How SAP Digital Access Impacts S/4HANA and RISE with SAP Contracts
The SAP Digital Access licensing model alters how companies pay for SAP when utilizing third-party systems.
This article explains the impact on S/4HANA and RISE with SAP contracts, highlights common pitfalls, and shares negotiation tips to help you avoid surprises and control costs.
Before proceeding, please review the SAP RISE overview.
Understanding SAP Digital Access (Indirect Licensing)
SAP Digital Access – often referred to as indirect access – encompasses scenarios where SAP is utilized indirectly through third-party systems.
Instead of licensing each external user, you license the business documents (such as sales orders or invoices) that those systems create in SAP.
Learn more about indirect access audits and the 2027 deadline.
Licensing options: Two main approaches exist for digital access:
| License Option | Pricing Model | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Document Packs | Pre-purchase document blocks (tiered per-document pricing; lower unit cost at higher volumes). | Moderate, predictable external volumes. |
| Unlimited Flat | Fixed annual fee (~10% of license value) for unlimited documents. | Very high or unpredictable usage. |
S/4HANA Contracts: Indirect Access Considerations
For S/4HANA on-premises contracts, indirect usage is not automatically covered by standard user licenses.
If external systems (portal, CRM, IoT, etc.) create SAP transactions and you haven’t licensed that indirect access, you risk compliance issues.
Address digital access in your S/4HANA deal:
- Explicit contract terms: State how indirect use is licensed (e.g., include X documents/year, or list allowed interfaces).
- Estimate and negotiate: Use SAP’s tools to gauge your needs and negotiate for that volume (with a buffer). SAP often bundles digital access or offers discounts during S/4 upgrades if you request it.
Handling SAP Digital Access upfront in on-prem contracts ensures you won’t be caught off guard by audits or extra fees later.
Read SAP Digital Access Audit Defense: How to Respond and Reduce Risk.
RISE with SAP: How Digital Access Is Handled
RISE with SAP (the S/4HANA cloud subscription) simplifies indirect access. Digital access is typically included in your RISE subscription; a separate license is not required for most third-party integrations.
The standard subscription already covers typical external use, reducing the chance of surprise charges.
However, “all-inclusive” doesn’t mean “unlimited”:
- Clarify high usage: If you expect high external volumes, obtain written confirmation from SAP that they’re covered. Ensure any extreme scenario is either within your subscription or addressed via additional capacity.
- Monitor usage: Even in the cloud, keep an eye on external usage. Utilize SAP’s reports to ensure you stay within scope and adjust as needed at renewal.
RISE with SAP makes indirect access much more manageable, but you should still verify that any edge cases (such as unusually heavy integrations) are accounted for.
For more information, read the impact of digital access on cost.
Common Pitfalls and Risks
Beware these common SAP Digital Access pitfalls:
- Silent contracts: If your SAP contract doesn’t mention indirect use, SAP can later claim certain integrations aren’t licensed. Always include clear indirect use clauses.
- Underestimating volume: If you license too few documents, external usage can exceed your allotment and incur unbudgeted costs. Include a buffer based on current measurements and growth.
- ‘All-in’ assumptions: Don’t assume a RISE subscription covers infinite usage. Extremely high loads beyond typical usage may require a larger subscription. Confirm any unusual use case with SAP.
Negotiating Digital Access in Your SAP Deal
Make indirect access a focus in negotiations. Key tactics:
- Be explicit: List third-party systems and the indirect usage that’s included. Remove ambiguity in the contract.
- Negotiate volume & flexibility: Push for the document volume you need at a fair price, and include the right to adjust if usage increases (e.g., pre-agreed rates for extra capacity or the option to switch to unlimited if usage spikes).
- Use leverage: If you’re investing in SAP (migrating to S/4HANA or signing RISE), use that as leverage. Ask for extra digital access capacity or special pricing as part of the deal – SAP often agrees to sweeteners to close a big contract.
By proactively negotiating SAP Digital Access, you can control costs and avoid compliance pitfalls. Aim for crystal-clear terms and predictable expenses.
Read more about negotiating digital access rights.
Recommendations
- Explicit terms: Clearly define all indirect usage in your SAP contract – no gray areas.
- Track integrations: Identify non-SAP systems that interface with SAP and include them in your licensing plans.
- Flat license for high usage: If indirect usage is expected to be very high or unpredictable, consider a flat-fee (unlimited) license to cap costs.
- Negotiate headroom: Don’t overpay on day one. Negotiate a reasonable allowance now with the option to expand later at set rates.
- Ongoing vigilance: Continuously monitor your indirect usage. Make it policy to review licensing whenever a new system integrates with SAP.
Read Optimizing SAP Digital Access: How to Lower Document Counts and Save on Licensing..
Checklist: 5 Actions to Take
- Inventory systems: List all third-party applications, interfaces, and bots linked to SAP, and note what each does (e.g., creates orders, reads data).
- Measure usage: Determine the number of SAP documents created by those external systems (use SAP’s estimation tools or analyze logs for counts).
- Forecast growth: Anticipate new integrations or volume increases (such as upcoming e-commerce sites and IoT projects) to predict future indirect usage.
- Update contracts: Before signing/renewing, negotiate explicit digital access terms – include the required document volumes and any special terms. Secure any agreed incentives upfront.
- Implement governance: Establish ongoing monitoring. Regularly review reports on external document usage and require a licensing check for new integrations.
Learn more about FUE user metrics and digital access.
FAQ
Q: What is SAP Digital Access, and why was it introduced?
A: It’s a licensing model for indirect SAP use. Instead of requiring an SAP license for every external user or device, you pay for specific documents (such as orders and invoices) created in SAP by external systems. SAP introduced it to clarify the licensing process for third-party integrations.
Q: Does RISE include digital access?
A: Yes. A RISE subscription generally covers standard indirect usage – you don’t need extra licenses for typical third-party integrations. Only exceptionally heavy use might require a larger subscription, but for normal use cases, digital access is built-in.
Q: How can we determine how many digital access documents we need?
A: Use SAP’s Digital Access Estimation tool or similar analysis. It will track the number of key document types created by external systems in your SAP environment. Do this to establish your baseline, and update it if you add major new integrations so you can adjust your licensing accordingly.
Q: What’s the risk of not licensing indirect use?
A: A big compliance audit bill. SAP auditors now actively check for indirect usage. If they find you’ve been generating SAP transactions via external systems without proper licensing, your company could face a massive back-charge (potentially millions of dollars). It’s far cheaper to license and negotiate upfront than to pay penalties later.
Q: Can we negotiate better terms for SAP Digital Access?
A: Yes. You can negotiate the number of documents included, price discounts, or even an unlimited (flat-rate) deal. If you’re making a large SAP investment, use it as leverage to negotiate better terms.
Read more about our SAP Digital Access Advisory Service.
