View source for Company:SAP

{{Short description|German multinational enterprise-software company}}
{{Infobox company
| name             = SAP SE
| logo             = SAP 2011 logo.svg
| logo_caption = Logo {{as of|2011|lc=y|since=y}}
| image            =
| image_caption    = Headquarters in Walldorf, Baden-Württemberg
| type             = [[Finance:Public company|Public]] (''[[Company:Societas Europaea|Societas Europaea]]'')
| traded_as        = {{Unbulleted list|{{FWB|SAP}}|{{FWB|SAPA}} (ADR)|{{OTC Pink|type=current|SAPGF}}|{{NYSE|SAP}} (ADR)|DAX component}}
| ISIN             = {{Unbulleted list|{{ISIN|sl=n|pl=y|DE0007164600}}|{{ISIN|sl=n|pl=y|US8030542042}}}}
| caption          = 
| foundation       = {{start date and age|1972}} in Weinheim, West Germany
| founders         = {{Unbulleted list|Dietmar Hopp|Hans-Werner Hector|Hasso Plattner|Klaus Tschira|Claus Wellenreuther}}
| location_city    = Walldorf, Baden-Württemberg
| location_country = Germany
| area_served      = Worldwide
| key_people       = {{Unbulleted list|Hasso Plattner (Chairman)|Christian Klein (CEO)}}
| industry         = {{Unbulleted list|[[Software:Enterprise software|Enterprise software]]|[[Business software]]|[[Cloud computing]]|Consulting}}   
| products         = {{hlist|SAP AppGyver|SAP S/4HANA |[[Software:SAP HANA|SAP HANA]] |[[Software:SAP ERP|SAP ERP]] |[[Software:SAP CRM|SAP CRM]] |SAP PLM |SAP SCM |SAP SRM |[[Company:SAP SuccessFactors|SAP SuccessFactors]] |[[Software:SAP NetWeaver|SAP NetWeaver]] |[[Software:SAP Business ByDesign|SAP Business ByDesign]] |[[Software:SAP Business One|SAP Business One]] |[[Company:BusinessObjects|BusinessObjects]] | [[Software:SAP IQ|SAP IQ]] |[[Company:SAP Ariba|SAP Ariba]] |[[ABAP]] |[[SAP Cloud Platform]] |[[Software:SAP Converged Cloud|SAP Converged Cloud]] |('''[[Software:List of SAP products|Full List]]''') }}      
| services         = {{hlist|Applications|[[Cloud computing|Cloud]] }} 
| revenue          = {{Increase}} [[Finance:Euro|€]]30.87&nbsp;billion (2022)
| operating_income = {{Increase}} €4.67&nbsp;billion (2022)
| net_income       = {{Decrease}} €1.71&nbsp;billion (2022)
| assets           = {{Increase}} €72.16&nbsp;billion (2022)
| equity           = {{Increase}} €42.85&nbsp;billion (2022)
| num_employees    = 111,961 (2022)
| homepage         = {{URL|sap.com}}
| footnotes        = <ref name="financials">{{cite web|url=https://www.sap.com/docs/download/investors/2022/sap-2022-q4-statement.pdf|title=SAP Q4 2022 Quarterly Statement |publisher=SAP SE |access-date=4 February 2023}}</ref>
}}
'''SAP SE''' ({{IPAc-en|ˌ|ɛ|s|.|eɪ|ˈ|p|iː}}; {{IPA-de|ɛsʔaːˈpeː|-|De-SAP.ogg}}) is a German [[Finance:Multinational corporation|multinational]] software company based in Walldorf, Baden-Württemberg. It develops [[Software:Enterprise software|enterprise software]] to manage business operations and customer relations.<ref name="SAP Company History">{{cite web|url=https://www.sap.com/corporate/en/company/history.html|title=SAP Company History|access-date=25 January 2017}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web
|url=https://www.panorama-consulting.com/resource-center/erp-database/sap
|title=SAP Software {{!}} SAP Implementations {{!}} SAP Company Profile
|website=Panorama Consulting Solutions |date=15 February 2010
|language=en-US |access-date=2019-03-19}}</ref> The company is the world's leading [[Enterprise resource planning|enterprise resource planning]] (ERP) software vendor.<ref name=SAP4ERP#1.NYT2019>{{cite news
 |newspaper={{wipe|The New York Times}}
 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/10/business/sap-ceo-bill-mcdermott.html
 |title=SAP Chief to Leave as Software Giant Shakes Up Management
 |date=10 October 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://assets.cdn.sap.com/sapcom/docs/2017/04/4666ecdd-b67c-0010-82c7-eda71af511fa.pdf |title=SAP: The World's Largest Provider of Enterprise Application Software |publisher=SAP Global Communications |date=28 April 2023 |access-date=11 May 2023}}</ref> Apart from ERP software, the company also sells [[Database|database software and technology]] (particularly [[Software:SAP HANA|its own brands]]), [[Cloud computing|cloud-engineered systems]], and other ERP software products, such as human capital management (HCM) software, [[Social:Customer relationship management|customer relationship management]] (CRM) software (also known as [[Social:Customer experience|customer experience]]), [[Social:Enterprise performance management|enterprise performance management]] (EPM) software, product lifecycle management (PLM) software, [[Finance:Supplier relationship management|supplier relationship management]] (SRM) software, [[Social:Supply chain management|supply chain management]] (SCM) software, [[SAP Cloud Platform|business technology platform]] (BTP) software  and programming environment SAP AppGyver for business.

Founded in 1972 as a private partnership named {{lang|de|Systemanalyse und Programmentwicklung}} ({{Literally|System Analysis and Software Development}}; SAP [[Social:List of legal entity types by country#Germany|GbR]]), which in 1981 fully became {{Lang|de|Systeme, Anwendungen und Produkte in der Datenverarbeitung}} (SAP GmbH) after a five-year transition period beginning in 1976.<ref name="SAP Company History"/>{{Rp|1972–1980}} In 2005, it further restructured itself as SAP AG. Since 7 July 2014, its corporate structure is that of a pan-European ''[[Company:Societas Europaea|societas Europaea]]'' (SE);<ref name=":3"/><ref>{{Cite web |title=SAP SE - Germany - HRB719915
|url=https://beta.e-justice.europa.eu/489/EN/business_registers__search_for_a_company_in_the_eu
|access-date=2020-07-10 |website=European e-Justice Portal |publisher=European Commission, via {{lang|de|Unternehmensregister}} data, ultimately from data registered with Mannheim District Court }}</ref> as such, its former German corporate identity is now a subsidiary, SAP Deutschland SE & Co. KG''.<ref name=":3"/>''

SAP is headquartered in Walldorf, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, with regional offices in 180 countries.<ref name="SAP Company Information">{{cite web
|url=http://global.sap.com/corporate-en/our-company/index.epx
|title=SAP at a Glance: Company Information |access-date=27 January 2015
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140629053917/http://global.sap.com/corporate-en/our-company/index.epx
|archive-date=29 June 2014
|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=":2"/> The company has over 111,961 employees in over 180 countries<ref>{{Cite web
 |url=https://www.sap.com/documents/2017/04/4666ecdd-b67c-0010-82c7-eda71af511fa.html
 |title=SAP Corporate Fact Sheet |website=SAP |language=en |access-date=2019-03-19}}</ref> and is a component of the DAX and Euro Stoxx 50 stock market indices.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.boerse-frankfurt.de/en/equities/indices/euro+stoxx+50+EU0009658145/constituents
|title=Börse Frankfurt (Frankfurt Stock Exchange): Stock market quotes, charts and news
|access-date=22 October 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190208093448/http://www.boerse-frankfurt.de/en/equities/indices/euro%20stoxx%2050%20EU0009658145/constituents|archive-date=8 February 2019 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The company is the [[Company:List of the largest software companies|largest non-American software company by revenue]] and the world's third-largest publicly traded software company by revenue. As of December 2023, SAP is the largest German company by [[Social:Market capitalization|market capitalization]].<ref name="marketcap">{{Cite news |date=2023-12-29 |title=Apple bleibt wertvollstes Unternehmen: SAP und Siemens in den Top 100 |language=de |work=FAZ.NET |url=https://www.faz.net/aktuell/wirtschaft/unternehmen/apple-bleibt-wertvollstes-unternehmen-sap-und-siemens-in-den-top-100-19413847.html |access-date=2023-12-29 |issn=0174-4909}}</ref>

==History==

===Formation===
When [[Company:Xerox|Xerox]] exited the computer hardware manufacturing industry in 1971,<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=Computerworld
 |first=Edith |last=Holmes |page=42 |date=26 January 1976
 |title=IBM Opposes Retelling of Whole Xerox Story in Court
 |quote=The government plans to add the Xerox story to its antitrust case against IBM}}</ref> it asked [[Company:IBM|IBM]] to migrate its business systems to IBM technology. As part of IBM's compensation for the migration, IBM was given the rights to the [[Company:Scientific Data Systems|Scientific Data Systems (SDS)]]/SAPE software, repo.

