According to the SAP Corporate Fact Sheet, 99 of the top 100 organizations worldwide use SAP for enterprise resource planning (ERP). These customers account for 87% of the total global commerce.1 It is common for SAP users to use non-SAP systems in parallel for enterprise resource management. However, the parallel use of these systems can lead to efficiency issues in workload management.
Workload automation tools are great solutions to solve this challenge. The practice of employing software to schedule, initiate, and monitor business workflows and transactions across physical, virtual, and cloud systems is known as workload automation. SAP workload automation is one of the common use cases of workload automation technology.
Top SAP Workload Automation Software
| Vendor | Rating | Focus | SAP ECS Support |
|---|---|---|---|
| RunMyJobs by Redwood | 4.6 based on 197 reviews | Orchestrating SAP jobs while keeping a clean SAP core | ✅ |
| ActiveBatch | 4.6 based on 330 reviews | Hybrid cloud / API orchestration | ❌ |
| Stonebranch | 4.8 based on 79 reviews | Wide range of community-driven pre-packaged integrations delivered as SaaS | ❌ |
| Fortra’s JAMS | 4.5 based on 223 reviews | PowerShell integration and job scheduling management on the .NET framework | ❌ |
| Control-M | 4.2 based on 159 reviews | Data pipeline orchestration and managed file transfers | ❌ |
| IBM Workload Automation | 4.0 based on 32 reviews | Orchestrating jobs in the IBM ecosystem | ❌ |
Read our article for a detailed comparison of SAP job scheduling software.
What is SAP workload automation?
Workload automation integration into SAP allows business managers to:
- Schedule non-SAP jobs without a problem,
- have centralized control over all the tasks within the SAP environment,
- create error-free business processes.
Built-in tools in SAP Solution Manager and SAP Business Warehouse software hinder centralized control over all workloads’ scheduling, as they do not support Non-SAP system jobs. Employees need to switch between their scheduling tool and SAP to streamline the workload. Manual work increases the time spent on the task and hampers audit trail documentation as the employees complete the jobs in different interfaces.
Sponsored
RunMyJobs by Redwood allows SAP users to maintain a clean core thanks to direct integrations to SAP ECC, SAP S/4HANA and BTP, numerous out-of-the-box SAP wizards and templates for swift automation development. RunMyJobs enables end-to-end process automation, control and visibility with real-time monitoring, predictive SLA notification and management.
Follow the link for more information regarding the RunMyJobs by Redwood and SAP partnership.
Choose RunMyJobs for industry-leading SAP integrations delivered as SaaS.
Top 10+ use cases of SAP orchestration with real-life examples
SAP Job Scheduling Software use cases with real-life examples
Process optimization
Analyzing event logs to identify inefficiencies and improve speed and accuracy. This involves refining workflows, minimizing resource waste, and leveraging technology to achieve peak operational performance.
Real Life Examples
Siemens, a global electronics company, used Redwood RunMyJobs solution to transform their financial close process. With the automation provided by Redwood, Siemens reduced the number of manual tasks from nearly 1,000 to just 30. 97% of critical processes now run automatically, resulting in reliable and consistent data. The implementation of Redwood also improved visibility and reduced the time required for the financial close.
Workflow automation
Orchestrates and automates multi-step processes across departments, improving efficiency, reducing errors, and ensuring compliance.
Real Life Examples
ArcelorMittal, a global steel and mining company, implemented Redwood Finance Automation to optimize and automate its financial processes. The solution significantly reduced costs and successfully automated 11 financial processes. By standardizing actions and eliminating manual activities, ArcelorMittal improved data quality, accelerated each close, and freed up finance and accounting teams to focus on value-added activities.
Esprit, an international fashion brand, optimized their SAP processes by migrating from SAP BPA to Redwood RunMyJobs. The move allowed them to leverage upgraded features and functionality, while eliminating per-connection license fees and external hosting costs. With Redwood\'s SaaS-based model, Esprit achieved cost savings, enhanced IT productivity, and increased visibility. The case study creation year is unknown.
