SAP S/4HANA Reviews

Vendor: SAP

4.1 out of 5

104 reviews
95% willing to recommend

1,851 followers

What is SAP S/4HANA?

SAP S4HANA is an ERP (enterprise resource planning) system that uses sophisticated technologies including machine learning and AI. It is most commonly used to integrate and manage business functions and is an ideal solution for large enterprises. The platform includes supplier relationship management (SRM), customer relationship management (CRM), supply chain management (SCM), and product lifecycle management (PLM) functionality.

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SAP S/4HANA is the #2 ranked solution in top ERP solutions. PeerSpot users give SAP S/4HANA an average rating of 8.2 out of 10. SAP S/4HANA is most commonly compared to SAP ERP: SAP S/4HANA vs SAP ERP. SAP S/4HANA is popular among the midsize enterprise segment, accounting for 44% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a educational organization, accounting for 37% of all views.

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Featured reviews

VARUN-JAIN

Associate Manager - Strategy and Transaction at Ernst & Young

S/4HANA implementation is always complex because you need to configure it to work with your infrastructure. SAP only provides the license, not hardware, but they will connect you with a partner like HPE or IBM. It's extremely costly if you ask for SAP to implement it, but you can deploy through some vendor like HCL, TC, Infosys, or Capgemini, and then you need to enlist a hardware partner. The complexity also varies by industry. If it's a small industry with $40 million of revenue annually, the business processes will be simple. However, deployment is tricky for heavy manufacturing, energy, etc.

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Hanif Shaikh

Co-founder & Partner at idiligence Solution

SAP S/4HANA is a highly compliance-oriented system. The solution provides real-time compliance and auditing from the financial and system perspectives. SAP's USP is that about 80% of customers in the market are using their solutions to run across different systems. Another USP of SAP is that the solution supports all the data across models with proper integration for each and every processes. There are no misalignments, ambiguities, or issues within the system for database transactions, business transactions, or reports when using SAP S/4HANA. The product is trouble-free, and it enables businesses to make faster decisions and run systems without errors in day-to-day business operations.

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PremkishanChourasia

SAP Cloud Infra Architect at Syngenta

The solution was easy to deploy. In our company, we faced challenges with the third-party add-ons and its compatibility with SAP S/4HANA. To overcome the compatibility challenge at our company we had to collaborate with third-party owners of specific add-ons to obtain a certified and functional solution or version of the add-ons. To obtain the aforementioned add-on versions our company had to wait for a prolonged duration which elongated the testing time for us. The deployment time of SAP S/4HANA depends on multiple factors. The deployment of the solution in our company's central finance department, as well as for all our vendors, took around 100 professionals, excluding the core users for business validations. The maintenance of the technical aspects of SAP S/4HANA has become easier than before.

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SAP S/4HANA mindshare

As of November 2024, the mindshare of SAP S/4HANA in the ERP category stands at 16.2%, up from 14.9% compared to the previous year, according to calculations based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

ERP

Key learnings from peers

Last updated Nov 3, 2024

Valuable Features

SAP S/4HANA's valuable features include easy integration, user-friendly UI, comprehensive finance and procurement modules, and rapid performance due to its in-memory database. Users appreciate the system's ability to streamline and optimize business processes, offering enhanced reporting and real-time analytics. Integration capabilities across various modules and third-party solutions significantly improve efficiency and scalability. Industry-specific modules offer tailored functionality, making it appealing to diverse sectors seeking robust enterprise resource planning.

"We use the solution for a retail customer. As an administrator, my activities involve system installation, troubleshooting, and performance management."
"We can do a lot with S/4HANA, like HR, sales, distribution, production planning, quality management, transport management, and more."
"The solution's most valuable feature is integration."

Room for Improvement

SAP S/4HANA requires improvements in user interface, integration across modules, and costing. Users find the Fiori interface confusing and desire a more streamlined, user-friendly experience. Customization and support for third-party integrations need enhancement. High costs and complex licensing deter smaller companies. There is a need for better documentation and more support for mobile and cloud environments. Users also seek improved analytics, AI capabilities, and simplified implementation processes. Scalability and resource optimization present ongoing challenges.

"The tool could improve development, particularly during upgrades or conversions from ERP systems to the solution. Adapting the code to the new standards can be challenging, especially when customers try to keep their old ERP developments."
"In future releases, I would like to see more availability zones and VPCs so customers have more freedom to choose"
"SAP S/4HANA is an expensive solution."

ROI

Users experience varied timelines for return from SAP S/4HANA, generally seeing benefits in three to five years. Large organizations appreciate cost reductions from cloud migration replacing hardware-intensive setups. Companies switching from older ERP systems may face initial high costs, but consolidating processes into a single system is advantageous. SAP S/4HANA appeals particularly to firms needing modern, interconnected business management, enhancing compliance and efficiency. Smaller entities or those misaligned with SAP S/4HANA face challenges achieving value.

Pricing

SAP S/4HANA is often perceived as expensive, with pricing varying based on user count, deployment type, and specific business needs. Licensing can be subscription-based for cloud or one-time for on-premises, often accompanied by annual maintenance fees, typically 20-25% of the license cost. While some find the pricing justified by its capabilities, others note it may be high, especially for smaller companies. Discounts can vary significantly based on negotiations and specific business circumstances.

"The tool's licensing is very expensive. They've changed their licensing model from the old ERP system to a new model using FUEs, which is somewhat better but still expensive."
"People concerned about the costs need to evaluate whether implementing this system is profitable."
"The tool's price can be reasonable for large organizations, but it might not be suitable for small organizations with a small number of users."

