Key Takeaways

  • This checklist covers four phases: Discovery (Weeks 1–4), Forensic Analysis (Weeks 5–10), Commercial Action (Months 3–6), and Ongoing Governance (Month 6+).
  • Each phase has clear owners, specific deliverables, and measurable success criteria — it is designed to be actioned by an enterprise SAP CoE or ITAM team with access to independent advisers for the commercial phases.
  • The Discovery and Forensic Analysis phases should be completed before any engagement with SAP's account team — data first, negotiation second.
  • The Ongoing Governance phase is the most often skipped — and the most important for preventing future exposure from accumulating invisibly.
  • Enterprises that complete all four phases consistently achieve and maintain 40–70% lower digital access costs than the unmanaged baseline.

Every SAP digital access optimisation programme we have led shares the same structure: four phases, executed in sequence, with clear hand-offs and decision points between them. This checklist translates that structure into a practical action framework that enterprise ITAM managers, SAP CoE leaders, and IT finance teams can adapt to their specific context.

This is the final article in our five-part series on SAP digital access optimisation. Earlier articles covered the complete strategic framework, the practical enterprise methodology, the key risks and mitigations, and the cost reduction strategies in detail. This article provides the execution framework to put it all into practice. Our SAP licence optimisation team delivers this programme end-to-end for enterprises that want independent advisory support.

Phase 1: Discovery Checklist (Weeks 1–4)

1
Discovery — Establish Your Baseline Weeks 1–4
Retrieve and review your current DAAP agreement
Locate the signed DAAP agreement, all schedules, amendments, and any supersession clauses from pre-DAAP indirect access provisions. Note the measurement methodology, true-up schedule, contracted document volumes, and price-per-document for each document type.
Owner: Legal / Procurement
Run USMM extraction on all production SAP systems
Execute transaction USMM on each production SAP system (ECC or S/4HANA). Export full measurement report — named users and document counts by type. Archive the extraction date and system ID. This is your independent baseline.
Owner: SAP Basis / IT Operations
Inventory all third-party systems connecting to SAP
Compile a complete inventory of all applications, middleware, RPA tools, IoT systems, and custom integrations that create or modify data in your SAP systems. Map each system to the SAP document types it creates and the estimated annual volume. Cross-reference with the System Landscape Directory (SLD).
Owner: Enterprise Architecture / SAP CoE
Establish integration go-live dates for all connected systems
Document when each third-party integration was first deployed. This establishes which integrations pre-date your DAAP agreement and may be subject to legacy indirect access provisions.
Owner: Enterprise Architecture
Compare aggregate USMM count against contracted DAAP baseline
Produce a simple reconciliation: USMM document count (by type) vs. contracted DAAP baseline (by type). Identify over-contracted categories (paying for more than you use) and under-contracted categories (potential true-up exposure). This is your exposure map.
Owner: ITAM / SAP CoE

Phase 2: Forensic Analysis Checklist (Weeks 5–10)

2
Forensic Analysis — Build Your Exclusion Inventory Weeks 5–10
Extract reversed and cancelled document volumes by type
Run ABAP extraction against the reversal indicator fields in core document tables (VBFA for SD, RSEG for MM, BKPF STBLG for FI). Calculate reversal rate by document type and month. Compile the annual count of reversed documents with no downstream business consequence.
Owner: SAP Basis / ABAP Developer
Identify SAP-originated documents via program field extraction
Extract the creation program name from each document type header (e.g., BLART field pattern for FI, AEDAT/ERNAM for SD/MM). Filter for SAP standard program names (RSAP*, RKANBU*, RV*, MM*, PP*, etc.). Calculate the volume of SAP-originated documents by type.
Owner: SAP Basis / ABAP Developer
Review SAP-licensed middleware document creation
Identify all integrations running through SAP PI/PO or SAP Integration Suite. Cross-reference against your DAAP agreement to determine whether SAP-licensed middleware-originated documents are excluded from DAAP scope under your specific contract. Document the relevant contract provision.
Owner: Integration Architect / Legal
Assess pre-DAAP legacy integration exclusions
For each integration that pre-dates your DAAP agreement, review the original contract's indirect access provisions. Determine whether a legacy named-user licence or other indirect access provision could be argued to cover that integration's document creation, and document the legal basis.
Owner: Legal / Independent Adviser
Compile consolidated exclusion inventory with evidence
Produce a single document listing each exclusion category, the volume of documents excluded, the supporting evidence (ABAP extraction, contract provision reference, process documentation), and the annual financial value of the exclusion at current DAAP pricing.
Owner: ITAM / Legal
Produce restated DAAP obligation document
Starting from the USMM baseline, deduct all documented exclusions to produce your restated annual DAAP obligation — the document count and financial obligation you believe is defensible under independent scrutiny. This is your negotiation anchor.
Owner: ITAM / Independent Adviser

