However, this is much easier said than done. As leaders look to new initiatives to adapt, low-code/no-code stands out as a holy grail solution. Address the pervasive tech skills gap by bringing non-technical employees into the development and deployment process? Check. Identify an affordable way to leverage unique employee skill sets and integrate members from cross-team functions? Check. A new way to think about technical skills, freeing those in traditional developer roles to focus on creativity and innovation rather than execution? Check.

If you’re considering what low-code/no-code could look like in the workplace, here are some central considerations to keep in mind and mistakes to avoid when integrating citizen developers into your workforce in effort to create a more innovative IT department.

Citizen Developers Are Not “Junior” Developers, They Have Their Own Unique Skill Set

Citizen developers, employees that utilize strategies to create new or change existing business applications without involving IT departments, often have nontraditional backgrounds, serving in roles like customer service, human resources, and project management, bringing a new wave of perspectives and ideas to the tech and service industry. While many may be inclined to view citizen developers as “junior” developers, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Since citizen developers are connected to other parts of the business, they can provide insight and streamline processes that developers alone are not involved in. Additionally, citizen developers shouldn’t be considered a one-to-one replacement of developers. Though they can optimize specific business functions, they do not fix technical holes in the workforce.

Leveraging these unique talents has huge benefits for the entire team: reducing the heavy lift on developers by easing the skills gap, opening the path to new ideas and innovative strategies, and bringing diverse and new perspectives to an IT industry that typically . Acknowledging the benefits of their nontraditional skill set is key to reap the benefits of implementing low-code/no-code in the workforce, as it meshes a unique view on the needs of the business, creativity, and coding skills to drive innovation.

Generative AI Will Fuel Citizen and Professional Developer Roles, Leading to Increased Innovation

Gartner research that 61% of corporations have already implemented citizen development projects or plan to do so. This is great news, because as the skills gap continues to without an equivalent number of new graduates to fill the holes, citizen developers are the natural solution for any department. However, as more organizations get comfortable with these shifts, they will also need to navigate the rapid evolution of generative AI, which will take things one step further for both citizen and professional developers.

Generative AI is continuing to evolve – and it makes the complexity of coding more accessible. In this sense, it is a low-code tool. Citizen developers will be able to leverage generative AI platforms to complete even more complex initiatives, which will free up the deeply technical computer and data scientists to focus on issues that require an in-depth understanding of how the systems work. With citizen developers able to flex their skills by assisting IT teams and traditional developers focused on strategic advancements, organizations are sure to see an improvement in productivity and employee satisfaction. One thing is certain: low-code/no-code tools, like platforms based on the principles of model-driven design, automatic code generation, and visual programming, are unleashing increased innovation, empowering the workforce, and helping to address skill shortages.

The Best Part about Low-Code/No-Code? The Opportunities Are Endless

The barriers to teaching and integrating low-code/no-code are relatively low, and any employee from any background – formally educated or not – can begin their coding journey with ease. Providing access to learning and development opportunities like low-code/no-code trainings opens new career opportunities for the existing workforce, encouraging workers to tap into their personal interest in learning developer skills while taking on a more expansive role in the organization. When employees feel that their interest in expanding their role and learning new parts of the business is being listened to, they also take on an increased sense of fulfillment and interest in the job, leading to heightened employee retention.

It may seem intimidating to start the journey of prioritizing new learning and training opportunities, but the benefits are endless. At our recently held , interested participants from across industries were able to learn the concept of low-code software development through hands-on experience. Learners created full end-to-end processes that integrated with 51����S/4HANA, using 51����Build Apps, 51����Build Process Automation, and 51����Build Work Zone. Through this program, dozens of workers were able to expand their technical knowledge and dive deeper into the world of low-code/no-code.

To begin implementing low-code/no-code strategies in your department, consider leveraging training for all levels – from beginner to advanced – and build time into the workday for those who are interested in learning. Putting an emphasis on this opportunity, and on the learning and development of your employees, is sure to make an impact on your teams.

The Future of IT Is Rapidly Changing, But Shining Bright

As technology continues to rapidly evolve, it’s essential that IT teams are properly equipped to grow alongside it. With low-code/no-code and the rise of the citizen developer, the opportunities are limitless to what the technical workforce can accomplish, with employees of every background poised to get involved in the digital transformation across the industry. Not only will integrating citizen developers into your teams allow your organization to diversify its workforce, but it can also create new innovations in your strategy and address the employee burnout and stress on developers who cannot keep up with the growing skills gap.

