We have 2 stances of the SAP PO 7.5 SP14 Java only and it is installed on-premise using IBM Hardware to support our on-premise SAP Applications and an instance installed on AWS to integrate our cloud application with other cloud application. We use the solution for application integration and transforming of data. Decoupling of systems is a feature of SAP PO that allows us to integrate systems without having to care about the data formats , communication protocols or security features of other systems on the bus. As a retailer, all our transnational data need to feed into our SAP system and visa versa to non - SAP systems . Example of this, would be raw point of sale data from the POS system to convert to XMLs and integrate it into the SAP system. We have a team of six developers that does development and support.Support issues are related to data and connectivity . Extrapolation data from other application systems are key to the proactive scaling of the system . We have built close to 700 Integration scenarios and process on average 1.2 m transaction per day.
SAP Process Orchestration Team Lead at a retailer with 10,001+ employees
Enterprise Service Bus for application integration and data transformation
Pros and Cons
- "Great monitoring tools and has its own alert framework."
- "The older version of the solution will no longer be supported."
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
A valuable feature of the solution are all the connectors. I can connect to any environment, anywhere in the world. I can convert any message or data type. It has great monitoring tools and has its own alert framework as well. The really nice thing is that there's a big community and a lot of support. There's a clear roadmap and a vision from the provider as well so they keep you updated. and always notify us of the latest technologies. You have an indication of where the industry is moving and the direction we should take. They've never failed us.
What needs improvement?
The company has come out with a new version, SAP Cloud Integrator, which is not as good as the older version. They are trying to get us to move over to that even though the application is not ready yet. Technology changes and more people are going to micro services and API management tools, which doesn't provide all the functions that the project orchestration environment has. They have a great product but now they're moving into something new and discontinuing the old product. The community is not happy and I think SAP should listen to their clients, offer continuing support for the old product while improving the new.
I think they could work on simplification. There is a business process modeling tool that they have besides the integration side where you could have one point connected, one system, one source to a target system, but they have the process modeling tool, which basically allows you to connect users to each other. You can connect users within a system and then they can connect that system to another system and get a result. It's like an orchestration, a workflow. I think all of that could be simplified.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using this solution for about 15 years. Of course, there have been many changes and we've had numerous upgrades over that time.
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What do I think about the stability of the solution?
This solution is one of the most stable integration SAP products that you could possibly have. Everybody in our organization agrees with that. The only time the system is down is when we carry out maintenance or upgrades. This is a very robust solution, there are no glitches or crashes.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
This is a very scalable solution. We can add additional server loads, server nodes. If I have web services that I'm calling and those web services get an additional 100,000 calls, I can easily do a simple config on my side to allow that additional data to come through.
How are customer service and support?
Technical support is fantastic. We've had some specific requirements for our situation and SAP basically did the developing for us and then the deployment. They're always willing to assist in that respect.
How was the initial setup?
If I consider the fact that I'm able to train someone within three months to do very straightforward development, integration development, then I think it's very straightforward. An organization using this solution for the first time they would need to get the vendor to assist with implementation. Deployment would probably take about a day.
What other advice do I have?
For any enterprise services, if you want to centralize your integration and have one central place that you move data through, instead of having all these various different connections, running all over the show, then this would be the system to use. You can easily set governance policies, see rules, and manage all connections in and out of your environment, especially from a security point of view. It's a great integration tool and a wonderful idea.
I would rate this solution a nine out of 10.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Hybrid Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
SAP Consultant at Ford Motor Company
Stable product with an efficient data transformation feature
Pros and Cons
- "It is simple to transfer files."
- "We encounter challenges while connecting to MQTT and MQDD adapters."
What is our primary use case?
We use the product to integrate with several SAP and non-SAP systems for data transmission.
What is most valuable?
SAP can transform the data into any form. It is compatible with only IDOC. However, we can integrate it with third-party systems to convert the data into different formats.
What needs improvement?
