In this live episodes of ASUG Talks, we answered your questions. ASUG CEO and Chief Community Champion Geoff Scott was joined by analysts Jon Reed and Joshua Greenbaum for an "ask me anything session." The three fielded questions submitted by conference attendees throughout the week, along with questions asked by the live audience. 

Key Topics: 

• The interoperability of SAP Business Data Cloud (BDC) with non-SAP data ecosystems 
• Industry-specific challenges barring organizations to adopted "vanilla" ERP systems without much customization 
• How public cloud environments free enterprises to focus on IT innovation

Related Content:

• Read our exclusive interview with Tim Way, VP and Chief Product Officer, Business AI Product Engineering at SAP America

This week on ASUG Talks, Isaac Feldberg, Senior Editor at ASUG, joins the podcast to discuss SAP TechEd and ASUG Tech Connect. These events share many of the same topics and themes--specifically focused on SAP developers and solutions like SAP Business Data Cloud (BDC). On the podcast, we chat through our biggest takeaways and what some of the main announcements from SAP TechEd mean for SAP customers. 

Key Topics: 

• The place of both generative and agentic AI in the SAP ecosystem 
• The announcement of SAP's foundation model built specifically for structured business data: SAP RPT-1
• Key customer stories from ASUG Tech Connect 

Related Content: 

• Read Isaac's coverage of ASUG Tech Connect and SAP TechEd
• Gain insights from  Etosha Thurman, Chief Marketing Officer for Finance and Spend Management at SAP

In an exclusive interview, Irfan Khan,  President & Chief Product Officer of SAP Data & Analytics, joined ASUG Talks to lay out the SAP Business Data Cloud (BDC) announcements coming out of SAP TechEd. Following up on his appearance on ASUG Talks earlier this year, Irfan also discusses the SAP customer community's reception of SAP BDC and how it fits into the software company's suite-first strategy. 

 Key Insights:  

•  How customers are leveraging SAP BDC
• How SAP BDC specifically helps customers with SAP S/4HANA adoption 
• What future development of SAP BDC might look like 

 Related Insights:  

• Read our insights from ASUG Tech Connect
• Listen to an episode of ASUG Talks focused on future-proofing IT careers
• Tune in to our exclusive with SAP executive board member Thomas Saueressig

 During a special episode of ASUG Talks recorded live at the recent Dallas-Forth Worth ASUG Chapter Meeting, Geoff Scott, ASUG CEO & Chief Community Champion was joined by a panel of current and former ASUG board members: Jamie Lee, Tony Caesar, and Craig Dalziel. 

The group focused on a timely and critical topic:  future-proofing IT careers.  With advances in AI changing the ways enterprises work and shifts in the industry job markets, it has never been more important for IT professionals to take steps to ensure they are continually improving their skillsets and expanding their knowledge base. 

 Key Topics:  

•  The need for knowledge workers to effectively leverage AI
• The importance of networking and building meaningful professional relationships 
• Understanding the business needs and using AI to meet those needs. 

 Related Insights:  

• Tune into an exclusive interview with SAP executive board member Thomas Saueressig: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/saps-thomas-saueressig-on-public-and-private-cloud/id1613357106?i=1000733593928

ASUG CEO & Chief Community Champion, Geoff Scott, sat down with SAP leader--and member of the software company's executive board--Thomas Saueressig. Overseeing the board area focused on customer services and delivery, Thomas possesses a unique perspective on what SAP customers require from their IT investments, and how SAP is working to drive innovation among its customer base. 

Key Insight

• How developers and business process analysts can leverage SAP BTP to drive innovation 
• How SAP's suite-first strategy helps drive faster AI project delivery, and--ultimately--better business outcomes 
• The importance of easy-to-adopt business solutions as enterprises contend with altering geopolitical and economic conditions

Related Insights

• Read our recap of the recent SAP Q3 2025 earnings results, including highlights from the call: https://www.asug.com/insights/q3-2025-sap-reports-steady-revenue-growth-driven-by-cloud-expansion
• Join us at ASUG Tech Connect on Nov. 4-6: https://events.asug.com/YkMrBb?utm_source=cross-promo&utm_campaign=atc_25&utm_medium=article&utm_content=reg&RefId=insights-reg

Recorded live on ASUG Best Practices for Oil, Gas, and Energy conference keynote stage, this special episode of ASUG Talks focuses on how enterprises in these industries are using SAP solutions to drive efficient and safe operations, while spurring IT innovation. This roundtable of IT experts--approaching these topics from different areas of their businesses--shared how their organizations are leveraging SAP, and steps attendees (and listeners!) should take to set the stage for success with their SAP investments. 

Key Insights: 

• How to prepare organizational data to be effectively used in finance, supply chain, and maintenance operations
• Ways SAP solutions are enabling OGE organizations to overcome industry specific hurdles 
• The place SAP Datasphere and SAP Business Data Cloud play in setting a foundation for AI solutions

Related Insights 

• Learn about how Align Technology's used RISE with SAP to adopt SAP S/4HANA: (https://www.asug.com/insights/inside-align-technologys-journey-toward-better-business-outcomes-with-rise-with-sap) 
• On Oct. 23, tune in to a ASUG Community Conversation focused on governing enterprise architecture in the SAP landscape: (https://www.asug.com/events/from-frameworks-to-impact-governing-ea-in-the-sap-landscape)

This week on ASUG Talks, we hear from another SAP customer that has leveraged SAP S/4HANA to drive improved business processes. Elisa Smith, Global Manager of Operation Assets at Precision Drilling, sat down with us before her presentation at ASUG Best Practices for Oil, Gas, and Energy. She not only detailed the organization's S/4 journey, but also detailed how the ERP platform helped spur better data governance and improved asset maintenance and management processes. 