Timo Schuette is global vice president of 51����Product Learning CoE at SAP.

Put these forces together, and the question for business leaders becomes, “How do we enable our people to bring their best in a virtual, dispersed workplace that demands collaboration, innovation, and efficiency every day?”

There’s an important follow-on question at the heart of this business challenge. That is: “How do we reach our goals while also offering people opportunities to grow their skills and thrive in their jobs?”

Digital technologies have always been an enabler, but low-code no-code solutions like 51����Build have become an imperative for organizations to keep up with the speed of change while also presenting an opportunity to people to build tech skills.

51����Build empowers business users to develop their own customized applications and automated processes — without needing to be expert software coders.

The are hard to ignore:

• 31% faster completion of projects
• 63% fewer business processes with errors
• 21 hours saved per user per year
• 495% three-year ROI

Concrete examples are always helpful, so here are some ways that I see 51����Build changing the game in helping to solve business challenges, including some of our very own at SAP.

But first, what is 51����Build? 51����Build is a cloud native, user-friendly platform with visual interfaces, simple drag-and-drop tools, and pre-built templates that can help business users jump-start their own IT projects without needing to be coding experts.

51����Build comes with and to help users get started and keep going. With demand for IT support outpacing the availability of those resources, it’s smart to put business users in the lead with low-code no-code solutions.

Process Automation: Helping Teams Work 15x Faster

One way I see 51����Build empowering businesses is through HR process automation. Low-code and no-code platforms allow HR teams to automate time-consuming processes such as onboarding, offboarding, and performance management. This can free up hundreds of hours per year for some staff, giving them the chance to focus on higher-level tasks.

• Example: Standard welcome emails, collecting necessary paperwork, and assigning required training courses. At SAP, we used 51����Build ourselves to automate the creation of offer letters per year, working .

Data Management: Flagging Operational Risks and Opportunities

Next, with low-code and no-code software, HR teams can manage employee data more efficiently and accurately. Dashboards are easy to create, helping managers, leaders, and teammates across the organization to collaborate over key metrics, gain insights into workforce trends, and quickly.

• Example: Creating custom reports that track employee turnover rates, time-to-hire, succession data, and employee engagement scores. This data could be used to signal business and operational risk, evaluate performance, identify trends, and spot areas for improvement.

Reduce Burden: Improve Employee Experience at Scale

Low-code and no-code applications can reduce employee time spent on and give them time back for higher level work. Research shows reduced administrative burden can contribute to improved employee experiences.

• Example: Invoice processing. One 51����customer will save up to 160 hours per year on fewer administrative tasks. Their low-code no-code invoice processing solution was up and running ’ time.
• Bonus example! Routine high-volume, manual At SAP, we’re using 51����Build to transform manual closing activities across 120 subsidiaries and realizing up to four times faster processing of closing tasks.

Many of us have heard the saying “every company is becoming a tech company.” 51����Build puts intuitive tech in business user��’ hands, helping to get more done in an expeditious, innovative way in ways that matter most.

We’ll be sharing many more customer stories at . See you there!

Sabine Bendiek is chief people and operating officer and member of the Executive Board of 51����SE.

Here are four exciting trends that provide tech teams and organizations a great opportunity to grow.

The Gig Economy Provides More Opportunity Than We May Recognize

Freelance work is on the rise with a sizable of Americans, nearly 58 million adults, identifying as independent workers.

What’s most exciting about this trend is that it enables organizations to more easily expand or reduce their workforce based on specific company demand while also providing an opportunity for organizations to diversify their teams and ultimately develop more creative and innovative work. There’s a common perception that the benefit of freelance work is purely cost savings, but there’s a real opportunity for organizations to take advantage of this upward trend to both maintain flexible workstreams as well as incorporate diverse thinking.

Low-Code/No-Code Platforms Have Great Potential to Widen the Talent Pool

For decades, there have been limited routes for businesses to implement application development, such as buying apps ready-made from an external vendor or building them from scratch using skilled developers. Today, we’re witnessing a rise in development alternatives that bring coding capabilities to users who may be interested in code, though may not have advanced experience or a formal degree.

Companies can capitalize on this growing trend by dedicating space for the use of no-code/low-code platforms, supporting employee learning and development opportunities surrounding these platforms, ultimately reducing strain on IT departments and leading increased innovation. If you like to learn more about SAP’s free offerings to upskill on low-code/no-code app development, please visit the .