Five IBM engineers from the AI department<ref name="funding universe">{{cite web |title=History of SAP AG |url=http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/sap-ag-history |publisher=FundingUniverse |access-date=3 May 2013}}</ref><ref name="idch">''International Directory of Company Histories'', Vol. 16. St James Press, 1997.</ref> (Dietmar Hopp, Klaus Tschira, Hans-Werner Hector, Hasso Plattner, and Claus Wellenreuther, all from [[Place:Mannheim|Mannheim]], Baden-Württemberg) were working on an enterprise-wide system based on this software, only to be told that it would no longer be necessary. Rather than abandoning the project, they decided to leave IBM Tech and start another company.<ref name=SAP4ERP#1.NYT2019/><ref name="saphistory">{{cite web
|author=Staff
|title=SAP History: From Start-Up Software Vendor to Global Market Leader
|url=http://www.sap.com/corporate-en/about/our-company/history/index.html
|access-date=10 October 2010
|archive-date=16 February 2016
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160216153527/https://www.sap.com/corporate-en/about/our-company/history/index.html
|url-status=dead
}}</ref>

In June 1972, they founded the SAP {{lang|de|Systemanalyse und Programmentwicklung}} ("System Analysis and Program Development" / "SAPD") company, as a private partnership under the German Civil Code.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web
|url=https://www.sap.com/corporate/en/company/history/1972-1980.html
|title=The early years {{!}} SAP History {{!}} About SAP SE|website=SAP|language=en|access-date=2019-01-23}}</ref>

