Many companies in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland are beginning to adopt SAP’s plan for moving to cloud services. However, there are worries about how fast this transition is happening and the pressure companies feel.
A survey by DSAG, which is a group for SAP users in this region, shows that 48% of businesses have joined or are planning to join RISE with SAP. This program helps companies move and update their systems to the cloud. Just a couple of years ago, in 2024, only 16% of companies were considering this. This big increase shows that many want to stop using their old SAP ECC systems before the main support ends in 2027.
SAP wants its customers to switch to SAP S/4HANA. But according to Gartner, a research company, many businesses are still unsure about making this change. There are 35,000 companies worldwide still using ECC, and only 39% have started to move to the new system. Experts believe that many businesses might still use old systems even after extra support stops in 2030.
Jens Hungershausen, who leads DSAG, says more people are starting to accept cloud solutions. Yet, he warns that SAP’s plan might not suit everyone. Some companies feel they are being forced to accept cloud services in a way that suits SAP rather than following their own plans. Jens stresses that businesses need to have options, should be able to plan long-term, and deserve good conditions, especially if they want to keep some systems on-site.
Christian Hestermann, an analyst from Gartner, agrees. He says some companies find it hard to discover other ways to move to the cloud if they don’t want to use RISE with SAP. Several users say SAP tells them there are no other pathways, adding more pressure to go along with SAP’s preferred plan.
Despite these concerns, more companies are moving to cloud services. This is due to the need for new technology and because of SAP’s strategic plan. Whether companies see RISE with SAP as a good opportunity or feel it is something they must do, many realize that moving to the cloud is an essential step for the future of their business software.