We encounter challenges while connecting to MQTT and MQDD adapters. We have to purchase some adaptors to connect to the MQTT broker. They could enhance this particular area.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using SAP Process Orchestration for eight years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is a stable product. We don't encounter any stability issues.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
A cloud platform would be better than on-premises for a larger volume of data.
How are customer service and support?
We receive help from the technical support team whenever we raise tickets via email. We can schedule in case of any crucial issues. We also share credentials in a very secure manner with them to check for problems and resolve them. However, they could respond faster. At present, they take a day or two to reply. We don't get an immediate assistant. It could be improved.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Our organization decided to work with SAP. I was eager to work with SAP modules during the migration process.
How was the initial setup?
The complexity of the initial setup depends on various scenarios. It is simple to transfer files. We configure the business system with hostname code details and establish a connection using the firewall. It takes a few months to complete the system process.
What other advice do I have?
I rate SAP Process Orchestration an eight out of ten. I look forward to working with cloud platforms.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Buyer's Guide
SAP Process Orchestration
December 2024
Learn what your peers think about SAP Process Orchestration. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: December 2024.
831,020 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Architect Engineer at Philip Morris International
Plenty of features, great support, but implementation could improve
Pros and Cons
- "SAP Process Orchestration has all the features that are necessary."
- "SAP Process Orchestration could improve from an API standpoint. This is not an API management tool, which is one of its drawbacks. However, SAP has released an SAP Cloud Platform Integration which has all of the features, such as API management along with process integration to replace what they had previously."
What is most valuable?
SAP Process Orchestration has all the features that are necessary.
What needs improvement?
SAP Process Orchestration could improve from an API standpoint. This is not an API management tool, which is one of its drawbacks. However, SAP has released an SAP Cloud Platform Integration which has all of the features, such as API management along with process integration to replace what they had previously.
There will not be any more improvements to SAP Process Orchestration because they are ending the support for the solution. All the users using SAP Process Orchestration should move to SAP CPI, this is what is replacing. There are no longer any updates and they only offer maintenance.
This solution is only going to be supported until 2027 or it might be extended to 2030. However, there will only be maintenance support. No additional features will be provided or released.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using SAP Process Orchestration for approximately 11 years.
How are customer service and support?
The technical support from SAP Process Orchestration is good, but the response times are based on the priority of the issue which causes delays. However, SAP offers different support. If you need priority to your issues, you can choose MaxAttention, which is a different kind of support that SAP offers. MaxAttention is very good in terms of emergency issues.
How was the initial setup?
When SAP Process Orchestration is integrated it is important it is done well. This can be done through the services and architecture. There are many connectors to do most of the complex integrations.
It is important to understand how Java works and the pipeline.
What other advice do I have?
Someone who has to work on a PO should at least have a basic understanding of Java because as it is an integration tool, the way SAP provides to transform the messages from one structure to another is very good. This understanding of Java as a backend is important because SAP also supports writing mappings on Java, which they call it Java Mappings.
I would rate this tool from an ESB point of view for integrating on-premise applications, a nine out of ten, not as an overall integration tool. An overall integration tool has API management which is missing.
I rate SAP Process Orchestration a seven out of ten.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
IT manager at Electrolux Home Products
Stable, works well with other SAP products and has helpful technical support
Pros and Cons
- "The solution is stable."
- "The solution could be more scalable."
What is our primary use case?
We are using the solution for authentication purposes.
The product is a useful solution for integrations with any internal systems or any third-party systems as we're connecting SAP to our end-user.
What is most valuable?
SAP works best when a business doesn't require any additional apps in the architecture.
The solution is very stable.
Technical support is helpful.
What needs improvement?
The solution could be more scalable.
SAP doesn't recommend anyone to use this tool for high-volume transactions.
SAP does not recommend users to connect PI Process to be connected to third-party systems. If SAP was more complete, we wouldn't need to have third-party apps within the system. Right now, we need either DataPower or an IBM CVM solution to act as that connect point.
For how long have I used the solution?
