{"id":162712,"date":"2026-05-15T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-05-15T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/?p=162712"},"modified":"2026-05-04T10:53:41","modified_gmt":"2026-05-04T08:53:41","slug":"the-new-role-of-the-sap-competence-center","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/die-neue-rolle-des-sap-competence-center\/","title":{"rendered":"The new role of the SAP Competence Center"},"content":{"rendered":"


Peter M. F\u00e4rbinger, E3: <\/strong>Mr. Schinnerer, from your perspective as CC Manager, what has changed in recent years?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Walter Schinnerer, DSAG:<\/strong> Complexity is increasing significantly due to innovations and regulatory requirements such as CCS. At the same time, many companies are asking themselves how quickly they should implement changes. I think you have to remain realistic: New technologies will prevail, but it takes time - not everyone has to be a pioneer. Traditional SAP solutions such as R\/3 have matured over years together with customers and have been continuously improved through feedback. Today, many things are developed and rolled out more quickly, with less close coordination. In the cloud environment in particular, it is clear that reality is more complex than the vision: despite years of availability, the market penetration of the public cloud is still comparatively low in many areas.<\/p>

\"\"<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Dyer: <\/strong>What does the shift from in-house operation to the cloud mean for companies? <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Schinnerer:<\/strong> In the past, IT was often highly decentralized. Practically every company operated its own systems - the proverbial \u201edata center in the basement\u201c. This meant their own hardware, their own operation and correspondingly high costs. Although there were also external data centers and service providers, the majority relied on in-house operation. This initial situation shows where we come from: from a world in which control and independence were paramount. This is precisely why the move towards the cloud is so big for many companies today - it means not only a technological but also a cultural change. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dyer: <\/strong>How does the stronger focus on enterprise architecture change the cooperation with SAP? <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Schinnerer:<\/strong> A few years ago, SAP expanded the Competence Center program and introduced a fifth core task: Strategy and Governance. Certified Competence Centers must now define and document an SAP strategy and align it with the corporate and IT strategy. In the past, this was less formalized. Although many companies had IT strategies, the importance of SAP depended heavily on its use - for example, less in financial accounting and significantly more in production-related areas. At the same time, the topic of enterprise architecture is coming more into focus, particularly in the context of programs such as Rise. Architecture consulting is often already integrated into modern service and support models and helps companies to strategically develop their SAP landscape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n

\u201eI don't believe that cloud solutions
saves many people.<\/em> You just put them
partly differently.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Walter Schinnerer,<\/strong>
Chief Technical Officer Austria,
DSAG<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Dyer: <\/strong>The architect comes from SAP?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Schinnerer:<\/strong> The architect comes directly from SAP and is part of the service package. He also ensures that strategic issues in the company are gradually documented properly. This is a return to earlier principles in which SAP checked more closely whether customers were actually fulfilling the core tasks. There used to be personal reviews - like small audits - where customers had to actively take responsibility. Today, many things are standardized: using tools, Excel-based queries and uploads to the service portal. Feedback is often automated. For many customers, this leads to the impression that content is checked less thoroughly. In my view, it would make sense to focus more on real content review and personal exchange in order to ensure quality and added value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dyer: <\/strong>What does it take for SAP customers to really be better supported in these models?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Schinnerer:<\/strong> Above all, more personal support and real resources are needed. In addition to roles such as the enterprise architect, there are already functions such as the technical quality manager, who provides support as a central point of contact for critical issues. Such roles are valuable because they create proximity and develop a real understanding of the customer. It is crucial that the focus is not just on processes and tools, but on people who take responsibility. SAP should invest more here - in manpower and personal support. After all, it makes a big difference whether a real contact person regularly seeks dialog or whether everything runs via automated systems. Quality comes from personal interaction, not from pure automation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dyer: <\/strong>How has the role of the CC manager changed?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Schinnerer:<\/strong> The role has evolved significantly - from pure administrator to active designer. In the past, the focus was more on the operation and organization of the existing SAP landscape. Today, it is much more about setting the direction and actively shaping development. With the additional strategic component that SAP has introduced, this change is now officially anchored. This means that what many people may have been doing anyway is now clearly demanded. As the head of a Competence Center, it is no longer enough just to coordinate - you have to actively deal with strategy, architecture and further development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dyer: <\/strong>What are the organizational and financial implications of the stronger strategic role of CC in companies?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Schinnerer:<\/strong> Although certification is free of charge, it has clear financial and organizational consequences. As the Competence Center takes on a stronger strategic role, investment decisions - and therefore coordination with the finance department - also increase. At the same time, the organizational forms vary greatly: from individual managers to separate departments. It is crucial that structures, roles and responsibilities are clearly defined and documented - ideally in scalable models such as a matrix organization. In addition, there is growing regulatory pressure from audits or certifications. It is important that these issues are not only considered selectively, for example every two years, but on an ongoing basis. Cost management is also becoming increasingly important, especially in the cloud, as transparency and control are becoming more complex and require more personal responsibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dyer: <\/strong>How has transparency developed in recent years? <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Schinnerer:<\/strong> Transparency has improved significantly in recent years. In the past, the cloud area in particular was easy to see, while on-premises contracts and system data were less transparent. Today, both contractual and technical information is much more accessible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dyer: <\/strong>Is the potential of SAP portals and data not being fully utilized?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Schinnerer:<\/strong> he problem is not so much availability as use: many companies do not exploit the potential of the portals, even though the data is valuable for monitoring, optimization and strategic decisions. This is particularly evident in corporate groups: responsibility for licenses often lies centrally, for example in purchasing, while the operational units - such as competence centers or operations - do not actively use the data. In the past, reports such as EarlyWatch were used specifically, but today the information is still available, but bundled in portals. The key difference is that you have to actively engage with it. This is precisely the task of the competence center manager - to build up and anchor this knowledge and ensure that it is used continuously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dyer: <\/strong>Does switching to the SAP Cloud really lead to fewer staff requirements?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Schinnerer:<\/strong> The expectation that the cloud will automatically save staff is too short-sighted. Although some operational tasks, such as infrastructure or basic operations, are no longer required, the work is shifting. Strategic issues such as architecture, governance and integration are becoming more important. It is therefore less about cutting staff and more about new qualifications and a targeted redistribution of resources. Employees can take on more strategic roles if they are developed accordingly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dyer: <\/strong>What key tasks remain in the cloud world?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Schinnerer:<\/strong> Even in the cloud, the core tasks of the Competence Center remain the same - they just change. Topics such as contracts, purchasing and cost management are becoming more important, as subscription models need to be actively managed. Influencing further developments also remains crucial. The focus shifts in operations, but responsibility and monitoring remain with the company. The Competence Center also acts as an information hub. The tasks are not becoming fewer, but more varied.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dyer: <\/strong>What is the significance of the \u201einterpreter function\u201c?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Schinnerer:<\/strong> The interpreter function of the Competence Center is central and is often underestimated. It acts as an interface between SAP and the company, picks up on new developments and translates them into its own context. Events, updates and new formats constantly generate impulses that need to be classified, evaluated and passed on in an understandable way. This task remains independent of the operating model - whether on-premises or cloud. In practice, it is clear that the work is not becoming less, but is changing. The focus is less on technology and more on understanding, communication and classification. The Competence Center is not a sideline. Anyone who transforms SAP must also transform their organization. It is not enough to migrate systems. You need clear roles, documented responsibilities, strategic embedding and people who are involved from start to operation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

