Keys to accelerating innovation with your existing SAP systems

With the end of mainstream support for major SAP versions looming large, SAP shops may feel pressure to accelerate a shift to cloud. But more and more are learning they no longer have to stress over vendor-imposed deadlines.

Leveraging third-party support, enterprises can reclaim the power dynamic, reaping value from their on-premises SAP estate while moving as fast as they’d like toward their innovation goals.

“Under SAP’s program, SAP customers are not able to upgrade at their own pace or according to their own priorities,” says Scott Hays, senior director of product marketing at Rimini Street. “It’s like driving a paid-for vehicle that runs great, and you want to add a new feature to the car. Instead of being able to modernize what you have, the vendor wants you to lease a whole new vehicle.”

Third-party support advantage: accelerating innovation

Third-party support and services programs like those offered by Rimini Street give IT leaders the flexibility to determine and follow their own innovation timeline. Instead of vendor-imposed upgrades that may not suit customers’ current or even near-future needs, Rimini Street allows enterprises to:

• Remain on the stable, operational SAP version they have
• Have full support available for up to 15 additional years
• Reduce SAP annual maintenance fees by up to 50% and save up to 90% in total support costs
• Free up budget to fund strategic initiatives like AI, IoT and other emerging technologies

With third-party support, IT teams can focus on building a solid business case for their next-generation ERP instead of being pressured into a rushed SAP migration. Enterprises are also well-positioned to avoid the grueling and costly upgrade process, the scramble for elusive talent to migrate to S/4HANA and the potential for business disruptions that threaten core services.

“ERP migrations are prone to risk and failure — they take too long, are too expensive and can cause disruptions,” Hays says. “They’re projects that can make headlines if they go wrong.”

How Rimini Street helps you innovate on your timetable

With Rimini Street third-party support as the bridge, SAP customers can also get a leg up on accelerating innovation. Budget allowances not spent on new SAP support and subscriptions can instead be channeled to modernize the rest of the IT tech stack with emerging technologies such as data analytics and artificial intelligence, including generative AI.

Working with a trusted partner like Rimini Street, enterprises can keep dollars flowing in the right direction, self-funding innovation unencumbered by SAP’s onerous upgrade schedule and fee structure. Korean tire manufacturer, Nexen, is one such business applying this strategy for innovation. Jae-Hoon Jung, information strategy team leader, stated, “Our vision is to stabilize our current SAP platform while we establish strategies and roadmap for utilizing core technologies in AI, big data and cloud. We have an aggressive business goal to meet ahead, and we want to make smart IT decisions on our own timeline, supported by the right partner.”

Rimini Street also delivers professional services, Rimini ConsultÔ, to help clients optimize and modernize around the ECC core without having to migrate to S/4HANA in the cloud or RISE with SAP. For example, core functions such as accounting, payroll and order management can be maintained in SAP ECC with the help of third-party support from Rimini Street. At the same time, the third-party software support leader can help clients design a composable ERP strategy that enables them to innovate around the edges using best-in-class products and technologies in areas like cloud, CRM, HCM, mobile, big data and AI/generative AI.

“We view Rimini Street as a strategic business partner who is well-positioned and capable in their ability to support and guide us as we take on new challenges for our SAP and other systems,” said Shinya Hidaka, group manager of information systems at santec Holdings Corporation, a photonics manufacturer. They leveraged Rimini Consult for professional services when a merger required a swift split of its SAP systems in addition to ongoing support for those systems.

“Innovation is something you need in order to stay competitive and profitable, and it’s not something you should wait for,” Hays says. “You need to take back the control and autonomy from SAP to innovate when and where it’s most important to you.”

Taking the ROI-positive path

Rimini Street has provided SAP customers around the globe with proven support services that include direct access to expert-level engineers and that are built on best practices developed through years of hands-on experience. Unlike the vendor, Rimini Street maintains SAP customizations at no extra cost as part of its support plans, delivering experienced engineering and quality assurance teams that will build and test fixes before clients release them to production. In addition, tax, legal and regulatory updates are developed and delivered regardless of software version for more than 100 countries and territories around the world.

With a business-driven, ROI-positive approach, SAP licensees no longer have to march to the beat of SAP’s drum. With full control over their own ERP and cloud migration strategy and roadmap, companies can accelerate their innovation strategy at their own pace and in their chosen direction — with or without SAP.

To learn more about how Rimini Street can provide you with new SAP options, visit here .