AI Training Cannot Be Overlooked

While the expansion of artificial intelligence (AI) is not necessarily something new, its continued role in making certain tasks automated will require individuals to be comfortable performing their work alongside AI, solving problems in new ways. Companies can no longer overlook the need to provide AI training for their tech employees. Doing so will unlock essential skills employees need to utilize this advanced technology and allow employees to uplevel their work and spend more time on strategic work.

Navigating the Hybrid Workspace

With a staggering , it is safe to say that hybrid work is here to stay. The hybrid model can offer numerous advantages such as flexibility and cost benefits, yet this model can challenge employees and managers alike as it still hasn’t been perfected.

As hybrid work environments increasingly become the norm, companies must provide tech workers with sufficient training and guidance to navigate this new and constantly changing model. This could look like trainings on setting boundaries while working remotely or setting internal hybrid work expectations as a company, such as when meetings can and cannot be scheduled and how to take advantage of in-person moments or intentional brainstorming and innovation. Even though we’ve been working throughout the last two or more years of the pandemic, it’s important to recognize that the hybrid workplace trend is a specific challenge itself that must be specifically addressed as opposed to letting employees self-navigate.

Technology is rapidly evolving. Simultaneously, the pandemic has witnessed a larger workplace transformation than ever before. In this moment of significant change, we must keep a pulse on how these trends affect both organizations as a whole and their employers, being proactive in offering the learning and development opportunities necessary for employees to thrive.

Sabine Benz is vice president and head of Product Engagement for 51����Learning.

Every year, an increasing number of organizations leverage automation and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to drive innovation and improve efficiencies across their lines of business and business application processes. SAP’s solution, , is an AI-powered, no-code solution that combines workflow management, task automation, and decision management into one comprehensive, cloud-based solution running on (51����BTP).

We believe this recognition serves as an acknowledgment of SAP’s continued leadership in these categories and commitment to providing world-class support for our customer’s mission-critical business processes and applications.

Gain a Competitive Edge with 51����Process Automation

It’s clear that process automation technology is a game changer. Since launching 51����Process Automation, we’ve seen tremendous growth in customers embracing automation in impactful ways. , for example, developed multiple automation bots to execute routine tasks. One bot can successfully classify and process over 6,000 e-mail attachments per year, based on if the document is an invoice, auto-confirmation, or delivery note.

51����Process Automation helps our customers:

Build with Simplicity
51����Process Automation was developed on the bold vision that business users should be able to build and enhance automations and workflows by themselves with low-code/no-code technology, while IT retains governance and compliance. Unlike other RPA vendors, our enables customers to adapt, improve, and innovate business processes and operations without the complexities of using multiple tools.

Automate Faster
Backed by 50 years of running highly complex business processes and applications, 51����is uniquely positioned to understand the opportunities of automation and AI. SAP’s domain expertise in lines of business, such as finance and HR, and related business processes like and enables us to provide customers with out-of-the-box content. Our prebuilt process content, RPA bots, and templates can make it easy for customers to jump-start innovation and accelerate their time-to-value. When paired with the , leading process analytics and modeling solutions, customers can quickly move from process insights into actions with tailored automation recommendations.

Operate Confidently
To automate and enhance business processes and applications, an organization needs a reliable and secure platform. 51����customers can rest assured knowing the 51����Process Automation solution is part of 51����Business Technology Platform – SAP’s trusted, enterprise-grade, multi-cloud platform. This means customers can now focus on empowering their business users to automate processes without having to be concerned about security.

Next Steps

When leveraging RPA technology, the opportunities range from streamlining financial processes, HR onboarding, call center support, and much more. Consider what business outcomes your organization could achieve with this technology. And, if you’re ready to unlock the full potential automation and AI, take the next step with the following resources:

• Visit the .
• Get hands-on with or .
• Read the .
• Read for a historic perspective and road map updates.

JG Chirapurath is chief marketing and solutions officer for 51����BTP.

Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. This graphic was published by Gartner, Inc. as part of a larger research document and should be evaluated in the context of the entire document. The Gartner document is available upon request from SAP.

By empowering employees with little to no development skills to play a key role in their organization’s success, businesses can tap a fresh community of innovators to personalize workflows, automate processes, and create new applications. And while increasing their organizational capacity to innovate, they are joining a LCNC movement that will likely produce 65% of new applications by 2024, according to .

