SAP has announced the first details of its on-demand strategy for large enterprises. Dedicated to its installed customer base, on-demand software for large enterprises from SAP is planned to consist of function-specific software applications, available by subscription, which plug directly into a customer’s on-site SAP Business Suite software. The strategy was unveiled by John Wookey, executive vice president of Large Enterprise On-Demand at SAP, earlier this month.
Wookey said SAP’s large enterprise on-demand offering will help its customers innovate faster and extend the value of their current investments in SAP Business Suite. For example, the integration of data and processes helps ensure consistency with system and business configurations between the SAP Business Suite software and on-demand solutions from SAP. As a result, customers avoid many data sharing and integration issues that occur when dealing with disparate best-of-breed software-as-a-service (SaaS) applications or on-site software applications. Wookey also made it clear that SAP sees on-demand as the next big evolution in the IT industry, as well as allowing faster turn-around of customer requirements and closer collaboration between customers and vendors. In addition:
All large enterprise on-demand applications will be powered by the Java-based Frictionless platform SAP gained through the Frictionless acquisition three years ago. For large enterprises, SAP currently offers the SAP Customer Relationship Management (SAP CRM) on-demand solution, the SAP E-sourcing on-demand solution. Expense management software is expected to be launched in mid-2010.
The on-demand offering for large enterprises is part of a portfolio of solutions dedicated to different target groups, also including SAP Business ByDesign, an integrated, complete on-demand solution dedicated to the midmarket, and the SAP® BusinessObjects OnDemand offerings dedicated to business users small to large.
