Analyzing SAP Finance Solutions with Sub-Business Processes and Dependencies 

SAP supports CFOs and their teams by simplifying financial processes, including invoicing, accounting, and cash flow management. This increased efficiency allows teams to focus more on strategic tasks. Compliance is a priority in SAP’s system, integrating regulatory requirements into these processes to ensure each transaction is both auditable and traceable. The shift towards automated finance operations is facilitated by SAP, providing professionals with real-time data from a single-source, SAP S/4HANA's universal journal, for faster planning and business performance analysis. SAP finance solutions leverage modern technology to automate processes, embed compliance and risk data, and utilize transactional data for business guidance, while ensuring a balance between profitability, tax efficiency, and sustainability, alongside maintaining financial stability.

Key innovations SAP delivers:

• Boost operational efficiency:

  User experience is crucial for operational efficiency. SAP Fiori enhances it by integrating process redesign and improvements. For example, users can start by examining KPIs to assess receivables and determine necessary actions. Optimized processes, many available out-of-the-box, can then be further automated using embedded AI. In receivables management, AI can interpret emails, record disputes, and manage communications, boosting efficiency but leaving final decisions to users. Finance operations, often managed by shared service centers, benefit from SAP's framework for centralized monitoring and execution, leveraging embedded AI.

• Drive effective business steering:

  Access to accurate, granular data across the organization, is crucial for effective steering. The universal journal in SAP S/4HANA Cloud provides a single financial source ensuring everyone views the same data, eliminating discrepancies. This foundation supports analysis, simulation, and prediction, using common KPIs and master data definitions. Intelligent automation, predictive modeling, and AI-generated dashboards enhance steering effectiveness and drive efficiency improvements.

• Make compliance available 24/7:

  Historically, compliance has often been managed separately from daily operations. SAP transforms this by integrating compliance into real-time operational execution. This shift ensures continuous adherence to regulations rather than periodic checks.

  Key areas of focus include:

  1. Accounting standards: SAP embeds support for local and international accounting standards, tax regulations, and sustainability disclosures into the record to report process.
  2. Revenue recognition: Compliance with revenue recognition is achieved through event-based integration within the order to cash process, ensuring 24/7 compliance.
  3. Operational controls: SAP embeds compliance into operational processes, including access controls, process controls, and global trade services, turning compliance into a strategic advantage.

  Additionally, SAP integrates risk management into business operations, making potential risks transparent and enabling effective mitigation strategies. This holistic approach ensures compliance and risk management are integral to business steering and operational efficiency.

Earlier on, we mentioned the different personas within the office of the CFO. These different personas are focusing on specific processes. As an example, the head of accounting looks into the record to report process.

The figure here gives an all-in-one overview of all finance related processes including the key steps within each process. This process design is also used by our engineering department to indicate where innovations specifically apply.

Let's have a look at the different processes and what they are about.

Record to report (R2R) is a finance and accounting management process that involves collecting, processing, and presenting accurate financial data based on business transactions. This end-to-end process provides strategic, financial, and operational feedback on the performance of the organization. It is the foundation of management decision-making and shareholder communications.

The figure illustrates the SAP S/4HANA Cloud ecosystem, focusing on R2R processes:

Record Financials automates financial postings creation from various data sources, using mass upload tools or Robotic Process Automation for manual entries. All data is kept in SAP S/4HANA's universal journal for a single financial truth. SAP S/4HANA Cloud for central finance is utilized by 34% of Global Top 500 companies for data integration. It's primarily for large, multi-system clients who want a centralized accounting and reporting system, and it is exclusively available for RISE with SAP.

Financial Accounting automates postings in compliance with accounting standards and IFRS. It supports multiple ledgers, valuations, and currencies, reducing closing tasks. Key topics include contract and lease management, automated revenue, and parallel accounting. SAP Intercompany Governance by Blackline boosts cloud revenue, demonstrating benefits of cloud add-ons before, during, and after transitioning to SAP S/4HANA.

Financial Close employs AI for task automation and advocates early or event-based execution of crucial tasks. Thanks to SAP Advanced Financial Closing and SAP S/4HANA Finance for group reporting, RISE with SAP facilitates closing orchestration and unifies operational and group reporting for corporate financial consolidation. The emphasis is on AI automation and SAP Advanced Financial Closing as a key orchestration app. SAP S/4HANA Finance for group reporting is SAP’s strategic financial consolidation tool featuring seamless integration and data model, shared user experience, and accelerated time-to-close.

