What is SAP S/4 HANA?
SAP S/4 HANA is a complete, modular ERP software of the new generation and the successor to SAP ECC (SAP ERP Central Component). Powered by AI and Analytics, it enables businesses to transact, analyze, and predict in real-time. SAP S/4 HANA allows you to run your mission-critical operations from anywhere, introduce new business models in your industry, and expand globally with a trusted partner. From supply chain and finance to customer service and marketing, this latest ERP software performs all critical business functions in a meaningful way.
Why is SAP S/4 HANA Unique?
Over the past few decades, enterprise resource planning (ERP) software has been the core of SAP. SAP S/4HANA’s unique architecture is quite a contrast from the classic relational database. While the previous versions support the most common databases, SAP S/4 HANA uses SAP HANA in-memory database to help organizations execute transactions and analyze business data in real-time. It solves batch latency, manually driven processes, data sprawl, and other problems which have been present in traditional ERP systems.
Benefits
- Simplification : SAP S/4HANA enables decentralization of hardware and network resources, thereby simplifying the management and administration of your IT landscape
- Ease-of-use : The platform of SAP S/4 is more comfortable when it comes to usage. Its user interface is designed to be highly intuitive, personalized, responsive, and simple
- Cost Effectiveness : The powerful and centralized ERP system requires less hardware and maintenance costs, which can help you save costs
- Innovation : S/4 HANA allows smooth integration of emerging technologies like RPA, AI, ML, IoT, etc., thereby contributing to your organization’s innovation
- Improved Speed and Performance: With underlying SAP HANA database technology, S/4HANA provides real-time insights and faster access to your entire data
Few Modules of SAP S/4 HANA
- Finance : Run intelligent, highly automated finance processes with cloud ERP software that unifies transactions, analytics, and planning
- Manufacturing: Streamline your entire operation, gain visibility, and make better business decisions, from the boardroom to the factory floor
- Asset Management : Every physical asset in your system requires monitoring to keep it running at peak performance. With enterprise asset management (EAM) software, you can tightly integrate processes for maintenance planning, scheduling, and execution
- Sales : You need the right sales software to close more deals than the competitors. Cloud ERP software provides intelligent tools and insights to help you improve your sales activities, grow revenue, and win over your competitors
- Customer Service : Provide a seamless and personalized post-sales experience for your customers by leveraging the customer service capabilities of SAP S/4HANA Cloud
- Supply Chain : Agility is what makes you superior if you’re in the supply chain. Create a dynamic and connected supply chain to gain a significant advantage with Cloud ERP software
Time to Switch to S/4 HANA
Overall, there are a lot of benefits in moving to SAP S/4 HANA from SAP ECC. However, whether a customer must completely switch to S/4 HANA or have a combination of both ECC and S/4 HANA depends on their business needs and goals. Also, it is important to note that SAP has announced that it will stop providing support for the legacy ECC systems from 2027. So, although it involves some financial or technical risks, all businesses, whether small, medium, or large, should consider moving to SAP S/4 HANA.
