Jul 31, 2026
•2 minute read
SAPinsider Research
Access the definitive State of the Market guides, with your steps to success from benchmarking the performance of SAP professionals worldwide. See which strategies are yielding the best results, what sets Leaders apart from their peers. Discover actionable, data-driven insights to ensure the success of your initiatives.
Cybersecurity Threats and Challenges to SAP Systems 2026Jul 31 — Cybersecurity threats have become more prevalent than ever. In fact, cybercrime now accounts for nearly a third of all offenses in some regions. Moreover, 2025 represented the greatest number of high impact or critical patches ever released by SAP as flaws were discovered in ageing solutions that are often now more exposed than ever in cloud-based environments. The increased use of AI both inside enterprise landscapes and by malicious actors only makes it more important to ensure that the valuable data in SAP systems is effectively secured.
Despite the importance of cybersecurity in the SAP space, respondents face challenges. From protecting against new technologies and threats like AI to dealing with the age-old challenge of patching, securing SAP systems is not straightforward. This makes it more important than ever that SAPinsiders focus the resources they have to achieve the most they can. Only by doing this will the data and processes in their SAP systems be secure.
This year's data suggests a shift to data-centric concerns to identity or connectivity-centric threats. With social engineering attacks, insider threats, credentials compromise, connections to other systems, and insecure application configurations all being in the top eight biggest potential threats, identity and connectivity-centric concerns are certainly front and center for respondents.
Download the spotlight report to read a deeper analysis and receive insight on your own plans.
- Understand where AI use-cases are delivering value today.
- Explore the the concerns around governance, risk, and compliance when it comes to using AI with operational ERP data.
- Learn about the primary security and data protection controls for AI using SAP.
- See what SAPinsiders are doing to implement an effective governance and execution layer.
GRC and Risk Intelligence for SAP 2026Jul 31 — Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) in SAP environments has been about managing user access, enforcing internal controls, assessing corporate risk, and streamlining audits. However, that mandate is expanding to include the governance of artificial intelligence (AI) usage and solutions, something for which GRC teams may not be entirely prepared. This points to 2026 being an inflection year. The technical and financial foundations of GRC have caught up to the ambition organizations expressed a year ago, while structural governance and native SAP tooling have not kept pace with that momentum. Understanding both sides of the story, the acceleration and the lag, is essential for any organization planning GRC investment through 2027.
This year’s benchmark report tells a story of uneven but real progress. Budgets are up, integration has leapt forward, identity and access governance has moved to the center of GRC strategy, and organizations are assessing their own maturity more honestly. At the same time, native SAP GRC tooling adoption remains fragmented, formal data privacy governance is eroding even as technical controls improve, and the risk agenda is shifting toward transformation risk faster than most governance structures are adapting to match it.
Organizations reporting their financial systems as fully integrated with risk and compliance data for real-time insight jumped from this year. Organizations describing their GRC systems as fully integrated enterprise-wide across departments also rose. And the sourcing model itself polarized: fully in-house SAP GRC management increased. Organizations are not drifting toward integration incrementally; they are committing to it. They are also committing more decisively to one sourcing model or the other rather than sitting in the hybrid middle.
Download the benchmark report to read a deeper analysis and receive insight on your own plans.
- Understand how GRC and risk intelligence is being funded in the year ahead.
- Explore the tools and technologies being used for GRC and risk intelligence.
- Learn about the change in data privacy governance structures and understand the importance of that change.
- See what SAPinsiders are doing to pivot risk priorities towards transformation.
Jul 31, 2026
•2 minute read
Global Tax Management – Benchmark Research Report 2026Jun 30 — Global tax functions are at an inflection point. Between February and June 2026, SAPinsider surveyed its community of tax and finance professionals — including technology, finance, tax, and C-level leaders — to understand how they are navigating the most complex compliance environment in a generation. The findings are clear: AI adoption (42%), e-invoicing and real-time reporting mandates (35%), and regulatory and tariff volatility are reshaping the 2026–2028 tax agenda faster than most organizations can absorb with their current tools and architectures. Tax leaders know the operating models of the last decade won't be adequate for the next one, and they are responding by prioritizing automation, standardization, and data governance before chasing the next wave of AI.
