{"id":152777,"date":"2025-07-30T14:31:09","date_gmt":"2025-07-30T12:31:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/e3mag.com\/?p=152777"},"modified":"2025-08-01T10:22:22","modified_gmt":"2025-08-01T08:22:22","slug":"s-4-challenges","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/s-4-herausforderungen\/","title":{"rendered":"S\/4 Challenges"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Despite the imminent end of support for SAP R\/3 in 2030, the S\/4 transformation is running slowly in many companies\u2014and often less effectively than hoped. As a recent Horv\u00e1th study shows, in retrospect 46 percent of companies would have planned more time for the project, 41 percent would have estimated a higher budget and 30 percent would have limited the scope of the project more clearly. 73 percent of the managers surveyed are of the opinion that the budget and capacities for the transformation are generally too tight. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another finding: too many companies are overloading the S\/4 transformation with parallel initiatives\u2014such as the replacement of third-party systems, the realignment of the management model or the introduction of digital tools and AI solutions. <\/p><div id=\"great-211075064\" class=\"great-fullsize-content-en great-entity-placement\" style=\"margin-bottom: 20px;\"><a data-no-instant=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=6ZGXMPyM-nU\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"a2t-link\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"banner_26-04_29_1200x150\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/banner_26-04_29_1200x150-1.jpg\" alt=\"\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/banner_26-04_29_1200x150-1.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/banner_26-04_29_1200x150-1-400x50.jpg 400w, https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/banner_26-04_29_1200x150-1-768x96.jpg 768w, https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/banner_26-04_29_1200x150-1-100x13.jpg 100w, https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/banner_26-04_29_1200x150-1-480x60.jpg 480w, https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/banner_26-04_29_1200x150-1-640x80.jpg 640w, https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/banner_26-04_29_1200x150-1-720x90.jpg 720w, https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/banner_26-04_29_1200x150-1-960x120.jpg 960w, https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/banner_26-04_29_1200x150-1-1168x146.jpg 1168w, https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/banner_26-04_29_1200x150-1-18x2.jpg 18w, https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/banner_26-04_29_1200x150-1-600x75.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" width=\"1200\" height=\"150\"  style=\" max-width: 100%; height: auto;\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The result: conflicting goals, complexity and a lack of focus. \"Many transformation projects lose clarity and consistency halfway through,\" says Stefan Maus, Partner at Horv\u00e1th. \"Only those who regularly review strategic goals, consistently live governance structures and continuously optimize them\u2014even after the go-live\u2014will benefit in the long term.\"<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Loss of strategy in the course of the project<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>Around 73% of respondents note that the added value expected in advance is significantly higher than the effects actually realized. At the same time, the commitment of key stakeholders decreases noticeably over the course of the project (68% agree). Another 68% of respondents also report that project scope or quality is cut in order to keep to the schedule. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Central objectives such as the optimization of business processes (36 percent), the development of digital foundations for AI or the standardization of processes (31percent each) lose weight as a result - or are completely lost from view. \"The prioritization of measures\u2014for example according to 'must-haves' and 'nice-to-haves'\u2014is often neglected,\" says Maus. \"Top management and specialist departments also often get actively involved too late or are not sufficiently involved.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:41%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1623\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Stefan-Maus_cmyk-1-edited-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-153034\" srcset=\"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Stefan-Maus_cmyk-1-edited-scaled.jpg 1623w, https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Stefan-Maus_cmyk-1-edited-400x266.jpg 400w, https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Stefan-Maus_cmyk-1-edited-1200x799.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Stefan-Maus_cmyk-1-edited-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Stefan-Maus_cmyk-1-edited-100x67.jpg 100w, https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Stefan-Maus_cmyk-1-edited-480x319.jpg 480w, https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Stefan-Maus_cmyk-1-edited-640x426.jpg 640w, https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Stefan-Maus_cmyk-1-edited-720x479.jpg 720w, https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Stefan-Maus_cmyk-1-edited-960x639.jpg 960w, https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Stefan-Maus_cmyk-1-edited-1168x777.jpg 1168w, https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Stefan-Maus_cmyk-1-edited-1440x958.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Stefan-Maus_cmyk-1-edited-1920x1278.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Stefan-Maus_cmyk-1-edited-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Stefan-Maus_cmyk-1-edited-18x12.jpg 18w, https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Stefan-Maus_cmyk-1-edited-600x399.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1623px) 100vw, 1623px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:59%\">\n\n\n\n\n<p>\"<em>Many transformation projects lose <\/em><br><em>halfway to clarity and consistency.