We are using SAP S4HANA for supply chain management, production planning, and material management. We have connected systems that have intelligent optimization for production planning outside of SAP S4HANA.
Works at a tech services company with 1-10 employees
Interface suits all users, high database performance, and reliable
Pros and Cons
- "I have found the most valuable features are the interface, which is very good for all users, and the database performance is good."
- "In an upcoming release, it would be beneficial to have more practical intelligence in the system, such as protective maintenance, or artificial intelligence."
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
I have found the most valuable features are the interface, which is very good for all users, and the database performance is good. Additionally, we have more service APIs to communicate with third-party solutions or systems, such as cloud systems or other participants, than in our last ERP system.
What needs improvement?
In an upcoming release, it would be beneficial to have more practical intelligence in the system, such as protective maintenance, or artificial intelligence. This would not be too complicated to provide nowadays. If you have a mission learning or artificial intelligence, you have to have it in the cloud and have cooperation between the ERP and the cloud. It is not as good as it could be.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for approximately four years.
Buyer's Guide
SAP S/4HANA
November 2024
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What do I think about the stability of the solution?
We have had no problems with the stability of this solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability of this solution depends on the hardware and the platform you use. If you have fixed hardware, then you need more effort to have scalability. If it is on the cloud, such as Azure, it is a lot easier to scale. The software itself is very practical and scalable.
How are customer service and support?
The technical support is very good between the service levels.
How was the initial setup?
The installation is straightforward.
What about the implementation team?
We did the implementation ourselves.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The solution is expensive. There are many discussions surrounding the topic of third-party indirect usage of SAP solutions. If you have a third-party system and you have a connection to the SAP system, should this third-party usage qualify as a cost or not. It is very complicated to handle with the SAP organization.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend those wanting to implement this solution to make sure their internal IT departments are trained well to be able to educate the teams.
I rate SAP S4HANA an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: partner
Lead Consultant at a retailer with 1,001-5,000 employees
High performance, stable, and helpful customer support
Pros and Cons
- "SAP S4HANA has good performance and has allowed us to combine our systems."
- "The solution could be more user-friendly for regular users and developers."
How has it helped my organization?
The solution has helped our organization with planning and consolidating our data.
What is most valuable?
SAP S4HANA has good performance and has allowed us to combine our systems.
What needs improvement?
The solution could be more user-friendly for regular users and developers.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using SAP S4HANA for approximately 15 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is scalable.
How are customer service and technical support?
We have been happy with the technical support from SAP.
How was the initial setup?
The installation and migration can take a lot of time but it is expected.
What about the implementation team?
We had assistance with the migration from SAP. They were very helpful.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price of the solution is expensive.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend others to use the latest version of the solution to receive all the benefits.
I rate SAP S4HANA an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Private Cloud
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: partner
Buyer's Guide
SAP S/4HANA
November 2024
Learn what your peers think about SAP S/4HANA. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: November 2024.
824,053 professionals have used our research since 2012.
SAP Consultant at a tech services company with 1-10 employees
Strong financial and manufacturing integration
Pros and Cons
- "S4HANA is a completely integrated solution. It's an end-to-end ERP system with strong manufacturing and financial integration, which is not common among ERPs. And it's a solution that's driven by industry best practices."
- "Maybe its user interface and reporting can be improved across the board, but it is manageable."
What is our primary use case?
Mostly I have dealt with project-based manufacturing companies where they do custom product builds, like heavy equipment, compressors, steam turbines, and stuff like that.
What is most valuable?
S4HANA is a completely integrated solution. It's an end-to-end ERP system with strong manufacturing and financial integration, which is not common among ERPs. And it's a solution that's driven by industry best practices.
What needs improvement?
Maybe its user interface and reporting can be improved across the board, but it is manageable.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using S4HANA for about 16 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
S4HANA's stability is good.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
S4HANA is pretty scalable. We normally plan three to five years ahead and scale up accordingly. So as long as your sizing is done properly, you're good.
