IDC Business Value Executive Summary - The Business Value of Using SAP’s Advanced Success Plan
This IDC Business Value Executive Summary highlights the value of SAP’s Advanced Success Plan. Read more on how the Advanced Success Plan delivers 381% three-year ROI, $80,800 savings/SAP cloud solution, 3-month payback on investment, boosts productivity, speeds innovation, and strengthens cloud security for digital transformation. Ladda ner dokumentet1#US54296426-BVES
Elaina Stergiades
Research Director,
IT Service Strategies for
Proactive Customer Success, IDC
Megan Szurley
Business Value Manager,
Business Value Strategy Practice, IDC
Executive Summary
With the race to realize the value of AI-powered applications well underway,
many organizations are still completing their multiyear journey to a fully digital business.
And despite the promise of simplicity, migrating to AI-powered cloud applications
still presents several technology challenges, not to mention managing the people,
process, and cultural shifts necessary to ensure successful adoption and alignment
across the organization.
The Business Value of
Using SAP’s Advanced Success Plan
Business Value Highlights
May 2026
Business Value Executive Summary
Sponsored by SAP
$80,800 savings per SAP cloud solution
381% three-year return on investment
3-month payback on investment
$1.1 million in additional net revenue per year
10% more productive end users
19% quicker time to market for new features
and functions
18% more efficient security teams
19% more proactive identification of
cloud security issues
21% more SAP cloud issues resolved proactively
$563,000 in average annual IT cost reductions
44% more efficient IT administration and
management team
20% less time spent on incident management
24% less time keeping the lights on
21% less help desk tickets
35% quicker to answer user questions
Elaina Stergiades
Research Director,
IT Service Strategies for
Proactive Customer Success, IDC
Megan Szurley
Business Value Manager,
Business Value Strategy Practice, IDC
Executive Summary
With the race to realize the value of AI-powered applications well underway,
many organizations are still completing their multiyear journey to a fully digital business.
And despite the promise of simplicity, migrating to AI-powered cloud applications
still presents several technology challenges, not to mention managing the people,
process, and cultural shifts necessary to ensure successful adoption and alignment
across the organization.
The Business Value of
Using SAP’s Advanced Success Plan
Business Value Highlights
May 2026
Business Value Executive Summary
Sponsored by SAP
$80,800 savings per SAP cloud solution
381% three-year return on investment
3-month payback on investment
$1.1 million in additional net revenue per year
10% more productive end users
19% quicker time to market for new features
and functions
18% more efficient security teams
19% more proactive identification of
cloud security issues
21% more SAP cloud issues resolved proactively
$563,000 in average annual IT cost reductions
44% more efficient IT administration and
management team
20% less time spent on incident management
24% less time keeping the lights on
21% less help desk tickets
35% quicker to answer user questions
2May 2026 | #US54296426-BVES | Sponsored by SAP
The Business Value of Using SAP's Advanced Success Plan
To address these challenges, more IT organizations are using the success and support
capabilities included in their cloud software subscriptions. While these features are available
at no additional cost, many teams underuse them, missing opportunities to improve adoption,
prevent issues, and optimize performance. With more attention from the C-suite to achieve
desired outcomes through technology, IDC recommends implementing the full suite of
success and support capabilities available through your cloud subscriptions to drive innovation,
enhance AI adoption, and achieve strategic operational goals.
IDC conducted research that explored the value and benefits achieved when organizations
leverage SAP Preferred Success, elements of which are now included in SAP’s new Advanced
Success Plan.
Based on a series of in-depth interviews of customers using elements of the
Advanced Success Plan, and employing a specialized Business Value methodology,
IDC calculated that these customers achieved benefits worth an annual average
of $3.4 million per organization ($80,800 per SAP application) and a three-year ROI
of 381% by:
• Accessing trusted SAP expertise and strategic guidance:
The SAP success team was valued as a consistent source of SAP expertise that complemented
internal teams. The organizations benefited from product-specific guidance that helped
them make more informed decisions, prioritize improvements, and align their SAP cloud
environments with both technical and business objectives.
• Accelerating the adoption of SAP cloud innovations:
Participants indicated that the plan supported faster and more effective adoption of new
SAP cloud features and releases. Through release guidance, road map alignment, and early
visibility into changes, they were better positioned to actively leverage innovation rather
than react to it.
• Supporting proactive cloud stability and risk reduction:
The plan helped interviewed customers maintain a more stable and secure SAP cloud
environment by proactively addressing risks. Participants benefited from structured
guidance around cloud operations, security updates, and technical readiness, which reduced
disruption and increased confidence in system reliability.
