SAP Environment: How to Choose the Right SAP MSP for Your Business Needs

SAP Environment: How to Choose the Right SAP MSP for Your Business Needs

Jane Black

As mission-critical businesses are focusing on digitally transforming their operations, there has been a sharp rise in the use of the SAP environment, an efficient ERP solution, since 2019. It is highly scalable and integrable with different technologies (Cloud, Big Data, and HANA) and provides all-sized companies with top-notch tools to streamline processes having better control. 

Leveraging the power of this robust system is crucial to automate your business activities. But how do you go about picking the right SAP solution provider? If you’re running a complex SAP environment, Avantra has you covered with some great tips to keep everything running smoothly.

To assist you in making the befitting decision, we are putting everything essential together. 

What is SAP ERP

SAP (Systems Applications and Products) is today’s most popular ERP software that empowers companies offering a centralised system to operate their mission-critical processes in a single platform. 

Besides multiple deployment facilities (on-premises, cloud, or hybrid model), SAP ERP puts data from HR, supply chain, product lifecycle, customer relation, and Finance department into one place.

What is a Managed Service Provider for SAP

An MSP for SAP is an outsourced third-party company of experts who focus on serving businesses supporting SAP landscapes and ensure proactively managing and monitoring their SAP environment for uninterrupted business growth.

The services MSP experts offer:

  • SAP hosting
  • SAP service delivery management
  • Maintenance of the dedicated SAP environment
  • SAP Application Managed Services
  • Ensuring SAP security with proper planning and measures
  • Ensuring SAP business continuity

What Does SAP Software Do?

A company that runs on conventional business models struggles with one issue: different departments store their data in their individual databases. 

When all departments need to access data from the entire business to extract better and actionable insights, this decentralised data management process can significantly reduce business efficiency. 

Offering an intelligent digital system for efficient data management, processing and sharing, and real-time collaboration, SAP strives to foster innovation and increase revenue.

SAP ERP features two types of modules that are easily integrable with each other and make data consolidation, storage, and interpretation effortless.

The most used modules are:

Functional Modules:

  • SAP HRM
  • SAP FICO
  • SAP MM
  • SAP SD
  • SAP QM
  • SAP PP
  • SAP PS

Technical Modules:

  • SAP Security
  • SAP HANA
  • SAP Basis
  • SAP ABAP

According to your enterprise requirements, you can buy any module. 

Some other surpassing functionalities:

  • SAP 4/HANA leverages the power of in-memory computing for big data processing and supports AI and machine learning.
  • Besides storing and processing all essential data in one place, it eliminates the chance of data duplication and redundancy. 
  • It helps organizations streamline workflows, improve efficacy and provide excellent customer support.

Advantages of SAP ERP Solution

Some notable benefits of SAP software:

  • A Scalable Service Well-suited for All Enterprises: Whether you own a big, medium, or small-sized company, SAP solutions are carefully tailored to meet your company-specific demands. Moreover, as your company expands, you can scale up the software services. One of the surpassing benefits of the SAP environment is it is mobile-friendly. So a business user can access it from any device!
  • Cost-Efficiency in Business: As the employees can get more precise data and communicate in real-time through SAP ERP, your company can cut down many operational and administrative costs. Moreover, this market-leading ERP tool helps you better control processes to avoid breakdowns and disruptions that passively minimises operational costs.  
  • Efficient Data Management, Analysis, and Forecasting: To predict future trends and take measures accordingly, efficient data organisation and implementing the proper performance matrices are crucial. But manually evaluating the company’s performance is tiresome and prone to errors. SAP ERP excels here by streamlining the data management process, organising them in one place integrating all departments of the organisation’s operations. It also enables the employees to measure company matrices through real-time reporting on risk assessment, performance, inventory department, and more. Thus they can make more data-driven and appropriate decisions boosting company productivity.
  • Improved Data Security with SAP: SAP features cutting-edge in-built security measures and firewalls, SSL/TLS, etc., to safeguard your sensitive business data. With access control, you can provide access or restrain a group or individuals from accessing mission-critical information. 

How to Choose the Best MSP for SAP 

Select a Certified MSP

As businesses of all sizes frequently adopt SAP solutions, you may notice many companies claiming to offer top-notch SAP services. 

So, before you spend on one, make sure the MSP firm is certified by the SAP company itself and owns the SAP CoE (Center of Excellence).

Check if the MSP can Adept at Offering all SAP Services

Hiring an MSP is a long-term investment. As your business requirements may change with the evolving technology and time, you should spend on a company that can scale its offerings and provides a full spectrum of services to meet your business specifications. 

Evaluate if it comes with auditing servers, definite vetting, and other essential resources to fit your projects. 

Experience

You can ensure a robust SAP environment if it is backed by a highly experienced and skilled team. 

Choose an MSP company that comprises certified IT experts with extensive knowledge and industry-specific domain expertise. So, they can ensure implementing the appropriate frameworks, modules, and methodologies for efficient SAP system deployment and maintenance. 

Top-notch Customer Service

Many SAP partner companies can offer cutting-edge services but fail to ensure over-the-clock customer assistance. 

Choose an MSP that comes with the combination of experience, knowledge, and 24/7 customer service to resolve any issues promptly. 

Regulatory Compliance and Security

Data vulnerability is the prime concern when you deploy your SAP infrastructure on the cloud. So, pick a partner company that offers SAP Security besides risk assessment and implementing robust protection measures for complete data security. 

Again, for top-notch service, make sure you select an MSP service that meets industry-specific regulatory compliances.

Jane Black