How are customer service and support?
I don't have much experience with SAP's tech support, but I have used the online support system. It's okay for a company the size of SAP. But from a customer perspective, it can be time consuming to get help from them.
How was the initial setup?
Setting up S4HANA is straightforward if you have a little bit of expertise, especially on the S4HANA side. You need to understand the appliances and hardware so you can set requirements for RAM as opposed to storage. If you have some experience in server administration, it's not like climbing a mountain; it's a small trip.
What was our ROI?
Most of the time, I've been able to quantify the soft savings, like savings in terms of time spent on processes and efficiencies that you gain. FDA reductions are generally difficult to establish over a finite period, but your soft savings are far more rewarding, and it's also more compliance related.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I have not dealt with licensing directly because our head office manages that. We only pay SAP to perform maintenance on the solution instead of doing it in-house. Given the size of an ERP system, you need some extra labor to maintain it, but it's justified if you look at the cost-benefit analysis. Some companies go overboard with hiring many people, and then they say it's too expensive.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate S4HANA 10 out of 10. It's a good solution. I think some companies are penny wise and pound foolish. They invest a lot in other ERPs, and when they start to grow those systems, they create a lot of inefficiencies in 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.
Associate director at a consultancy with 1,001-5,000 employees
Modern user interface, simplified operations, but complex installation
Pros and Cons
- "I have found the user interface very modern and it has simplified many user jobs, such as the embedded logistics. They have introduced central finance which has been a benefit."
- "This solution works with the configuration, if the prerequisites are very clear and can be configured it works perfectly. If you need to simulate something, as a predictive tool this kind of simulation is not very accurate and it has limitations. This is something that could improve."
What is our primary use case?
The solution can be used for many things in an organization, such as managing sales, operations, supply chain logistics, master data, and product management.
What is most valuable?
I have found the user interface very modern and it has simplified many user jobs, such as the embedded logistics. They have introduced central finance which has been a benefit.
What needs improvement?
This solution works with the configuration, if the prerequisites are very clear and can be configured it works perfectly. If you need to simulate something, as a predictive tool this kind of simulation is not very accurate and it has limitations. This is something that could improve.
In an upcoming release, the allocation process should be revised and improved.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for approximately eight years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is very stable in this new version we have been using.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is easy to scale. I have found this solution is the best fit for medium to large size businesses.
How are customer service and technical support?
The technical support has been very valuable. They are experts and provide a great service.
How was the initial setup?
The installation is a complex process compared to other solutions. The setup can be even more complex by adding areas of the organization you want to the solution, such as LAN networks, licenses, and infrastructure.
What about the implementation team?
The client decides who does the implementations. Some do it themselves and others use a vendor.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I have found the price of the solution is on the medium to the expensive side of the scale. There is a license for this solution and there are additional maintenance fees.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this solution to those looking for a similar solution.
I rate SAP S4HANA a seven out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
Director - SAP Practice at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
Simple implementation, good support, and robust design
Pros and Cons
- "SAP S4HANA is a robust solution."
- "We are always looking for a better user experience. We would like to see more consolidation in SAP S4HANA because of all the financial compliance and regulatory changes."
What is most valuable?
SAP S4HANA is a robust solution.
What needs improvement?
We are always looking for a better user experience. We would like to see more consolidation in SAP S4HANA because of all the financial compliance and regulatory changes.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using SAP S4HANA for approximately four years.
How are customer service and support?
The technical support is good.
I would rate the technical support of SAP S4HANA an eight out of ten.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was straightforward because we used the package solution, with no customization.
What about the implementation team?
We did the implementation in-house.
What other advice do I have?
I would advise others to use the latest version because the bugs are being fixed constantly.
I rate SAP S4HANA an eight out of ten.
It is an enterprise solution, which is adopted by many organizations, and it's robust.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Other
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
Senior IT Manager with 501-1,000 employees
A stable and scalable solution which boasts easy use and infrastructure management
Pros and Cons
- "The solution makes its use and the management of our infrastructure easy."