SAP customers are under double pressure: they have to operate existing systems stably and manage the transformation towards the cloud and new operating models. For DSAG Austria board member Walter Schinnerer, it is clear that the real challenge lies in the organization.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":162719,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"pmpro_default_level":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[161,44440],"tags":[39941,39847,39,73,236],"coauthors":[27825],"class_list":["post-162712","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-szene","category-mag-26-05","tag-ccc","tag-ccoe","tag-cloud","tag-erp","tag-sap","pmpro-has-access"],"acf":[],"featured_image_urls_v2":{"full":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/2605_sz_dsag.jpg",1000,450,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/2605_sz_dsag-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/2605_sz_dsag-400x180.jpg",400,180,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/2605_sz_dsag-768x346.jpg",768,346,true],"large":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/2605_sz_dsag.jpg",1000,450,false],"image-100":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/2605_sz_dsag-100x45.jpg",100,45,true],"image-480":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/2605_sz_dsag-480x216.jpg",480,216,true],"image-640":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/2605_sz_dsag-640x288.jpg",640,288,true],"image-720":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/2605_sz_dsag-720x324.jpg",720,324,true],"image-960":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/2605_sz_dsag-960x432.jpg",960,432,true],"image-1168":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/2605_sz_dsag.jpg",1000,450,false],"image-1440":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/2605_sz_dsag.jpg",1000,450,false],"image-1920":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/2605_sz_dsag.jpg",1000,450,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/2605_sz_dsag.jpg",1000,450,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/2605_sz_dsag.jpg",1000,450,false],"trp-custom-language-flag":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/2605_sz_dsag-18x8.jpg",18,8,true],"bricks_large_16x9":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/2605_sz_dsag.jpg",1000,450,false],"bricks_large":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/2605_sz_dsag.jpg",1000,450,false],"bricks_large_square":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/2605_sz_dsag.jpg",1000,450,false],"bricks_medium":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/2605_sz_dsag-600x270.jpg",600,270,true],"bricks_medium_square":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/2605_sz_dsag-600x450.jpg",600,450,true],"profile_24":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/2605_sz_dsag-24x24.jpg",24,24,true],"profile_48":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/2605_sz_dsag-48x48.jpg",48,48,true],"profile_96":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/2605_sz_dsag-96x96.jpg",96,96,true],"profile_150":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/2605_sz_dsag-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"profile_300":["https:\/\/e3mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/2605_sz_dsag-300x300.jpg",300,300,true]},"post_excerpt_stackable_v2":"

SAP-Kunden stehen unter doppeltem Druck: Sie m\u00fcssen bestehende Systeme stabil betreiben und die Transformation in Richtung Cloud und neue Betriebsmodelle bew\u00e4ltigen. F\u00fcr DSAG-\u00d6sterreich-Vorstand Walter Schinnerer ist klar: Die eigentliche Herausforderung liegt in der Organisation.<\/p>\n","category_list_v2":"Szene<\/a>, MAG 26-05<\/a>","author_info_v2":{"name":"Peter M. F\u00e4rbinger, E3 Magazine","url":"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/author\/peter-m-faerbinger-e-3-magazin\/"},"comments_num_v2":"0 comments","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/162712","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\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=162712"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/162712\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":163029,"href":"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/162712\/revisions\/163029"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/162719"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=162712"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=162712"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=162712"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/e3mag.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=162712"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}