From Checkbox to Control: How Intelligent Automation Turned Compliance into Competitive Advantage

In large, diversified enterprises, maintaining governance and compliance across high-risk systems like SAP is a strategic imperative. But when compliance tasks become repetitive, manual, and disconnected from risk prioritization, they drain resources and expose the organization to audit and operational vulnerabilities. 

That was the challenge facing one of India’s largest multinational conglomerates, with operations spanning energy, logistics, aerospace, and beyond. With over 5,000 SAP Firefighter log sessions generated monthly across its global footprint, the Firefighter Controllers and GRC team was buried in a manual review process that had become a “checkbox exercise.” 

Every log was treated the same—whether it flagged high-risk changes or simple display transactions. The result? Compliance bottlenecks, audit delays, and controller burnout, with spreadsheets and email follow-ups dominating the workflow. Strategic GRC oversight was being lost in the noise of routine review. 

Turning the Tide with Intelligent Automation 

To break the cycle, the organization deployed ToggleNow’s Firefighter Log Review Bot, an automation layer designed to supercharge SAP GRC with intelligent decision-making, audit-ready transparency, and real-time insights. 

Unlike traditional SAP GRC workflows, the bot doesn’t just automate — it thinks. Pre-built rules and advanced analytics help the system distinguish between low-risk, repetitive actions and high-risk, high-impact events. It automatically closes benign log entries—like display transactions—with full audit justification, while escalating only the critical ones for manual review. 

The impact was immediate and profound: 

• 3,395 logs auto-reviewed and closed in just four weeks 

• ~80% of total logs handled without manual effort 

• Zero audit issues, and a 4x increase in controller productivity 

But beyond the time savings, the bot unlocked strategic visibility. The team began receiving insights into Firefighter ID (FFID) usage patterns and inefficiencies—leading to smarter access provisioning and a dramatic reduction in unnecessary emergency access. 

In fact, by the second month, overall log volume dropped to 1,520, with 1,282 logs auto-closed. Over time, both Firefighter usage and compliance noise declined steadily, creating a more controlled, scalable access management process. 

From Reactive Reviews to Risk-Driven Governance 

This wasn’t just process improvement—it was a mindset shift. By automating the noise, the GRC team could focus on what matters: exceptions, anomalies, and true areas of risk. As one GRC leader put it, this was “intelligent delegation” in action. 

For CIOs, CISOs, and compliance leaders seeking to do more with leaner teams, this case shows how automation—when intelligently applied—can transform emergency access controls from a liability into a source of strategic control.

The implementation delivered transformative results: ~80% of Firefighter log reviews were automated, allowing our client to reclaim valuable time and focus on higher-risk activities. This led to a fourfold increase in controller productivity and zero audit findings, thanks to consistent, auditable processes. The organization also gained real-time visibility into compliance KPIs through intuitive dashboards, enabling proactive oversight. Perhaps most impressively, the automation drove a sustained reduction in unnecessary FFID usage, helping the business not only streamline operations but also strengthen its overall risk posture. 

What this means for SAPinsiders  

Automate with intelligence to handle volume and prioritize risk. When compliance teams are flooded with thousands of log reviews—as in the case of this organization managing 5,000+ Firefighter sessions per month—manual efforts quickly turn into a checkbox exercise. By adopting intelligent automation that could distinguish between low- and high-risk activities, the company was able to automatically review and close ~80% of logs, dramatically reducing manual workload. Business leaders should assess their current review processes and identify areas where automation can both streamline operations and sharpen risk prioritization. 

Turn compliance reviews into data-driven risk reduction. Automation did more than save time—it revealed usage patterns that led to lasting improvements. Within two months, the company reduced log volume from 3,395 to 1,520, and auto-closed 1,282 logs, thanks to insights on FFID activity. These insights helped refine access policies and reduce unnecessary emergency access. Organizations should look beyond automation for efficiency and focus on the data it generates to proactively reduce risk and optimize access controls. 

Move from reactive compliance to real-time oversight. By shifting from spreadsheets and email follow-ups to real-time dashboards, the company achieved zero audit issues and a fourfold increase in controller productivity. This visibility allowed GRC leaders to monitor compliance KPIs live and intervene proactively. For other enterprises, investing in tools that provide real-time oversight—not just logs—can transform compliance from a reactive burden into a strategic asset.