SAP Enters Low-Code Workflow Market

The trend of low-code workflow solutions has gained significant traction among major technology companies, and SAP has now entered this arena with the announcement of SAP Cloud Platform Workflow Management. However, their introduction extended beyond this single offering.

Alongside this, SAP unveiled SAP Ruum, a new tool focused on departmental workflow processes, and SAP Intelligent Robotic Process Automation, marking their presence in the RPA market. These announcements were made at SAP TechEd, the company’s yearly educational conference, which has been adapted to a virtual format this year due to current global circumstances.

Beginning with the Cloud Platform Workflow Management tool, it empowers individuals with limited or no coding experience to construct operational workflows. It features pre-built workflows, such as employee onboarding, and can integrate with Qualtrics – a company SAP acquired for $8 billion in 2018 – to incorporate experience data.

According to SAP CTO Juergen Mueller, the company views these capabilities within a broader framework. Using employee onboarding as an example, he explained that it encompasses more than just the initial hiring and start-up phases. “Our approach centers on complete, end-to-end processes, and in this case, that extends from talent acquisition to employee retirement,” he stated.

The initial stages of hiring and onboarding represent only a portion of the overall process, with further workflows emerging throughout the employee’s tenure. “Essentially, this involves a series of workflow stages, some occurring simultaneously and others sequentially,” he explained.

When experience-related inquiries arise, such as benefit selections, Qualtrics questionnaires can be seamlessly integrated into the workflow. The system is designed for considerable adaptability. Like similar tools, it utilizes a drag-and-drop interface and basic configuration options for ease of use. While more intricate workflows may necessitate specialized expertise, the tool is primarily intended for users without extensive technical backgrounds.

SAP Ruum provides a streamlined version of Cloud Platform Workflow Management, specifically tailored for creating processes within departments. For situations requiring automation of routine, repetitive tasks, the RPA solution offers a complementary approach. The latter generally demands greater complexity and IT support, but it allows organizations to automate data flow and task completion within workflows.

SAP’s entry into this market aligns with moves made by other industry leaders, such as Salesforce with its Einstein Workflow Automation announcement last week at Dreamforce, and Google with Google Workflows, launched in August. Numerous other companies, ranging from large corporations to smaller businesses – including Okta, Slack, and Airtable – also offer no-code workflow tools.

The SAP TechEd conference, now in its 24th year, traditionally takes place across three locations – Barcelona, Las Vegas, and Bangalore – throughout the year. This year, the event is being held as a single, combined virtual conference, available free of charge. It is a continuous 48-hour event, commencing today, and has already attracted over 60,000 registered participants as of yesterday.