This product is the ERP. I'm on the procurement side. Therefore, I leverage it for purchase orders and finance and have all the processes together.
Head of Procurement at a retailer with 501-1,000 employees
Integrates with other tools, is better than previous SAP iterations, and is reliable
Pros and Cons
- "It's reliable and the performance is good."
- "Starting out on the solution can be a bit complex and difficult."
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
It is better than the previous SAP solution.
It's stable.
You can integrate it with other tools.
What needs improvement?
I cannot recall coming across any areas that were lacking.
Starting out on the solution can be a bit complex and difficult. I'd like to see them simplify the process of integration. It's very complex, even with the new solutions within SAP.
For how long have I used the solution?
I started using the product two years ago.
Buyer's Guide
SAP S/4HANA
March 2025

Learn what your peers think about SAP S/4HANA. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: March 2025.
861,524 professionals have used our research since 2012.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It's a stable product. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. It's reliable and the performance is good.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have 23,000 people using the solution.
I'm on the user side. I'm not on the IT side. I don't have insights on scalability.
How are customer service and support?
I've never contacted technical support. I can't speak to how helpful or responsive they are.
How was the initial setup?
I can't speak to the initial setup process as I was not a part of the team that handled that.
What about the implementation team?
I wasn't a part of the implementation and am unsure if any outside parties were used or if everything was handled in-house.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I'm not responsible for the licensing arrangements. I can't speak to the exact cost.
What other advice do I have?
We're an SAP partner.
I'm not sure which version of the product we are on at this time. I'm not IT. I'm on the procurement side.
I'd advise new users to try to set up everything that is related to your processes and set up integration with SAP assistance tools, such as Ariba. Otherwise, in the beginning, it's very complex.
I'd rate the solution nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partner

Director at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
The in-memory database is its key feature
Pros and Cons
- "From a technological point of view, the in-memory database is one of the key highlights."
- "If S4HANA has more AI and machine learning, it will be better and easier for reporting and dashboarding."
What is our primary use case?
It is used for financial accounting. We are a system integrator, and we have some customers using it. Some customers are on-prem, and we also have some customers on Azure.
What is most valuable?
From a technological point of view, the in-memory database is one of the key highlights.
What needs improvement?
If S4HANA has more AI and machine learning, it will be better and easier for reporting and dashboarding.
Its pricing could be better.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for about three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is quite stable as long as you have the right infrastructure environment.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
S4HANA has scalability features, but it depends on the infrastructure. If it is on-prem, you also need scalable hardware.
How are customer service and support?
We have less technical support because of the fewer resources in the region, but we don't have any issues at the moment with that. We are also working with some partners.
How was the initial setup?
Its initial setup is straightforward, but the rollout is quite challenging when the customization starts.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Its pricing could be better.
What other advice do I have?
Normally, we engage with SAP sales to do the assessment. For a successful implementation, before implementing it, I would advise consulting SAP professional services, not just a partner of SAP. If SAP can provide a consulting service initially, it'll be beneficial.
I would rate it an eight out of ten.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Buyer's Guide
SAP S/4HANA
March 2025

Learn what your peers think about SAP S/4HANA. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: March 2025.
861,524 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Administrator at HCI
Highly stable and scalable
Pros and Cons
- "I have found SAP S4HANA to be scalable."
- "The difficulty level of the initial setup depends on the person's skills. If you know the basic knowledge of the database, then it will be easy, otherwise, it will be very difficult."
What is our primary use case?
We are using SAP S4HANA for the OIL and GAS industry.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have used SAP S4HANA within the past 10 Years
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
SAP S4HANA is highly stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I have found SAP S4HANA to be scalable.
How are customer service and support?
The support quality depends upon the solution and the nature of the problem. It depends on which platform you working on it.
How was the initial setup?
The difficulty level of the initial setup depends on the person's skills. If you know the basic knowledge of the database, then it will be easy, otherwise, it will be very difficult.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I would rate the price of SAP S4HANA a four out of five.
The price of SAP S4HANA could be cheaper.
What other advice do I have?
My advice to others is for them to do their homework very well because if you move into production, you don't have any chances. Make sure your timelines are correct and select your consultant wisely.
I rate SAP S4HANA an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Individual Contributor at EJADA
Gives you everything you need with no workarounds
Pros and Cons
- "I find everything I need in S4/HANA."
- "This product would be improved by adding more reports."
What is our primary use case?
My main use of this product is for finance and controlling.
What needs improvement?
This product would be improved by adding more reports. In the next release, I would like UDF or UDO to be added.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using this solution for about two-and-a-half years.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
This is a scalable solution.