Financial Reporting offers flexible reports meeting diverse accounting and legal needs and enables KPI drilling down to transaction details. Additionally, SAP's statutory reporting capabilities include localized reporting templates, automated compliance, electronic filing, real-time analytics, comprehensive audit trails, customizable frameworks, data integrity, multi-GAAP and IFRS support, updated localization packs, and integrated risk management to ensure efficient and accurate compliance with global regulatory requirements. SAP Analytics Cloud and SAP Disclosure Management are utilized for reporting. The potential of partner solutions for sustainability disclosures is being explored.

Financial planning and analysis (FP&A) involves budgeting, forecasting, and analyzing to measure an organization's financial health and set business strategy. This includes annual budgeting, regular forecasts to predict future performance, identifying profitability drivers, and analyzing trends and past results to explore growth scenarios.

Simulation and Planning offers predictive and simulation capabilities, primarily using SAP Analytics Cloud for planning. Customers can also store plan data in their SAP S/4HANA Cloud system.

Management Accounting in SAP S/4HANA Cloud includes real-time profitability analysis through embedded margin analysis. For large data volumes and complex processes, SAP Profitability and Performance Management is recommended.

In Financial Analysis, SAP S/4HANA provides built-in multi-dimensional reporting based on line items. Customers can also use SAP Analytics Cloud, partly embedded in SAP S/4HANA, and SAP Profitability and Performance Management for advanced analysis.

Enterprise Performance Management

Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) is all about managing the performance of a business through analytics, reporting, planning, and forecasting. It delivers a comprehensive perspective of consolidated financial outcomes and intercompany operations, strengthened by superior analytics and reporting skills, enabling businesses to comprehend their operations better. SAP considers EPM not just as a collection of technical abilities like planning, consolidating, and reporting, but as a comprehensive process. By integrating statutory, managerial, and tax perspectives, this approach allows for quicker and more insightful business decisions, rather than handling them individually.

SAP acknowledges the increasing relevance of sustainability information, like carbon data, in steering organizational decisions. SAP treats carbon data in the same way as financial information, thus extending EPM processes to both forms of data. This helps consolidate the data and understand how decisions impact the sustainability footprint of the supply chain. SAP offers a superior EPM platform through its SAP Business Technology Platform (SAP BTP) and SAP cloud ERP portfolio, providing customers with an optimized, integrated approach to performance management. Those not preferring an ERP-centric approach can also use the sidecar option of deploying an SAP S/4HANA public cloud system just to run EPM on it.

Here are the relevant products per process area:

Perform Planning, Budgeting, and Forecasting

• SAP S/4HANA Cloud
• SAP Analytics Cloud

Perform Financial Analysis

• SAP S/4HANA Cloud
• SAP Datasphere
• SAP Analytics Cloud
• SAP Profitability and Performance Management

Perform Management Accounting

• SAP S/4HANA Cloud
• SAP Profitability and Performance Management

Note

Engage with this interactive value journey that explores the Financial Planning and Analysis with SAP S/4HANA Cloud through dynamic personas.

The invoice to pay (I2P) process in SAP S/4HANA Finance transforms procurement and accounts payable operations into strategic advantages through a fully integrated solution.

Purchase orders are based on procurement needs, and invoices from suppliers are verified by the Accounts Payable module against orders and goods receipts. This improves accuracy and compliance. The system streamlines discount and payment term processes, providing financial intelligence and enhancing profitability. Verified invoices are processed automatically, allowing for efficient management of large volumes of invoices. Payments are executed timely, supporting effective finance operations. With the system's reconciliation and reporting tools, payments get matched with bank statements to ensure precise financial records and real-time insights. Moreover, an integrated Cash and Working Capital solution optimizes working capital, ensuring financial stability.

During the I2P process, SAP S/4HANA Cloud's finance modules, including Accounts Payable, Payment Management, and Supplier Management, collaborate to simplify operations, bolster compliance, and offer real-time insights into financial data. The integration of these modules results in reduced manual work, lesser errors, and improved decision-making, thereby refining the overall I2P process.

• SAP S/4HANA Cloud
• SAP Ariba Central Invoice Management

Invoice to cash covers different solutions to automate receivables management in an efficient way.

• SAP S/4HANA Cloud for receivables management handles credit, disputes, and collections, evaluating creditworthiness and automating collections task prioritizing.
• SAP S/4HANA Cloud for credit integration assesses customer credit risk, importing credit reports and monitoring changes.
• SAP digital payments add-on efficiently processes payments, reduces cash reconciliation efforts, and integrates payment procedures into sales channels.
• SAP Multi-Bank Connectivity consolidates multiple banking relationships in one interface, offering secure data transmission and transaction monitoring.
• SAP Cash Application uses machine learning for payment clarification, streamlining payment processing.
• Taulia Receivables manages receivables financing, optimizing cash flow and balance sheets.
• SAP Enterprise Service Management for Finance Automation extends SAP S/4HANA with AI-driven cases, automating payment advice processing and manual accrual and ledger postings.

