SAPinsider Technology Executive Forum Issue 1 2021

still exist for complex rollouts, many leaders are promoting more agile projects and methodologies that generate quicker wins and lessons learned. This enables users to understand the potential impact of new innovations more rapidly and provide feedback and ideas to improve the overall project. Technological Innovation Starts with Core ERP and the Cloud Most respondents to both surveys indicated that they are spending resources and time on SAP S/4HANA — even if it is only to do a thorough evaluation. Our State of the Market report shows that about one third of respondents are in the pro- cess of implementing or have already implemented SAP S/4HANA ( Figure 5 ) and results from our CIO survey are similar: Over 40% are in the evaluation stage or building pilot projects while just over one quarter, 27%, are holding off any plans related to SAP S/4HANA. Despite findings that most customers are not quite there yet, they see the impending reality of such a major transition. That is why SAP S/4HANA sits at the top of the list when it comes to invest- ments in technologies and skillsets. More than half (51%) of CIOs and executives in our leadership study say that SAP S/4HANA will be their most strategic technology investment in 2021 while 48% say that SAP S/4HANA skills will be among the priorities for adding to their team. No plans yet Currently evaluating the business case Running PoCs or pilots Currently implementing SAP S/4HANA Already using SAP S/4HANA Figure 5 — Companies' current plans for SAP S/4HANA (2021) SAPinsiderOnline.com 13