SAP opens up its Business Network to the world

Businessman with flowchart
(Image credit: Pexels)

SAP has kicked off its virtual SAPPHIRE 2021 event with a keynote from CEO Christian Klein outlining some of the key learnings the company has experienced over the last twelve months.

In what has been a challenging year for businesses of all sizes, Klein noted the three main insights that the company has divined, and how it is now looking to the future.

This included a focus on the latest digital technologies, building a tech community, and sustainability, with Klein emphasising that all three points can help companies rebound from the pandemic.

Community

“Every crisis is solved by people,” Klein noted in his speech, adding that technology, “has helped businesses adapt, and Covid is only one of the challenges we are facing.”

“The most resilient companies are the ones that changed their processes...digital transformation is an overused term these days (but) it is everywhere - Covid-19 has underscored the need for every company to become an intelligent enterprise.”

“Intelligent enterprises are enabled by integrated digitised agile business processes powered by data and embedded AI.”

Klein also highlighted how the pandemic has shown how companies need to work together in order to succeed, noting that, “No business does business alone - we win together as a community.” 

“One intelligent enterprise on its own can create great things, but we live in an interconnected world.”

SAP Business Network

(Image credit: SAP)

In order to facilitate this, SAP has announced an expansion to what it says is the “world’s largest business network” through the aptly-named SAP Business Network platform.

The new release will offer customers a single, unified partner portal where they can view their entire supply chain ecosystem including logistics and traceability, equipment management and maintenance information.

Users can fully customize their portal with the tools and data they need, and quickly view all their customer relationships and transactions on the network. 

“We believe industries will be revolutionised when businesses turn into communities,” Klein stated, “we want to connect every company across the entire supply chain.”

“This may sound like a bold vision...and it is,” he added, “but we already run the world's largest supplier network with more than 5.5 million connected enterprises.”

Mike Moore
Deputy Editor, TechRadar Pro

Mike Moore is Deputy Editor at TechRadar Pro. He has worked as a B2B and B2C tech journalist for nearly a decade, including at one of the UK's leading national newspapers and fellow Future title ITProPortal, and when he's not keeping track of all the latest enterprise and workplace trends, can most likely be found watching, following or taking part in some kind of sport.