The software manufacturer wants to accelerate programming.
Dusseldorf Many companies find it difficult to find IT specialists – especially programmers for SAP systems. “There is a shortage of skilled workers in the development area, which has intensified in the last two years,” says Jürgen Müller, who heads the technology and innovation department on the Dax Group’s board of directors: In the corona crisis, investments in digitization are increasing.
The software manufacturer wants to make programming easier. Customers should be able to change and expand SAP systems and develop simple apps via a graphical user interface. There is a unified offer for the entire portfolio, announced the group on Tuesday at its TechEd conference. The logistics group DHL is one of the customers.
“Our vision: We want to enable everyone to become a developer and adapt processes without any programming knowledge,” emphasizes Müller. Even IT laypeople such as engineers and business people should be able to use the technology.
With this, SAP is reacting to a major trend in the technology world. Specialists like Mendix, Appian and Monday.com, but also corporations like Microsoft, Salesforce and Service Now want to massively simplify programming. Investments by companies and venture capitalists are increasing massively.
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Where the need is high is shown by the growth in the market for “no code” applications, which can be done without any programming knowledge at all, and “low code”, where basic knowledge is required Market researcher Gartner rose by 23 percent to 13.8 billion US dollars. Another indicator: many new providers are entering the market.
Sketch is translated into programming language
The principle is similar for all providers. They offer platforms on which users can create or change programs using drag & drop. This visual representation is then automatically translated into a classic programming language – much faster than if a developer had used the keyboard himself.
At SAP, for example, it is possible to link programs for customer service and logistics with one another at the click of a mouse. One conceivable scenario: a call center agent can check whether the necessary material is in stock to repair a customer’s product – without having to go into different systems.
An offer for process automation is also due to start shortly: Financial accountants and controllers should also be able to automate repetitive processes. This is precisely what is important for SAP as a specialist in business processes.
The platform is based on the technology of the start-up AppGyver, which SAP took over in the spring for an undisclosed sum. The previous offers – for example the Ruum platform – are to be integrated, as is so often the case. The solutions run in the cloud.
There are already several programming kits for SAP systems, for example from Mendix. The German software manufacturer wants to stand out with a particularly good integration – the platform is, for example, adapted to the security concept and the user interface, so that there is little effort involved in the introduction. In addition, the additional services result in a new source of income.
More: Not because of a Salesforce replacement: SAP is reorganizing the sales and marketing software division