Modernizing SAP to the Microsoft Cloud

Running SAP on aging, on-premises systems is costly and limits flexibility. Especially with SAP ECC support ending in 2027, organizations face pressure to cut expenses, boost performance, and make better use of their data. Moving SAP to the cloud solves these challenges.

The Microsoft Cloud offers a secure, scalable platform backed by years of collaboration with SAP. Modernizing SAP here is an opportunity to adopt AI, automation, and advanced analytics to transform operations and prepare for what’s next.

Why move SAP to the Microsoft Cloud?

Moving SAP to the Microsoft Cloud is more than a technical migration—it’s a strategic shift that empowers organizations to reimagine how they operate, innovate, and compete.

The reasons are clear and pressing: ongoing datacenter expenses, hardcoded legacy logic, complex dependencies, and performance issues are weighing down IT teams. The looming 2027 end-of-support deadline for SAP ECC only adds urgency. But the risk of standing still is now greater than the risk of change.

Flexible paths to the cloud

Every organization’s journey is unique. Microsoft and SAP offer multiple options to fit different needs:

• RISE with SAP on Azure: For existing SAP customers seeking modernization with control and customization.
• GROW with SAP on Azure: For organizations new to SAP, offering a ready-to-run SaaS solution.
• SAP Native on Azure: For those who want maximum control over their cloud infrastructure and services.

💡 Recent research shows that ERP leaders rank responsive AI, business automation, advanced analytics, and stronger security as critical to digital transformation. Microsoft Cloud delivers on all these fronts, making it the preferred platform for organizations ready to modernize SAP and accelerate their journey to the future.

Key benefits of running SAP on the Microsoft Cloud

Migrating SAP to Microsoft Azure comes with several benefits:

• Instantly scale resources to meet business needs, without the constraints of physical infrastructure
• Improve both employee and customer experiences through seamless integration with Microsoft 365, Teams and AI-powered analytics
• Leverage unified data and advanced analytics to make faster, more informed decisions
• Benefit from multilayered, enterprise-grade security and compliance, trusted by some of the world’s largest organizations

💡 Microsoft and SAP have spent over 30 years building a partnership that serves the world’s largest enterprises. Both companies run each other’s solutions internally, ensuring deep alignment and continuous innovation. This collaboration means customers benefit from joint investments, integrated solutions and a shared vision for digital transformation.

Improve productivity across your organization

1. Reduce friction and work faster

By integrating Copilot and AI into daily workflows, organizations can reduce friction across the business and enable teams to respond faster. Workers benefit from quicker answers to customer questions and streamlined HR and administrative tasks, reflected in the 95 % of Microsoft Teams users who say apps in Teams improve overall organizational performance.

Developers see gains as well, delivering new experiences faster and reacting more quickly to market changes. With a 25 % improvement in the time it takes to build new apps and fix issues, teams can innovate more efficiently and keep pace with evolving business needs.

2. Make work easier and more engaging

Modern businesses thrive on efficiency and seamless collaboration, and that’s where integrated Copilot solutions come into play. By combining SAP’s Joule Copilot with Microsoft 365 Copilot, teams can ask questions and take action across platforms effortlessly. HR and organizational tasks become simpler through SAP SuccessFactors paired with pre-built integrations.

For those looking to create tailored experiences, connectors to multiple SAP solutions work hand-in-hand with Microsoft Copilot Studio. Routine processes that rely on SAP data can be automated using SAP BTP and Microsoft Power Platform, reducing manual effort and boosting productivity.

Finally, business processes can be enriched with AI intelligence by leveraging SAP AI Core (part of SAP Business Technology Platform) alongside Azure LLM models, unlocking smarter decision-making and innovation.

3. Combine Copilot and Joule

With Microsoft Copilot and SAP Joule working together, employees can get real business answers from SAP without ever leaving Microsoft Teams. A question asked in Teams, such as identifying the root cause of supply chain delays or finding a new supplier, flows through Copilot to SAP’s Joule AI, which analyzes live SAP data and gives you a clear, actionable answer.

From there, Copilot can even help execute next steps, whether that means updating supplier information in SAP, scheduling a meeting to align stakeholders or preparing an agenda.

4. Enrich apps and improve processes with Copilot and AI

Microsoft Copilot and Azure AI make it easier than ever for organizations to complement the tools they already use and modernize the processes behind them. With M365 Copilot and Copilot Studio, employees become more productive in the apps they rely on every day, for example by being able to generate content quickly, answer complex questions and automate routine work.

Copilot Studio also enables companies to build tailored copilots for enterprise-wide processes that streamline workflows across departments. And for scenarios that require fully customized AI, Azure AI Foundry combined with Copilot Studio provides a powerful foundation for creating intelligent, domain-specific solutions. Together, these capabilities help businesses improve productivity and bring AI into every part of their work.

Conclusion

Modernizing SAP by moving it to the Microsoft Cloud is a strategic investment in your organization’s future. The Microsoft Cloud offers a secure, scalable, and deeply integrated platform, empowering businesses to harness AI, automation, and advanced analytics for smarter decision-making and enhanced productivity.

By leveraging the combined strengths of SAP and Microsoft, organizations can streamline processes, reduce costs, and unlock new opportunities for growth. Book your call with proMX today and explore your options!