In terms of the Orchestration, I've been using it for the last three years, however, the systems landscape I've been familiar with for more than ten years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability of the product is very good. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. It's reliable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution isn't meant to scale when high-volume transactions are in play. The scalability could improve.
Currently, the technical team is using it, and all the users who are using SAP for the first time are connected via an API due to the fact that they are integrated with a third party or other internal downstream applications.
How are customer service and support?
While I have never contacted technical support, my technical team has. Their level of service is fine. We have an enterprise license and it's a very big company. The responses we get are very quick. We have SAP implemented in almost 38 countries.
How was the initial setup?
I was not involved in the initial setup. I cannot speak, from first-hand experience, how easy or difficult it was at the outset.
It's a BI (Business Intelligence) solution and we have a few managers that assist in maintaining it.
What other advice do I have?
I'd rate the solution at an eight out of ten. We've been pretty happy with the product so far.
I would recommend the solution to others. All SAP products are good. As long as businesses are flexible they will be fine. If they try to customize any of the SAP solutions themselves, it becomes really hard in terms of the process.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Operation Development Manager at a manufacturing company with 201-500 employees
Good process automation and automation but high cost
Pros and Cons
- "Orchestration is beneficial for us."
- "There are two main areas for improvement: performance and cost."
What is our primary use case?
We primarily use SAP Process Orchestration for electronic data interchange (EDI) processes.
How has it helped my organization?
The projects managed with SAP Process Orchestration allow us to make different business processes more automated.
What is most valuable?
Orchestration is beneficial for us. It helps to automate our business processes, making them more efficient. While I do not have extensive experience with SAP middleware or other tools, my colleagues find SAP Process Orchestration relatively complex. Despite its complexity, the orchestration capabilities are quite valuable as they contribute to automation. The automation assists us in streamlining business processes effectively.
What needs improvement?
There are two main areas for improvement: performance and cost. The cost is quite high, and if it were reduced, it might also improve the performance, potentially allowing us to access a more efficient tool.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with SAP Process Orchestration for approximately five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
SAP Process Orchestration is quite stable with no significant issues.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have a small number of users, only three, and the tool's scalability is challenging. I would rate it three out of ten for scalability.
How are customer service and support?
We have external SAP support, which is usually specialized and effective if managed as an emergency. However, direct interaction with SAP can be lengthy and less responsive.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have never used another middleware solution, so it's difficult for me to compare.
How was the initial setup?
The setup is difficult. SAP is not a simple tool. It is very powerful, with many applications and possibilities, which makes it not easy to learn.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The main concern is the cost. If additional help is needed due to lack of skill, we have to pay for SAP support.
What other advice do I have?
Potential users should be cautious about the cost. My only advice is based on my current experience with this middleware solution.
I rate SAP Process Orchestration five out of ten. It has both satisfying and frustrating aspects.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Last updated: Dec 1, 2024
Flag as inappropriateSolutions Architect at a retailer with 51-200 employees
Highly scalable solution that fulfils the need for connectivity mediation
Pros and Cons
- "Process Orchestration fulfils the need for middleware to mediate types of connectivity."
- "Process Orchestration doesn't provide authentication for data sent to us, meaning we have to rely on client certificate-based or basic authentication."
What is our primary use case?
I primarily use Process Orchestration for integration.
How has it helped my organization?
Process Orchestration fulfils the need for middleware to mediate types of connectivity.
What needs improvement?
Process Orchestration doesn't provide authentication for data sent to us, meaning we have to rely on client certificate-based or basic authentication.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been working with Process Orchestration for over ten years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Process Orchestration's stability is fine.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Process Orchestration is highly scalable.
How are customer service and support?
It depends on how much you pay SAP for support. If you pay for maximum attention, you can access a dedicated person to help with any problems.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was a little complex because there were a lot of distributed components.
What was our ROI?
We have seen an ROI from Process Orchestration.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The fee for maintenance is costly.
What other advice do I have?
Adobe has stated it is ending support for Process Orchestration in 2027, so it would be better to look for an alternative like SAP CPA. I would give Process Orchestration a rating of nine out of ten.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Integration architect at Dyson
A stable and scalable integration solution with a good customer support team
Pros and Cons
- "The monitoring tools are the most valuable feature."
