What Is SAP’s Latest Acquisition: WalkMe?

SAP’s recent acquisition of WalkMe is a significant development in the enterprise software landscape.

After news of the acquisition was made public, WalkMe CMO Adriel Sanchez and strategic solution consultant Timothy Ege spoke at the SAP Transformation Excellence Summit in Chicago in September 2024. Their talk discussed the problem that, despite the proliferation of new tech and software features available to users, many don't take advantage of them. Why is that? "It's not a tech problem, it's a people problem,” they said. Their company aims to address that issue through a digital adoption platform (DAP), simplifying user onboarding, training, and engagement with software applications.

With the WalkMe deal valued at $1.5 billion, this acquisition is part of SAP’s strategy to enhance its digital transformation offerings and improve user experiences across its suite of solutions. In this blog post, we will explore the potential of WalkMe within the SAP ecosystem, how it can be implemented with key SAP solutions, and its impact on Joule—all of which will enable businesses to accelerate user adoption, streamline processes, and drive efficiency.

What Is WalkMe?

WalkMe is a digital adoption platform that overlays existing software applications to provide users with step-by-step guidance, automated workflows, and contextual help. It works by layering in-app guidance directly into your software, ensuring users can navigate through processes with ease. By reducing the need for extensive training and minimizing errors, WalkMe empowers organizations to increase the efficiency and productivity of their workforce.

WalkMe offers a range of capabilities that make it an ideal fit for SAP solutions, including:

• Guided walkthroughs: Users receive real-time prompts and instructions as they complete tasks, making complex processes easier to follow.
• Automation: WalkMe automates repetitive tasks, allowing users to focus on higher-value activities.
• Tooltips and pop-ups: Contextual help is provided exactly when and where it is needed, reducing reliance on support teams.
• Analytics: Data on user interactions with software is collected, providing insights into adoption rates, friction points, and areas for improvement.

How WalkMe Can Enhance SAP Solutions

SAP solutions are known for their robust capabilities, but their complexity can present challenges for new users or those unfamiliar with certain processes. WalkMe’s platform, when integrated with SAP solutions like SAP S/4HANA, SAP SuccessFactors, SAP Analytics Cloud, and SAP Ariba, can help businesses overcome these challenges by guiding users through every step of their workflow. Here’s how WalkMe can enhance key SAP products.

SAP S/4HANA and SAP SuccessFactors: Simplified Onboarding

Onboarding customers or employees onto SAP S/4HANA or SAP SuccessFactors can be time-consuming, especially when dealing with complex tasks. With WalkMe, organizations can reduce onboarding times by providing new users with interactive, step-by-step instructions. WalkMe’s contextual help ensures users can easily navigate through tasks like managing employee data in SuccessFactors or handling financial operations in SAP S/4HANA. This reduces the burden on internal training teams and helps new users become productive faster.

SAP Analytics Cloud: Driving User Adoption

SAP Analytics Cloud is a powerful tool for data analysis and reporting, but its advanced features can be overwhelming for some users. WalkMe can help by providing in-app guidance on how to create reports, analyze data, and customize dashboards. By making these features more accessible through real-time prompts and walkthroughs, WalkMe can boost user confidence and drive higher adoption rates of SAP Analytics Cloud’s full capabilities.

SAP Ariba: Automating Procurement Workflows

SAP Ariba streamlines procurement processes, but it also includes many repetitive tasks, such as purchase order creation or invoice matching. WalkMe’s automation capabilities can allow businesses to simplify these tasks by automating the steps involved, freeing up procurement teams to focus on more strategic decision-making. This not only increases efficiency but also reduces the likelihood of errors in procurement processes.

Managing Change in SAP Solutions

SAP solutions are constantly evolving, with new features and updates being rolled out regularly. Managing these changes and ensuring users are up to date can be a challenge. WalkMe can make change management smoother by providing real-time training on new features and functionality as they are introduced. This allows organizations to keep their workforce up to date without the need for lengthy retraining sessions or extensive support resources.

Supercharging Joule

Joule, SAP’s AI-powered copilot, uses advanced machine learning and natural language processing to offer personalized insights, recommendations, and task automation within SAP systems. When paired with WalkMe, Joule’s AI capabilities could become even more powerful, as WalkMe provides the user with the contextual guidance needed to execute AI-driven insights and actions.

Proactive Task Guidance and Execution

Joule offers intelligent, proactive insights to help users make informed decisions. However, acting on those insights can be challenging for users unfamiliar with the system. With WalkMe, Joule’s recommendations are coupled with in-app guidance that shows users exactly how to execute these tasks. For example, when Joule suggests an inventory adjustment in SAP S/4HANA, WalkMe can guide the user through the necessary steps, ensuring the recommendation is acted upon efficiently.

Personalized AI-Driven Learning

WalkMe’s digital adoption platform can enhance Joule by providing personalized learning experiences tailored to each user’s role, behavior, and past interactions. As Joule learns from user inputs and patterns, WalkMe can dynamically adjust its guidance to provide targeted help. This creates a more intuitive and personalized experience, helping users master SAP systems quickly while benefiting from Joule’s intelligent insights.

Real-Time Assistance and Workflow Optimization

Joule’s AI-driven suggestions help users identify opportunities for process improvement, but WalkMe can take this a step further by providing real-time assistance in executing these optimizations. For instance, WalkMe can help to automate repetitive tasks identified by Joule, reducing manual effort and enhancing overall efficiency. This combination of AI and digital adoption platforms ensures that workflows are optimized in real time, making it easier for businesses to improve processes and deliver better outcomes.

What the SAP-WalkMe Acquisition Means

SAP’s acquisition of WalkMe is a strategic move to accelerate its digital transformation initiatives. This acquisition aligns with SAP’s vision of integrating AI and user-centric technologies to deliver a seamless, intuitive experience across its product suite.

WalkMe’s digital adoption platform will play a crucial role in SAP’s broader strategy to enhance the user experience, reduce complexity, and drive greater value from its solutions. By bringing WalkMe’s cutting-edge technology into its ecosystem, SAP is positioning itself as a leader in digital adoption, ensuring that users can harness the full potential of its powerful software solutions.

Conclusion

WalkMe’s integration into SAP solutions will represent a new era in digital transformation. By offering real-time guidance, task automation, and personalized learning, WalkMe enhances the usability and productivity of SAP’s enterprise software. Coupled with Joule’s AI-driven insights, businesses can expect to see improved user adoption, reduced errors, and greater efficiency across their SAP environments.

This acquisition underscores SAP’s commitment to delivering intuitive, AI-driven experiences that empower businesses to get the most out of their technology investments. As WalkMe continues to integrate with SAP solutions, organizations will benefit from smarter, faster, and more seamless digital experiences, driving success in today’s fast-paced business landscape.