RISE with SAP in Australia & New Zealand: A Complete Guide

Introduction

Across Australia and New Zealand, enterprise leaders are navigating mounting pressure to upgrade legacy systems, streamline operations, and align more closely with modern digital standards. According to IDC, over 60% of ANZ organisations plan to increase investment in cloud-based ERP by 2025 - a reflection of the region’s urgency to modernise core platforms while addressing compliance, data residency, and scalability requirements. Yet many businesses still struggle with fragmented upgrade paths, unpredictable costs, and lengthy implementations.

This is where RISE with SAP comes into focus. Positioned as SAP all-in-one transformation offering, RISE packages together the software, infrastructure, and services needed to transition to SAP S/4HANA Cloud under one subscription. It provides the architectural clarity and commercial simplicity that many Australian & New Zealand businesses seek.

At SotaTek ANZ, we bring local expertise and delivery capability to this equation, offering end-to-end support for companies adopting RISE. With experience across industries including manufacturing, retail, logistics, and financial services, SotaTek ANZ helps make the shift at pace and scale, while meeting region-specific demands.

What is RISE with SAP? A Brief History of RISE with SAP

RISE with SAP is an integrated solution designed to simplify the journey to the cloud for companies running SAP or planning to modernise their ERP landscape. Rather than requiring customers to procure and manage software licenses, infrastructure, migration services, and support separately, RISE consolidates all of these into one offering. The bundle includes SAP S/4HANA Cloud, the SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP), embedded business process intelligence, tools for analytics and extensibility, hyperscaler flexibility, and managed services governed by SLAs.

What makes RISE distinct is not just the technology. It’s the operating model. It removes the complexity of traditional ERP migrations by delivering a single contract with SAP as the main point of accountability, regardless of which hyperscaler (e.g. AWS, Azure, GCP) or service partner is involved.

RISE was introduced in early 2021 as part of SAP’s response to a growing demand for cloud-first business transformation. Instead of pushing customers toward piecemeal upgrades, SAP envisioned a streamlined path to becoming an “intelligent enterprise” - one that uses real-time data, modular architecture, and automation to respond faster to change. Since its launch, RISE has evolved into a strategic pillar of SAP’s global cloud growth, and by 2024, SAP had established a dedicated board for “Customer Services & Delivery” and invested heavily in scaling Enterprise Cloud Services to support RISE clients, particularly in regions like Australia and New Zealand where data sovereignty and system performance are top concerns.

For ANZ businesses, the introduction of RISE with SAP offered a new model for ERP modernization. It balances flexibility and control, accelerates time to value, and reduces the risk traditionally associated with large-scale system change.

Differences between RISE with SAP vs Traditional SAP Services

Key Components of RISE with SAP

RISE with SAP is more than a software package — it’s a curated bundle of integrated technologies and services designed to support every stage of an organisation’s transformation journey. Each component plays a distinct role in reshaping how businesses run, connect, and innovate.

Key Components of RISE with SAP

SAP S/4HANA Cloud

At the core of RISE is SAP S/4HANA Cloud, a next-generation ERP system that operates entirely in the cloud. It offers integrated management of business functions including finance, supply chain, manufacturing, sales, and more. With real-time analytics and streamlined processes, it empowers organisations to make faster, data-driven decisions and respond swiftly to changing market dynamics.

SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP)

BTP serves as the digital foundation that supports application development, integration, data management, and advanced analytics. It allows businesses to build extensions, integrate non-SAP systems, and apply intelligence such as predictive analytics or machine learning — all without compromising the integrity of their core ERP. For ANZ companies with diverse tech landscapes, BTP ensures flexibility without unnecessary complexity.

Cloud Infrastructure and Managed Services

RISE offers infrastructure flexibility through partnerships with hyperscalers such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud. These options allow customers to choose hosting environments that meet their data residency and performance requirements. In addition, SAP delivers managed services with clearly defined service-level agreements, removing the burden of infrastructure operations and support from internal IT teams.

Business Transformation as a Service

To move beyond simple system upgrades, RISE includes tools and services that enable true process transformation. Technologies such as robotic process automation, artificial intelligence, and machine learning help businesses automate repetitive tasks, uncover new efficiencies, and reimagine outdated workflows. This is particularly useful for ANZ industries like logistics, retail, and finance where efficiency and adaptability are key.

SAP Business Network Starter Pack

Connectivity with suppliers, logistics providers, and asset operators is built into the offering. The Business Network Starter Pack gives access to SAP’s global trading partner ecosystem, enabling smoother collaboration and better visibility across procurement and supply chain activities. For companies in Australia and New Zealand with complex cross-border operations, this network connectivity can deliver immediate strategic advantages.

Custom Code Analysis and User Experience Tools

For organisations transitioning from legacy SAP systems, custom code can be a barrier. RISE includes tools that scan existing codebases, highlight dependencies, and recommend adjustments to ensure compatibility with S/4HANA Cloud. It also incorporates SAP Fiori for a modern, intuitive user experience across devices, reducing the learning curve and improving adoption across teams.