But the most actionable finding in this report is the expectations gap — the striking distance between what tax automation and AI were expected to deliver and what has actually been realized. While 43% of organizations expected automation to deliver faster close and reporting cycles, just 6% achieved it; 36% expected better visibility into tax positions, yet only 11% saw it. This report diagnoses why the gap exists, where SAP-centric architectures are winning, and what separates the organizations realizing outcomes from those simply accumulating tools. Download the full benchmark to compare your strategy against your peers and build the foundation that closes the gap.
What you'll learn:
- The seven forces shaping the 2026–2028 tax agenda — and why AI adoption now outranks any single regulation
- Where the expectations gap is widest across close cycles, audit response, visibility, and accuracy
- The strategic priorities tax leaders are funding first: automation, process standardization, and master data remediation
- Which SAP solutions and third-party tax engines (Vertex, ONESOURCE, Sovos, Edicom) are in scope for the next 24 months
- The real state of AI in tax — high evaluation rates, low production deployment, and where the fast-follow use cases are
- The performance metrics that actually win budget: on-time filing, accuracy, and audit defensibility — not headcount reduction
- How leading teams treat tax transformation as an operating-model change, not a technology purchase
Jun 30, 2026
•2 minute read
Orchestrating AI-Driven Process Transformation in SAP-Centric EnterprisesJun 23 — The use of AI in the enterprise has increased rapidly over the past two years. While there was significant AI adoption prior to the release of generative AI, particularly with iterative AI and machine learning, the recent acceleration has drastically altered the way organizations think about doing business. However, even with this rapid acceleration, AI adoption within the SAP ecosystem remains relatively early. Even with SAP’s recent announcements around the SAP Business AI Platform and SAP Autonomous Suite, only a small proportion of SAP customers are using AI in SAP use cases in multiple departments or in enterprise-wide processes.
However, despite relatively low adoption in SAP use cases, there are scenarios in which AI is already delivering value. This includes scenarios such as workflow automation and task routing, conversational interfaces and chatbots, and decision support for recommendations for business users. Despite these possibilities, organizations are concerned about ensuring effective governance of AI, particularly when it comes to operational ERP data. This is reflected in a concern about accuracy and reliability of AI outputs in critical processes, potential data leakage through AI services, and data privacy and regulatory compliance.
Beyond the need for any AI use case to deliver value is that of an effective execution layer for AI. This ensures that any AI-based applications are well governed, deployed business applications. Many organizations are looking at low-code/no-code platforms to make this governance possible and allow organizations that are more cautious about AI to move safely from pilots to production scenarios.
Download the spotlight report to read a deeper analysis and receive insight on your own plans.
- Understand where AI use-cases are delivering value today.
- Explore the the concerns around governance, risk, and compliance when it comes to using AI with operational ERP data.
- Learn about the primary security and data protection controls for AI using SAP.
- See what SAPinsiders are doing to implement an effective governance and execution layer.
Jun 23, 2026
•1 minute read
SAPinsider Research Webinar – ERP Migration and Transformation 2026Apr 14 — Watch this webinar on demand for a review of the 2026 ERP Migration and Transformation Benchmark Report, based on responses from 296 SAP customers across industries. In this session, you will see how organizations are really progressing toward SAP S/4HANA and Cloud ERP as the 2027 end of mainstream maintenance approaches.
