SAP Indirect Access

The SAP Digital Access Model and Indirect Access Solutions

  • Dealing with Indirect Access – SAP Digital Access model

    Using SAP software via third-party systems is known as indirect access or indirect usage. SAP has recently provided an output, or document- based model to license this use, referred to as digital access.

    The definitions of indirect access licensing risk are in your contract, but are not always clear and obvious. Many organizations are not aware that this type of usage may need to be licensed, resulting in significant and unexpected licensing fees.

    We can check the accuracy of any existing SAP claim and advise you on the best engagement and negotiation strategy.

  • Indirect Access Defense

    If you have already been approached by SAP regarding potentially unlicensed indirect access we can offer you a number of services.

  • SAP Indirect Access / SAP Digital Access

    Clients typically contact us for 3 reasons:

    • Discovering risk
    • Dealing with known risk
    • Responding to a claim from SAP

  • Indirect Access Risk Assessment

    A risk assessment determines whether your SAP usage is linked to third-party systems and interfaces that SAP may consider to be indirect access. A contract review looks at the contractual inclusions, exclusions, specific wordings and clauses that could give rise to indirect access licensing risk. A business workshop engages integration specialists and systems owners to identify possible indirect access. The risk report summarises our findings and recommends the next steps.

  • Indirect Access Review

    An indirect access review is a more comprehensive evaluation of your indirect access risk. Once we have quantified the actual risk, you are able to make real decisions about the most effective strategy to deal with it and whether to adopt the SAP digital access model.

  • The Process

    This process includes a more comprehensive contract review which evaluates and documents how you use SAP data. We review all your contract documentation, including order forms. In the business workshop and systems evaluation we create a full map of the interfaces between the SAP software and the third-party application. Each interface is categorised as low, medium or high risk.

    The indirect access report summarises our findings, explains the risk categories and quantifies the potential risk. The report also contains remediation actions for any medium and high risks.

    Deliverables – indirect access report, risk evaluation, business cases and recommended actions.

  • Indirect Access Impact Assessment

    Talk to us about your future enterprise systems technology roadmap and applications integration strategy to understand how this will affect licensing. We can review your contract to establish any potential indirect access risks, and provide a report suggesting how to design your interfaces – considering any license implications. We can also advise on your target outcomes and negotiation strategies to ensure you are getting the best licensing deal (including the SAP digital access model) to support future technology developments.

    You might not always get the best deal from your SAP sales rep!

  • SAP License Measurement Simulation

    An indirect access review is an optional component of an SAP license measurement simulation.

    For organisations who want a full enterprise-wide view of compliancy, including indirect access risk, we advise an SAP license management service.

  • Expert Witness Legal Support

    If an indirect access dispute has already escalated to legal litigation, we can act as an expert witness. Our expertise can be the key to building and presenting a successful case.

  • SAP Digital Access Adoption Program (DAAP)

    The SAP Digital Access Adoption Program (DAAP), is an incentive for existing customers to switch to the latest document-based licensing model (new model) for the indirect use of SAP software. This program is for customers who are still on the legacy user-based licensing model. To expand, the new Digital Access model uses an outcome-based approach, which can be broken down into nine functional areas:

    (1) Sales
    (2) Invoice
    (3) Purchase
    (4) Service and maintenance
    (5) Manufacturing
    (6) Quality
    (7) Time management
    (8) Financial
    (9) Material

    These functional areas represent your business processes and anything outside of these is considered free of charge. Any post-processing of indirect documents that have already been licensed is also free of charge.

Options

  • Within DAAP you have two commercial options. The first option is straightforward and gives you a 90% discount.
  • The second option gives you the standard volume discount with the currently used volume free of charge. You only pay for some headroom for future growth, which must be at least 15% of the measured current volume.

With both options, you receive a credit for digital access-related software entitlement shelfware, such as named-users, sales and service ordering and purchase ordering.

  • New SAP Digital Access model vs old model

    All business investments offer positives and negative, and we suggest you carefully consider which model is best for your organisation.

    The new digital access model is much simpler to use than the old model and, as such, is easier to measure. It allows you to identify any indirect software use so you can become fully compliant. It could also be cost effective, saving you money in the future.

    The transition is not suitable for all organisations, where the old model may still be the best option. You will need to purchase new SAP software entitlements and face a period of technical change.

    The SAP Digital Access Adoption Program offer is only available until the end of 2021, so it is important to gain a good understanding of your landscape now before deciding whether to switch.