SAP license audit help
Preparing for or already facing an upcoming SAP license audit? We know what a stressful, time-consuming obligation that is. But handled correctly, it is also a valuable opportunity. White Raven IT is your independent SAP software license partner. Trust us to prepare and empower you to handle your SAP audit.
The pressure of an SAP audit
For many companies, SAP is deeply embedded in their daily operations. It supports finance, procurement, logistics, HR, production, reporting, customer processes... Complex licensing is the logical consequence.
An SAP license audit is a formal review of your SAP software usage. SAP enlists vendors to check whether your SAP license usage is in line with your agreement and the included metrics. In practice, SAP often uses this software license audit to pressure you into additional license claims, back maintenance fees or signing a new agreement.
User licensing
Every SAP user must be assigned the correct license type based on their actual activities. A user who only performs limited self-service tasks should not automatically be classified in the same way as a professional one with broad system access.
Package and engine usage
These licenses are often based on specific metrics, such as revenue, orders, employees, documents, transactions or system consumption. If these are not measured correctly, the audit outcome is inaccurate or unfavorable.
Indirect access
This happens when third-party systems, applications, platforms or users interact with SAP without directly logging into the system. Examples include CRM systems, webshops or mobile apps that create, read or process SAP data.
Key components of an SAP software license audit
User licensing
Every SAP user must be assigned the correct license type based on their actual activities. A user who only performs limited self-service tasks should not automatically be classified in the same way as a professional one with broad system access.
Package and engine usage
These licenses are often based on specific metrics, such as revenue, orders, employees, documents, transactions or system consumption. If these are not measured correctly, the audit outcome is inaccurate or unfavorable.
Indirect access
This happens when third-party systems, applications, platforms or users interact with SAP without directly logging into the system. Examples include CRM systems, webshops or mobile apps that create, read or process SAP data.
User licensing
Every SAP user must be assigned the correct license type based on their actual activities. A user who only performs limited self-service tasks should not automatically be classified in the same way as a professional one with broad system access.
Package and engine usage
These licenses are often based on specific metrics, such as revenue, orders, employees, documents, transactions or system consumption. If these are not measured correctly, the audit outcome is inaccurate or unfavorable.
Indirect access
This happens when third-party systems, applications, platforms or users interact with SAP without directly logging into the system. Examples include CRM systems, webshops or mobile apps that create, read or process SAP data.
Complexities of SAP licensing audits
Your company has used SAP for years. During that time, your business changed significantly, with new entities, altered user roles and custom applications. Even over a matter of weeks or months, your original SAP license contract may no longer reflect your current software landscape.
SAP has the advantage of knowing its own licensing rules extremely well. On the opposite hand, your organization probably lacks the internal overview of what you use, what you pay for, and what you actually need. Add common challenges such as unclear user classifications, duplicate or inactive users, and over-assigned licenses or under-licensed engines, and an SAP audit quickly becomes a Herculean task.
Your SAP license audit as a negotiation starting point
Many companies make the mistake of treating an SAP license audit as a simple data collection task. They run the requested tools, send the output to SAP and wait for the result. A risky approach that might cost you a lot of money.
A well-executed SAP license audit is not only useful for compliance. It also becomes the foundation for successful SAP license negotiations. White Raven IT benchmarks your actual usage with your current contract and with those of similar companies currently under review. This is the most objective way to find out if you are over-licensed in some areas and under-licensed in others.
How an independent SAP license expert helps
Tell us honestly: do you have the feeling that you're in control of the audit process? Our advice: don't rely only on SAP’s interpretation. Instead, get your own analysis of usage, risks, optimization opportunities and negotiation options.
White Raven IT's support includes reviewing contracts, analyzing user data, validating engine measurements, identifying indirect access exposure, preparing responses to SAP and challenging audit findings where necessary. Does the audit lead to formal SAP license negotiations? We're there to support you.
White Raven IT, expert in SAP audits
We encourage you to prepare for software license audits well in advance. Naturally, we also help you out from the moment you receive your audit notice. White Raven IT is your indepent partner for optimizing your software licensing and IT costs, with over 40 years of onboard experience with both vendors and resellers.
With the right preparation, your SAP license audit becomes a strategic moment to reduce unnecessary costs and strengthen your position in future SAP contract negotiations.