Forvia, a global automotive parts supplier, implemented Redwood Finance Automation to automate manual journal entries and intercompany transactions. With Redwood, they were able to automate 80% of monthly journal entries and manage 3,000 intercompany transactions per month. The automation helped boost efficiency, drive down costs, and strengthen internal controls and compliance. Forvia also achieved process standardization and end-to-end automation, eliminating silos between functions, regions, and countries.
Invoice processing
Automating the extraction, validation, and processing of invoices to streamline financial operations and reduce errors.
Real Life Examples
PrimeSource, a leading distributor of building materials, implemented ActiveBatch by Redwood to automate and streamline their SAP processes. With ActiveBatch, they achieved cost savings, improved IT productivity, and increased visibility. The case study was created in 2025.
IT operations automation
Automating IT workflows, monitoring, and incident management to ensure system reliability and efficiency.
Real Life Examples
BSH Home Appliances Ltd, a leading home appliance manufacturer in Europe, improved supply chain efficiency and reduced costs by implementing Redwood\'s RunMyJobs solution. By replacing their existing IT job scheduling tool, BSH was able to automate and report on its financial close process, resulting in improved forecasting, accurate real-time information, and elimination of production shutdowns. With Redwood\'s automation capabilities, BSH achieved better control over its processes, increased visibility, and made more informed business decisions.
ALSO Group, a leading ICT company in Europe, improved customer service and enterprise-wide visibility by implementing Redwood\'s RunMyJobs solution. They automated and coordinated their customer service processes, resulting in faster order fulfillment, cost and time savings, and increased visibility across the business.
UBS, a global financial services company, implemented Redwood\'s RunMyJobs solution to automate and centralize IT and business processes. This resulted in improved business intelligence, reduced costs, and a comprehensive view of the business. Financial report production time was reduced, and there was a decrease in the cost of IT process solution ownership. The solution replaced 16 applications and provided UBS with a competitive advantage in the industry.
Compliance
Ensuring regulatory compliance through automated monitoring, reporting, and risk assessment.
Real Life Examples
UBS AG, a global financial services company, partnered with Redwood Software to develop a new accounting and reporting system. The solution, powered by Redwood\'s cloud-based automation platform, replaced 16 applications and provided a comprehensive view of the business. The highly optimized process chain improved accounting and reporting processes, resulting in a 30% improvement in TCO and reduced external reporting time. The system processed over 15 billion transactions in its first three quarters of operations, providing UBS with business intelligence for faster decision-making and risk reduction.
Saint Thomas Midtown Hospital uses Redwood\'s Report2Web solution to streamline operations and secure information distribution. The hospital saves 3 to 4 hours of staff time per month in accounting and payroll report distribution alone. The solution manages output from various enterprise applications and provides secure access to authorized users. The finance department has seen significant improvements, with month-end reports automatically published and accessible online, resulting in time and paper savings.
Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital, a non-profit community hospital in Tennessee, faced challenges with manual report distribution and compliance with HIPAA regulations. They implemented Redwood Reporting to simplify report distribution, improve security, and enhance HIPAA compliance. The solution provided instant, easy access to thousands of new documents each month, improved data management, and reduced manual errors. Redwood Reporting also delivered cost savings, improved compliance, and time savings for the hospital.
Batch / Enterprise job processing
Orchestrates and schedules large-scale, repetitive IT and business processes, ensuring efficiency and reducing manual intervention.
Real Life Examples
ArcelorMittal, a global steel and mining company, implemented Redwood Finance Automation to optimize and automate its financial processes. The solution significantly reduced costs and successfully automated 11 financial processes. By standardizing actions and eliminating manual activities, ArcelorMittal improved data quality, accelerated each close, and freed up finance and accounting teams to focus on value-added activities.
Arla Foods, a multinational dairy cooperative, reduced time to close by 30% and automated 98% of processes using the RunMyJobs by Redwood solution. The company faced challenges in achieving process consistency and standardization, but with Redwood\'s automation, they were able to harmonize their financial processes, reduce manual effort, and improve data integrity. The automation also provided increased visibility and improved compliance for Arla Foods.
Coca-Cola HBC implemented Redwood RunMyJobs to centralize operations, improve transparency, and control. The solution integrated with SAP NetWeaver stack, providing control and transparency across the merged operations. The implementation reduced the daily scheduled batch workload from 300 to 180, improved systems performance, and streamlined hardware usage.