Before Proceeding to Phase 3

Do not engage SAP commercially until you have completed Phase 2 and have your restated DAAP obligation document in hand. Engaging without this data concedes your strongest negotiating position before the conversation has started. The typical time investment to complete Phases 1 and 2 is 4–8 weeks with internal SAP Basis team support — the return on that investment is measured in millions.

Phase 3: Commercial Action Plan (Months 3–6)

3
Commercial Action — Engage SAP with Data Months 3–6
Assess architecture redesign opportunities for highest-volume integrations
Using the integration inventory from Phase 1, identify the three to five integrations with the highest DAAP document creation volumes. For each, assess whether event-driven consolidation or SAP BTP routing is architecturally feasible and financially justified. Commission a cost-benefit analysis for each option.
Owner: Enterprise Architecture / IT Finance
Prepare three-year document volume projection
Develop a 3-year forecast of digital access document volumes, incorporating integration roadmap changes, planned architecture redesigns, and digital transformation programmes. If the projection shows declining volumes, this strengthens the commercial argument for DAAP baseline reduction at renewal.
Owner: Enterprise Architecture / ITAM
Determine negotiation timing relative to SAP fiscal calendar
Identify your DAAP renewal date and SAP's fiscal year-end (December 31). Plan to initiate formal commercial discussion with SAP in Q3 or Q4 of SAP's fiscal year — when SAP account teams have the most incentive to close deals. Avoid January–March unless under audit pressure.
Owner: Procurement / Commercial Director
Brief executive stakeholders and align commercial negotiation mandate
Present the restated DAAP obligation, cost reduction opportunity, and negotiation strategy to CIO/CFO/CPO stakeholders. Obtain a clear mandate for the negotiation — including the target outcome, fallback position, and any competitive evaluation context to be deployed.
Owner: CIO / CFO / Procurement Lead
Engage SAP account team with independent data package
Present your restated DAAP obligation, exclusion inventory, and three-year volume projection to SAP's account team. Frame this as a proactive compliance review rather than a dispute — your goal is an amended DAAP agreement that reflects your actual business reality. Engage independent advisers to support this discussion.
Owner: Procurement / Independent Adviser
Negotiate revised DAAP terms and formalise amended agreement
Negotiate the document baseline, per-document pricing, true-up mechanism, and measurement methodology provisions. Ensure the amended agreement includes: your exclusion categories, a re-baselining provision for significant architecture changes, and a measurement methodology clause that permits customer-submitted data.
Owner: Legal / Procurement / Independent Adviser

Phase 4: Ongoing Governance Framework (Month 6+)

4
Ongoing Governance — Prevent Future Exposure Month 6 onwards — quarterly cadence
Quarterly USMM extraction and variance review
Schedule a quarterly USMM extraction for each production SAP system. Compare against the prior quarter and the DAAP contracted baseline. Escalate any category that shows growth above 10% QoQ for architecture and commercial review. Maintain an audit trail of all quarterly extractions.
Owner: ITAM / SAP Basis
Mandatory DAAP impact assessment for all new integration projects
Embed a two-page DAAP impact assessment into the enterprise architecture review and change management process. Any new integration connecting a third-party application to SAP must include: estimated annual document creation volume, document type classification, DAAP contract scope coverage, and architectural alternatives review.
Owner: Enterprise Architecture / ITAM
Annual DAAP contract vs. actuals reconciliation
Annually, produce a full reconciliation of contracted DAAP volumes vs. actual measured volumes (after exclusions). If actuals are materially below contracted baseline, initiate a discussion with SAP about baseline reduction at renewal. If actuals are approaching the contracted ceiling, initiate architecture review before the true-up date.
Owner: ITAM / Commercial
DAAP clause inclusion in SaaS vendor procurement process
Update the standard vendor questionnaire and vendor contract review process to include a mandatory question: "Does this application integrate with our SAP system, and what documents does it create?" Require vendor confirmation of estimated document creation volumes before contract signature.
Owner: Procurement / Legal
Annual DAAP positioning review ahead of renewal
18 months before your DAAP renewal date, begin a structured renewal positioning exercise: update the document count baseline, refresh the exclusion inventory, assess whether architectural changes have affected volumes, and identify negotiation leverage points. Engage independent advisers at least 6 months before renewal.
Owner: Commercial / Independent Adviser

12-Month Action Roadmap

The following roadmap translates the four phases into a concrete month-by-month timeline for an enterprise starting a digital access optimisation programme today.

