SAP Strengthens S/4HANA for the Midmarket

SAP recently unveiled its new software-as-a-service initiative, Grow with SAP, aimed at midmarket businesses. The offering centers around the company’s core ERP system S/4HANA Cloud and the SAP Business Technology Platform development and integration environment.

Grow with SAP includes preconfigured industry best practices, embedded AI and automated processes. Additionally, companies will access accelerated deployment services, free learning resources, and its low code/no code application development platform (SAP Build). The program also highlights partners from SAP’s ecosystem experienced in working with midmarket companies.

The new initiative will provide midmarket companies with an ERP system that can support their requirements now and as they grow, as well as the tools and services to get systems up faster and with less complexity. The program’s intent is to provide a solution along with access to the resources required to implement the system effectively. SAP’s primary goal is to make the platform easier to access, deploy, and adopt for mid-sized businesses.

The offering comes in two packages. The base package includes S/4HANA Cloud, public edition, with limited financial functionality for firms with less complex requirements. The premium package includes S/4HANA Cloud, public edition, with more functionality for those with more complex financial requirements, allowing companies room to grow as needs change.

Look here for other SAP and partner announcements at last week’s SAP Sapphire conference

Despite some criticism, the S/4HANA platform expands midmarket options

Analysts believe that the program and its focus are a good way for SAP to infiltrate a large potential market that could make S/4HANA Cloud competitive with established players such as Microsoft Dynamics and Oracle NetSuite. The initiative is also an excellent opportunity for SAP to expand strongly into the midmarket, as hundreds of thousands of companies worldwide need a new ERP system.

However, some analysts questioned whether one suite could cater to all organizations, from large enterprises to midmarket firms. Some would like to see an entirely new offering from SAP rather than an existing suite altered to fit mid-sized companies. Regardless, these companies will have both the platform and guidance to launch cloud initiatives.