• SAP S/4HANA Cloud
• SAP Cash Application
• SAP S/4HANA Cloud for receivables management
• SAP S/4HANA Cloud for credit integration
• SAP Digital Payments add-on

The treasury and working capital management capabilities help to manage liquidity and mitigate financial risks by maintaining appropriate bank accounts and releasing cash for payables on time. This process integrates cash flows, transactions, commodity positions, and market data.

It includes three main products:

• Cash and Liquidity Management

  SAP S/4HANA Cloud for Cash Management simplifies and automates daily cash operations, providing instant insights through an intuitive, device-independent interface, helping treasurers and cash managers maintain appropriate bank accounts and release cash for payables on time.

• Payment and Bank Connectivity

  • SAP S/4HANA Cloud for Advanced Payment Managementchannels payments from all sources, formats, validates, monitors them with user-friendly tools, and updates cash forecasts. It offers end-to-end visibility of payments with built-in exception handling and in-house bank capabilities.
  • SAP Multi-Bank Connectivity connects banks and financial institutions with corporate customers on a secure network, automating financial transactions, reducing payment rejection rates, easing reconciliation, and improving visibility with rich remittance data access.

• Treasury and Risk Management

  • SAP S/4HANA Cloud for treasury and risk management optimizes liquidity and financial investments, ensuring margin protection against currency and interest rate fluctuations. It provides timely and accurate cash information to pursue lower borrowing costs and higher returns on investments.

  • SAP Trading Platform Integration automates and integrates trading activities with platforms like 360T and FxAll, covering inbound and outbound communication for various financial instruments.

  • SAP Market Rates Management provides accurate market data for valuing financial transactions and reporting, ensuring correct valuation and compliance with market standards. This service helps companies maintain connectivity with different market data providers, enabling precise mark-to-market valuations and financial reporting.

The quote to cash (Q2C) process refers to the journey a company takes from offering a product or service to receiving payment for it. It's important for businesses, especially those with recurring revenue models (like subscriptions), to automate this process. It covers more than just billing—it's about ensuring the customer is satisfied throughout their relationship with your company, so they keep renewing and buying more.

Here are the 7 capabilities that you need to support subscriptions and recurring revenues:

1. Offer - Flexibly creating bundled products, services, or subscriptions with varying pricing plans, e.g., mobile phone plans.

2. Quote - Use of tools to expedite quoting a price to customers, which includes guided selling, contract change management, and sales automation.

3. Order - Fast and correct order processing for immediate accessibility is ensured, along with efficient fulfilment and provisioning of customer entitlements.

4. Bill - A meticulous billing system addressing various charges, combining data from numerous systems for a detailed singular bill, and confirming accurate payments to partners.

5. Collect - Automated payment collection for on-time payments, a unified system for handling receivables, collections, credit, and automating partner revenue-share settlements.

6. Recognize - Adherence to accounting rules for correct revenue reporting, including integrations with financial systems for ASC 606, IFRS 15, and tax regulation compliance.

7. Evolve - Utilizing customer data for creating new products and encouraging purchases, supporting renewal, upsell, cross-sell initiatives.

Here is an overview of SAP solutions for quote to cash management that are pre-integrated with SAP S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition.

The modules are mapped according to the Q2C process that is covered by the application. This means that based on your requirements, you may need one or multiple modules. As your business requirements change, the modular architecture allows you to add other modules to get more capabilities. And since the modules are pre-integrated with SAP S/4HANA Cloud, you don’t need to worry about integrations into an ERP system.

With this approach organizations can:

• Grow recurring revenues faster by quickly launching innovative offerings using a variety of pricing, billing, and bundling options​
• Maximize customer lifetime value with customer-specific offers and options delivered seamlessly and automatically​
• Scale for growth and complexity by streamlining with an integrated quote-to-cash process for products, services, projects, subscriptions, usage plans, and more

Here are the relevant product pages for the process:

• SAP S/4HANA Cloud Convergent Invoicing and Contract Accounting
• SAP Subscription Billing
• SAP Entitlement Management
• SAP CPQ

SAP S/4HANA Cloud offers a platform for growth that enables tax transparency and seamless tax compliance with processes standardized worldwide.