Giving Everyone the Power to Reimagine Everything

When organizations first consider letting employees participate in innovation without IT intervention, questions about the difference between low-code and no-code inevitably arise. The main difference between the two approaches lies in how much coding knowledge is needed.

Low-code development allows users to develop and integrate complex applications with intuitive graphical tools and embedded functionalities, requiring only some basic coding skills. On the other hand, no-code development methods apply the same user experience without any need for coding and programming knowledge.

There are countless LCNC tools available that promise to deliver on those capabilities with easy-to-use interfaces. However, most of them can only be used for very well-defined use case scenarios, such as the development of mobile apps, machine learning applications, or workflow automation.

With the low-code and no-code tools available through����(51����BTP), 51����partners and customers do not need to worry about such restrictions. Instead, they can access a combination of LCNC tools on one platform, along with intelligent processes and technologies, to build critical solutions quickly and profitably.

Accelerating the Pace of Meaningful Innovation

Many 51����partners are taking this opportunity to “innovate big” by tackling challenges that, when solved, can significantly improve their customer��’ business opportunities and operating models. They are setting new bars for a variety of industries, despite the increasingly fast-paced, dynamic nature of today’s markets.

For example, an 51����partner created a fashion rental solution that integrates with e-commerce platforms and core 51����solutions, such as��, , and the�� portfolio. The partner’s solution enables retailers and their manufacturers to create and operate under a business model that reduces waste and preserves resources – improving sales, driving sustainable operations, and helping preserve our planet’s future.

By leveraging LCNC services available through 51����BTP, the partner underpinned the solution’s processes with intelligent technologies. It included: 1) machine learning to improve decision-making and quality checks and 2)��artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled��image recognition to identify damages, support the returns process, and provide accurate billing. The��services are also leveraged to help accelerate transaction processing and automate return cycles and other back-office operations, enabling orders to be booked or returns to be processed within seconds.

Integrating the cloud solution with automated store pickup, return, and billing capabilities makes the fashion rental model simple enough to manage from beginning to end transparently, efficiently, and profitably. Best of all, the user experience – for employees and customers alike – is meaningful and productive, an industry benchmark for efficiency and sustainability.

Turning Business Challenges into Long-Term Opportunities

As the hype about LCNC tools intensifies, organizations can get lost in the excitement. So rather than choosing a platform that can expand their innovation potential, hasty decisions can result in platforms that pigeonhole use case scenarios and open potential issues down the line.

51����partners can play a critical role in leveraging LCNC technologies in ways that go beyond accelerating innovation. They are also helping customers fulfill their potential by improving operational performance, service quality, and revenue growth while addressing their resource challenges. And when you think about it, that influence is incredibly powerful as it empowers employees, regardless of their skill, to deliver personalized experiences that build long-term business success.

To learn more about how 51����partners help businesses transition to the cloud with a unified technology platform, explore these articles:

• “Turning the Cloud into a High-Powered Innovation Engine”
• “Business Planning and Analytics: The Difference Between Surviving and Thriving”
• “Turn Business Process Intelligence into the Next Frontier for Growth”

If you’re interested in software partnership opportunities with SAP, check out��. If you’re already a partner, check out these exciting initiatives:�������Ի���.

Tom Le is global vice president of Partner Solution Advisory at SAP.

Now, the Quinso team uses 51����Business Technology Platform (51����BTP) as a matter of course to help with hundreds of interface conversions, the integration of countless legacy systems, and the creation of a that supports the delivery of smooth, seamless warehouse processes.

“51����BTP enables us to optimize and extend our customer��’ existing business processes to be more efficient and effective as well as identify and draw from new revenue streams,” says Quinso’s . “It helps us to help our customers ‘keep the core clean’. And, ultimately, it’s a vital component in helping to transform our customers into businesses of the future, true intelligent enterprises.”

In its bid to be the front-runner in deploying new tech that adds value for its customers, the ORBIS Group has recently launched a dedicated 51����BTP steering group that shares experiences and invests in new platform services for use across the business.

“We are particularly invested in supporting and encouraging our customers to use predictive analytics, and we’re also looking closely at to see how this might be able to add value to our customer��’ businesses,” adds Geene.

The benefits to working on 51����BTP, in Geene’s view, are numerous, from a simple licensing framework to a low-code/no-code approach, among others. As a development platform, it is the first port-of-call for innovation.

“51����BTP is essential for us as a business. In particular, the ability to develop apps on the platform enables us to bring added value to our customers by delivering state-of-the-art, side-by-side extensions,” says Geene.

