SAP_Violation

SAP GETS TOUGH ON VIOLATION OF SOFTWARE USE TERMS

Leave a reply

Introduction

An analyst told that companies are accessing SAP AG software without getting licensed or paying for it which can prove to be a problem for permanent customers of software vendor. Dave Blake CEO of Upper Edge in Boston, Mass told that according to the licensing terms of SAP, indirect sources access the software when an employee of a company or the business partner is involved in accessing it through a third party or an outsource application interface.

For example, a company enters its customer’s data into the SAP system with a non-SAP application. SAP terms say that in such case, all users of non-SAP application have to be named along with the SAP licensed user name.

Changing Trend of Check and Balance:

  • Blake told that in past, SAP has not given much importance to such software users and issues an exception if any such issue came up ever.
  • The trend has changed to an aggressive action against violator.
  • Now SAP charges even millions of dollars in support fee and licensing in some cases.
  • He further gave the evident and told that SAP has charged between $3 million and $6 million to his clients for violating the licensing terms of SAP.

Where the Challenge Lies?

  • Blake said ‘The reason it can be challenging [for enterprises] is there is no specific definition at all in SAP’s licenses agreement for the concept of indirect accesses.’
  • The issue is challenging for longstanding customers as they were not aware of proper definition of indirect access and have associated their SAP operations with multiple non-SAP applications.

Considerable Attempts:

Blake has pointed out some considerable attempts which can aid in case of indirect access to SAP software.

  • First attempt is that an employee who saves the data of SAP in excel file and transports it to other employee via email should have a SAP license of operating software and the same condition would apply on the one who receives the file.

A specific customer who has requested to obtain certain information from system of SAP through salesforce.com should have SAP license to access data.