The beginning of the end

I asked whether Hana and S/4 were the culmination of the digitization of the organizational structure and processes. The SAP representative, on the other hand, said that it was the other way around: Hana and S/4 are the starting point of a digital transformation. The question was left unanswered as to what we have been doing for the past few years. The fact is, however, that many existing SAP customers started digitizing many years ago, quite independently of SAP, and after SAP recklessly cashed in its Leonardo digitization concept, many existing SAP customers turned to Microsoft, Google, and AWS.

Whether SAP will ever again get the chance to lead a digital transformation and conversion through its own efforts or through the favor of its existing customers remains uncertain for the time being. The market and the SAP community will certainly not wait for the ERP world market leader from Walldorf. Many challenges are pressing, so solutions are needed immediately. SAP's release cycles, roadmaps and perspectives are too unspecific, too lengthy and also too expensive.

Whether this sluggishness on SAP's part marks the beginning of the end has not yet been decided. The fact is, however, that SAP may have slept through the Internet, but it certainly let the digital transformation slide. SAP's Leonardo program was the start and end of any successful digitization. It will be to SAP's detriment, but it need not be a limitation for SAP's existing customers. Looking outside the box will show the SAP community that digital transformation spans from logistics to HR, and that there are enough innovative and SAP-compatible vendors out there. Seen in this light, SAP is perhaps right, with Hana and S/4 the digital transformation begins - but precisely no longer with SAP solutions. The digital innovations lie beyond SAP's horizon.