SAP Change Index 2025

What is the SAP Change Management Index 2025?

The SAP Change Management Index 2025 is an independent study commissioned by Basis Technologies that looks at how companies manage changes in their SAP environments. It gathers input from managers, enterprise architects, and IT leaders in the UK, the United States, and Germany to identify how prepared these organizations really are to keep up with business demands. The report is based on surveys of 200 SAP leaders in the U.S., UK, and Germany, all from companies with more than 250 employees and over €500 million in revenue.

The strategic importance of change management

86% of surveyed companies believe that being skilled at managing change in SAP is critical to their competitive edge. Change is no longer just a technical matter — it’s becoming a driver of business growth and strategy.

Pressure and roadblocks

The study highlights increasing pressure on SAP leaders: 48% must deliver changes faster, and 41% need to prove ROI in shorter timeframes. Despite that urgency, 84% of companies hold back from making changes out of fear of disrupting critical operations.

On top of that, several structural challenges make agility harder:

• 46% start from scratch with every new change request.
• 44% face lengthy processes just to gather requirements.
• 42% struggle to scale changes to meet business needs.

SAP is often isolated from the rest of the tech ecosystem, making it tough to apply agile methods. Many organizations still rely on waterfall approaches and manual tools like spreadsheets.

New responsibilities for SAP leaders

The role of SAP leaders has changed dramatically. It’s no longer just about running systems. Now they’re expected to:

• lead communication and training across teams (54%),
• drive initiatives that align with business goals (53%),
• and take part in planning from the very beginning (45%).

This shift places SAP leaders right at the heart of business strategy.

Automation and artificial intelligence

The use of AI in change management is gaining momentum. 59% of respondents plan to use AI to automate manual processes. What’s more, a solid 87% believe AI will completely reshape SAP change management within the next five years.

Automation doesn’t just speed up value delivery — it also cuts down on mistakes and eases the operational load, giving teams more time to focus on strategy.

Change management in SAP is no longer a secondary, back-office task: it’s strategic. Companies that recognize this are expanding roles, digitizing processes, and adopting AI. Those that don’t risk falling behind in a world where adapting quickly isn’t optional — it’s the only way to stay competitive.

Martin Metcalf, CEO of Basis Technologies, sums up this strategic shift clearly: SAP change managers have gone from being “below deck” to being “at the center of strategy.” According to him, they now have a real opportunity to turn change into a competitive advantage for their organizations.