Their first client was the German branch of Imperial Chemical Industries in Östringen,<ref>[http://www.sap.com/uk/about/success/casestudies/ici.epx SAP UK – ICI Success Story] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080904233938/http://www.sap.com/uk/about/success/casestudies/ici.epx |date=4 September 2008 }}, Sap.com (1 January 1999). Retrieved 24 April 2011.</ref> where they developed mainframe programs for payroll and accounting. Instead of storing the data on punch cards mechanically, as IBM did, they stored it locally in the Electronic System while using a common Logical database for all activities of Organization.{{clarify|date=April 2017}} Therefore, they called their software a [[Real-time computing|real-time]] system, since there was no need to process the punch cards overnight (for this reason their flagship product carried an R in its name until the late 1990s). This first version was also a standalone software that could be offered to other interested parties.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sap.com/corporate-en/about/our-company/history/1972-1981.html|title=Standard Application Software for Real-time processing was developed|publisher=SAP|access-date=7 August 2015|archive-date=13 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160213111207/http://www.sap.com/corporate-en/about/our-company/history/1972-1981.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Acquisitions==
Acquisitions (1991–now):<ref name=SAP_acqui_1991thru2018>{{cite web
|url=https://www.sap.com/investors/en/why-invest/acquisitions.html
|title=Acquisitions|website=sap.com|access-date=2020-07-08}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Acquisition number !! Acquired company !! Acquisition date !! Specialty !! Country of origin !! Acquisition costs
|-
| 75 || [[Company:LeanIX|LeanIX]]|| Sep 2023<ref>{{Cite web |last=FinSMEs |date=2023-09-07 |title=SAP To Acquire LeanIX |url=https://www.finsmes.com/2023/09/sap-to-acquire-leanix.html |access-date=2023-09-07 |website=FinSMEs |language=en-US}}</ref>|| Enterprise architecture management || Germany||
|-
| 74 || Taulia|| (January 2022) || Working capital management || USA|| 
|-
| 73 || AppGyver|| (February 2021) || No-code development platform || Finland|| 
|-
| 72 || [[Company:Signavio|Signavio]]|| (January 2021) || Collaborative Business Process Design, Management and Analysis || Germany || $1b est.
|-
| 71 || Emarsys|| Oct 2020<ref name=PRNewswire>{{cite news |newspaper=PRNewswire
 |url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sap-to-acquire-omnichannel-customer-engagement-leader-emarsys-301143925.html
 |title=SAP to Acquire Omnichannel Customer Engagement Leader Emarsys
 |author=SAP |date=1 October 2020}}</ref>|| Omnichannel marketing || Austria|| 
|-
|70 || [[Company:Qualtrics|Qualtrics]] ||Nov 2018<ref name=Qualtrics.NYT2018>{{cite news |newspaper={{wipe|The New York Times}}
 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/12/business/dealbook/sal-qualtrics-acquisition.html
 |title=Why SAP's Purchase of Qualtrics May Be Mutually Beneficial
 |author=Richard Beales |date=12 November 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sap.com/investors/en/capital-market-story/acquisitions.html|title=Acquisitions &#124; SAP Investor Relations|website=SAP}}</ref> || Collect, Manage, act on Experience data || USA ||$8.0b
|-
|69 ||Contextor ||Nov 2018<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www2.philly.com/philly/blogs/inq-phillydeals/sap-contextor-robotic-process-automation-20181119.html|title=SAP adds Contextor, robotic process automation|date=2018-11-19|publisher=The Inquirer|access-date=20 November 2018|language=en-US}}</ref> ||Robotic Process Automation ||France||
|-
| 68 || [[Company:Coresystems|Coresystems]] || Jun 2018<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://news.sap.com/sapphire-now-announcing-sap-c4hana-sap-hana-data-management-suite/|title=SAP Announces New Suite of Solutions to Modernize CRM and a New Data Management Suite|date=2018-06-08|publisher=SAP News Center|access-date=2018-06-08|language=en-US}}</ref> || Platform for field service management || Switzerland ||
|-
| 67 || [[Company:CallidusCloud|CallidusCloud]] || Jan 2018<ref>{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2018/01/30/sap-snags-calliduscloud-for-2-4-billion/|title=SAP snags CallidusCloud for $2.4 billion|first=Ron|last=Miller|date=30 January 2018 |publisher=TechCrunch|access-date=3 March 2018}}</ref> ||  Sales Performance Management Tool || USA || $2.4 b
|-
| 66 || Recast.ai || Jan 2018<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.enterprisetimes.co.uk/2018/01/24/sap-acquires-recast-ai-invests-france/|title=SAP acquires recast.AI and invests in France -|first=Steve|last=Brooks|date=24 January 2018|work=Enterprise Times}}</ref> ||  Conversational User Experience Technology (chatbot) || France ||
|-
| 65 || Gigya || Sep 2017<ref>{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2017/09/24/sap-is-buying-identity-management-firm-gigya-for-350m/|title=SAP buys customer identity management firm Gigya for $350M|first=Ingrid|last=Lunden|date=24 September 2017 |publisher=TechCrunch|access-date=3 March 2018}}</ref> || Customer Identity Management || Israel || $350m
|-
| 64 || Abakus || Dec 2016<ref>{{cite web|url=http://abakus.me/2016/12/14/sap-the-fastest-growing-enterprise-cloud-company-announces-acquisition-of-abakus/|title=Marketing satendr software & tool vendor - SAP Hybris|publisher=abakus.me|access-date=3 March 2018|archive-date=27 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171027014906/http://abakus.me/2016/12/14/sap-the-fastest-growing-enterprise-cloud-company-announces-acquisition-of-abakus/|url-status=dead}}</ref> || Marketing attribution || USA ||
|-
| 63 || Plat.One || Oct 2016<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/3124442/platone-acquisition-marks-start-of-2b-iot-investment-plan-for-sap.html|title=Plat.One acquisition marks start of $2B IoT investment plan for SAP|date=28 September 2016|website=PCWorld}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/sap-allots-2-billion-for-iot-investments-buys-software-firm-plat-one/|title=SAP allots $2 billion for IoT investments, buys software firm Plat.One|first=Natalie|last=Gagliordi|website=ZDNet}}</ref> || IoT || USA ||
|-
| 62 || Altiscale || Aug 2016<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/sap-confirms-altiscale-acquisition/|title=SAP confirms Altiscale acquisition|date=27 September 2016|publisher=[[ZDNet]]}}</ref> || [[Big data|big data]] and Hadoop Hosting || USA || $125m+
|-
| 61 || Fedem Technology || Jun 2016<ref>{{cite web|url=https://mergr.com/sap-se-acquires-fedem-technology-as|title=SAP SE Acquires Fedem Technology AS|website=mergr.com}}</ref> || IoT || Norway ||
|-
| 60 || MeLLmo Inc. ([[Software:Roambi|Roambi]]) || Feb 2016<ref>{{cite web|url=https://siliconangle.com/2016/02/17/sap-gobbles-up-mobile-data-visualizer-roambi/|title=SAP gobbles up mobile data visualizer Roambi|website=siliconangle.com|date=17 February 2016}}</ref> || Mobile Business Intelligence || USA ||
|-
| 59 || Concur Technologies || Sep 2014<ref>{{cite news |newspaper={{wipe|The New York Times}}
 |url=https://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/09/18/sap-buys-concur-technologies-for-8-3-billion
 |title=SAP Buys Concur Technologies for $8.3 Billion|date=18 September 2014
 }}</ref> || Travel and Expense Management || USA || $8.3b
|-
| 58 || SeeWhy || May 2014 || Behavioural target marketing || USA || $1.1b
|-
| 57 || [[Company:Fieldglass|Fieldglass]] || Mar 2014 || Contingent labour and services || USA ||
|-
| 56 || KXEN || Oct 2013 || Predictive analytics || France||
|-
| 55 || hybris || May 2013 || E-Commerce Solutions || Switzerland || $1.5b
|-
| 54 || Camilion || Mar 2013 || Insurance solutions || Canada ||
|-
| 53 || SmartOps || Feb 2013 || Inventory optimization || USA ||
|-
| 52 || Ticket-Web || Feb 2013<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://news.sap.com/germany/sap-plant-ubernahme-von-ticketing-anbieter-ticket-web/|title=SAP plant Übernahme von Ticketing-Anbieter Ticket-Web|date=2013-01-31|publisher=SAP News Center|access-date=2018-04-17|language=en-US}}</ref> || Ticket systems and special CRM solutions for sports and entertainment || Germany ||
|-
| 51 || Ariba || Oct 2012 || Supplier network || USA || $4.3b
|-
| 50 || Syclo || Jun 2012 || Mobile asset management || USA ||
|-
| 49 || datango || Jan 2012 || Electronic performance support technologies || Germany ||
|-
| 48 || [[Company:SuccessFactors|SuccessFactors]] || Dec 2011 || Human Capital Management|| USA || $3.4b
|-
| 47 || Right Hemisphere || Sep 2011 || 3D visualization || USA ||
|-
| 46 || Crossgate || Sep 2011 || B2B eCommerce || Germany||
|-
| 45 || Secude || Mar 2011 || Security software (Not the whole company, only some assets were acquired) || Germany ||
|-
| 44 || Cundus || Dec 2010 || Disclosure Management || Germany ||
|-
| 43 || [[Company:Sybase|Sybase]] || May 2010 || Database, middleware, mobile software || USA || $5.8b
|-
| 42 || TechniData || May 2010 || Environmental, Health and Safety || Germany ||
|-
| 41 || SAF || Sep 2009 || Inventory Management || Switzerland || $91m
|-
| 40 || Highdeal || May 2009 || High-volume billing || France ||
|-
| 39 || Visiprise || Jul 2008 || Manufacturing Execution || USA ||
|-
| 38 || Saicon INC || Oct 2014 ||  US Recruitment || India ||
|-
| 37 || [[Company:BusinessObjects|BusinessObjects]] || Oct 2007 || Business Intelligence || France || $6.78b
|-
| 36 || Yasu Technologies Pvt. Ltd. || Oct 2007 ||Business Rules Management Software || India ||
|-
| 35 || Wicom Communications || May 2007 || Internet Communication software || Finland||
|-
| 34 || [[Company:MaXware|MaXware]] || May 2007 || Identity software || Norway ||
|-
| 33 || Outlooksoft || May 2007<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/sap-acquires-outlooksoft-for-corporate-performance-management/|title=SAP acquires OutlookSoft for corporate performance management|last=Farber|first=Dan|website=ZDNet|language=en|access-date=2019-02-08}}</ref>|| Planning & consolidation || USA ||
|-
| 32 || Pilot Software || Feb 2007 || Strategy Management software || USA || ~$200m
|-
| 31 || Factory Logic || Dec 2006 || Lean scheduling and supply synchronisation || USA ||
|-
| 30 || Praxis Software Solutions || Jul 2006 || Web-based CRM and eCommerce || USA ||
|-
| 29 || Frictionless Commerce || May 2006 || SRM software || USA ||
|-
| 28 || Virsa Systems || Apr 2006 || Compliance solutions || USA ||
|-
| 27 || SAP Systems Integration || Dec 2005 || Consulting services || Germany ||
|-
| 26 || Callixa || Nov 2005 || Enterprise Integration Information software || USA ||
|-
| 25 || Khimetrics || Nov 2005 || retail software || USA ||
|-
| 24 || Triversity || Sep 2005 || POS software || Canada ||
|-
| 23 || Lighthammer || Jun 2005<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.informationweek.com/sap-acquires-lighthammer-to-beef-up-manu/164901877|title=SAP Acquires Lighthammer To Beef Up Manufacturing Apps|website=InformationWeek|date=22 June 2005|language=en|access-date=2019-02-08}}{{Dead link|date=December 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>|| Manufacturing Intelligence and Collaborative Manufacturing || USA ||
|-
| 22 || DCS Quantum || Feb 2005 || Automotive Dealer Management || United Kingdom ||
|-
| 21 || TomorrowNow || Jan 2005 || [[Social:Grey market|Grey market]] support || USA ||
|-
| 20 || ilytix || Jan 2005 || SAP BusinessOne Business Intelligence || Norway ||
|-
| 19 || A2i || Jul 2004<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.computerweekly.com/news/2240056918/SAP-acquires-A2i-to-boost-data-management-capabilities|title=SAP acquires A2i to boost data management capabilities|website=ComputerWeekly.com|language=en|access-date=2019-02-08}}</ref>|| Master Data Management || USA ||
|-
| 18 || SPM Technologies || Dec 2003<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.computerwoche.de/a/sap-si-kauft-spm-technologies,542955|title=SAP SI kauft SPM Technologies |publisher=computerwoche.de|language=de|access-date=2018-04-17}}</ref> ||  IT architecture consulting || Germany ||
|-
| 17 || DCW Software || Jul 2003 || OS/400 Applications || Germany ||
|-
| 16 || Guimachine || Dec 2002 || NetWeaver Visual Composer toolkit || USA ||
|-
| 15 || IMHC || May 2001 || Integrated managed health care from IDS || USA ||
|-
| 14 || Expression || May 2002 || Real-time file sharing || ? ||
|-
| 13 || Topmanage || Feb 2002 || SAP BusinessOne Suite || Israel ||
|-
| 12 || Paynet International AG || Dec 2001 || Invoice Processing || Germany ||
|-
| 11 || COPA GmbH || Nov 2001 || Beverage industry consulting || Germany ||
|-
| 10 || Infinite Data Structures || May 2001 || Trade Management / CRM || USA ||
|-
| 9 || Toptier || Mar 2001 || Enterprise Information Portal and Integration Infrastructure || USA || ~$400m
|-
| 8 || Prescient Consulting || Feb 2000 || Consulting services || USA ||
|-
| 7 || In-Q-My Technologies GmbH || 2000 || J2EE Server || Bulgaria ||

|-
| 6 || Campbell Software || 1999<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=Computerworld
 |title=SAP plans new scheduling capabilities
 |quote=StaffWorks, a product SAP picked up in its 1999 acquisition of Campbell Software
 |date=14 January 2003}}</ref> || Workforce Management || USA ||
|-
| 5 || AMC Development || 1998 || Call Center telephony integration software || USA ||
|-
| 4 || OFEK-Tech || 1998 || Warehousing and distribution centre software || Israel ||
|-
| 3 || Kiefer & Veittinger || 1997 || Sales force Applications || Germany ||
|-
| 2 || Dacos || 1994 || Retail solution || Germany ||
|-
| 1 || Steeb || 1991<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.all-for-one.com/en/company/corporate-investor-relations/capital-market-story/wurzeln/|title=Our Roots|website=all-for-one.com|access-date=17 February 2021|archive-date=6 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210506003944/https://www.all-for-one.com/en/company/corporate-investor-relations/capital-market-story/wurzeln/|url-status=dead}}</ref>|| Software and Consulting Services || Germany ||
|-
|}