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>Stefan Maus,<\/strong><br>Partner,<br>Horv\u00e1th<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>98 percent of companies seek external support when converting to S\/4, with IT consultants being the most important source of support at 61 percent, followed by strategy and process consulting (46 percent). Change consulting has so far only been used by 21 percent, although its early involvement can be decisive for the acceptance and success of the transformation. And even after successful implementation, the work is not done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Companies should continuously check where there is a need for further optimization. There are no standard solutions\u2014a strategically anchored optimization agenda is crucial. \"If you want to benefit in the long term, you should actively surf the optimization wave after the changeover and stay on the ball strategically,\" says Stefan Maus. For the Horv\u00e1th study \"Business Transformation Unlocked\u2014Maximizing the Benefits of S\/4\", 200 companies in the DACH region, Northern and Eastern Europe and the USA were surveyed that use SAP and have an annual turnover of at least 200 million euros and at least 200 employees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.horvath-partners.com\/de\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"www.horvath-partners.com\/de\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">horvath-partners.com\/en<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Many companies struggle with resources, conflicting goals, and quality compromises. S\/4 projects lose strategic clarity and stakeholder support as they progress. <\/p>","protected":false},"author":2368,"featured_media":152779,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"pmpro_default_level":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2,44209],"tags":[],"coauthors":[39720],"class_list":["post-152777","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sap-nachrichten","category-mag-25-07","pmpro-has-access"],"acf":[],"featured_image_urls_v2":{"full":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2507_maus_horvath.jpg",1000,450,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2507_maus_horvath-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2507_maus_horvath-400x180.jpg",400,180,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2507_maus_horvath-768x346.jpg",768,346,true],"large":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2507_maus_horvath.jpg",1000,450,false],"image-100":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2507_maus_horvath-100x45.jpg",100,45,true],"image-480":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2507_maus_horvath-480x216.jpg",480,216,true],"image-640":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2507_maus_horvath-640x288.jpg",640,288,true],"image-720":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2507_maus_horvath-720x324.jpg",720,324,true],"image-960":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2507_maus_horvath-960x432.jpg",960,432,true],"image-1168":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2507_maus_horvath.jpg",1000,450,false],"image-1440":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2507_maus_horvath.jpg",1000,450,false],"image-1920":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2507_maus_horvath.jpg",1000,450,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2507_maus_horvath.jpg",1000,450,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2507_maus_horvath.jpg",1000,450,false],"trp-custom-language-flag":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2507_maus_horvath-18x8.jpg",18,8,true],"bricks_large_16x9":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2507_maus_horvath.jpg",1000,450,false],"bricks_large":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2507_maus_horvath.jpg",1000,450,false],"bricks_large_square":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2507_maus_horvath.jpg",1000,450,false],"bricks_medium":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2507_maus_horvath-600x270.jpg",600,270,true],"bricks_medium_square":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2507_maus_horvath-600x450.jpg",600,450,true],"profile_24":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2507_maus_horvath-24x24.jpg",24,24,true],"profile_48":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2507_maus_horvath-48x48.jpg",48,48,true],"profile_96":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2507_maus_horvath-96x96.jpg",96,96,true],"profile_150":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2507_maus_horvath-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"profile_300":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2507_maus_horvath-300x300.jpg",300,300,true]},"post_excerpt_stackable_v2":"<p>Viele Unternehmen k\u00e4mpfen mit Ressourcen, Zielkonflikten und Qualit\u00e4tsabstrichen. S\/4-Projekte verlieren im Verlauf an strategischer Klarheit und Stakeholder-Unterst\u00fctzung. <\/p>\n","category_list_v2":"<a href=\"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/category\/sap-nachrichten\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Community Nachrichten<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/category\/mag-25-07\/\" rel=\"category tag\">MAG 25-07<\/a>","author_info_v2":{"name":"E3 Magazine","url":"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/author\/e3_magazin\/"},"comments_num_v2":"0 comments","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/152777","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2368"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=152777"}],"version-history":[{"count":29,"href":"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/152777\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":153158,"href":"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/152777\/revisions\/153158"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/152779"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=152777"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=152777"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=152777"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=152777"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}