SAP will release their next SAP S/4HANA version 1909 in Q3/2019. SAP strategy is to further integrate processes and solutions and develop new functionalities. This affects also the business control environment, including SAP authorizations and security
Impact of SAP S/4HANA rel. 1909 on SAP authorization, security and controls
What is coming with SAP S/4HANA 1909?
As the version has not yet been released, our point of view has been taken into account by reviewing various information such as roadmaps, webinars, release information and much more. So it is still possible that SAP could change one or more functionalities by the effective release. Nevertheless, the latest enhancements can be summarized under the following bullet points:
- Machine Learning
SAP is leveraging more and more possibilities for machine learning, robotics and block chain. ML will be used even stronger in the line of service “Sourcing and Procurement” for conversational voice interfaces in purchase requisitions and to perform accrual management, or block chain technology to secure bidders quotes.
- Reporting and analytics
Analytics capabilities become more and more important to get faster access and reliable access to data and information. With 1909, SAP plans to further expand the reporting and analytics capabilities, such as in the areas of central procurement, cost analysis in asset management, KPI in inventory or in sales.
- Cloud solution integration
Improved integration of cloud solutions, such as SAP Ariba for guided buying or integration with AP Cloud Platform for finance as well as SAP Analytics Cloud for sales.
- Various new SAP Fiori apps
SAP further developed their apps for SAP Fiori, such as for warehouse management to further improve the UI experience.
- Enhancements in existing functionalities
Integration of functionalities such as the order-engineering workbench
For detailed features coming with SAP S/4HANA, we refer to the road map provided by SAP.
Impact on business controls
With S/4HANA release 1909, SAP is introducing a set of new and enhanced functionality that helps companies increase the efficiency or effectiveness of internal financial and operational controls. This includes:
- Quality management: enhanced functionality to monitor and manage defects as well as analytics, potentially reducing the effort for operational controls.
- Sales and distribution: real-time delivery performance prediction that reduces manual efforts to monitor delivery performance and enables companies to take quick action to mitigate impacts on customer experience.
- Sales and distribution: configurable delivery blocks for billing plans, automating the determination as to whether a down payment is required prior to delivery.
- Sales and distribution: approval workflows for sales orders prior to their release based on criteria such as amount and document type, reducing manual efforts as well as increasing the accountability and traceability of decisions.
- Procurement: integrity controls using block chain technology that prevent unauthorized tampering with supplier quotations.
- Procurement: machine learning-enabled support of purchase requisition approvals that increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the approval process.
Impact on SAP authorization
The impact on SAP authorization is mainly driven in S/4HANA, based on the technology used. S/4HANA 1909 is not implementing new technology, but some new functionality. This means that further simplifications are required and new SAP Fiori Apps will be installed, affecting the SAP authorizations. This means that the technical adaptation of SAP authorizations with 1909 are not intense when moving from prior S/4HANA versions.
With S/4HANA 1909, minor changes are implemented such as better control over custom authorization checks and the extended functionality of context-based access control management for PLM.
Impact on SAP security
With the SAP S/4HANA 1909 release, SAP is driving the integration of the Cloud solution and other solutions further. For example, SAP more strongly integrates business partners with SAP S/4HANA Cloud. This stronger integration enables integrated processes, but also puts a spotlight on security aspects, which have not been considered so far. For example:
- Data protection
The stronger integration also requires the distribution of sensitive data such as business partners to enable the full functionality. The impact on data protection and controls concerning data protection need to be reconsidered during an implementation.
- Trusted communication
The integration of cloud solutions requires connections from your on-premise solution to the cloud. Those connections need to be discussed with the IT architecture and security team in detail to ensure full control over access.