===Enterprise resource planning===
In 1973, the first commercial product was launched. SAP completed its first [[Finance:Financial accounting|financial accounting]] system - RF. This system served as the cornerstone in the ongoing development of other software modules of the system that eventually bore the name SAP R/1.<ref name=":1"/>

This offered a common system for multiple tasks. This permitted the use of a centralized data storage, improving the maintenance of data. From a technical point of view, therefore, a [[Database|database]] was necessary.<ref name="ErfolgsfaktorenSAP">{{cite web|url=http://chbeck.metapress.com/content/ph64048135784551|title=Vom Programmierbüro zum globalen Softwareproduzenten: Die Erfolgsfaktoren der SAP von der Gründung bis zum R/3-Boom, 1972 bis 1996|publisher=Chbeck.metapress.com|date=14 November 2008|access-date=27 March 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130128164657/http://chbeck.metapress.com/content/ph64048135784551|archive-date=28 January 2013}}</ref>

In 1976, SAP GmbH Systeme, Anwendungen und Produkte in der Datenverarbeitung ("Systems, Applications, and Products in Data Processing") was founded as a sales and support subsidiary. Five years later, the private partnership was dissolved and its rights were passed on to SAP GmbH.<ref name=":1"/>

The headquarters moved the following year to Walldorf, Germany. Three years later, in 1979, SAP launched SAP R/2, expanding the capabilities of the system to other areas, such as material management and [[Engineering:Production planning|production planning]]. In 1981, SAP brought a re-designed product to market. However, SAP R/2 did not improve until the period between 1985 and 1990. SAP released the new SAP R/3 in 1992. SAP developed and released several versions of R/3 through 1995. By the mid-1990s, SAP followed the trend from [[Mainframe computer|mainframe]] computing to [[Client–server model|client–server architectures]]. The development of SAP's internet strategy with mySAP.com redesigned the concept of business processes (integration via Internet).<ref name="saphistory"/> As a result, R/3 was replaced with the introduction of [[Software:SAP ERP|SAP ERP]] Central Component (ECC) 5.0 in 2004.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.cipherbsc.com/sap-ecc-modules/|title=SAP ECC Modules - Cipher Business Solutions|publisher=Cipher Business Solutions|access-date=2017-03-29|language=en-US}}</ref> Architectural changes were also made to support an enterprise service architecture to transition customers to a [[Service-oriented architecture|service-oriented architecture]]. The latest version, SAP ERP 6.0, was released in 2006. SAP ERP 6.0 has since then been updated through SAP enhancement packs, the most recent: SAP enhancement package 8 for SAP ERP 6.0 in 2016.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/latest-version-sap-erp-available-ecc-60-ehp7-what-do-you-rakesh-singh|title=The latest version of SAP ERP available is SAP ECC 6.0 EHP7, What do you understand by ECC ?|date=2016-03-04|access-date=2018-02-01|language=en}}</ref>

=== Corporate restructuring ===
In August 1988, SAP GmbH became SAP [[Finance:Aktiengesellschaft|AG]], and public trading started on 4 November 1988. Shares were listed on the Frankfurt and [[Finance:Börse Stuttgart|Stuttgart stock exchanges]].<ref name="saphistory"/> In 1995, SAP was included in the German stock index DAX and, on 22 September 2003, SAP was included in the STOXX Europe 50.<ref>{{cite press release|publisher=Stoxx|title=STOXX Limited Announces Changes to its Blue-Chip Index Series|date=1 September 2003|url=http://www.whitehallresources.co.uk/stoxx-limited-announces-changes-to-its-blue-chip-index-series/|access-date=21 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161021194441/http://www.whitehallresources.co.uk/stoxx-limited-announces-changes-to-its-blue-chip-index-series/|archive-date=21 October 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>

=== SAP AG era ===
The company's official name became ''SAP [[Finance:Aktiengesellschaft|AG]]'' (a public limited company) after the 2005 [[Finance:Annual general meeting|annual general meeting]].

=== SAP SE era ===
On 21 May 2014, SAP AG announced during the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders that 99% of the shareholder votes approved the conversion of legal form to a European stock corporation ([[Company:Societas Europaea|Societas Europaea]], SE) and at the same time, elected the first supervisory board of SAP SE. The conversion of the company's legal form would take place upon entry in the commercial register, expected to be in July 2014.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.sap.com/2014/05/sap-annual-general-meeting-shareholders-2014/|title=SAP 2014 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders|date=21 May 2014|website=SAP News Center}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.sap.com/2014/05/conversion-of-legal-form-to-european-company-se-approved-sap-shareholders-elect-jim-hagemann-snabe-to-supervisory-board-of-sap-se/|title=Conversion of legal form to European company (SE) approved – SAP shareholders elect Jim Hagemann Snabe to Supervisory Board of SAP SE|date=21 May 2014|website=SAP News Center}}</ref>

On 7 July 2014, SAP announced it had changed its legal form to a European Company (Societas Europaea, SE). As a result, its German subsidiary was renamed to SAP Deutschland SE & Co. KG.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|date=2014-07-07|title=SAP Now European Company (SE)|url=https://news.sap.com/2014/07/sap-se-now-european-company/|access-date=2020-07-11|website=SAP News Center|publisher=SAP SE|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.sap.com/2014/07/sap-now-european-company-se/|title=SAP Now European Company (SE)|date=7 July 2014|website=SAP News Center}}</ref> The conversion cost the company approximately €4 million.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sap.com/corporate-en/about/investors/investorservices/faq/index.html|title=Company Q & A|publisher=Investor Relations, SAP |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160224162330/https://www.sap.com/corporate-en/about/investors/investorservices/faq/index.html|access-date=27 May 2015|archive-date=24 February 2016}}</ref>

=== Focus on cloud ===
Since 2012, SAP has acquired several companies that sell [[Cloud computing|cloud-based products]], with several multi-billion-dollar acquisitions seen by analysts as an attempt to challenge competitor [[Company:Oracle Corporation|Oracle]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2012-05-22/sap-agrees-to-buy-ariba |title=SAP to Acquire Ariba for $4.3 Billion in Push into Cloud |first1=Kenneth |last1=Wong |first2=Dina |last2=Bass |publisher=Bloomberg L.P. |date=23 May 2012}}</ref> In 2016 SAP bought Concur Technologies, a provider of cloud-based travel and expense management software, for $8.3 billion, SAP's most expensive purchase to that date.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2014/09/22/sap-to-acquire-concur-technologies-to-boost-cloud-sales |title=SAP To Acquire Concur Technologies To Boost Cloud Sales |newspaper=Forbes |date=22 September 2014}}</ref> Analysts' reactions to the purchase were mixed, with Thomas Becker of [[Company:Commerzbank|Commerzbank]] questioning whether Concur was the right choice for SAP, while Credit Suisse called the acquisition an "aggressive" move.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/sap-to-acquire-concur-technologies-1411076535 |title=SAP to Acquire Concur Technologies |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal |first1=Neetha |last1=Mahadevan |first2=Stephan |last2=Doerner |date=19 September 2014}}</ref>

In 2014, IBM and SAP began a partnership to sell cloud-based services.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/ibm-and-sap-score-win-over-amazon-2014-10|title=IBM and SAP Score Win Over Amazon|work=Business Insider|date=14 October 2014}}</ref> Likewise, in 2015, SAP also partnered with [[Company:Hewlett Packard Enterprise|HPE]] to provide secure hybrid cloud-based services running the SAP platform.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www8.hp.com/us/en/hp-news/press-release.html?id=1982676|title=HP News - HP and SAP Accelerate Journey to SAP® S/4HANA on HP Helion Managed Cloud|publisher=Hewlett-Packard |language=en|access-date=2017-03-26}}</ref> Both HPE and IBM provide infrastructure services to SAP, and SAP runs its SAP HANA cloud solution on top. SAP has announced additional partnerships with Microsoft in order to give customers tools for data visualization, as well as improved mobile applications.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2014/05/19/microsoft-sap-strengthen-ties-with-mobile-data-cloud-partnership|title=Microsoft and SAP Strengthen Ties with Mobile, Data, Cloud Partnership|publisher=TechCrunch|date=19 May 2014}}</ref>