Month 1 Discovery Sprint

  • Retrieve DAAP agreement and all contract schedules
  • Run USMM extraction on all production systems
  • Begin integration inventory compilation
  • Brief SAP CoE and ITAM leadership on programme scope

Month 2 Integration Mapping and Initial Exclusion Identification

  • Complete integration inventory with go-live dates and volume estimates
  • Begin reversed document extraction analysis
  • Identify SAP-originated document volumes
  • Compare USMM count against contracted DAAP baseline

Month 3 Forensic Analysis Completion

  • Complete exclusion inventory with full evidence documentation
  • Legal review of legacy indirect access provisions for pre-DAAP integrations
  • Produce restated DAAP obligation document
  • Quantify financial value of each exclusion category

Month 4 Architecture Assessment and Commercial Preparation

  • Architecture cost-benefit analysis for top 3 high-volume integrations
  • Develop 3-year document volume projection
  • Prepare executive briefing on cost reduction opportunity
  • Assess SAP fiscal calendar timing for commercial engagement

Month 5–6 Commercial Engagement

  • Brief executive stakeholders; obtain negotiation mandate
  • Engage independent advisers for commercial phase if not already in place
  • Initiate commercial discussion with SAP account team
  • Present independent data package and restated DAAP obligation

Month 7–9 Negotiation and Architecture Implementation

  • Negotiate revised DAAP terms — baseline, pricing, measurement methodology
  • Begin architecture implementation for approved redesign initiatives
  • Formalise amended DAAP agreement
  • Implement DAAP governance framework in change management process

Month 10–12 Governance Embedding and Ongoing Programme

  • First quarterly USMM review under new governance framework
  • DAAP impact assessment process embedded in enterprise architecture governance
  • DAAP clause added to vendor procurement questionnaire
  • Annual renewal positioning exercise scheduled 18 months forward
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Frequently Asked Questions

Phases 1 and 2 — Discovery and Forensic Analysis — can be executed entirely with internal resources: SAP Basis team, ITAM, legal, and enterprise architecture. Phase 3 — Commercial Action — benefits significantly from independent advisory support. SAP's account teams are experienced negotiators; enterprises negotiating without independent representation consistently achieve worse outcomes on both price and contract terms. Phase 4 governance is an internal process change that requires no external support once implemented.

If a formal SAP audit notice arrives while you are mid-programme, the immediate priority is to pause any voluntary data submission and accelerate the forensic analysis phase. Do not submit USMM data to SAP before completing your exclusion inventory. Most audit processes allow 30–60 days before the first data submission deadline — use that time to complete your independent measurement. Engage our SAP audit defence team immediately if a formal audit notice is received.

The Phase 4 governance framework is the mechanism for ongoing control. The two most impactful governance actions are: (1) the mandatory DAAP impact assessment for all new integration projects, and (2) quarterly USMM tracking against baseline. These two controls, consistently applied, prevent new exposure from accumulating invisibly. The governance investment is minimal — typically 2–4 days of ITAM team time per quarter — compared to the cost of unmanaged digital access growth.

If an S/4HANA migration is planned within the next 24 months, the digital access optimisation programme should be designed to produce a migration-ready DAAP position. This means: mapping current document volumes against the planned S/4HANA integration architecture, identifying where new integrations in the S/4HANA design create additional DAAP exposure, and ensuring that the migration contract includes a DAAP re-baselining provision. See our S/4HANA migration licensing service for integrated advisory support across both streams.

SAP Digital Access Optimisation — Complete Series

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SAP Licensing Experts Advisory Team

Independent SAP Licensing Advisory

25+ years of combined SAP licensing expertise. Former SAP licence executives, audit specialists, and enterprise contract negotiators. 100% buyer-side — zero commercial ties to SAP SE.