Unlocking Real Enterprise Efficiency with AI

The adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is central to most enterprise businesses today, yet many organisations have not progressed beyond the proof-of-concept stage to realise significant value. A recent white paper by Appian, citing a study by Boston Consulting Group from October 2024, indicates that only 4% of companies have successfully scaled AI to generate substantial returns. The whitepaper states that a primary obstacle is the standard approach of treating AI as a supplemental tool rather than an integral component of core operations.

This is particularly relevant for organisations utilising SAP systems, where the strategic integration of AI can significantly enhance efficiency and unlock new value. However, this involves transitioning AI from a passive helper to an active worker within a structured process automation framework.

Appian AI and The SAP Core

Process inefficiencies such as manual data entry, cross-departmental approvals, and interactions with non-SAP systems often arise in the workflows that surround the powerful SAP S/4HANA core. In such cases, Appian’s process automation platform, with embedded AI functions, serves as an intelligent orchestration layer. According to the whitepaper, this approach does not replace the existing SAP system. Still, it enhances its capabilities by automating and optimising the end-to-end processes that rely on SAP data. Benefits include:

Simplified processes

In an Appian workflow, AI agents are deployed to automate specific tasks within a larger SAP process. For example, an AI agent can be configured to parse incoming vendor inquiries, query the SAP system for payment status, and draft a formatted response, thereby integrating AI as an active, automated participant under human oversight.

Seamless task execution

AI agents within an Appian process automate tasks that are typically manual and time-intensive, thereby reducing process times. For example, Century Fire Protection decreased its processing time by 36% by using AI to extract and validate line-item data from invoices. AI agents can also automate the classification of sales orders before they are entered into SAP, or mask personally identifiable information in documents related to SAP SuccessFactors.

Unified data access

A frequent challenge in SAP environments is that data is distributed across various modules and external systems. Appian’s data fabric technology addresses this by providing a virtualised data layer. This provides AI agents with real-time access to disparate enterprise data, eliminating the need for complex data migration. It also enables more comprehensive and accurate insights, like the model used by the University of South Florida to provide intelligent services to its 50,000 students.

Security and governance

Appian’s AI agents operate within the auditable guardrails of zero-trust architecture, role-based access controls, and compliance with certifications like HIPAA. This was demonstrated by a global pharmaceutical company that achieved 99% accuracy in processing product safety certificates that interfaced with its quality management module, ensuring regulatory compliance.

Performance measurement

Appian’s process orchestration capabilities track every action, delay, decision, and outcome of AI within a workflow providing precise metrics on how AI impacts key performance indicators, like time saved in the Procure-to-Pay cycle, cost reductions in the Order-to-Cash process, or improvements in customer service tied to an SAP CRM.

Scalability

The Appian platform is designed for high availability, failover, and autoscaling to manage usage spikes. This level of scalability is exemplified by a leading insurance underwriter that uses Appian AI to process over two million pages of medical documents annually, significantly reducing processing time while improving accuracy.

What This Means for Mastering SAP Insiders

AI adoption in the SAP ecosystem is targeted but cautious. SAPinsider’s AI: State of Adoption 2024 report indicates a strong interest in AI, with 54% of organisations planning to utilise AI capabilities within SAP S/4HANA. However, a sense of caution prevails, as less than half of these organisations feel adequately prepared for implementation. The prevailing trend indicates a targeted approach to AI. Successful adopters are focusing on specific, high-return functional areas, such as finance, where AI can automate repetitive and document-heavy tasks.

AI is helping organisations break process rigidity and data silos. Mastering SAP Insiders who face specific operational challenges could benefit from leveraging Appian’s AI solutions. These hurdles include, complex, multi-step business processes requiring approvals and handoffs between personnel, automated systems, and SAP; segregated data across different SAP modules or in external applications for a single process; Need to adapt workflows without relying on extensive ABAP development; and implementing modern, user-friendly interfaces for employees or customers that orchestrate backend processes in SAP.

Focus on orchestration over replacement. An effective initial strategy for SAP users is to focus on process orchestration. This avoids the disruption and cost of a rip-and-replace project. By implementing a process automation layer like Appian, an organisation can connect to its SAP core and other systems using data fabric technology and pre-built connectors. This enables the automation of peripheral tasks, a unified user experience, and tactical AI deployment.