- "The solution needs to move to the cloud."
What is our primary use case?
The solution is mainly used for integration.
What is most valuable?
The monitoring tools are the most valuable feature.
What needs improvement?
The solution needs to move to the cloud.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution since 2004.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is a stable solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is a scalable solution.
How are customer service and support?
The technical support is good for us as we are the premium clients.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is simple. It takes three weeks to deploy it.
What about the implementation team?
The implementation was done by in-house team.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing depends on what type of client you are with SAP and the contract you have. There is a licensing cost that needs to be paid.
What other advice do I have?
It is a good solution. I rate the overall solution a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Global Integration Lead & Architect at a manufacturing company with 10,001+ employees
Single location management, effective monitoring, and easy to operate
Pros and Cons
- "SAP Process Orchestration is middleware where we are able to manage and interact with everything from a single location. One of the most beneficial areas is monitoring which is very easy because it is all in one place. There are many adapters added recently that can be used for new functionality. The solution is easy to operate and it is more mature than the cloud solution provided by SAP."
- "The solution could improve by making it more user-friendly by limiting the code required. We have to add some code in some cases where we need complex logic or some other functions. If this was able to be done in a more simplified manner then it would save a lot of effort and time."
What is our primary use case?
We are using the solution mostly on-premise but we have purchased a license for cloud processing which we are planning on migrating to soon.
In general, we use SAP Process Orchestration for e-commerce and e-invoicing for the government. Others, we have done Salesforce integrations as well. Most of our work is distributed to approximately 140 countries and depending on the regional requirements we have a few interfaces which are spread across all the regions, such as America, Europe, and Asia.
What is most valuable?
SAP Process Orchestration is middleware where we are able to manage and interact with everything from a single location. One of the most beneficial areas is monitoring which is very easy because it is all in one place. There are many adapters added recently that can be used for new functionality. The solution is easy to operate and it is more mature than the cloud solution provided by SAP.
The improvement team from SAP Process Orchestration is good at taking in customer feedback. Recently we voted for an update to a migrating mappings issue that has now been added to the solution and that problem is now resolved.
What needs improvement?
The solution could improve by making it more user-friendly by limiting the code required. We have to add some code in some cases where we need complex logic or some other functions. If this was able to be done in a more simplified manner then it would save a lot of effort and time. By liming code like in case of dynamic variables usage.
We have experienced latency and reliability issues when using large amounts of data. In the future, they should come up with a solution to this problem. Latency in case of huge amount of data. Iterface gets timed out if data is very huge.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using SAP Process Orchestration for approximately 11 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability is very good, we have not experienced any major issues.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution could improve in scalability. Files above 50 MB become a bit difficult to process. However, the scalability could improve if were using Microsoft Azure.
We have approximately 15 people using the solution in my organization.
How are customer service and technical support?
We have experienced times where SAP support has not been able to solve our issue or other times they were not able to give back much feedback. There have been extended delays from one person to another. We have had some good experiences but they can improve on their knowledge and reducing delays.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We previously used other solutions, such as Xi and Pi.
How was the initial setup?
The installation is quite easy to handle. I have worked on previous versions also, this could be why I feel it is easy. It was easier for me to jump into the SAP Process Orchestration and feel comfortable with it.
What about the implementation team?
We did the implementation of the solution using a team within our company. Additionally, they handle the migration, maintenance, patching, and updates.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Looking at market conditions, vendors nowadays are giving products at very low price levels. However, SAP Process Orchestration have not yet reduced their prices. The prices could be reduced a lot to stay competitive.
What other advice do I have?
I recommend SAP Process Orchestration because it has currently reached maturity over the last few years. I can see on the online forums there are many questions raised by customers and SAP is slowly taking care of all the issues that people were facing. This is a good solution and they do not need to quit using it to move to a cloud version.
I rate SAP Process Orchestration an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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Updated: December 2024
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