SAP exceeded its revenue projections due to the expansion in its cloud business and the success of SAP HANA. The growth can also be partially attributed to the acquisitions of Concur and Fieldglass.<ref>[https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2015/01/22/sap-posts-strong-2014-results-cloud-business-to-drive-future-growth "SAP Posts Strong 2014 Results, Cloud Business to Drive Future Growth" ], ''Forbes'', 22 January 2015</ref> Since 2017, SAP is a founding member of the [[EU Cloud Code of Conduct]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=History|publisher=EU Cloud CoC|url=https://eucoc.cloud/en/about/history.html|access-date=2021-08-22|archive-date=22 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210822214154/https://eucoc.cloud/en/about/history.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Since May 2021 SAP has listed selected Cloud Service adherent to the EU Cloud Code of Conduct as one of the first Cloud Service Providers.<ref>{{Cite web|title=List of adherent services|publisher=EU Cloud CoC|url=https://eucoc.cloud/en/public-register/list-of-adherent-services.html|access-date=2021-08-22}}</ref>

The company announced plans in 2016 to invest heavily into technology relating to the [[Internet of things]] (IoT) as part of a strategy to capitalize on the growth in that market. For that purpose, €2 billion is planned for investment in relevant sectors by the end of 2020.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://fortune.com/2016/09/28/sap-invest-billion-internet-things-2020/|title=SAP Plans to Invest $2.2 Billion in the Internet of Things by 2020|agency=Reuters|work=Fortune|access-date=2017-07-17}}</ref> SAP will also launch a new product line called SAP IoT, which "will combine large amounts of data from things connected to the Internet with machine learning and SAP's real-time database S/4 HANA."<ref name=":0"/>

On 29 January 2019, SAP announced plans to cut approximately 4,000 positions at the company in a strategic plan to shift to more modern cloud-based technologies such as [[Finance:Blockchain|blockchain]], [[Quantum computing|quantum computing]], [[Machine learning|machine learning]], Internet of Things, and [[Artificial intelligence|artificial intelligence]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Miller |first=Ron |url=https://techcrunch.com/2019/01/29/sap-job-cuts-prove-harsh-realities-of-enterprise-transformation/ |title= SAP job cuts prove harsh realities of enterprise transformation |work=TechCrunch |date=2019-01-29 |access-date=2019-01-29 }}</ref>

=== SAP Fioneer and Dediq ===
On 13 April 2021, SAP announced the formation of the joint venture SAP Fioneer, a dedicated Financial Services Industry (FSI) Unit between SAP and investment company Dediq GmbH.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-04-13|title=SAP and Dediq GmbH Form Strategic Partnership|url=https://news.sap.com/2021/04/sap-dediq-strategic-partnership-financial-services/|access-date=2021-10-24|website=SAP News Center|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-09-01|title=SAP Fioneer Starts Operations|url=https://news.sap.com/2021/09/sap-fioneer-starts-operations/|access-date=2021-10-24|website=SAP News Center|language=en-US}}</ref> Dediq GmbH invested over €500 million in the newly formed unit and received an 80 per cent share in return. SAP brought its products, organizational units and the sales network into the business and holds 20 per cent of the shares.<ref>{{Cite web|title=SAP reiterates, reinforces, and rebuilds its commitment to Financial Services Industry with SAP Fioneer {{!}} SAP Blogs|url=https://blogs.sap.com/2021/06/11/sap-reiterates-reinforces-and-rebuilds-its-commitment-to-financial-services-industry-with-sap-fioneer/|access-date=2021-10-24|website=blogs.sap.com}}</ref>

== Finances ==
For the fiscal year 2017, SAP reported earnings of €4 billion, with an annual revenue of €23.5 billion, an increase of 6.3% over the previous fiscal cycle.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wallstreet-online.de/aktien/sap-aktie/bilanz|title=SAP Bilanz, Gewinn und Umsatz {{!}} SAP Geschäftsbericht {{!}} 716460|website=wallstreet-online.de|access-date=2018-12-04}}</ref> SAP's shares traded at over US$154 per share, and its market capitalization was valued at US$180 billion in December 2023,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/SAP/key-statistics?p=SAP&.tsrc=fin-srch|title=SAP Key Statistics {{!}} SAP SE ADS Stock|publisher=Yahoo! Finance|language=en-US|access-date=2018-12-04}}</ref> making it the largest German company by [[Social:Market capitalization|market capitalization]].<ref name="marketcap"/>

The key trends for SAP are (as at the financial year ending March 31):<ref>{{Cite web |title=SAP AKTIE {{!}} Aktienkurs & News {{!}} SAP {{!}} 716460 |url=https://www.boerse.de/aktien/SAP-Aktie/DE0007164600 |access-date=2023-11-30 |website=boerse.de |language=de}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Financial Documents {{!}} SAP Investor Relations |url=https://www.sap.com/investors/en/reports.html |access-date=2023-11-30 |website=SAP |language=en}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable float-left" style="text-align:center;"
!Year
!Revenue<br />(€ bn)
!Net income<br />(€ bn)
!Total assets<br />(€ bn)
!Employees
!Sources
|-
|2013
|16.8
|3.3
|27.0
|66,572
|
|-
|2014
|17.5
|3.2
|38.5
|74,406
|
|-
|2015
|20.7
| 3.0
|41.3
|76,986
|
|-
|2016
|22.0
|3.6
|44.2
|84,183
|
|-
|2017
|23.4
|4.0
|42.4
|88,543
|
|-
|2018
|24.7
|4.0
|51.5
|96,498
|
|-
|2019
|27.5
|3.3
|60.2
|100,330
|<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-02-27 |title=SAP SE Annual Report 20-F |url=https://sec.report/Document/0001104659-20-025681/ |access-date=2020-04-16 |website=SEC Edgar Filing Tracker }} </ref>
|-
|2020
|27.3
|5.1
|58.4
|103,876
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=SAP SE (SAP) Stock Price, News, Quote & History |url=https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/SAP/ |access-date=2021-08-16 |publisher=Yahoo! Finance |language=en-US}}</ref>
|-
|2021
|27.8
|5.2
|71.1
|107,415
|
|-
|2022
|30.8
|2.2
|72.1
|111,961
|
|}

==Business and markets==
{{As of|2016}}, SAP is the world's fourth-largest software and programming company.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.forbes.com/global2000/list/#industry:Software%20%26%20Programming |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110423003358/http://www.forbes.com/global2000/list#industry:Software%20%26%20Programming |url-status=dead |archive-date=23 April 2011 |title=The World's Biggest Public Companies, Software & Programming |work=Forbes |access-date=21 October 2016}}</ref> The corporation operates in Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, North America, and South America.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sap.com/corporate/en/company/office-locations.html|title=Worldwide Office Directory &#124; About SAP SE|website=SAP}}</ref>

SAP focuses on 25 industries and six industry sectors: process industries, discrete industries, consumer industries, service industries, financial services and public services.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sap.com/solution.html|title=Business in Brief: Markets|publisher=SAP|access-date=15 October 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130425005304/http://www54.sap.com/solution.html|archive-date=25 April 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> It offers integrated product sets for large enterprises,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sap.com/germany/company/investor/reports/gb2006/en/business/midmarket-solutions-2.html#1|title=Midmarket Solutions: SAP ALL-IN-ONE – Solutions for mid-size companies|work=Annual Report 2006|publisher=SAP |access-date=15 October 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011185959/http://www.sap.com/germany/company/investor/reports/gb2006/en/business/midmarket-solutions-2.html#1|archive-date=11 October 2007}}</ref> mid-sized companies and small businesses.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sap.com/germany/company/investor/reports/gb2006/en/business/industry-solutions.html|title=Industry Solutions: Innovation – One Industry at a Time|work=Annual Report 2006|publisher=SAP |access-date=15 October 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011100833/http://www.sap.com/germany/company/investor/reports/gb2006/en/business/industry-solutions.html|archive-date=11 October 2007}}</ref>

==Partnerships==
SAP partners include Global Services Partners with cross-industry multinational consulting capabilities,<ref>[http://go.sap.com/partner.html SAP – Global & Local Partner Directories: Global Services Partners]. SAP AG. Retrieved 7 July 2011.</ref> SAP University Alliances,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sap.com/about/company/innovation/next-gen-innovation-platform/university-alliances.html|title=SAP University Alliances &#124; SAP Next Gen Community|website=SAP}}</ref> Global Software Partners providing integrated products that complement SAP Business Suite solutions,<ref>[http://go.sap.com/partner.html SAP – Global & Local Partner Directories: Global Software Partners]. Sap.com (30 June 2009). Retrieved 7 July 2011.</ref> and Global Technology Partners providing user companies with a wide range of products to support SAP technology, including vendors of hardware, database, storage systems, networks, and mobile computing technology.<ref>[http://go.sap.com/partner.html SAP – Global & Local Partner Directories: Global Technology Partners], go.sap.com. Retrieved 7 July 2011.</ref>