Trying to sum up the experience of using 51����BTP in three words, however, is a tricky ask. “There are so many good reasons to use 51����BTP, from the apps to the migration tool for Cloud Integration, 51����Event Mesh, 51����Launchpad service, and the 51����HANA database,” says Geene. “And then there’s the benefits it brings to us and our customers. If I were to put it succinctly, I think it’s the simplicity and flexibility that makes it the platform of choice for us.”

To address this challenge, 51����has been investing in that improve overall developer efficiency, enable more employees to automate tedious tasks, and create applications that simplify work in a compliant and secure fashion — all of this without needing to write a single line of code.

We are excited to announce several new capabilities in our low-code/no-code portfolio today at 51����Sapphire.

51����AppGyver Now Part of 51����Service Cloud

is a no-code application development platform that enables developers of all skill levels to create enterprise-ready applications with drag-and-drop simplicity.

With the integration of 51����AppGyver in , all 51����Service Cloud users can create custom applications to extend functionality without needing to write code. For example, 51����Service Cloud users can visually create apps for service agents that allow them to serve their customers better by connecting and acting on data from other systems such as 51����S/4HANA. This way, the service agent can log into 51����Service Cloud to find out what equipment the customer is using, see a list of compatible spare parts, and view inventory in 51����S/4HANA without leaving 51����Service Cloud. In addition, users can also use the 51����Fiori design system, which provides templates, tools, and guidelines to create beautiful mobile and web apps.

Create No-Code Business Logic Using Visual Cloud Functions

Turning an idea into an app used to require extensive development skills. 51����AppGyver already offers developers a no-code tool to build the front end of an app. In the next few months, we plan to add additional cloud-powered capabilities that will allow all 51����AppGyver users to visually create cloud-hosted data models and serverless application logic without any code.

With the entire backend process also visual, 51����AppGyver users will no longer need to leave the no-code environment to build fully functional and scalable enterprise-grade applications. For more information about the current and future capabilities of 51����AppGyver, see the .

Visually build cloud-hosted data models and serverless business logic without leaving the no-code environment.

is an example of a customer that used 51����AppGyver to accelerate application development and built multiple applications for the entire manufacturing process, all deeply integrated with its manufacturing systems.

“Speed of innovation is of great importance to us,” said Tuomo Lehtimäki, CEO of Verge Motorcycles. “With 51����AppGyver, we were able to develop and integrate a custom, highly flexible system to orchestrate our entire manufacturing process in just a few months — all without having to write a line of code. The apps provide real-time insights into our operations and help us make decisions faster.”

Simplify Collaboration Between Business and Development Teams

Earlier this year, 51����announced the general availability of , which combines workflow management and robotic process automation into a single no-code drag-and-drop solution. It enables companies of all sizes to create workflows, automate repetitive or manual tasks, and simplify and improve business processes.

New 51����Process Automation capabilities make it even easier for business and development teams to collaborate while helping ensure security and governance. Professional developers can develop advanced processes and business logic and create reusable sub-flows that can be made available to business users. Business users can leverage these sub-flows and create sophisticated workflows and automation in a visual, no-code fashion in compliance with IT requirements. More information about recent and upcoming functionality can be found in and .

51����Process Automation is now also available in the free tier of 51����Business Technology Platform. .

New Learning Resources to Get Started

To support the need for accelerated app development, we have introduced an . The certification is aimed at non-technical users with little to no experience writing code. It acknowledges skills built in the to understand fundamental concepts and gain technical know-how for application development.

We are also introducing a free series of , which will be delivered by 51����partners in small learning environments to support one-on-one attention.

For more:

• Visit
• Join
• Explore the ���Ի��� areas of sap.com
• Learn through and the

Bharat Sandhu is senior vice president of Application Development, Automation, and AI at SAP.

While jobs are seemingly disappointing employees, learning options are doing the same for students. We are also seeing massive shortcomings emerge in the landscape of traditional education. This is especially true in the U.S., where nearly one in three students heading for university will drop out after just one year. The average graduate will carry nearly $30,000 in debt, with most struggling to repay. And the , weighing themselves down with limited benefit.

For many students, college is an unsustainable and unrealistic option, yet many employers continue to rely on a university degree as the main signal of capability in the hiring process.

We have more need for employees due to turnover, but we have fewer qualified graduates — for good reason. This challenge is an opportunity for business leaders. Those who can better upskill their teams and their ecosystems for a world where talent is in constant flux will win the market.