Popular Use Cases

SAP S/4HANA primarily supports core business processes like finance, sales, supply chain, and manufacturing. Organizations utilize its modules for ERP functions, data analysis, and real-time management across industries such as manufacturing, retail, food, and pharmaceuticals. The platform operates both on-premises and on cloud services like AWS, Azure, and GCP, assisting with digitization initiatives. Its integration and planning capabilities aid in process optimization, operational efficiency, and compliance with financial regulations.

Service and Support

SAP S/4HANA customer service and support show varied experiences. Many express satisfaction with knowledgeable, stable, and fast support, along with a capable team, especially when using advanced agreements. However, some mention slow response times, delays in resolution, and dependency on service providers. Support quality can depend on agreements and region. Improvements are needed in response speed, ticket submission process, and specialist availability, with mixed reviews on proactiveness and prioritization.

Deployment

SAP S/4HANA's initial setup involves varying complexity depending on factors like organizational size, required customizations, and deployment model. Technical expertise is crucial, with the process ranging from straightforward to challenging. Deployment timelines differ, often taking months, influenced by the need for significant customizations. Configuring the solution for business use is time-consuming, while installation is typically simpler. Support and documentation can aid the process, with some organizations finding it easier than previous versions.

Scalability

SAP S/4HANA is highly scalable, adaptable to medium and large businesses. Its scalability depends on infrastructure, with cloud deployments offering more flexibility. Users note it handles thousands of users efficiently. While scaling can be complex and costly, especially for on-premises or small companies, many rate scalability highly. Some challenges exist with migration, but SAP S/4HANA integrates well with various platforms, offering diverse deployment options. Its flexibility supports global operations and diverse client needs.

Stability

SAP S/4HANA stability varies by implementation, requiring skilled teams for optimal performance. It is generally regarded as stable, though issues arise when customization or infrastructure lack proper support. Most users report confidence in stability, rating it highly due to frequent updates and patches. While some areas experience difficulties, particularly in web interfaces or with user-specific customizations, others find it reliable and robust, noting significant improvements compared to earlier versions.

These insights are based on the in-depth reviews provided by peers to help you make a better buying decision.

Download our SAP S/4HANA Buyer's Guide for additional reliable information.

Review data by company size

By reviewers

By visitors reading reviews

Top industries

By visitors reading reviews

Educational Organization

37%

Manufacturing Company

Computer Software Company

Financial Services Firm

University

Retailer

Government

Energy/Utilities Company

Comms Service Provider

Healthcare Company

Construction Company

Real Estate/Law Firm

Wholesaler/Distributor

Media Company

Insurance Company

Non Profit

Legal Firm

Transportation Company

Hospitality Company

Pharma/Biotech Company

Performing Arts

Outsourcing Company

Logistics Company

Consumer Goods Company

Compare SAP S/4HANA with alternative products

Learn more about SAP S/4HANA

SAP S4HANA offers three different deployment options:

On-premises
Cloud
Hybrid

SAP S4HANA Features

SAP S4HANA has many valuable key features, including:

Customizable
ERP, CRM, SRM, SCM, PLM co-deployed
High throughput
Fast analytics and reporting
Smaller total data footprint
SAP HANA multi-tenancy
All data: social, text, geo, graph, processing
New SAP Fiori UX for any device (mobile, desktop, tablet)
Unlimited workload capacity
High-volume transaction processing (OLTP)
High volume real-time analytical processes (OLAP)
Service Management
Digital Boardroom Integration

SAP S4HANA Benefits

Some of the benefits of using SAP S4HANA include:

Speed: S4 HANA applications leverage speed, context, and data accessibility to ensure you can stay up to date with rapidly evolving technology.

Improved performance: With SAP S4HANA, you can plan, execute, or generate reports and analytics based on live data to increase performance.

Simplicity: SAP S4HANA’s whole infrastructure was designed with simplification in mind — from the management of the solution to the administration of the IT landscape. The solution serves as the digital core for business process simplification and enables the centralizing of hardware and network resources.

Cost effective: SAP S4HANA is a cost effective solution. It provides the ability to bring together all the analytical and transactional capabilities of a variety of systems in one location, enabling better decision making.

Reviews from Real Users

Below are some reviews and helpful feedback written by SAP S4HANA users.

A Mechanical Engineer at a construction company says, “It is a very powerful, highly customizable tool. The most valuable feature is that the reporting is fast. We can see the results from that in that our commissions come in fast. That is the main advantage.”

Another reviewer, a SAP Technology Manager at a financial services firm, mentions, "It is more or less a very, very smooth and seamless product. Day by day they are increasing their technology features and they are keen to resolve the issues. India has a complex business scenario and SAP is thinking about that and resolving the issues day by day. In terms of the features I have found most valuable, I don't think that there is any lack or any gap process-wise. SAP is a very good tool."

A Project and Service delivery Manager at a tech services company comments, "One of the most valuable features, which we used the most, was the FI module, for finance. It involved controlling, account receivables, account payables, and complete financial steering."

A Senior Architect at a construction company states, “The POD applications are very useful to us. There are a few POD apps which we are using for different business scenarios. They are quite interesting.” He also adds, “The initial setup is pretty straightforward. The documentation is very good. The solution can scale well. The solution is stable.”

SAP S/4HANA was previously known as SAP S4HANA.