 Key Insights

•  The challenges Precision Drilling overcame during its S/4 implementation 
• How the ERP platform helped addressed reporting gaps and provided users with improved real-time asset visibility
• The evolution of Precision Drilling's data strategy

 Related Insights

•  Learn more about ExxonMobil's digital transformation journey and insights: https://www.asug.com/insights/asug-best-practices-accelerating-transformation-at-scale-in-oil-gas-and-energy
• Gain insights from the SAP Connect conference: https://www.asug.com/insights/sap-connect-unveils-supply-chain-orchestration-intelligent-applications-as-sap-business-suite-takes-center-stage

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 While moving to SAP S/4HANA is top of mind for SAP users, many are unsure how to proceed. According to the 2025 ASUG Pulse of the SAP Customer Research, 47% are citing the move as a top challenge in 2025. Another 56% indicate that SAP S/4HANA skills are the most important to have this year—whether they have the talent on their team or not. Now that numerous enterprises have successfully transitioned to the platform, best practices have been tried, tested, and are poised to help those who are ready.

In this episode of ASUG Talks, Dr. Uwe Grigoleit, SVP of Customer Evolution at SAP, joins the podcast to share actionable advice for getting started on the ERP transformation journey. He guides listeners through decisions like Brownfield versus Greenfield transition, tapping AI for the heavy lifting on master data integration, and how AI tools from SAP help with testing new processes.

 Key Insights:

• Tangible steps for getting ahead of the 2027 end-of-maintenance date for SAP Business Suite 7 and SAP ECC 6
• Business transformation best practices
• The role of AI in testing automations, guiding decisions, and integrating with vendors

Related Insights: 

• ASUG Talks recent conversation with Dee Houchen, CMO of SAP Signaio and LeanIX: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/key-erp-innovation-insights-from-the-sap/id1613357106?i=1000728934206
• Read insights about the latest SAP S/4HANA research from ASUG and BearingPoint: https://www.asug.com/insights/sap-s-4hana-adoption-trends-insights-and-advice

With the looming 2027 maintenance deadline for SAP ECC 6.0, navigating digital transformations is a critical focus for many SAP customers. It's also a significant challenge. According to the 2025 ASUG Pulse of the SAP Customer Research, 47% reported migrating to SAP S/4HANA as a challenge for their enterprise. 

With that in mind, SAP is trying to help its customers through these challenges, complex, and resource-heavy digital transformation projects. The integrated toolchain--including SAP Signavio, SAP LeanIX, WalkMe, and SAP Cloud ALM--is aimed at assisting enterprises as they undertake SAP transformation projects. 

This week on ASUG Talks, we are joined by Dee Houchen, CMO of SAP Signavio and SAP LeanIX; and Kelly Downling, ASUG Director of Product Strategy. The two discussed the recent SAP Transformation Excellence Summit, where the toolchain took center stage, and how customers are leveraging these solutions to faciliate digital transformation projects. 

Key Insights: 

•  How SAP integrated toolchain solutions tackle different, vital aspects of digital transformation projects 
•  Examples of customers leveraging these solutions 
• How AI integration improves the transformation project

Related Insights 

•  Read an FAQ about the SAP Safekeeper program: https://www.asug.com/insights/your-sap-investment-unleashed-unlocking-sap-safekeeper-your-questions-answered
• Learn how Carlisle Companies unified its customer experience (CX) systems: https://www.asug.com/insights/how-carlisle-unified-its-cx-systems-to-strengthen-the-carlisle-experience

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According to the 2025 ASUG Pulse of the SAP Customer Research, over one-third (35%) of respondents indicated that finding employees with the internal skills necessary to manage new technology is a top organizational challenge. As SAP S/4HANA adoption, cloud migration, and the growing utility of AI become more and more critical to SAP customers, it has never been more important to find IT professionals equipped with the knowledge and expertise to spur IT innovation. 

In this episode of ASUG Talks, SAP education takes center stage.  Shaquille Charles, a graduate of the St. Michael's Learning Academy (SMLA) SAP Veterans to Work program and a current Customer Success Manager at SAP, and Christine Aboud,  CEO & Co-Owner of SMLA, join the podcast. They discuss the Veterans to Work Program, Shaquille's transition from the military to his current SAP role, and the importance of building the next generation of SAP professionals. 

Key Insights

• Retiring IT professionals and the gaps they fill on teams
• Shaquille's journey from U.S. Army medic to SAP professional 
• How SMLA develops education and equips its graduates with the skills necessary to IT success 

Related Content

• As Christine mentioned, register for the Dallas-Fort Worth ASUG Chapter meeting on Oct. 17
• Read insights from the SAP for Utilities conference keynote stage
• Tune into last week's ASUG Talks focused on IT challenges in the oil and gas industry

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