How was the initial setup?
This product is straightforward to set up.
What other advice do I have?
I also work with Business One, and I find I need a lot of workarounds for it. But I find everything I need in S4/HANA. I recommend this solution for everyone, I think it's the best solution available. I would rate S4/HANA eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partner
IT Director at a wholesaler/distributor with 51-200 employees
Reliable, but scalability expensive
Pros and Cons
- "SAP S4HANA is a stable solution."
- "In an upcoming release of SAP S4HANA, chain management should be easier."
What is our primary use case?
We use SAP S4HANA for manufacturing and financials because we are a manufacturing firm.
What needs improvement?
In an upcoming release of SAP S4HANA, chain management should be easier.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using SAP S4HANA for approximately four years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
SAP S4HANA is a stable solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I have found scalability difficult to achieve in SAP S4HANA because the license is quite expensive. The hardware requirement is quite high and can require a large investment for scalability.
We have approximately 200 users using the solution in my organization. We do not plan to increase the usage.
How are customer service and support?
We have internal support for SAP S4HANA but for the external technical support, we rarely use it. The system is quite stable and if we do follow the process, it should have no problems.
How was the initial setup?
The initial configuration of SAP S4HANA is quite difficult. The time it took for the implementation took seven months.
What about the implementation team?
The implementation was done by a partner.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
There is an annual license for SAP S4HANA.
What other advice do I have?
I recommend this solution to others.
I rate SAP S4HANA a seven out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Director - SAP BTP at Incture
It's an all-in-one with smooth integration of all modules
Pros and Cons
- "A robust product with integration between all modules."
- "Lacks ability to easily mass upload which has become a necessity for industry."
What is our primary use case?
I'm an SAP solution architect and we are partners with SAP.
What is most valuable?
This is a robust product with the best feature to my mind being the integration of all the modules which has made life much easier for our clients. It's one box with everything included.
What needs improvement?
These days, most clients ask about mass upload. It's not possible to do that with SAP so there is an opportunity for them. Mass uploads have become a necessity for industry. SAP does have ways to do this but it's not user-friendly. I'd also like to have an easier option for hosting. Currently, I know that S4HANA can be ported on cloud versions, and they have started giving out ready-to-use kits but there are some hiccups and basic things are a struggle. I've worked with a few different teams that have had problems with that.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using this solution for several years.
How are customer service and support?
Technical support is quite good, no complaints there.
How was the initial setup?
Deployment was quite difficult several years ago but now it's improved greatly and is quite straightforward.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The cost is reasonable but it's important to check on the options they offer to ensure you get what you want and that you're not paying for things you don't need. It's about having a consistent experience.
What other advice do I have?
If you're a company that's already using SAP, ERP or ECC, then you'll know that you will get a consolidated system if you take on S4HANA. If you're not using SAP, you have the choice to go with it and make it accessible to your team.
I rate this solution eight out of 10.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partner
Civil Engineer at gieco
Fast and stable, but is expensive and needs a lot of hardware
Pros and Cons
- "It is really fast. It is also very stable."
- "I'm not a big fan of SAP S/4HANA because it needs a lot of hardware. It is really fast, but it needs a lot of hardware. The hardware for S/4HANA is too expensive."
What is most valuable?
It is really fast. It is also very stable.
What needs improvement?
I'm not a big fan of SAP S/4HANA because it needs a lot of hardware. It is really fast, but it needs a lot of hardware. The hardware for S/4HANA is too expensive.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using it for six months.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is working fine. It is really stable. We didn't find any issue, but we have been using it only for six months.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is scalable. We have around 100 users.
How are customer service and support?
We take the first level of support from a partner. They have not been very good. We are thinking of replacing the partner.
How was the initial setup?
It was not straightforward. I took a lot of time to set up S/4HANA. The installation, implementation, and analysis took more than one year.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
It is very expensive. It is not cheap.
What other advice do I have?
It is stable, but it is expensive, and it needs a lot of hardware. Next time, we would go for another vendor. In our experience, Oracle is better.
I would rate it a seven out of 10.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Project and Service delivery Manager at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
It's stable and has all the modules and functionalities you may need
Pros and Cons
- "One of the most valuable features, which we used the most, was the FI module, for finance. It involved controlling, account receivables, account payables, and complete financial steering."
