Information Services Group (ISG) (Nasdaq: III), a leading global technology research and advisory firm, has launched a research study examining providers in the evolving SAP services ecosystem at a time when SAP is focusing on improving its AI capabilities to augment its existing product portfolio.

The study results will be published in a series of comprehensive ISG Provider Lens™ reports, called SAP Ecosystem 2025, scheduled to be released in April 2025. The reports will cover service providers supporting the transition and maintenance of SAP cloud-based workloads, for large and mid-market enterprises.

Enterprise buyers will be able to use information from the reports to evaluate their current vendor relationships, potential new engagements and available offerings, while ISG advisors use the information to recommend providers to the firm’s buy-side clients.

In September, SAP completed its acquisition of WalkMe, whose technology enables seamless workflow execution across business software applications. SAP said WalkMe’s AI capabilities will enhance SAP’s copilot Joule with context-aware and proactive help across workflows, allowing users to become more productive.

In addition to enhancing its offerings with AI, SAP continues position S/4HANA as its digital core, with customers feeling pressure to transition their ERP services to SAP S/4HANA in advance of the planned sunset of SAP’s ERP Central Component (ECC) in 2027. By modernizing applications to utilize this core and stay interconnected, SAP aims to keep this digital core clean — free of the workarounds and add-ons that are associated with older ERP services.

“SAP’s RISE and GROW with SAP propositions are continuing to offer some degree of flexibility for firms working to adopt S/4HANA,” said Aman Munglani, ISG director and principal analyst. “However, for organizations with more complex business needs, their strategy for S/4HANA adoption may vary greatly — some with greenfield approaches, some with brownfield, and others in-between.”

ISG has distributed surveys to more than 250 providers serving the global, Asia Pacific, Brazil, Germany, U.K., and U.S. markets. Working in collaboration with ISG’s global advisors, the research team will produce nine quadrants representing the SAP Ecosystem services the typical enterprise is buying based on ISG’s experience working with its clients. The nine quadrants are:

• SAP S/4HANA System Transformation — Large Accounts covering consulting and system integration service providers able to manage the complexity of large accounts operating multiple SAP instances. Providers in this space develop, deploy and test enterprise applications using SAP S/4HANA, and partner with SAP to train consultants on SAP’s implementation methodology, product functionality and configuration requirements.
• SAP S/4HANA System Transformation — Midmarket evaluating providers whose clients work with SAP projects that are less complex and typically smaller in scale. Providers should be able to deploy SAP solutions using multiple methodologies, including packaged solutions for small and mid-sized businesses.
• SAP Application Managed Services analyzing providers’ ability to offer managed services, including application optimization, support and testing for SAP applications. Providers offer expertise, tools and accelerators, including use of AI for quality improvement and enhancing DevOps automation, to manage applications that align with customers’ IT and business objectives.
• Managed Cloud Services for SAP ERP appraising service providers managing hybrid cloud environments, infrastructure and cloud operations. Providers should resolve clients’ initial technical barriers and resistance to moving ERP to the cloud and support clients in planning and migrating from private to public cloud infrastructures, or from on-premises to the cloud.
• SAP SuccessFactors HXM Partner Services examining providers implementing and managing the SAP SuccessFactors HXM Suite, which offers AI-powered capabilities. These providers have business experience in transforming HR talent management and HR services that are customized for local- and country-specific needs.
• RISE with SAP Implementation Partners assessing providers capable of scoping, selecting and implementing the SAP S/4HANA cloud solution using SAP’s as-a-service approach. These providers offer tools for various cloud deployment options and services for configuring and integrating S/4HANA cloud with other applications, plus help with data migration and business process testing.
• SAP Business AI and Business Technology Platform (BTP) Services covering providers that use AI advancements to deliver business impact through SAP Business AI, including generative AI (GenAI). Use cases include strengthening HCM, improving supply chain resilience, increasing procurement efficiency and compliance and minimizing financial risks and costs.
• Cloud Economics and FinOps Services for SAP evaluating providers offering cost optimization, using AI and automation, with insights into potential spending and savings for enterprise cloud environments hosting SAP workloads.
• GROW with SAP Implementation Partners (Midsize providers) analyzing service providers that offer S/4HANA Cloud services by way of GROW with SAP contacts. GROW with SAP is a comprehensive cloud-based solution for SMEs to streamline their business operations and drive sustainable growth.

Geographically focused reports from the study will cover the global, Asia Pacific, Brazil, Germany, U.K. and U.S. markets, examining products and services available in these geographies. ISG analysts Akhila Harinarayan (Asia Pacific and global), Mara Kukla (Brazil), Germany (Oliver Nickels), Maharshi Pandya (U.K.) and Tarun Vaid (U.S.) will serve as lead authors of the reports.

A list of identified providers and vendors and further details on the study are available in this digital brochure. Companies not listed as SAP Ecosystem providers wishing to be included in the study may contact ISG.

All 2025 ISG Provider Lens™ evaluations feature expanded customer experience (CX) data that measures actual enterprise experience with specific provider services and solutions, based on ISG’s continuous CX research. Enterprise customers wishing to share their experience about a specific provider or vendor are encouraged to register here to receive a personalized survey URL. Participants will receive a copy of this report in return for their feedback.

About ISG Provider Lens™ Research

The ISG Provider Lens™ Quadrant research series is the only service provider evaluation of its kind to combine empirical, data-driven research and market analysis with the real-world experience and observations of ISG's global advisory team. Enterprises will find a wealth of detailed data and market analysis to help guide their selection of appropriate sourcing partners, while ISG advisors use the reports to validate their own market knowledge and make recommendations to ISG's enterprise clients. The research currently covers providers offering their services globally, across Europe, as well as in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Brazil, the U.K., France, Benelux, Germany, Switzerland, the Nordics, Australia and Singapore/Malaysia, with additional markets to be added in the future. For more information about ISG Provider Lens research, please visit this webpage.

About ISG

ISG (Information Services Group) (Nasdaq: III) is a leading global technology research and advisory firm. A trusted business partner to more than 900 clients, including more than 75 of the world’s top 100 enterprises, ISG is committed to helping corporations, public sector organizations, and service and technology providers achieve operational excellence and faster growth. The firm specializes in digital transformation services, including AI, cloud and data analytics; sourcing advisory; managed governance and risk services; network carrier services; strategy and operations design; change management; market intelligence and technology research and analysis. Founded in 2006, and based in Stamford, Conn., ISG employs more than 1,600 digital-ready professionals operating in more than 20 countries—a global team known for its innovative thinking, market influence, deep industry and technology expertise, and world-class research and analytical capabilities based on the industry’s most comprehensive marketplace data. For more information, visit www.isg-one.com.

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