SAP S/4HANA Reviews

Vendor: SAP

4.1 out of 5

105 reviews
95% willing to recommend

1,854 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. Based on the analysis of the 105 most recent SAP S/4HANA reviews, the overall sentiment is positive, with a sentiment score of 6.4. (Among the lowest in the category). 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 38% 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 22, 2024

Valuable Features

SAP S/4HANA offers valuable features like business partner functionality managing vendors and customers from a single screen, product costing, fast reporting, and effective finance modules. Users appreciate its user-friendly Fiori interface and seamless integration with other systems. It provides efficient data management with in-memory database capabilities, simplifying processes and supporting better analytics. Scalability, end-to-end integration, and built-in best practices enhance its appeal across various industries, including retail and manufacturing.

"SAP S/4HANA is an integrated application, which is its greatest strength."
"SAP S/4HANA is an integrated application, which is its greatest strength."
"We use the solution for a retail customer. As an administrator, my activities involve system installation, troubleshooting, and performance management."

Room for Improvement

SAP S/4HANA requires improvement in areas like user interface simplicity, integration with diverse systems, and enhanced Fiori app functionality. Users find the implementation complex and costly, with a need for better documentation and AI integration. High licensing fees and hardware requirements are concerns. Customization options and support services need enhancement. Usability, particularly in screen flow and analytics, should be more intuitive. Integration with third-party applications and reduction in system downtime are also necessary.

"The cost of their support services could be more affordable. It's currently an expensive proposition."
"The cost of their support services could be more affordable."
"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."

ROI

Businesses implementing SAP S/4HANA experience noteworthy cost reductions and improved efficiencies within three to five years. It often necessitates no additional investment for organizations transitioning from outdated systems to a cloud-based setup. Many companies appreciate its comprehensive capabilities and contend that it offers significant monetary benefits in various departments. Greenfield users recognize substantial savings. However, smaller enterprises or those with minimal needs may see delayed returns, emphasizing its value for larger, complex organizations.

Pricing

Enterprise buyers evaluating SAP S/4HANA should consider its high pricing, licensing complexities, and substantial setup costs. Users report various licensing models, including subscription and one-time fees, with costs often influenced by business size and usage levels. Maintenance and support fees typically add 20-25% to annual expenses. The solution can be affordable for large corporate users but proves challenging for smaller businesses. Pricing flexibility and negotiation with SAP can improve affordability, yet overall expenses remain significant.

"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 serves diverse business needs including enterprise resource planning, finance, sales, and manufacturing processes across various industries. Companies benefit from modules handling supply chain, material management, and financial accounting. Users leverage cloud and on-premise deployments, taking advantage of Fiori apps, analytics, and ERP functionalities. SAP S/4HANA supports data analysis, integration with third-party services, and compliance with regulatory requirements, making it a favored choice for digital transformation and efficient business operations.

Service and Support

SAP S/4HANA customer service is often praised for being good and knowledgeable, though response times can vary. Support quality sometimes depends on the specific agreement or external service providers. Rapid response might be limited in certain situations, and improved speed and efficiency are desired. Many users rate support positively, noting their experiences with knowledgeable staff, yet there are suggestions for enhancing responsiveness and issue resolution efficiency.

Deployment

Users of SAP S/4HANA found the initial setup to be complex, often requiring specialized knowledge. Complexity varied based on business size, customization needs, and deployment model. Experienced teams managed with fewer issues, yet migration from other systems posed challenges. Implementation time ranged from a few months to years. Maintenance ease depended on whether it was on-cloud or on-premises. Deployment success required careful planning and coordination with implementation partners.

Scalability

SAP S/4HANA is recognized for its robustness in scaling, primarily for medium to large enterprises. Users appreciate its ability to handle thousands of users across various platforms and regions efficiently. It aligns well with cloud infrastructures, allowing flexibility in deployment and use. However, the scalability could be seen as complex at times, requiring significant investment and expertise, especially for smaller businesses, due to its associated costs and infrastructure needs.

Stability

SAP S/4HANA demonstrates high stability, praised for being reliable and smooth in operation. Feedback indicates that customization and infrastructure significantly impact performance. While most users report commendable stability, some encounter issues due to implementation complexities or environmental factors. Regular updates and patches from SAP contribute to ongoing improvements. Many rate stability between seven to ten out of ten, noting it's more stable than other systems like ECC, though it may experience occasional performance challenges.

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

38%

Manufacturing Company

Computer Software Company

University

Financial Services Firm

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.