- SAP’s AI assistant aims to accelerate automation – so far, its potential is mostly tapped by “early birds.”
- Six out of ten companies are still in the midst of migrating to S/4HANA.
- Horváth recommends targeted use in standardized processes – low cost, minimal effort, and negligible risk.
A large share of companies is still working on transitioning their business processes to SAP S/4HANA. An international, cross-industry study by Horváth, covering 200 SAP-using companies with annual revenues of €200 million, reveals that six in ten organizations remain in the transformation phase.
“On paper, this is the perfect moment to plan and implement the integration of AI tools such as SAP’s Joule agent. In reality, this aspect is often overlooked – organizations tend to lack the agility, capability, and flexibility to embed AI holistically and strategically,” says Stefan Maus, SAP expert and Partner at management consultancy Horváth.
Even without extensive AI add-ons, system migration often proves more challenging than expected. Nearly half of all companies (46%) stated that they would subsequently allocate more time and a larger budget. This, they explained, is the only way to ensure that all requirements associated with an S/4HANA transformation are met and, above all, that sufficient time is available for adjustments and optimization. Still, automation and AI rank high on nearly every management agenda – the time to act is now.
AI Optimization is Still Feasible and Worthwhile after the Switchover
While the targeted use of Joule and AI solutions is particularly effective in greenfield scenarios, where processes are set up and optimized before the system changeover, the Horváth expert also believes it makes sense during the optimization phase to individually examine and selectively utilize the functions of Joule — which is fully integrated into the system and included as standard in various license models — for standardization and automation.
Early Birds Gain a Competitive Edge
Initial projects already show efficiency gains: more tailored search results within the system, fewer manual tasks, and faster decision-making thanks to clearer presentation of critical data. However, SAP Joule remains in its “early bird” stage — most insights stem from tests and proof-of-value projects. Broad, real-world experience is still limited.
For companies, the opportunity is clear: explore Joule’s potential now and capitalize on early adoption benefits. “When applied where it truly adds value, Joule can be a game-changer for process standardization and automation,” Maus emphasizes.
Minimal Cost, Effort, and Risk – But Stay Focused
According to Horváth, what makes Joule’s use particularly attractive are the low or nonexistent acquisition costs. For example, the AI copilot is already fully included in the RISE license model in the public cloud, and at least with basic functions in the private cloud.
Furthermore, there is no implementation effort required, as Joule is already fully integrated into the S/4HANA environment. No interfaces need to be created either. “There is virtually no risk — except for getting bogged down in details,” Maus stated. He recommends initially focusing on mass processing or processes with standard use cases where its implementation promises the greatest immediate benefit.
“It’s better to select specific business processes and automate them properly and completely than to do everything a little bit,” he explained.
One example from procurement: Joule can automatically request supplier quotes, compare them, and draft purchase proposals. “Within the next five years, Joule will be a core component of business processes in SAP-enabled organizations,” Maus predicts confidently.