- "S/4HANA could be improved with better integration. At the moment, a main issue I see is that there's so much growth in the functionality, complementary modules, and cloud solutions which were acquired by SAP and which extend the functionality of the SAP ERP suite. It looks to me that they tend to acquire more and more functionality from acquisitions, but they don't invest enough effort into making them integrated with S/4HANA or ERP. I would say that the functionality is great, but integration is something which still needs more attention. Instead of focusing on acquisitions, they should invest, integrate, and better the existing portfolio of products in SAP. It would help us, as implementors, to have a more complex or compact solution."
What is our primary use case?
I used S/4HANA as a classical ERP system, so I used it to manage the data feeds of enterprise companies. One of them was an IT services company and the other was in the pharmaceutical business. They were two different businesses, but S/4HANA has so many modules and adjustments that you can generally adjust it to any kind of a business.
S/4HANA can be cloud-based or deployed on-premises, but in both of my implementations, it was on-prem.
What is most valuable?
One of the most valuable features, which we used the most, was the FI module, for finance. It involved controlling, account receivables, account payables, and complete financial steering.
What needs improvement?
S/4HANA could be improved with better integration. At the moment, a main issue I see is that there's so much growth in the functionality, complementary modules, and cloud solutions which were acquired by SAP and which extend the functionality of the SAP ERP suite. It looks to me that they tend to acquire more and more functionality from acquisitions, but they don't invest enough effort into making them integrated with S/4HANA or ERP. I would say that the functionality is great, but integration is something which still needs more attention. Instead of focusing on acquisitions, they should invest, integrate, and better the existing portfolio of products in SAP. It would help us, as implementors, to have a more complex or compact solution.
For how long have I used the solution?
I used S/4HANA for about half a year, for two projects that I was running.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I would say that S/4HANA is more of a stable product than a top-performing product, but that's because I don't have the same use cases with similar tools to compare it to. It's not fair to judge the performance if I don't have a like-to-like comparison with anything else.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
This solution is scalable.
How are customer service and support?
The technical support of SAP really depends on where your ticket is resolved. Sometimes you are lucky and you get an expert on the first trial, directly from Europe, and you get good advice very quickly and can continue with your progress. However, sometimes your tickets get stuck and maybe sent to India or sent to less experienced consultants, and you need to chase it to get your ticket resolved. It's hard to make a judgment on this because I've experienced both circumstances, either getting great support in a short amount of time or having to escalate the ticket for a couple of weeks because it's hard to reach the right expert. It's hard to compare because it depends, case by case.
I'd say their technical support falls in the middle of the scale: it could be better, but it could be worse. At the moment, it's satisfactory, but unfortunately, this isn't always the case.
How was the initial setup?
Implementation is definitely not straightforward. It's straightforward if you have a proper expert in your sub-base team, but it's not installing Windows or Microsoft Excel. It's a corporate enterprise management system, so there are a lot of parameters you need to set up. The installation itself is the easy part, but the configuration for the business use case is complex. Typically, the installation took about one week. For the configuration, making it compliant with the business use cases, and setting up all the security and users, it took months—typically three to six months, depending on the size of the company.
The team needed for deployment and maintenance depends on the size and complexity of the customer's business processes. It also depends on how far they would like to go with customizations because almost nobody is purchasing such an enterprise solution to use it as a standard. Almost every customer has some specific features they need to get configured, adjusted, or developed in the solution. From that point of view, it will decide the size of your team.
If you have a small- to mid-size company—one hundred employees, compact business processes—then you can do it in a couple of months with five people. If you have an enterprise company with thousands of employees around the globe, then it takes almost an indefinite number of consultants because it depends on the complexity of your setup. So the minimum team of five could set it up in a couple of months for a small- to mid-sized company, but it could be a team of twenty to fifty people if you have a complex environment.
What about the implementation team?
I have implemented this solution for two customers.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
This is not the cheapest solution on the market, so you need to invest seriously in it. As a solid product, it has a solid price. It's definitely one of the more expensive tools on the market, but it's also one of the best products on the market.
You need to pay for licensing. There are multiple models, but typically, it's a yearly subscription. Usually, when you implement it from scratch, you don't just purchase it for the first year, but for three or five years.
What other advice do I have?
Compared to similar products, I rate SAP S/4HANA an eight out of ten, because it can always be better.
I would definitely recommend S/4HANA to those considering implementation. The greatest and biggest enterprises use SAP solutions. If you have a really serious business and you're looking for a rock solid solution with all the modules and functionalities you may need, then SAP is definitely one of the best options. On the other hand, you need to have a business which is profitable because this solution is not cheap, and implementation projects are neither cheap nor fast. You need to invest seriously in such a solution, but it pays off because there are no risks of malfunctions. You have enough contractors on the market who can help you with the solution, so you can always get support.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Implementer

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