Service Level Agreement (SLA) management
Monitors SLA commitments, triggers alerts for potential violations, and automates escalations to maintain compliance and performance standards.
Real Life Examples
Arla Foods, a multinational dairy cooperative, reduced time to close by 30% and automated 98% of processes using the RunMyJobs by Redwood solution. The company faced challenges in achieving process consistency and standardization, but with Redwood\'s automation, they were able to harmonize their financial processes, reduce manual effort, and improve data integrity. The automation also provided increased visibility and improved compliance for Arla Foods.
Arla Foods, a multinational dairy cooperative, reduced time to close by 30% and automated 98% of processes using the RunMyJobs by Redwood solution. The company harmonized its back-office financial processes, resulting in a three-day reduction in the month-end close. Automation improved process consistency, standardization, and data quality, while also reducing manual effort and providing real-time monitoring capabilities.
Central Book House (CB), a book distributor in the Netherlands, improved customer service by modernizing their order processing through the use of Redwood\'s RunMyJobs solution. By automating and orchestrating processes across various applications, CB was able to streamline order entry, coordinate warehouse management, and ensure on-time delivery. Redwood\'s solution played a critical role in CB\'s ability to distribute over 200,000 books daily and maintain high service levels.
SAP job processing
Schedules and automates complex SAP workloads, ensuring timely execution of business-critical processes without manual intervention.
Real Life Examples
Anglian Water, a water utility in the United Kingdom, implemented Redwood RunMyJobs solution to address billing issues and improve customer service. With proactive monitoring and automation, they were able to decrease errors, streamline cash flow, increase customer satisfaction, and reduce support calls. As a result, they achieved the top ranking in the Ofwat water regulator service incentive mechanism (SIM) program and secured a significant financial incentive.
ArcelorMittal, a global steel and mining company, implemented Redwood Finance Automation to optimize and automate its financial processes. The solution significantly reduced costs and successfully automated 11 financial processes. By standardizing actions and eliminating manual activities, ArcelorMittal improved data quality, accelerated each close, and freed up finance and accounting teams to focus on value-added activities.
Arla Foods, a multinational dairy cooperative, reduced time to close by 30% and automated 98% of processes using the RunMyJobs by Redwood solution. The company faced challenges in achieving process consistency and standardization, but with Redwood\'s automation, they were able to harmonize their financial processes, reduce manual effort, and improve data integrity. The automation also provided increased visibility and improved compliance for Arla Foods.
System monitoring
Continuously monitoring system performance to detect and prevent failures.
Real Life Examples
Guess, a global retailer, faced challenges in accessing and managing critical business data required for global operations. They implemented Redwood Reporting solution, which provided easy and secure access to data and reports from multiple systems. The solution resulted in increased productivity, reduced costs, and improved data management. Guess employees were able to quickly access relevant information, leading to better decision-making and proactive addressing of business needs.
Saint Thomas Midtown Hospital uses Redwood\'s Report2Web solution to streamline operations and secure information distribution. The hospital saves 3 to 4 hours of staff time per month in accounting and payroll report distribution alone. The solution manages output from various enterprise applications and provides secure access to authorized users. The finance department has seen significant improvements, with month-end reports automatically published and accessible online, resulting in time and paper savings.
Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital, a non-profit community hospital in Tennessee, faced challenges with manual report distribution and compliance with HIPAA regulations. They implemented Redwood Reporting to simplify report distribution, improve security, and enhance HIPAA compliance. The solution provided instant, easy access to thousands of new documents each month, improved data management, and reduced manual errors. Redwood Reporting also delivered cost savings, improved compliance, and time savings for the hospital.
Incident response management
Managing and responding to security threats to mitigate potential damages.
Real Life Examples
Anglian Water, a water utility in the United Kingdom, implemented Redwood RunMyJobs solution to address billing issues and improve customer service. With proactive monitoring and automation, they were able to decrease errors, streamline cash flow, increase customer satisfaction, and reduce support calls. As a result, they achieved the top ranking in the Ofwat water regulator service incentive mechanism (SIM) program and secured a significant financial incentive.
