory of the roles and authorizations previously assigned.
SAP describes itself as The Cloud Company and has greatly expanded its range of cloud-based solutions in just a few years. The introduction of the S/4 Cloud Public Edition and Rise in particular underpins the cloud-first approach.

Economy

Effective protection against cybercrime SecurityBridge and Trusted Cyber Security Solutions (TCSS) are combining their expertise in a strategic partnership to offer Austrian companies effective monitoring and protection of their SAP systems. The agreed collaboration brings together the technology of SecurityBridge with the cybersecurity consulting expertise of TCSS. SAP platforms are at the heart of many companies and store strategic and sensitive data.
New record high 2021 was a record year for mergers and acquisitions in the IT services industry. Last year, 47 percent more transactions were carried out than in 2020, 190 in total. The value of these transactions even increased by 63 percent. Available capital saved up during the pandemic, low interest rates and strong demand for digital transformation services...
shutterstock_379875952-palto
March 15, 2022

Proving Yourself More

As Managing Director of Henrichsen4s, Beate Kirwa will be responsible for the SAP business of the Bavarian IT specialist. She explains in an interview what the spin-off is all about.
Record number of takeovers in the IT services market The market research and consulting company Information Services Group (ISG) has recorded a brisk takeover activity in the IT services market. In 2021, the number of managed services providers that were acquired by other companies was higher than in the previous record year of 2017: while the number of takeovers four years ago totaled 142, by the end of the third...

People Management

E3 book tip

Getting started with SAP S/4HANA

Get to know SAP S/4HANA using practical examples! In this book, Christian Drumm, Bernd Scheuermann and Stefan Weidner introduce you to the most important modules and business processes of SAP S/4HANA. You will get an overview of the applications for sales, purchasing, production, warehouse management, accounting and controlling. Many exercises, case studies and practical cases enable you to implement what you have learned directly in the system. Currently for the example company Global Bike 4.3.
The prerequisite for using the exercises, case studies and practical cases is access to an SAP system with Global Bike Client version 4.3. SAP UCC Magdeburg.

Order here

Working on the SAP basis is crucial for successful S/4 conversion. 

This gives the Competence Center strategic importance for existing SAP customers. Regardless of the S/4 Hana operating model, topics such as Automation, Monitoring, Security, Application Lifecycle Management and Data Management the basis for S/4 operations.

For the fourth time, E3 magazine is organizing a summit for the SAP community in Salzburg to provide comprehensive information on all aspects of S/4 Hana groundwork.

Venue

FourSide Hotel Salzburg,
Trademark Collection by Wyndham
Am Messezentrum 2, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
+43-662-4355460

Event date

Wednesday, June 10, and
Thursday, June 11, 2026

AI experience workshop only on June 11, 2026 (limited places)
Bonus: Access to all lectures on June 11, 2026

Regular ticket

Lectures, evening event and, depending on availability, the AI workshop on June 11, 2026
Places at the AI experience workshop are limited and registration is required.

Subscribers to the E3 Magazine Ticket

reduced with promocode CCAbo26

Students*

reduced with promocode CCStud26.
Please send proof of studies by e-mail to office@b4bmedia.net.
*The first 10 tickets are free of charge for students. Try your luck! 🍀
EUR 305 excl. VAT.
EUR 590 excl. VAT
EUR 390 excl. VAT
EUR 290 excl. VAT

Venue

Hotel Hilton Heidelberg
Kurfürstenanlage 1
D-69115 Heidelberg

Event date

Wednesday, April 22 and
Thursday, April 23, 2026

Tickets

AI onlyExperience workshop on April 23, 2026 
Bonus: Access to all lectures on April 23, 2026
Regular ticket
April 22, 2026: Lectures and evening event
April 23, 2026: Lectures and AI workshop
EUR 305 excl. VAT
EUR 590 excl. VAT
Subscribers to the E3 magazine
reduced with promocode STAbo26
EUR 390 excl. VAT
Students*
reduced with promocode STStud26.
Please send proof of studies by e-mail to office@b4bmedia.net.
EUR 290 excl. VAT
*The first 10 tickets are free of charge for students. Try your luck! 🍀
The event is organized by the E3 magazine of the publishing house B4Bmedia.net AG. The presentations will be accompanied by an exhibition of selected SAP partners. The ticket price includes attendance at all presentations of the Steampunk and BTP Summit 2026, a visit to the exhibition area, participation in the evening event and catering during the official program. The lecture program and the list of exhibitors and sponsors (SAP partners) will be published on this website in due course.