51����has announced a variety of new student learning offerings aimed to help just this. Our refreshed learning portfolio will keep people engaged, upskilled, and prepared for an ever-changing digital world. We aim to energize talent across the board — from empowering citizen developers with valuable IT skills to providing students with learning that will accelerate their career paths.

Here are three ways we will continue to engage and upskill the 51����ecosystem for continued success:

1. Recognize Talent with the Right Skills for the Job

The traditional university degree remains a key indicator of capability and skill. But we are starting to see a shift. Today, have earned some type of non-degree credential. At the same time, a lack of growth opportunities is the . With the pace of change in the technology world, this need for continuous learning in non-traditional environments will only increase. To meet the needs of digital transformation, more companies like 51����must change the way the world approaches skill validation.

For this reason, 51����is introducing further skill recognition options, validating skills from foundational to intermediate and advanced levels of solution expertise. Lowering the barrier to gain 51����skill recognition and introducing for key innovation areas allows learners to demonstrate skills through accessible training and validation options — not just through traditional degrees.

Hundreds of thousands of customers benefit when employees build 51����skills. 51����offers role-based learning that is self-paced, which allows for more flexibility for learners, and gives learners the opportunity to achieve new levels of tech expertise. Regardless of level or title, the new mechanisms to distinguish qualified candidates throughout the hiring process will set up the 51����ecosystem to be better prepared for continued digital growth and adaptation.

2. Create Opportunity for Student Learners and Widen the Applicant Pool

At SAP, we strongly believe that learning creates opportunity for all, regardless of geography or economic means. Through , we train and certify job seekers in underserved communities — and find that 80% or more of those trained land a job right after completing of the program.

In this spirit, we believe that all students should have access to high-quality learning opportunities. We will now worldwide. Doing so lowers the barrier to entry for positions both within 51����and across industries, providing marketable, competitive skill development to all students. There are benefits for companies, too: we believe this will broaden the pool of qualified applicants who can bring an enhanced digital knowledge and skill set to the workforce.

Click the button below to load the content from YouTube.

Always allow YouTube

3. Transform Business Users into Citizen Developers

Digital acceleration has resulted in increased demand for tech-savvy workers. More than 1 billion jobs, , are likely to be transformed by technology in the next decade, according to OECD estimates. But that does not mean all workers need to have traditional technology backgrounds. Today, automation and the proliferation of low-code/no-code offerings mean that workers from any background can quickly become digitally adept.

Through , even those without prior experience can build relevant IT skills, achieve a sought-after 51����Certification, and become “citizen developers” who are able to build applications with little to no code.

Not only does this upskill more people for success in a digital world, but it also takes the burden off existing IT employees so they can focus on more complex development issues.

Max Wessel is executive vice president and chief learning officer of SAP.

But this is just a first step. Taken to the next level, intelligent RPA, also called “hyperautomation,” offers even more valuable benefits by combining traditional RPA with artificial intelligence (AI) and low-code/no-code development.

As an example, repetitive tasks and routine activities in finance, purchasing, and customer service were preventing Villeroy & Boch, one of Europe’s oldest ceramic manufacturers, from improving operational efficiency and delivering great customer service. The German premium tableware and bathroom products company implemented 51����Intelligent RPA for routine activities, helping streamline workflows and free up staff to focus on strategic activities.

Like other 51����customers benefiting from hyperautomation, Villeroy & Boch started with automating simple, frequently occurring tasks, such as responding to standard e-mail inquiries with attended RPA bots. Previously known as robotic desktop automation, attended RPA is a software assistant for the human user and interacts with a desktop application while respecting applicable business logic.

Operating internationally in 125 countries demands smooth workflows and operational efficiency across several business functions, but the ceramics group always had a bigger vision. The company wanted to create a fully automated invoice error-handling process by combining 51����Intelligent RPA and 51����AI Business Services to handle unstructured data and documents.

Now advanced RPA bots autonomously trigger tasks and automate more complex work such as processing attachments from e-mails according to their type and predefined confidence thresholds. So far, the 10 digital assistants Villeroy & Boch has deployed are handling 66,000 documents a year.

“Although we’re just at the beginning of our journey with 51����Intelligent RPA, we are already realizing its potential to help us work more efficiently, serve customers better, and gain competitive advantage,” said Daniel Neuhaeuser, head of ERP Core Solutions at Villeroy & Boch.