The William W. Backus Hospital implemented Redwood\'s Report2Web solution to address its archiving and audit trail needs. The solution provided a reliable archive for critical audit trail data and improved patient safety, downtime support, and staff productivity. Backus also utilized Report2Web for downtime procedures during network outages and enhanced productivity through bursting capabilities. The hospital achieved quality care and productivity throughout the organization with Redwood\'s solution.
Allianz Germany, a financial services company, automated 90% of their finance processes using Redwood Finance Automation. This reduced manual effort by 70% and improved data accuracy. The company achieved faster processing, increased efficiency, and decreased back-log and latency. The automation also improved employee satisfaction and allowed Allianz Germany to deliver greater value to their customers and business partners.
Billing
Generating and processing invoices for financial transactions.
Real Life Examples
Anglian Water, a water utility in the United Kingdom, implemented Redwood RunMyJobs solution to address billing issues and improve customer service. With proactive monitoring and automation, they were able to decrease errors, streamline cash flow, increase customer satisfaction, and reduce support calls. As a result, they achieved the top ranking in the Ofwat water regulator service incentive mechanism (SIM) program and secured a significant financial incentive.
Stadtwerke München (SWM), one of Germany\'s largest municipal utilities, implemented Redwood\'s RunMyJobs solution to automate their mass activities and improve customer service. With RunMyJobs, SWM gained reliable control of mass activities, automated their meter-to-cash business process, and enhanced customer service. The solution provided maximum control, adherence to correct sequence, error recovery routines, and immediate intervention. SWM also implemented the \'Next Best Activity\' project to optimize customer service further. The automation solution resulted in improved data automation, reduced manual work, and access to the latest information for customer consultations.
Essent, the largest energy company in The Netherlands, implemented RunMyJobs by Redwood to automate and streamline their complex document processing. With the solution, Essent achieved improved efficiency, faster and more accurate processes, and greater control over their operations. They were able to use their resources more efficiently and adapt to the rapidly changing utilities market. The solution also integrated seamlessly with their SAP landscape, providing a SAP-friendly solution.
1-Scheduling and Automation
Enterprises can automate the scheduling and planning of night tasks with workload automation to decrease labor costs. For example, hospitals can use workload automation to receive patients at night, make appointments, check empty beds, handle invoices and payments, etc.
Real-Life Example: Columbia Sportswear optimized their SAP job scheduling using Redwood’s solutions. This automation allowed for efficient execution of business-critical processes, reducing manual intervention and increasing operational efficiency.2
2-Central Governance
A workload automation solution enables organizations to ensure centralized, comprehensive governance, planning, and monitoring of the business workloads.
Real-Life Example: TEAG implemented Redwood’s RunMyJobs to centralize the governance of their SAP and non-SAP workloads. This centralization provided comprehensive oversight and improved compliance and operational efficiency.3
3-Control SAP and Non-SAP jobs from a single point
A central control point enhances the scheduling efficiency of both SAP and non-SAP system jobs. It allows businesses to integrate SAP and Non-SAP workloads and provides better end-to-end monitoring and scheduling processes across the enterprise. Transmitting information between SAP and non-SAP systems for efficient day-to-day transactions is a critical part of the process.
- For example, Non-SAP tools may be used in manufacturing planning to improve the company’s production process and shop floor operations. Meanwhile, different departments, such as sales, purchase, and warehouse management, may use SAP jobs. Without workload automation, non-SAP systems would miss critical information about the type and amount of the product to be produced, as it is SAP systems that estimate demand based on the number of orders. SAP systems would also lack critical information about the inventory of the product to finalize their job.
Real-Life Example: Roche leverages workload automation tools to manage both SAP and non-SAP jobs from a single platform. This integration improves their production planning by transferring critical data between systems, ensuring efficient operations across the enterprise.4
4-Facilitates interdepartmental data access and transfer
Workload automation enables SAP professionals to analyze data from across the enterprise without extracting data from different non-SAP systems.