Extensions partners are companies which provide functionality that complements SAP product capabilities. Their products are certified, sold, and supported by SAP. These partner companies include [[Software:Adobe Systems|Adobe]], [[Company:CA Technologies|CA Technologies]], GK Software,<ref>[http://www.news-sap.com/sap-offers-extended-global-reseller-agreement-with-gk-software/ SAP Offers Retailers in North America a Full Range of Store Solutions to Optimize Their Businesses Through Extended Global Reseller Agreement With GK Software]. sap-news.com (28 May 2013). Retrieved 22 May 2015.</ref> [[Company:Tricentis|Tricentis]],<ref>[https://www.infopoint-security.de/tricentis-baut-seine-partnerschaft-mit-sap-weiter-aus/a24485/ "Tricentis is expanding its partnership with SAP"]. infopoint-security.de (30 July 2020). Retrieved 13 August 2020.</ref> [[Company:Hewlett-Packard|Hewlett-Packard]], [[Company:IDS Scheer|IDS Scheer]], [[Company:Mendix|Mendix]],<ref>[https://www.mendix.com/press/mendix-announces-global-reseller-agreement-with-sap-providing-enterprises-low-code-development-for-building-web-and-mobile-apps-at-speed-and-scale/ "Mendix Announces Global Reseller Agreement with SAP, Providing Enterprises Low-Code Development for Building Enterprise Apps at Speed and Scale"]. Mendix.com (26 September 2017). Retrieved 28 March 2018.</ref> [[Company:OpenText|OpenText]],<ref>[https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/opentext-named-solution-extension-partner-of-the-year-and-sap-database-and-data-management-partner-of-the-year-in-2017-sap-pinnacle-awards-300458320.html "OpenText Named Solution Extension Partner of the Year and SAP Database and Data Management Partner of the Year in 2017" SAP® Pinnacle Awards]. prnewswire.com (16 May 2017). Retrieved 9 March 2018.</ref> Knoa Software, and BackOffice Associates.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://scn.sap.com/community/solution-extensions|title=Solution Extensions {{!}} Digital Journey|publisher=SAP|language=en|access-date=2018-02-01|archive-date=16 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150116015457/http://scn.sap.com/community/solution-extensions|url-status=dead}}</ref>

SAP has also partnered with [[Company:Apple Inc.|Apple]] to work on the mobile experience for SAP enterprise customers. As part of the partnership, a new SAP HANA Cloud Platform SDK would be delivered exclusively for [[Software:IOS|iOS]]. As a result, developers can build applications based on the SAP HANA Cloud Platform for the [[Engineering:IPhone|iPhone]] and [[Engineering:IPad|iPad]] devices. The partnership was announced in May 2016.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://news.sap.com/apple-sap-partner-to-revolutionize-work-on-iphone-ipad/|title=Apple & SAP Partner to Revolutionize Work on iPhone & iPad|date=2016-05-05|publisher=SAP News Center|access-date=2017-09-04|language=en-US}}</ref>

In 2019, SAP announced a three-year partnership "Embrace" with [[Company:Microsoft|Microsoft]] that should allow its clients to move their business process into the cloud, although significant portions of that partnership were reduced to two years. [https://www.reuters.com/article/us-sap-results/sap-in-three-year-cloud-partnership-with-microsoft-idUSKBN1X00DR SAP teams up on cloud sales with Microsoft] <ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.cio.com/article/191799/sap-steps-back-from-s4hana-on-azure-preference.html|title=SAP steps back from S/4HANA-on-Azure preference|date=2021-05-28|publisher=cio.com|access-date=2022-07-04|language=en-US}}</ref>

In 2020 SAP announced that together with [[Company:Wipro|Wipro]] it will co-develop and market "solutions for the retail and fashion industry."<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=Retail Today
 |url=https://retail-today.com/wipro-to-co-develop-solutions-with-sap-for-retail-and-fashion-industry
 |title=Wipro to Co-Develop Solutions with SAP for Retail and Fashion Industry
 |first=Ashley |last=Jonas |date=12 March 2020}}</ref>

==Organization==
SAP uses a two-tier structure of boards, with an executive board and a supervisory board.<ref>{{cite web
 |url=http://supersaver.com.ng/bky4w/board-of-management.html
 |title=Board of management
 |quote=two-tier board structure .. The Executive Board is the governing body of SAP SE}}{{dead link|date=June 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.sap.com/corporate-en/about/our-company/our-boards/executive-board.html
|title=SAP Executive Board|publisher=SAP |access-date=4 August 2015
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150729213915/http://www.sap.com/corporate-en/about/our-company/our-boards/executive-board.html
|archive-date=29 July 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref> In October 2019, Jennifer Morgan and Christian Klein were appointed as co-[[Social:Chief executive officer|CEO]]s of SAP.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://news.sap.com/2019/10/sap-set-course-future-next-generation-leadership/|title=SAP Sets Course with Next-Generation Leadership Team {{!}} SAP News|date=2019-10-10|website=SAP News Center|language=en-US|access-date=2019-10-11}}</ref> In April 2020, it was announced that Jennifer Morgan will leave SAP and Christian Klein will continue to operate as the sole CEO, citing that the current environment of the COVID-19 recession requires "companies to take swift, determined action which is best supported by a very clear leadership structure".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.sap.com/2020/04/morgan-departs-klein-continues-as-sap-ceo/|title=Jennifer Morgan Departs SAP, Christian Klein Continues as CEO {{!}} SAP News|date=2020-04-20|website=SAP News Center|language=en-US|access-date=2020-04-21}}</ref>

The majority of the company's employees are in Germany and United States. About 20,000 employees are based in Germany<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://adamhenderson.co.uk/adam-speaks-at-saps-global-hq-in-germany-home-to-over-20000-employees/|title = Adam speaks at SAPs global HQ in Germany, home to over 20,000 employees &#124; Adam Henderson|date = 23 May 2019}}</ref> and about 19,311 employees are based in the United States.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://fortune.com/best-companies/2020/sap-america/|title = SAP America |work=Fortune}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.greatplacetowork.com/certified-company/1001312|title = Working at SAP America|publisher=Great Place to Work}}</ref>

In 2022, 45 employee representatives were elected to the SAP [[Social:Employee Involvement Directive 2001|SE Works Council]], including 15 candidates from the Ver.di and IG Metall trade union lists. They represent 17,000 employees of Germany.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kerkmann |first=Christoph |date=2022-07-22 |title=Softwarehersteller: Überraschung bei SAP: IG Metall gewinnt Betriebsratswahl |url=https://www.handelsblatt.com/technik/it-internet/softwarehersteller-ueberraschung-bei-sap-ig-metall-gewinnt-betriebsratswahl/28232360.html |access-date=2022-04-18 |website=[[Finance:Handelsblatt|Handelsblatt]] |language=de}}</ref> 
 
Headquarters is responsible for overall management as well as core engineering activities related to product development. Worldwide customer support is not provided by the field organizations but by a unified organization called Active Global Support (AGS).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sap.com/index.html|title=SAP Software Solutions &#124; Business Applications and Technology|website=SAP}}</ref>

== SAP Labs ==
{|class="wikitable sortable, wikitable floatright" border="1"
|+Locations of SAP Labs
|-
!Country
!Main location(s)
|-
|Germany
|Walldorf/Rot, Markdorf, [[Place:Dresden|Dresden]], [[Place:Berlin|Berlin]]
|-
|United States
|Silicon Valley, Newtown Square
|-
|India
|Bangalore, Pune, Gurgaon
|-
|China
|[[Place:Shanghai|Shanghai]]
|-
|Brazil
|São Leopoldo
|-
|Bulgaria
|[[Place:Sofia|Sofia]]
|-
|Canada
|{{wipe|Vancouver}}, {{wipe|Montreal}}, Waterloo
|-
|{{wipe|South Korea}}
|[[Place:Seoul|Seoul]]
|-
|Vietnam
|Ho Chi Minh City
|-
|Israel
|Ra'anana
|-
|France
|[[Place:Paris|Paris]], Sophia Antipolis
|-
|Ireland
|[[Place:Dublin|Dublin]]
|-
|Hungary
|[[Place:Budapest|Budapest]]
|-
|Slovakia
|[[Place:Bratislava|Bratislava]]
|-
|Czech Republic
|Brno
|-
|Poland
|Gliwice
|}
'''SAP Labs''' are research and development locations that develop and improve SAP core products. SAP Labs are strategically located in high-tech clusters around the globe.<ref name=SapLab.India>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times of India
 |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/Bangalore-to-house-SAPs-biggest-lab-in-Asia/articleshow/800336638.cms
 |title=Bangalore to house SAP's biggest lab in Asia
 |quote=Besides Bangalore, SAP has four R&D centres located in Walldorf in Germany, Palo Alto in the US, Tokyo in Japan and Tel Aviv in Israel.
 |first=Satya Prakash |last=Singh |date=15 October 2001}}</ref>

The four most prominent labs of SAP SE are located in Germany, Japan, Israel and the US. Labs Walldorf was founded in 1972 and became SAP's primary location. At the beginning, the focus of SAP's expansion was entering highly developed IT markets; in 1993, Palo Alto became a part of SAP Labs. Aiming to acquire talented employees, SAP opened another lab in Bangalore in 2003.<ref name=SapLab.India/>

SAP Labs in Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland were established in 2016. The lab in India is SAP's largest outside Germany as of 2016.