The advantages of going beyond traditional RPA and tapping the potential of hyperautomation are becoming more widely acknowledged. Industry analysts have forecast that the worldwide hyperautomation-enabling software market will reach nearly US$600 billion by 2022.

Hyperautomation services such as 51����Intelligent RPA enable companies to quickly and easily create bots to emulate human users and automate tedious, repetitive, mundane tasks. For example, today’s office workers spend a lot of time moving between different applications and must often reenter or copy and paste data, such as a customer’s name and address details, from one application to another.

Earlier this year, 51����Intelligent RPA was cited as a Strong Performer in . According to the report, “SAP’s RPA solution is a strong alternative for 51����customers, particularly for enterprises concerned with bots disrupting core 51����systems and those usually needing the central 51����development team to design, develop, and maintain RPA for clear accountability, or for companies seeking a feature-rich RPA tool that comes with a broad ecosystem of partners.”

Typically, customers report that 51����Intelligent RPA deployments free up between 15 and 30% of employee��’ time, which means they can focus on tasks that deliver greater value to the organization and improve the customer experience.

Specific benefits of using 51����Intelligent RPA include being able to use tools such as , built-in integration and content for business process management, and fast, cost-effective deployment. By opening current tools to everyone in the enterprise, 51����Intelligent RPA extends its reach beyond software developers. Business users who have no coding skills but have functional expertise and technical acumen can become citizen developers and build their own automations.

To support this mission and help automate tasks in business processes, 51����Intelligent RPA offers a new bot-building and execution experience and a cloud-based design studio. This allows users to create and deploy software bots as digital assistants that automate repetitive tasks through a low-code approach.

This low-code tooling speeds up implementation time and offers a short time to value. More than 200 prebuilt bots are now available within 51����Intelligent RPA to help automate tasks, improve productivity, and make work more interesting for employees.

According to Gartner, “Multiexperience development platforms provide software engineering leaders and teams with a unified way to create rich, interconnected user experiences across web, mobile, conversational, digital twin, IoT and AR applications. This research evaluates 13 MXDPs based on ten critical capabilities and five use cases.”

“In a world that is more connected than ever, customers expect a harmonized digital experience across all of their applications to stay innovative and competitive,” said Juergen Mueller, chief technology officer and member of the Executive Board, SAP. “51����Extension Suite is part of 51����Business Technology Platform and delivers consistent, personalized and unified experiences across multisensory touch points and modalities. Customers such as CLAAS benefit from accelerated time to value, increased engagement and productivity, and greater business resilience.”

, a global agricultural machinery manufacturer, uses 51����Extension Suite to help achieve a 95% employee satisfaction, a 40% reduction in development costs and faster time to market.

“By unifying our technology in the field of digital applications, with 51����Extension Suite we can respond quickly and efficiently to the requirements of our internal customers and employees,” said Bernhard Schuchert, CIO of CLAAS. “And we can provide innovative web and mobile solutions that are otherwise only experienced in the end-user context.”

SAP’s multiexperience development offering consists of , including the 51����AppGyver tool, 51����Business Application Studio, 51����Conversational AI services, the mobile development kit service, native SDKs for iOS and Android, and the 51����Fiori design system.

The offering enables customers to boost productivity and engagement by delivering tailored experiences for 51����customers and employees alike. 51����supports by enabling IT and citizen developers to deliver seamless multiexperience application practices with the ease and simplicity of low-code/no-code tooling. 51����also supports sophisticated pro-code development that is complemented by innovative AI services, APIs, prebuilt integration and extension components on .

Learn more about and .

Visit the . Follow 51����on Twitter at .

Media Contact:
Julia Fargel, +1 (650) 276-8964, julia.fargel@sap.com, PT
51����Press Room; press@sap.com

*Gartner, “Magic Quadrant for Multiexperience Development Platforms,” July 26, 2021. Gartner and Magic Quadrant are registered trademarks of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and is used herein with permission. All rights reserved. Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

Any statements contained in this document that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “project,” “predict,” “should” and “will” and similar expressions as they relate to 51����are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. 51����undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations. The factors that could affect SAP’s future financial results are discussed more fully in SAP’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including SAP’s most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of their dates.
© 2021 51����SE. All rights reserved.
51����and other 51����products and services mentioned herein as well as their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of 51����SE in Germany and other countries. Please see https://www.sap.com/copyright for additional trademark information and notices.