• Improving change and release management:
SAP enabled more disciplined and predictable change management in the cloud.
Participants highlighted support for release planning, impact analysis, and readiness
checks, which helped them manage frequent regular SAP cloud updates while minimizing
operational risk and business disruption.
The Business Value of Using SAP's Advanced Success Plan
To address these challenges, more IT organizations are using the success and support
capabilities included in their cloud software subscriptions. While these features are available
at no additional cost, many teams underuse them, missing opportunities to improve adoption,
prevent issues, and optimize performance. With more attention from the C-suite to achieve
desired outcomes through technology, IDC recommends implementing the full suite of
success and support capabilities available through your cloud subscriptions to drive innovation,
enhance AI adoption, and achieve strategic operational goals.
IDC conducted research that explored the value and benefits achieved when organizations
leverage SAP Preferred Success, elements of which are now included in SAP’s new Advanced
Success Plan.
Based on a series of in-depth interviews of customers using elements of the
Advanced Success Plan, and employing a specialized Business Value methodology,
IDC calculated that these customers achieved benefits worth an annual average
of $3.4 million per organization ($80,800 per SAP application) and a three-year ROI
of 381% by:
• Accessing trusted SAP expertise and strategic guidance:
The SAP success team was valued as a consistent source of SAP expertise that complemented
internal teams. The organizations benefited from product-specific guidance that helped
them make more informed decisions, prioritize improvements, and align their SAP cloud
environments with both technical and business objectives.
• Accelerating the adoption of SAP cloud innovations:
Participants indicated that the plan supported faster and more effective adoption of new
SAP cloud features and releases. Through release guidance, road map alignment, and early
visibility into changes, they were better positioned to actively leverage innovation rather
than react to it.
• Supporting proactive cloud stability and risk reduction:
The plan helped interviewed customers maintain a more stable and secure SAP cloud
environment by proactively addressing risks. Participants benefited from structured
guidance around cloud operations, security updates, and technical readiness, which reduced
disruption and increased confidence in system reliability.
• Improving change and release management:
SAP enabled more disciplined and predictable change management in the cloud.
Participants highlighted support for release planning, impact analysis, and readiness
checks, which helped them manage frequent regular SAP cloud updates while minimizing
operational risk and business disruption.
The Business Value of Using SAP's Advanced Success Plan
May 2026 | #US54296426-BVES | Sponsored by SAP
IDC Custom Solutions produced this publication. This IDC material is licensed for external use, and in no way does the
use or publication of IDC research indicate IDC’s endorsement of the sponsor’s or licensee’s products or strategies.
©2026 IDC. Reproduction is forbidden unless authorized. All rights reserved. CCPA
IDC.com
IDC Blog
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• Optimizing cloud operations and best practices:
Interviewed organizations reported that the SAP success team helped them optimize
how they used their SAP cloud solutions by reinforcing standard processes and
recommended best practices. Ongoing reviews and expert guidance validated existing
configurations and identified opportunities to improve performance, usability,
and alignment with SAP standards.
Message from the Sponsor
SAP helps organizations of all sizes run better by enabling digital transformation
across business processes, data, and people. Through the success plans that are
part of the SAP Services and Support portfolio, customers can accelerate value
realization, optimize adoption, and continuously innovate with expert guidance,
best practices, and proactive support delivered across the SAP portfolio. Discover
more about SAP Services and Support at www.sap.com/services.
Read the full white paper B
May 2026 | #US54296426-BVES | Sponsored by SAP
IDC Custom Solutions produced this publication. This IDC material is licensed for external use, and in no way does the
use or publication of IDC research indicate IDC’s endorsement of the sponsor’s or licensee’s products or strategies.
©2026 IDC. Reproduction is forbidden unless authorized. All rights reserved. CCPA
IDC.com
IDC Blog
IDC on Linked In
• Optimizing cloud operations and best practices:
Interviewed organizations reported that the SAP success team helped them optimize
how they used their SAP cloud solutions by reinforcing standard processes and
recommended best practices. Ongoing reviews and expert guidance validated existing
configurations and identified opportunities to improve performance, usability,
and alignment with SAP standards.
Message from the Sponsor
SAP helps organizations of all sizes run better by enabling digital transformation
across business processes, data, and people. Through the success plans that are
part of the SAP Services and Support portfolio, customers can accelerate value
realization, optimize adoption, and continuously innovate with expert guidance,
best practices, and proactive support delivered across the SAP portfolio. Discover
more about SAP Services and Support at www.sap.com/services.
Read the full white paper B