What is SAP?
SAP is one of the world’s leading producers of software for the management of business processes.
Overview
Founded in 1972, SAP has grown from a small, five-person endeavor to a multinational enterprise headquartered in Walldorf, Germany, with more than 105,000 employees worldwide.
With the introduction of its original SAP R/2 and SAP R/3 software, SAP established the global standard for enterprise resource planning (ERP) software. Now, SAP S/4HANA takes ERP to the next level by using the power of in-memory computing to process vast amounts of data, and to support advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning.
The company’s integrated applications connect all parts of a business into an intelligent suite on a fully digital platform, thereby replacing the process-driven, legacy platform. Today, SAP has more than 230 million cloud users, more than 100 solutions covering all business functions, and the largest cloud portfolio of any provider.
Christian Klein leads the company, heads up the Executive Board of SAP SE, and, at 44, is the youngest CEO of any major enterprise on Germany’s DAX blue chip market index.
What does SAP stand for?
The name is an initialism of the company’s original German name: Systemanalyse Programmentwicklung, which translates to System Analysis Program Development. Today the company’s legal corporate name is SAP SE—SE stands for societas Europaea, a public company registered in accordance with the European Union corporate law.
What does SAP do?
SAP helps companies and organisations of all sizes and industries run their businesses profitably, adapt continuously, and grow sustainably.
What is SAP software used for?
Traditional business models often decentralise data management, with each business function storing its own operational data in a separate database. This makes it difficult for employees from different business functions to access each other’s information. Furthermore, duplication of data across multiple departments increases IT storage costs and the risk of data errors.
By centralising data management, SAP software provides multiple business functions with a single view of the truth. This helps companies better manage complex business processes by giving employees of different departments easy access to real-time insights across the enterprise. As a result, businesses can accelerate workflows, improve operational efficiency, raise productivity, enhance customer experiences—and ultimately increase profits.
What is ERP software?
ERP stands for “enterprise resource planning.” ERP software includes programmes for all core business areas, such as procurement, production, materials management, sales, marketing, finance, and human resources (HR).
SAP was one of the first companies to develop standard software for business solutions and continues to offer industry-leading ERP solutions.
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