2024 has been a year defined by technological innovation as the rise of AI made a profound splash for SAP-powered finance teams. On the other side of the coin, they also struggle with skills shortages that make it difficult to keep up with the speed of developing technology. According to the SAP edition of insightsoftware and Hanover Research’s most recent Finance Team Trends Report, 91% of SAP finance teams grapple with skills shortages to some degree, and rapid technological advancement was listed as the top cause.
As a result, SAP-driven finance teams face increasingly complex challenges leading into 2025. SAP ERPs, while trusted for being robust, often present challenges such as data management complexities, integration difficulties, and a steep learning curve that make skills shortages feel even more painful.
Are SAP users poised to bridge the skills gap and get up to speed with new technology in the new year? And what other new SAP innovations can we look forward to? Here are our SAP predictions for 2025.
S/4HANA Migration
One trend we see in 2025 is increased S/4HANA adoption. This is by necessity–by December of 2027, SAP plans to phase out SAP ECC in favor of S/4HANA. Because SAP S/4HANA operates in the cloud, it provides enhanced flexibility, cost savings, and scalability, but SAP finance teams find it challenging to make the move.
Our recent Finance Team Trends Report found that only 26% of SAP-driven finance teams have fully moved to a cloud environment. Of those who haven’t migrated, 42% plan to do so within the next year, while 51% plan a cloud migration within the next two years.
Migrating to the cloud isn’t a cut-and-dry process. According to a recent CIO study, nearly two-thirds (66%) of CIOs find the biggest hurdle to S/4HANA migration is aligning IT, business, and project teams. Of the teams it surveyed, CIO found that 12% intend to migrate to S/4HANA, but have postponed the start of their transition.
To overcome obstacles like these in 2025, SAP-powered finance teams need a platform that addresses the skills gaps that prevent teams from moving to S/4HANA. While building in-house IT expertise is essential, it’s time-consuming. Investing in user-friendly tools with data warehousing capabilities can bridge this gap, enabling seamless access to legacy and cloud data, accelerating decision-making, and improving overall efficiency.
Navigating Data Integration Challenges
The data landscape for SAP finance teams is becoming increasingly complex, and it doesn’t show signs of stopping in 2025. This is made more complex as SAP finance teams juggle SAP and other systems. According to our research, 99% of SAP-based finance teams use both SAP and non-ERP data sources for a holistic view of their finances. This includes Human Resources Information System (HRIS), Enterprise Asset Management (EAM), Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems, and other non-ERP software.
The integration of these systems with SAP ERP data is a major hurdle that can lead to data silos, inconsistencies, and difficulties in accessing real-time information for reporting. Without access to CRM data, SAP users may struggle to create accurate revenue forecasts, leading to misaligned budget allocations and potential cash flow shortages. Our study of SAP users shows that 82% of SAP users agree that poor data management and integration is the biggest challenge to financial reporting, forecasting, and compliance.
Addressing these data integration challenges with coherent software strategies can significantly improve efficiency and accuracy. With a fresh new year on the horizon, 2025 is a great time to make the resolution to ease data integration woes.
Utilizing flexible, scalable tools that can connect to all current and future data sources will ensure consistency, accuracy, and regulatory compliance. This approach is not only more efficient but also allows SAP-powered teams to spend their time on proactive initiatives that will drive growth.
insightsoftware Financial Optimization for SAP
Download NowIncreased Need for Self-Service
With the acceleration of technological advancement, SAP-powered teams can no longer afford to wait for crucial insights from their data. Although SAP ERPs come with native reporting tools that allow teams to run standard financial reports, that doesn’t cover questions from leadership that an out-of-the-box report can’t answer.
When SAP teams are faced with these requests, they turn to IT teams or consultants with technical expertise to run custom reports. This leaves finance teams over-reliant on IT. IT teams navigate an organization’s critical infrastructure on a daily basis, so requests from finance often move to the bottom of the pile. This causes delayed insights and roadblocks to effective decision-making. Additionally, the IT department is increasingly responsible for managing and integrating financial data. The impact of this is clear in our 2024 study, where 76% of SAP-based finance teams reported feeling over-reliant on IT.
In 2025, you don’t have to leave your important reports for IT to handle. Speed up the process and put the power to report in finance’s hands by adopting intuitive, integrated reporting tools that don’t need technical knowledge to run. These solutions enable users to create custom reports independently, eliminating delays from waiting on IT.
2025 promises to be a year of continued innovation as SAP finance teams balance advancing technology with the resources they already have. In the new year, keep up with what’s new while giving your organization a leg up on the competition with insightsoftware’s SAP solutions.
Empower Your SAP Finance Team: Simplify S/4HANA Migration and Beyond
Say goodbye to the frustration of manual processes and inefficient reporting. insightsoftware Financial Optimization for SAP empowers finance and accounting teams with real-time SAP data access and automated transaction postings, freeing you to focus on meaningful analysis instead of tedious tasks.
Whether it’s monthly reporting or ad-hoc inquiries, our Excel-based solution simplifies your workflows with pre-built reports, automated data uploads, and built-in error handling. Best of all, it reduces your reliance on IT, giving your team the independence and agility to tackle business challenges head-on.
Ease Your S/4HANA Migration
Whether you’re already running on S/4HANA or still relying on ECC, insightsoftware offers the flexibility and scalability to meet your unique needs. Our cloud-native applications can be easily integrated with your existing infrastructure, providing a smooth transition to a more cloud-centric environment. Wherever you are on your cloud journey, insightsoftware will meet you where you are.
Gain Self-Service
Take reporting off IT’s plate. Our solutions offer a high degree of user-friendliness and flexibility, allowing SAP finance teams to take control of their financial processes without extensive IT involvement. From budgeting and forecasting to reporting and analysis, our software provides intuitive interfaces and pre-built templates that streamline workflows. By reducing the need for IT support, finance teams can become more agile and responsive to business demands.
Fill Skills Gaps with Process Automation
SAP teams are under immense pressure. With 91% facing skill shortages, the ability to deliver timely, accurate insights has never been more critical. At insightsoftware, we understand this challenge firsthand. Our tools are designed to bridge this gap by automating routine tasks, enhancing data accuracy, and providing a platform for deeper financial analysis. By empowering SAP ERP users with intuitive tools and workflows, we equip them to do more with less.
Moving Pockets of Data After Migrating to SAP S/4HANA
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