- "While the solution contemplates a competitively priced model, its pricing could be cheaper."
What is our primary use case?
We use the solution to comprehensively manage our business.
What is most valuable?
The solution makes its use and the management of our infrastructure easy.
What needs improvement?
While the solution contemplates a competitively priced model, its pricing could be cheaper.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using SAP S4HANA for the last two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is scalable.
How are customer service and support?
We rely both on our own technical team for the managing of the solution's technical infrastructure and on the subscription-based SAP support.
When it comes to functionality, we rely on offshore support.
How was the initial setup?
From a technical management perspective, the initial set up is fine. We have been using the solution for a long time now, based on management's decision to do so.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Though we are talking about a competitively priced model, the pricing could be more cost-effective.
What other advice do I have?
I give SAP S4HANA the best rating available, a ten 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.
Head of PMO at a tech company with 1-10 employees
Robust but is still not 100% stable or scalable
Pros and Cons
- "In terms of its most valuable feature, I would say the finance module."
- "The common issues being raised right now by the end users are mostly related to the usability."
What is our primary use case?
We are using using almost all of SAP S4HANA's modules, from production and planning to finance and controlling.
What is most valuable?
In terms of its most valuable feature, I would say the finance module. This is the base. Right now we're working towards the other modules as well, for lineup opportunity operations.
What needs improvement?
The common issues being raised right now by the end-users are mostly related to the usability. Especially on the Fiori interface. I think they're a manufacturing company and they're implementing lean manufacturing. They are actually counting the number of clicks and screens that are being used by their end-users so they can have a more efficient and intuitive approach on the Fiori apps.
In terms of what features should be included in the next release, there would be too many to mention. I would probably say right now, as part of the planning session, they're going to go through the entire gamut of features where they can improve and where we're lacking in some parts. We're planning to implement a trial for support and warehouse management. But it's a big list right now and I can't think of anything specific.
In terms of what could be improved, I would say the usability aspect of it for the users. Additionally, from the corporate perspective, some of the more stringent integrations across modules and also allowing integrations from third-party applications.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using SAP S4HANA for three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I would not say it is a 100% stable. There still are some large issues here and there. But I guess over the course of using it for the last three years, and with some of the changes that have been put in place by our IT team, I would say it is around 70% stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
In terms of scalability, I wouldn't count it as easy. I would probably say it's medium complex.
We currently have around 100, 150 people using it.
How are customer service and technical support?
In terms of support, there still are some places here and there for them to improve. But their support is mostly stable right now.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was very complex.
What about the implementation team?
During the initial setup we made use of an SI, solution integrator vendor, for the implementation. It was a combination of the SI and some internal resources.
What other advice do I have?
On a scale of one to ten, I would rate SAP S4HANA a seven.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Private 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.
Project Coordinator at Exzatech Solutions Ltd
Manages the business in a faster and smarter way
Pros and Cons
- "This tool helps us to manage business in a faster and smarter way."
- "Planned Order List needs a change of screen."
- "MRP repost area should be improved. The production information report also needs to be improved."
What is our primary use case?
SAP S/4 HANA has cloud facilities. Also, it has Fiori apps. This tool helps us to manage business in a faster and smarter way.
How has it helped my organization?
The new functionality helps people. Employees have become more efficient and skilled. It manages the business in a faster way than before we had the solution installed.
What is most valuable?
Business partner functionality helps us to manage vendors and customers from a single screen. Another one is product costing. Product CO-PA implementation is easier than before.
What needs improvement?
MRP repost area should be improved. The production information report also needs to be improved.
Planned Order List needs a change of screen.
For how long have I used the solution?
Less than one year.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Yes, we encountered stability issues.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
No scalability issues.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
No previous solution was used.
What was our ROI?
Two years.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The cost is $5000.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
No.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner.
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