Readiness Check and Ongoing Support

Before any transition begins, RISE provides a detailed readiness check that evaluates your current systems, data landscape, and custom developments. This ensures your organisation is fully prepared for migration. Post-migration, SAP delivers ongoing support to resolve challenges, maintain performance, and drive continuous improvement over time.

Benefits of RISE with SAP

Reduced Overhead and Greater Financial Control

One of the most compelling advantages of RISE with SAP is its ability to consolidate IT costs. By combining ERP software, infrastructure, platform services, and support into a single subscription, businesses can eliminate the need for separate contracts and reduce vendor complexity. This model not only lowers total cost of ownership but also offers greater control over operational budgets. For organisations in Australia and New Zealand navigating tight margins or scaling unpredictably, the flexibility to adjust services as needed brings immediate financial relief.

Operational Efficiency through Cloud ERP

At the heart of RISE is SAP S/4HANA Cloud, a cloud-native ERP that enables real-time data access, streamlined workflows, and automated processes. By shifting away from on-premise systems, businesses gain faster deployment cycles, fewer delays, and the ability to make informed decisions without waiting for manual data consolidation. In industries where responsiveness and agility are critical, this transformation directly translates into operational advantage.

Built-in Innovation for Competitive Growth

RISE with SAP integrates advanced technologies such as AI, machine learning, and RPA. These are not optional add-ons, but embedded capabilities designed to help businesses automate low-value tasks and focus on strategic growth. Tools for sustainability reporting and predictive insights further strengthen a company’s ability to adapt and lead in competitive markets. For ANZ enterprises committed to innovation, RISE provides a future-ready digital backbone.

Enhanced User Experience and Productivity

A modern platform is only as effective as the experience it delivers. With SAP Fiori as the default interface and SAP HANA as the data engine, users benefit from an intuitive, responsive environment that reduces training time and improves task completion rates. Asset management is also more efficient, with real-time tracking and deeper visibility into system performance, lifecycles, and usage trends.

Scalability and Long-Term Resilience

As business grows, RISE provides the flexibility to scale operations without re-architecting the entire system. Whether expanding into new regions, launching digital services, or responding to regulatory changes, the cloud-based model supports growth without adding unnecessary complexity. This scalability, combined with SAP's ongoing innovation roadmap, ensures that businesses in Australia and New Zealand remain resilient in the face of economic or technological shifts.

Related: Top 5 Benefits of SAP Development for Businesses in Australia and New Zealand

How SotaTek ANZ Supports Migration Path from SAP ECC to RISE with SAP?

For many businesses in Australia and New Zealand, migrating from SAP ECC or other legacy ERP systems to RISE with SAP represents a strategic move toward long-term agility, scalability and resilience. Yet such transformation requires more than just a technology upgrade. It demands structured planning, expert delivery and localised support.

Migration path to RISE with SAP

SotaTek ANZ offers a step-by-step migration framework tailored to the needs of mid-sized and enterprise businesses across the region. Here’s how we support your transition:

Step 1: Understand the RISE Framework

We help clarify what RISE with SAP includes, how it differs from traditional SAP models, and how its components align with your business goals.

Step 2: Assess Current Landscape

Our team conducts a readiness check, reviews your SAP ECC system, custom code, integrations and cloud fit, ensuring you're prepared for the transition.

Step 3: Define the Roadmap

We co-create a tailored migration plan with clear timelines, infrastructure decisions, and alignment across business and IT stakeholders.

Step 4: Customise and Integrate

SotaTek configures SAP S/4HANA Cloud to your business needs, sets up BTP extensions, and defines integration flows with both SAP and non-SAP systems.

Step 5: Migrate and Deploy

We manage data migration, adapt custom code, deploy infrastructure, and run thorough testing to ensure a smooth and validated cutover.

Step 6: Go-Live and Support

Our team supports the go-live with hypercare services, user training, and live monitoring to ensure stability and adoption.

Step 7: Optimise and Grow

After launch, we help you unlock new value through automation, analytics, and continuous process improvement on SAP BTP.

Conclusion

To conclude, RISE with SAP offers a streamlined path to modern ERP, helping businesses in Australia and New Zealand reduce complexity, cut costs, and drive continuous innovation. By unifying software, infrastructure, and services under one model, it simplifies transformation and sets a solid foundation for long-term growth in the cloud.

As a trusted SAP Silver Partner in the region, SotaTek ANZ delivers local insight with global capability. We deliver a full spectrum of ERP SAP solutions tailored to your growth stage, from strategy, design, and implementation to long-term managed services. Whether you're migrating from SAP ECC, adopting S/4HANA, or building AI-powered SAP applications on SAP BTP, our SAP experts ensure every solution aligns with your business goals and industry compliance needs.

Partner with SotaTek ANZ to unlock the full potential of your SAP ecosystem, and make enterprise software work for you, not against you.