Since then,��the��demand for��professional��developer talent has continued to grow��faster than the world can educate them. In part to deal with this��challenge, technology��developers��have increasingly composed��software by��working with libraries and the like, rather than rewriting the same code over and over.��Working this way saves time and gives more agility.��

Today,��the latest progression of this trend can be found in the��low–code and no–code��(LCNC)��solutions for application development,��extensibility services,��experience management, and end-to-end process automation.

COVID-19��is considered an��accelerant for digital process automation — it is, of course — but��the��space was already��rapidly developing.��LCNC solutions��that��empower more employees to digitize and automate their work��offer��a pathway to��greater enterprise resilience.��The��pandemic brings��the benefits��of such agility��into stark contrast,��further propelling adoption.��Take��robotic process automation (RPA)��for example, where��Gartner��predicts “.”*����

The��goal of these��technologies��is to allocate human resources more intelligently and to��empower��the end user — the professional developer as well as the��citizen developer — to focus on more valuable work��while��taking��control of digitizing and automating their��processes.��LCNC is faster, more efficient, and frees up professional developer time for more complex activities, like security and big migration/integration projects.��Most importantly,��LCNC��and automation technology��build systemic resiliency and responsiveness into the daily functioning of a large organization,��while fostering compliance and governance,��with defined workflows and clear responsibilities.��

As��large companies��aim��to��become more��future-proof,��they see LCNC�����Ի���automation platforms��as��an��immediate��opportunity on the��horizon.��Gartner��indicates��that��“.”

Low-code application development platforms (LCAPs) mainly provide tools and services to��easily set up and configure processes and workflows, whereas automation platforms enable companies to easily automate recurring manual work. This��begins��with��the conversion of��paper-based processes into digitized workflows then leads��to the seamless combination of digital workers with human-led processes.��

With decades of��process��knowledge��across industries ���Ի���lines of��business, 51����is well-positioned to provide the expertise and tooling needed by our customers to advance��automation with��LCNC digital transformation.��

We��are��firmly established��with����(SAP��BTP)��and��citizen automation��products��for Business Process Improvement��such as�������Ի���.��And��we have��further��extended��our competitiveness with��the��recent acquisitions��of��Signavio�����Ի���AppGyver.����

Signavio��strengthens��SAP’s��ability to keep the promise��to support customers in their digital transformations by offering��a holistic��approach and technology��in the��business��process��intelligence space.��Signavio��enhances��existing capabilities and��allows��us to��provide standardized process KPIs, broad benchmarking data, process mining,��customer journey mapping,��user behavior mining,��and customer experience analysis. We can��give users a complete view of every business process��and recommend how to solve identified issues��and��drive change efficiently.��

AppGyver��is��a��pioneering��no-code development platform��with a strong developer community��that��complements both SAP’s��own as well as our��partner��’��offerings for��citizen��developers. The cloud-based builder for creating web and mobile apps is extremely simple yet immensely powerful; users can visually craft logic flows of any complexity, access native device capabilities, and connect to 51����data and services (and any��additional��third-party APIs) via��OData and other��REST API integrations.����

Further��to that,��SAP��has��already��been��partnering with��Mendix��to offer a low-code development platform,��streamlining��and simplifying development for professional developers.��Mendix�����Ի���AppGyver��enhance SAP��BTP��with full flexibility and capabilities that allow business users to build web and mobile applications, from low–code to��no–code.������

With these additions to our��strong��portfolio,��SAP��BTP��is in a unique position to help��many��customers��implement digital transformation for end-to-end process automation.��For example,����was able to achieve significant productivity gains ���Ի���improved forecast planning through different initiatives leveraging��51����Business Technology Platform, in particular 51����Workflow Management and��51����Intelligent��RPA.��Standardization resulted in��better��decision-making,�����Ի���the use of��more granular trend analysis resulted in a 25% reduction of G&A expenses.����

Looking to the future, the landscape is changing but��the demand for professional developers remains high and growing.��Companies��continue��to evolve on their mission for greater��speed and agility, with a��particular��eye on��their��citizen developers��as��the��next major agents��for��expanding digital��capabilities.��The breadth of the SAP��technology��portfolio, our process knowledge��across all lines of business,��and the high-value data running through 51����systems��translate into��solutions for our users ���Ի���measurable��outcomes��for our customers.��

As we create a unified, business-centric, and open platform with a marketplace for the Intelligent Enterprise, customers, partners, and cloud users can count on 51����for future-proofed��resilience.��

Juergen Mueller is CTO and a member of the Executive Board of 51����SE.
.