In this session, SAPinsider Chief Research Officer Robert Holland shares detailed findings that show where organizations really are on their SAP S/4HANA journey. Not just deployments, but how many have fully switched ERP operations, what timelines are realistic, and how quickly adoption is actually accelerating as 2027 approaches. You will see how strategies are changing, from simply “meeting the deadline” to modernizing or eliminating custom processes, cleansing and harmonizing data, and modernizing reporting and BI to deliver faster access to insights. The research also highlights how organizations are evaluating SAP S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition and SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition, Cloud ERP, and hybrid infrastructure options to reduce TCO while keeping landscapes flexible and compliant
We also spotlight the new forces reshaping ERP roadmaps, particularly SAP’s AI announcements and the need to stay compliant and secure while reducing TCO. See how leading teams are using SAP Readiness Check, SAP BTP, Process Discovery, and clean core tools to de‑risk projects and prepare for AI‑enabled ERP.
Watch now to:
- See exactly where you stand versus 296 peer organizations on S/4HANA adoption and 2027 readiness.
- Learn which practical moves (clean core, data cleansing, process standardization) are actually accelerating cutover.
- Discover how peers are using SAP BTP, Process Discovery, and automation to build an AI‑ready ERP landscape.
- Get clear on the real roadblocks—cloud cost, skills, security, and business case—and what successful teams are doing differently.
Apr 14, 2026
•1 minute read
SAPinsider Benchmark Research – Technology Leader’s Strategic Agenda for 2026Mar 31 — Technology leaders in the SAP space must balance the need to continuously innovate and remain current on SAP solutions and technology while supporting the needs of business teams and achieving organizational goals. In 2026, these leaders face significant challenges. Geopolitical instability and global macroeconomic uncertainty must be weighed against the need to complete and optimize ERP transformations, deploy AI within SAP applications, and manage costs effectively. This can make supporting business priorities while driving innovation a challenge that should be explored and understood.
To understand the strategic agenda for technology leaders in 2026, SAPinsider surveyed its community between December 2025 and March 2026 to identify their key priorities for 2026, what they are doing to support business goals, the biggest challenges they are facing as a technology leader, their SAP priorities and planned investments, the status of their ERP journey, and their planned use of AI in SAP-related initiatives. Additionally, respondents were also asked about the global factors they expect will impact their strategies in 2026.
Not surprisingly, increasing operational efficiency and reducing costs were identified by 70% of respondents as their top priority. Managing costs has long been important for technology leaders, even as they strive to implement technologies that support new or changed business requirements. While it is not always possible to manage costs, it may be more possible to increase the efficiency of existing processes, which can, in turn, bring cost savings. Technologies that help achieve these goals are crucial from a business priorities standpoint.
Download the benchmark report to read the full data analysis and receive recommendations for your own plans.
- Discover why foundational investments in SAP BTP are currently outpacing direct spending on artificial intelligence.
- Learn how macroeconomic volatility and geopolitical tensions are actively forcing IT leaders to restructure their SAP roadmaps.
- Understand the critical danger of deprioritizing cybersecurity during rapid ERP transformations and AI deployments.
Mar 31, 2026
•1 minute read
SAPinsider Benchmark Research – ERP Migration and Transformation 2026Mar 31 — The move to SAP S/4HANA continues to accelerate. While this has largely been driven by a need to transition to a fully supported product before the end of mainstream maintenance in 2027 and a growing number of organizations planning to use cloud-based ERP, this year’s data has also revealed that access to generative AI in SAP systems, in addition to SAP’s announcements on AI, are having a considerable impact on the overall transition.
While there has been rapid growth in the number of organizations that have deployed SAP S/4HANA over the past year, a significant proportion of respondents (36%) are still in the process of implementing, evaluating, or building a business case for the transition. A further 4% report that their project is on hold, while 5% currently have no plans for SAP S/4HANA.
SAPinsider has not previously listed SAP S/4HANA Cloud as a separate answer choice when tracking the move to SAP S/4HANA, and the fact that nearly as many respondents (26%) reported that they were using this version compared to a more traditional SAP S/4HANA deployment (29%) provides some interesting insights. First, it confirms the fact that many early adopters of SAP S/4HANA have been transitioning to a RISE with SAP (now SAP Cloud ERP Private) contract as their existing versions have ended mainstream maintenance.
