SAP GRC Implementations: Hidden Challenges That Undermine ROI

SAP Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) is a powerful suite for managing access control, audit readiness, and regulatory compliance. Yet, according to Raghu Boddu, CTO of ToggleNow, many organizations fall short of realizing its full potential. In a recent blog post, he outlines some of the pitfalls that frequently lead to inefficiencies, increased risk, or reduced value. These challenges aren’t always technical—they’re often the result of flawed assumptions, poor design strategies, or limited cross-functional involvement.

Below, we break down three of these pitfalls and why they matter to SAP professionals leading or optimizing GRC implementations.

Lack of Role Design Strategy

Organizations often enter a GRC project without a clear role design strategy. Instead of aligning access roles with business functions and risk appetite, roles are created ad hoc or migrated without adequate redesign.

Organizations must adapt to a proper authorization design.  ToggleNow leverages the S.M.A.R.T framework for SAP role redesign. This approach aims to ensure that roles are:

• Simplified: Designed to reduce complexity while maintaining operational effectiveness.
• Mitigated for Risks: Focused on eliminating SoD conflicts and maintaining regulatory compliance.
• Aligned with Business Tasks: Task-based roles ensure that access permissions directly support specific workflows.
• Responsive to Change: Built to adapt seamlessly to future business or technical changes.
• Transparent and Optimized: Designed with a focus on license optimization to eliminate unnecessary expenditures.

Improper Use of Automated Controls

Automated controls are frequently treated as placeholders rather than active risk-reducing measures. Organizations sometimes assign them to close out access requests or pass audits without fully implementing or testing the control in practice. This undermines the control framework and gives a false sense of security. Raghu emphasizes that every automated control should be owned by a stakeholder, monitored regularly, and tested for effectiveness. Otherwise, they are just paperwork.

Misuse of Firefighter IDs

SAP Firefighter IDs are designed for emergency access or temporary elevated privileges. However, Raghu warns that some companies rely on them for day-to-day tasks or even in place of properly designed access roles. This practice leads to excessive usage logs, diluted oversight, and limited accountability. Overuse of firefighter IDs can also trigger audit red flags, especially when logs aren’t reviewed promptly. The solution is to reserve firefighter access for its intended purpose—and only when business justification is clearly documented.

What This Means for SAPinsiders

SAP GRC is shifting from compliance tool to efficiency driver. Organizations that streamline their GRC implementations around role clarity, real-world risk thresholds, and usability may potentially reduce access delays, accelerate audits, and enhance enterprise resilience. Companies that invest in role redesign often report fewer SoD conflicts and reduced audit preparation time.

Tuning the GRC ruleset is key to reducing audit noise. SAP customers should treat their GRC ruleset as a living control system—updated regularly in response to new business processes, regulations, and attack surfaces. By simulating violations with realistic test data, organizations may be able to significantly reduce false positives, enabling audit teams to focus on higher-risk exceptions. Without regular tuning of risk engines, businesses may waste valuable time on low-impact alerts and risk undermining trust in their GRC reporting.

Overengineering GRC systems obscures actual risk posture. An alternative to building every possible feature is for enterprises to begin with a minimum viable governance model that fits their current risk landscape. This approach not only potentially shortens deployment time but also may boost end-user engagement by keeping the system intuitive. Complexity should follow maturity, not precede it. Companies that adopt this mindset can build sustainable GRC practices that scale with business needs.