In order to manage SAP Labs, '''SAP Labs Network (SLN)''' was created. SLN is a global unit that manages regional Labs and shares best business practices. It coordinates and distributes development projects among individual SAP Labs locations, accelerates product delivery, gives SAP full access to talent, and drives SAP corporate strategy regarding innovation and business growth.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.sap.com/corporate/en/company/innovation/sap-labs.html |title=R&D Locations {{!}} SAP Labs {{!}} About SAP SE |publisher=SAP |access-date=2016-04-29 |archive-date=2 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202025118/http://www.sap.com/corporate/en/company/innovation/sap-labs.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Philanthropic efforts==
SAP has donated several millions of dollars to a variety of global health causes including the Product Red campaign and the Global Fund.<ref>{{cite web|title=(RED) Partners|url=http://www.joinred.com/partners/#!/shopred/sap|work=(RED)|publisher=The ONE Campaign|date=14 October 2012|access-date=27 May 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120524044206/http://www.joinred.com/partners/#!/shopred/sap|archive-date=24 May 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.insidephilanthropy.com/tech-philanthropy/2014/10/8/what-this-giant-software-company-is-doing-to-advance-global.html |title=What This Giant Software Company Is Doing to Advance Global Health |publisher=Inside Philanthropy |date=8 October 2014 |access-date=13 November 2016 |archive-date=14 November 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161114085312/http://www.insidephilanthropy.com/tech-philanthropy/2014/10/8/what-this-giant-software-company-is-doing-to-advance-global.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> In addition, SAP has distributed free software in South Africa as part of an effort towards developing future markets there.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.triplepundit.com/2013/08/business-case-strategic-philanthropy |title=The Business Case for Strategic Philanthropy |publisher= TriplePundit |date=8 August 2013 |access-date=13 November 2016}}</ref> The company also encourages employees to volunteer through social sabbaticals, sending teams of people to different countries to aid non-profits. SAP employees have volunteered in China, India, Brazil, and South Africa.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/ernst-young-sap-corporate-volunteering |title=How EY and SAP are championing corporate volunteering |work=The Guardian |date=11 February 2014 |access-date = 13 November 2016}}</ref>

== Controversies ==

=== Bribery charges ===
In 2024, after investigations by the U.S. Justice Department and the Securities and Exchange Commission, SAP was ordered to pay $220 million to resolve violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act in South Africa, Indonesia, Tanzania, Malawi, Ghana, Kenya, Zimbabwe and Azerbaijan. It paid bribes to officials in [[Finance:State-owned enterprise|state-owned enterprises]] to gain government contracts. It entered into a three-year deferred prosecution agreement, paying a criminal penalty of $118.8 million and an administrative forfeiture of $103,396,765.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-01-10 |title=Eastern District of Virginia {{!}} SAP to Pay Over $220M to Resolve Foreign Bribery Investigations {{!}} United States Department of Justice |url=https://www.justice.gov/usao-edva/pr/sap-pay-over-220m-resolve-foreign-bribery-investigations |access-date=2024-01-12 |website=www.justice.gov |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":8">{{Cite web |title=SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 - Release No. 99308 |url=https://www.sec.gov/files/litigation/admin/2024/34-99308.pdf}}</ref>

In South Africa, SAP used third-party intermediaries to acquire tenders from various state-owned entities, including [[Company:Transnet|Transnet]], the South African Revenue Service, the City of Johannesburg, Eskom and the Department of Water and Sanitation.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jika |first=Thanduxolo |title=Joburg official's R2.2m SAP bribe diverted to 'unnamed political party' |url=https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2024-01-11-joburg-officials-r22m-sap-bribe-diverted-to-unnamed-political-party/ |access-date=2024-01-12 |website=TimesLIVE |language=en-ZA}}</ref><ref name=":8" />{{Rp|page=4}}

=== US-Iran sanctions ===
In 2021, SAP admitted in a United States court that it exported software to firms in Iran, contrary to US sanctions against Iran, which led to a fine of $8 million.<ref>{{Cite web |date=29 April 2021 |title=German software giant SAP hit with $8 million fine over Iran exports {{!}} DW {{!}} 29.04.2021 |url=https://www.dw.com/en/german-software-giant-sap-hit-with-8-million-fine-over-iran-exports/a-57382290 |access-date=2021-05-10 |publisher=Deutsche Welle |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-04-29|title=SAP Admits to Thousands of Illegal Exports of its Software Products to Iran and Enters into Non-Prosecution Agreement with DOJ|url=https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/sap-admits-thousands-illegal-exports-its-software-products-iran-and-enters-non-prosecution|access-date=2021-05-10|website=justice.gov|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Osborne|first=Charlie|title=SAP admits to 'thousands' of illegal software exports to Iran|url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/sap-admits-to-thousands-of-illegal-software-exports-to-iran/|access-date=2021-05-10|publisher=ZDNet|language=en}}</ref>

=== East African allegations ===
In February 2019, SAP was accused of 'improper conduct' linked to state contracts in Kenya and Tanzania. An anonymous whistle-blower claims, through a firm of attorneys, that SAP used Twenty Third Century Systems (TTCS) to bribe officials at the Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) to win a US$6.6&nbsp;million enterprise resource planning software tender that involved the provision of software licenses and services.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web|url=https://techcentral.co.za/sap-eoh-affiliate-ttcs-caught-up-in-bribery-allegations/87871/|title=SAP, EOH affiliate TTCS caught up in bribery allegations - TechCentral|website=techcentral.co.za|date=28 February 2019|access-date=2019-07-08}}</ref>

=== South African allegations ===
In July 2017, allegations were made that SAP had been involved in business transactions with the controversial and politically influential [[Biography:Gupta family|Gupta family]] in South Africa. SAP was accused of paying CAD House, a Gupta-controlled company, R100&nbsp;million in order to secure a [[Company:Transnet|Transnet]] deal. SAP denied the allegations, claiming that the money was paid as "an extension of the sales force", despite CAD House having no prior SAP experience.<ref name=":5">{{Cite news|url=http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/guptaleaks-software-giant-paid-gupta-front-r100m-kickbacks-for-state-business-20170711|title=#GuptaLeaks: Software giant paid Gupta front R100m 'kickbacks' for state business|publisher=News24|access-date=2017-07-11}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://amabhungane.co.za/article/2017-07-11-guptaleaks-software-giant-sap-paid-gupta-front-r100m-kickbacks-for-state-business|title=#GuptaLeaks: Software giant SAP paid Gupta front R100m "kickbacks" for state business|publisher=AmaBhungane|language=en|access-date=2017-07-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170711085312/http://amabhungane.co.za/article/2017-07-11-guptaleaks-software-giant-sap-paid-gupta-front-r100m-kickbacks-for-state-business|archive-date=2017-07-11}}</ref>

The Guptas' dealings with SAP were revealed in a widely publicized e-mail leak.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.fin24.com/Economy/guptas-just-tip-of-sas-corruption-ice-berg-saftu-20170711|title=Guptas just tip of SA's corruption ice-berg - Saftu|publisher=Fin24|access-date=2017-07-11}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://businesstech.co.za/news/business/184559/software-giant-pulled-into-gupta-saga-with-allegations-of-r100-million-kickbacks/|title=Software giant pulled into Gupta saga with allegations of R100&nbsp;million kickbacks|website=businesstech.co.za|access-date=2017-07-11|language=en-US}}</ref>