It also shows that those moving to SAP S/4HANA now appear more likely to be moving to SAP S/4HANA Cloud. This is likely due to the challenges with securing traditionally licensed SAP S/4HANA contracts.
However, the fact that 55% of respondents report that they have completed an SAP S/4HANA or SAP S/4HANA Cloud deployment does not mean that these organizations have completed a transition. Since many organizations have complex existing landscapes, some may continue to run multiple systems in parallel to ensure that everything is working correctly before making a final switch to the new software. Larger customers may also be running multiple ERP instances, and a single SAP S/4HANA deployment does not mean that all their systems have transitioned. An SAP S/4HANA deployment may also represent just a proof of concept or a pilot project while the organization evaluates
the solution.
Just over a third of the survey’s respondents (34%) report having completed a transition to SAP S/4HANA due to these factors. This is consistent with overall numbers that SAPinsider has been tracking over the last five years, showing continued growth in adoption.
Download the benchmark report to read the full data analysis and receive recommendations for your own plans.
Mar 31, 2026
•2 minute read
SAPinsider Benchmark Report | SAP Business Data Cloud Use Cases and AdoptionMar 31 — SAP Business Data Cloud (SAP BDC) is becoming SAP’s unified, governed, AI ready data platform, addressing the limits of legacy architectures that cannot support real time analytics or AI-driven decision-making. While strategic interest is high, adoption is still early: only 3% of organizations have a unified governed data layer, and 38% remain siloed. Governance maturity is also low, with one third lacking formal governance—gaps that slow analytics progress and block AI scalability.
Despite this, investment momentum is strong. Analytics modernization (28%), AI and agent-based use cases (26%), and S/4HANA transformation (26%) are top drivers, signaling a shift toward SAP BDC as an AI-first platform. Early adopters are already deploying predictive analytics, supply chain visibility, and agentic workflows powered by Joule-based AI.
Data products are central to value realization. Finance data products, AI-ready datasets, and cross-domain composites—each at 47% adoption—reflect the need for LLM-ready data to fuel AI and automation. Barriers remain significant, including budget constraints (44%), landscape complexity (34%), unclear positioning (32%), and limited skills (30%). Another 26% lack sufficient SAP BDC knowledge.
Where SAP BDC is in production, results are compelling: >25% improvements in decision-making speed (43%), data quality (36%), AI acceleration (36%), and operational efficiency (38%). The research makes clear that SAP BDC represents a strategic architectural shift. Organizations that modernize data foundations, strengthen governance, and prioritize early AI and finance use cases will gain the strongest competitive advantage.
Mar 31, 2026
•1 minute read
SAPinsider 2026 Research AgendaFeb 12 — Get an inside look at where the SAP ecosystem is headed in 2026 as SAP Insider research leaders Robert Holland and Susan Galbraith walk through this year’s agenda across finance, tax, GRC, cybersecurity, cloud, data, and AI-driven automation. They explain how Intelligence Benchmark Reports and highly focused Spotlight Series Reports are changing, why key findings […]
Feb 12, 2026
•1 minute read
AI Adoption and Maturity in the SAP EcosystemDec 31, 2025 — Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping how organizations operate, compete, and deliver value. For SAP customers, AI adoption is accelerating in tandem with digital transformation initiatives such as SAP S/4HANA migration, cloud modernization, and business process automation.
This research looks at how SAPinsiders are approaching AI, examining maturity, technologies, use cases, governance, and the business impact that AI is having. This includes where AI is being used in SAP solutions, AI models in use, platforms used to build and train AI models, and where AI use cases are currently being deployed or developed.
Download the benchmark report to read the full data analysis and receive recommendations for your own plans. Understand the factors impacting SAPinsiders’ AI strategies.
- Explore the impact that AI maturity and adoption have on desired business outcomes and KPIs
- Learn about the technologies that are in use to build and deploy AI tools.
- Discover how AI Leaders are succeeding with their AI adoption and usage strategies.
Dec 31, 2025
•1 minute read
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