At the heart, with its localized content, it allows to embed tax in each transaction to capture tax-relevant data and offers a single source-of-truth that can be leveraged to manage tax compliance end-to-end. This is the foundation for gaining control of tax data quality, for seamlessly complying with different types of regulatory requirements in all local jurisdictions, for automatically calculating direct tax, and ultimately, for enabling strategic tax management.

In addition, further automation can be achieved by seamlessly integrating with the following solutions:

• SAP Risk and Assurance Management: Offers a holistic approach to financial controls, from Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX) to tax compliance. With automated checks across the whole company, the application enables you to systematically detect your compliance issues, improve the quality of tax data, manage corrections, and promptly mitigate the risk of non-compliance.

• SAP Document and Reporting Compliance: Provides peace of mind to manage all types of mandates, from electronic business documents to statutory reporting worldwide, enabling seamless adoption of constantly arising legal reforms while reducing cost of tax compliance operations. With its localized content, the product supports over 500 scenarios across more than 55 countries.

• SAP Profitability and Performance Management: Establishes a modern environment for managing corporate income tax. With seamless integration with SAP S/4HANA Cloud and scenario-based simulations, it accelerates tax accounting, enables compliance with key regulations such as OECD BEPS Pillar 2, and empowers tax experts to optimizes the tax strategy.

Here are the products that are relevant:

• SAP S/4HANA Cloud
• SAP Document and Reporting Compliance
• SAP Document and Reporting Compliance, cloud edition, starter option
• SAP Document and Reporting Compliance Outbound Invoicing Option for Brazil
• SAP Document and Reporting Compliance
• SAP Integration Suite
• SAP Risk and Assurance Management

• SAP S/4HANA Finance for group reporting
• SAP Analytics Cloud & SAP Profitability and Performance Management

• SAP Global Trade Services
• SAP Watch List Screening

Here is an overview of SAP’s broad portfolio for Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) solutions that are integrated with SAP S/4HANA Cloud, mapped to key GRC capabilities:

Each module addresses a specific aspect, allowing organizations to tailor their GRC framework according to their unique requirements. This modularity ensures flexibility and scalability as businesses grow and face new challenges. And, with GRC insights directly integrated into SAP S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition, ensuring a seamless flow of information between GRC processes and core business operations, decision-makers have a holistic view of the organization's risk landscape. This integration facilitates informed decision-making by aligning risk and compliance considerations with strategic business objectives while eliminating silos, enhancing data accuracy, and improving overall efficiency in managing governance, risk, and compliance.

SAP GRC solutions offer a transformative approach to risk management, presenting a unified platform that integrates various critical capabilities. Collectively, they provide companies with a comprehensive view of risk, enabling effective prioritization and early mitigation.

• Risk Reporting and Monitoring for real-time insights into potential risks and ongoing monitoring
• Enterprise Risk Management for holistic risk assessment and strategic planning
• Security and Data Protection to help ensure the integrity and confidentiality of sensitive information
• Identity and Access Governance for managing user access and permissions to reduce security vulnerabilities
• Business Controls and Compliance to support adherence to regulatory requirements and internal policies

By having these capabilities seamlessly integrated:

• Companies gain a consolidated view of risks, breaking down silos and fostering a holistic understanding.
• Prioritization becomes more efficient, allowing for the identification and mitigation of critical risks in their early stages.
• This proactive approach not only safeguards the company but also opens avenues for identifying and capitalizing on new business opportunities.

Here are the relevant product pages:

• SAP Process Control

• SAP Risk Management

• SAP Audit Management

• SAP Business Integrity Screening

• SAP Access Control

• SAP Secure Login Service for SAP GUI

• SAP Enterprise Threat Detection, cloud edition

Global trade departments are integral to business operations, collaborating across key functions to meet operational and financial goals. SAP solutions for International Trade Management streamline global compliance, integrating sales, procurement, logistics, and finance.

These SAP solutions enhance:

• Customs Management: Oversee import/export documentation, duties, and product classification, optimizing cost through trade strategies.
• Compliance Management: Ensure export/import compliance, manage licenses, and handle embargo checks with transactional blocking/release.
• Sanctioned Party Screening: Screen for sanctioned parties across operations, with automatic blocking and efficient review workflows.
• Trade Preference Management: Utilize free trade agreements with automated product qualification and manage declarations.
• Special Customs Procedures: Address specific customs needs such as foreign trade zones, China's processing trade, bonded warehousing, and Intrastat compliance.

Here are the relevant product pages:

• SAP Global Trade Services