As a consequence of the allegations, SAP launched an investigation that led to four of its South African managers being placed on administrative leave along with the seizure of their mobile phones and computers.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.ft.com/content/d8d693c0-67d8-11e7-8526-7b38dcaef614 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210/https://www.ft.com/content/d8d693c0-67d8-11e7-8526-7b38dcaef614 |archive-date=10 December 2022 |url-access=subscription|title=Germany's SAP to investigate South Africa kickback allegations|newspaper=Financial Times|date=13 July 2017|last1=Cotterill|first1=Joseph}}</ref> Claas Kuehnemann was named as acting managing director for Africa while the investigation continued.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.itweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=163367|title=SAP names Kuehnemann as acting MD |publisher=ITWeb Technology News|access-date=2017-07-17}}</ref>

On 26 October 2017, SAP announced that it had voluntarily reported itself to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for a possible violation of US law, including the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), related to the South African bribery allegations. SAP's own investigation, conducted by law firm Baker McKenzie, revealed that SAP had paid $7.7&nbsp;million in commissions to third-parties linked to the Gupta family while securing contracts worth $48&nbsp;million with Transnet and Eskom.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.sap.com/sap-provides-update-on-ongoing-investigation-into-its-south-africa-business/|title=SAP Provides Update on Ongoing Investigation into Its South Africa Business|date=26 October 2017|publisher=SAP News Center|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171026143054/https://news.sap.com/sap-provides-update-on-ongoing-investigation-into-its-south-africa-business/|archive-date=26 October 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://fortune.com/2017/10/26/sap-south-africa-gupta-doj-sec-corruption/|title=SAP Is Being Investigated by the U.S. Over a Major International Kickback Scandal|last=Meyer|first=David|date=26 October 2017|work=Fortune |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171026143214/http://fortune.com/2017/10/26/sap-south-africa-gupta-doj-sec-corruption/|archive-date=26 October 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://mg.co.za/article/2017-10-26-us-justice-department-launches-investigation-into-sap-gupta-dealings|title=US justice department launches investigation into SAP-Gupta dealings|date=26 October 2017|newspaper=Mail and Guardian|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171026143251/https://mg.co.za/article/2017-10-26-us-justice-department-launches-investigation-into-sap-gupta-dealings|archive-date=26 October 2017}}</ref>

=== Panamanian bribery ===
Since May 2015, the company has dealt with a series of high-profile bribery investigations,<ref name=":4">{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-sap-se-sec-idUSKCN0VA3HW|title=#PanamaBribery: SAP settles with SEC over Panama bribery scheme|work=Reuters|date=1 February 2016|access-date=2017-07-14}}</ref><ref name=":5"/><ref name=":6"/> including one that led to them paying $3.9 million to settle U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission civil charges over a former executive's scheme to bribe Panama government officials in order to win lucrative technology contracts.<ref name=":4"/><ref name=":7">{{Cite press release|title=SEC Charges Software Company With FCPA Violations |url=https://www.sec.gov/news/pressrelease/2016-17.html |website=sec.gov |access-date=19 September 2020 |date=1 February 2017}}</ref>

=== Allegations of intellectual property theft and fraud ===
In 2018, and in an ongoing court battle, [[Company:Teradata|Teradata]] accused SAP of IP theft and fraudulent behaviour.<ref name=":mirror">{{Cite web|title=The dark side of SAP|url=https://www.spiegel.de/wirtschaft/unternehmen/sap-die-dunkle-seite-des-digitalkonzerns-a-bb2a621a-825c-44ee-be90-e6e74ceeea2d |website=spiegel.de |access-date= 30 June 2022|date=12 November 2021}}</ref><ref name=":managermagazine1">{{Cite web|title=The dark side of SAP|url=https://www.manager-magazin.de/unternehmen/sap-die-dunkle-seite-des-digitalkonzerns-a-25f28c7b-8fe8-4495-9db8-63690f2e9442 |website=manager-magazin.de |access-date= 30 June 2022|date=13 November 2021}}</ref>  In 2021, in the German weekly news magazine Der Spiegel, additional claims were made of questionable behaviour with regards to SAP's funding of researchers at the University of Mannheim - who were in effect paid by SAP to investigate competitors technology.<ref name=":mirror"/><ref name=":tageschau">{{Cite web|title=Mit Datendiebstahl an die Weltspitze?|url=https://www.tagesschau.de/investigativ/mdr/sap-geistiges-eigentum-101.html |website=tagesschau.de |access-date= 30 June 2022|date=12 November 2021}}</ref>  In a later article, Der Spiegel magazine maintained that SAP had been neglectful in maintaining strict governance for years.<ref name=":mirror2">{{Cite web|title=Hasso Plattner's smokescreen tactics|url=https://www.spiegel.de/wirtschaft/kritik-am-sap-patriarchen-die-vernebelungstaktik-des-hasso-plattner-a-7cd1ea12-e351-456f-ab47-f59e2c187ed9 |website=spiegel.de |access-date= 30 June 2022|date=13 May 2022}}</ref>
In June 2022 the German business magazine Manager Magazin published an article stating the management style of the leadership might be responsible for an increased compliance risk.<ref name=":managermagazine2">{{Cite web|title=Der fragwürdige Führungsstil der SAP-Spitze wird zum Risiko|url=https://www.manager-magazin.de/unternehmen/tech/sap-verliert-manager-wie-christian-klein-in-walldorf-den-frust-schuert-a-a2f8b342-afcd-41d9-b8f8-e34a9f53ba52 |website=manager-magazin.de |access-date= 30 June 2022|date=24 June 2021}}</ref>

=== Bullying claims and misogyny ===
In May 2022, multiple claims were made of bullying and sexual harassment within the company, with many cases of unwanted advances by senior male managers on female colleagues.<ref name=":9">{{Cite web|title=SAP Battles Gender-Diversity, Harassment Claims|url=https://www.benzinga.com/news/22/05/27043495/sap-battles-gender-diversity-harassment-claims |website=benzinga.com |access-date= 2 June 2022|date=22 May 2022}}</ref>  When complaints were made or information made available, HR were found to be unhelpful or hostile.  For example, in one case a female employee was groped by a male manager in Sydney while at a company event, but he was never brought to account.  In another case, a female employee was sexually targeted by a manager and asked to keep her web camera on during the day.  She then complained and was placed under "performance management" - a pre-cursor to being asked to leave the company.<ref name=":10">{{Cite web|title=SAP Wrestles With Concerns Over Women's Treatment, Senior Exits|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-05-06/sap-wrestles-with-concerns-over-treatment-of-women-female-exits |publisher=Bloomberg L.P. |access-date=2 June 2022 |date=6 May 2022}}</ref> Several female executives, including the Co-CEO left the company, adding to concerns that women were negatively treated, despite SAP then hiring several other senior women from Microsoft.<ref name=":11">{{Cite web|title=SAP Wrestles With Concerns Over Women's Treatment, Senior Exits|url=https://news.bloomberglaw.com/esg/european-tech-giant-shaken-by-bullying-claims-exodus-of-women |website=bloomberglaw.com |access-date=2 June 2022 |date=6 May 2022}}</ref>  

==See also==
* [[Software:List of ERP software packages|List of ERP software packages]]
* [[Software:List of SAP products|List of SAP products]]
* [[SAP implementation]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==Bibliography==
*{{cite journal |last1=Iansiti |first1=Marco |last2=Lakhani |first2=Karim R.|date=April 2, 2009 |title=SAP AG: Orchestrating the Ecosystem |volume=609-069 |journal=Harvard Business School |ssrn=1408558 |access-date=2023-11-19 |url=https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1408558}}
*{{cite book |last1=Meissner |first1=Gerd |date=2000 |title=SAP: Inside the Secret Software Power |url= |volume= |pages= |publisher=McGraw-Hill |doi=  |isbn=978-00-71347-85-3|access-date=}}
*{{cite book |last1=Regan |first1=Gerard O’ |date=2015 |title=SAP SE. In: Pillars of Computing |url= |volume= |pages=189–194 |publisher=[[Company:Springer Science+Business Media|Springer Nature Switzerland AG.]] |doi=10.1007/978-3-319-21464-1_29 |isbn=978-3-319-21463-4|access-date=}}

==External links==
{{Finance links
| name = SAP SE
| symbol = SAP
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| google = SAP 
| bloomberg = SAP:US 
| sec_cik = 1000184
| nasdaq = SAP
| stockrow = SAP
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