Strategic Transformation in the SAP Ecosystem
Joule turns ERP usage into process value: AI-assisted navigation, transactions, insights and agentic workflows—secure, contextual and cloud-first.
What truly matters
- You must modernize legacy ERP and make AI usable now.
- Technical debt slows upgrades and undermines AI reliability.
- Security, compliance and data sovereignty must hold.
Common pitfalls include shadow IT and missing API catalogs, outdated roles and permissions,
dirty core due to modifications, and fragmented integrations without governance.
The solution architecture
S/4HANA as digital core. RISE as delivery and innovation channel (incl. Joule Base). BTP as integration and AI governance layer. Clean Core as binding discipline for upgrade-safe extensibility.
What you get
- S/4HANA real-time & standardized processes as AI base
- RISE with Joule Base: methodology and help content in your workflow
- BTP: Integration Suite, Identity, AI Core/Launchpad, RAG
- Clean Core: ABAP Cloud, side-by-side, released APIs/events
- Joule Studio: Model and deploy skills/agents
- Work Zone: Central experience as Joule client
- Generative AI Hub: Governance, grounding, observability
Outcome: cloud-first innovation, lower integration hurdles, reliable AI execution.
Impact for European enterprises
Compliance-by-design (GDPR, EU AI Act) via BTP governance. Role/permission awareness via SAP Cloud Identity Services. Continuous cloud updates instead of heavy upgrades.
EU AI Act readiness: risk management, record-keeping and human oversight are technically supported via BTP services.
GDPR: data minimization, clear roles/permissions and audit trails are enforced via Identity, Integration Suite and observability.
Data sovereignty: EU data residency and sovereign options can be accommodated in the architecture.
Regulation & governance
What matters
- Cloud Identity Services (login, provisioning)
- Generative AI Hub with RAG & document grounding
- Integration Suite as secured API hub
- Work Zone as central Joule client
- Unified API catalog with approval workflows (change management)
- Logging/observability for AI actions (audit trails)
- RAG only with approved, versioned data sources
- Human-in-the-loop for critical actions
Opportunities & success factors
Instant insight into critical KPIs.
OData-powered actions in standard processes.
Central AI and API control.
Agentic workflows across functions.
Joule—what it does
From navigation to transaction, from insights to agent orchestration—natively embedded in your SAP workflows.
Conversationally jump to the right Fiori app—no search.
Immediate answers on orders, deliveries, KPIs.
Create objects and maintain data via chat (with OData).
ABAP→ABAP Cloud, API discovery, code generation.
This makes your architecture not only modern—it delivers visible business value faster.
Your benefits
Measurable efficiency, better upgradability, reliable AI execution.
Agents offload routine work.
Standard processes make AI outcomes dependable.
Role/permission awareness in every action.
RISE accelerates adoption and updates.
Cloud updates and Clean Core reduce maintenance and integration costs.
Central identity, audit trails and approvals mitigate risk.
Joule for Devs and ABAP Cloud speed modern extensions.
Standardized APIs/events simplify releases and governance.
Examples from practice
Real patterns across functions.
Automated reconciliations, flag inconsistencies.
Replenishment workflows from predictive stock.
Hiring recommendations in SuccessFactors.
Legacy ABAP → ABAP Cloud, generate objects.
Catalog matching, PO clarifications and supplier insights via chat.
Knowledge-based answers, ticket routing and SLA hints.
Disruption patterns, rework recommendations and material flow hints.
Logged AI actions, role checks and export controls.
Challenges
Without standardization, AI is unpredictable. On-prem integrations are feasible but heavier (Work Zone, Joule Studio, BPA, RFC/services).
Transform custom code, adopt ABAP Cloud.
Use only released APIs/events; Integration Suite as hub.
Central roles, provisioning, authorization.
More setup and maintenance, slower adoption.
Only approved, versioned sources (RAG); data minimization and role-based access.
Four-eyes approvals for critical transactions; separation of duties (SoD).
Log prompts/results; KPIs for quality, latency and error rates.
Staged activation (pilot→waves), rollback plan and clear incident process.
Bottom line: standardize first, then automate.
4-phase roadmap
From foundation to value—clear and actionable.
Phase 1 – Foundation
Prioritize RISE for native Joule Base access.
- Decide Public vs. Private Edition with compliance check
- Target architecture (S/4, BTP, Clean Core) and milestones
Phase 2 – Governance
Enforce Clean Core, reduce tech debt (Joule for Devs).
- ABAP Cloud guidelines; side-by-side extensions
- API catalog and approval workflow (monitoring & audits)
Phase 3 – Enablers
Activate BTP: Integration Suite, Identity, AI Core/Launchpad, RAG.
- Identity centralization (roles, provisioning, SSO)
- GenAI Hub grounding policies and observability
Phase 4 – Value
Build own skills/agents in Joule Studio; expose APIs via Integration Suite/MCP.
- Pilot use cases with KPI targets (quality, time, cost)
- Staged rollout, training and incident process
Success factors
- EU cloud compliance from the start
- Strict API governance & monitoring
- Start with measurable use cases
- Dev guidelines: ABAP Cloud & side-by-side
Why it matters strategically
RISE sells transformation as a service; Joule makes value visible; BTP secures identity, data and interfaces.
RISE as the innovation access channel.
Joule enforces Clean Core—otherwise no reliability.
Business-centric agentic AI vs. generic copilots.
In short
- Trust & compliance: Cloud-first + Clean Core + BTP → auditable AI.
- Visible value: Joule surfaces measurable outcomes in core processes.
- Platform edge: Agentic workflows on standards, not shadow IT.
Conclusion
If you want AI value in SAP, you need cloud-first, Clean Core and BTP. RISE secures fast access to Joule, BTP delivers governance and extensibility—Joule turns this into productivity and agentic automation.
Your takeaways
- Joule Base is included in RISE—start there
- Clean Core is mandatory for reliable AI
- BTP is the security enabler and context broker
- Build agentic use cases after the foundation is set
Next 90 days
- Foundation: Decide RISE, target architecture, access to Joule Base.
- Governance: Clean Core guidelines, API catalog + approvals, centralize Identity.
- Value: 2–3 pilot use cases with KPI targets; staged rollout & training.