Real-Life Example: French Connection used Redwood’s cloud-native automation tools to enhance workflow management across various departments. This facilitated data access and transfer, improving overall business efficiency 5
5-Incident response automation
Employees no longer need to prepare and execute response templates based on the situation. Workload automation schedules safety responses based on a specific trigger and removes manual labor. Such automation prevents incidents before they become critical.
Real-Life Example: Cisco’s Tidal Enterprise Orchestrator was used to automate incident response for SAP systems. The automation pack for SAP included workflows and knowledge base articles to automate and manage incident response processes, ensuring quick issue resolution and maintaining system integrity. 6
6-Job duration estimation
Based on previous data, some workload automation tools can estimate the job duration through machine learning. Better assessment of job complexity and duration helps with planning and increases efficiency overall.
Real-Life Example: Mergen IT implemented automated incident response workflows using ServiceNow for a technology company. The automation included real-time analytics and reporting, providing actionable insights and enabling better estimation of job durations based on historical data. This allowed the company to plan and allocate resources more effectively, improving overall efficiency. 7
7-Job documentation
SAP and workload automation integration streamline the systematic updating of task documentation and information to guarantee that issues are tracked and resolved quickly.
Real-Life Example: Arla Foods, a major dairy company, used SAP Extended Warehouse Management to streamline their cold-store processes and intralogistics. The integration ensured that automated tasks were systematically documented, improving traceability and compliance. 8
Sponsored
ActiveBatch allows businesses to enhance their SAP scheduling capabilities through event-driven job processing and a seamless low-code interface. The automation tool can optimize job scheduling in SAP by using job documentation and integrating SAP and non-SAP tasks with a cloud-native workload automation platform.
Epson, a multinational electronics company, used Redwood services to integrate their SAP and non-SAP job scheduling, control, and monitoring. As a result, they could reduce the time spent on processing jobs from 14 hours to 8 hours and save 10.5 days every quarter that was otherwise spent on daily administration.
SAP Process Automation vs SAP Workload Automation?
While similar in their goal of automating tasks and processes, SAP Process Automation and SAP Workload Automation differ significantly in their focus and application areas.
SAP Process Automation is more aligned with automating and optimizing business processes involving user interactions and decision-making workflows. On the other hand, SAP Workload Automation is more focused on automating IT and system-level tasks, ensuring efficient and reliable IT operations. Both play critical roles in digital transformation but target different aspects of an organization’s operations.
Top 7 Benefits of SAP Workload Automation
1-Increased efficiency through business agility
Integrating workload automation into your SAP systems will improve overall workload management. Administrators will have access to monitor and schedule across the enterprise regardless of the type of job.
Sponsored
Stonebranch users have access to the Stonebranch Integration Hub, where they can find integration templates shared by the community. Additionally, they can utilize dashboards and detailed reports for real-time insights and monitoring of service level agreements. Stonebranch is compatible with SAP S/4HANA.
Fortra’s JAMS is another workload automation tool suitable for SAP. It is built specifically on .NET framework which provides Powershell integration and management.
2-Customer satisfaction
Increased efficiency in enterprise resource planning shortens the time it takes the company to respond to customer needs.
3-Comprehensive audit trails under a single interface
As workload automation schedules all the tasks from a single point of control, such an arrangement such an arrangement makes it possible to monitor and gain better insights through audit trails.
4-Optimized Resource Usage
By managing and scheduling workload automatically, SAP Workload Automation ensures optimal use of resources, preventing the system from being overloaded at peak times and underutilized at off-peak times.
5-24/7 Operation
SAP Workload Automation can keep processes running 24/7, even when no human operators are available, ensuring continuous business operation and service availability.
6-Enhanced Reliability
It ensures business processes run as expected, increasing visibility and the overall reliability of your operations. It can also detect and resolve issues before they become critical, thereby preventing disruptions and maintaining the smooth functioning of the system.
7-Compliance
Automation reduces the cost of manual errors and creates a more accurate record-keeping system. This can support the company’s compliance efforts, especially those that are regulated or audited.
Automation reduces the cost of manual errors and creates a more accurate record-keeping system. This can support the company’s compliance efforts, especially those that are regulated or audited.
Learn all workload automation use cases and case studies to start benefitting from SAP WLA in your business. Some of the specific use cases include:
- Hyperautomation in Retail: Top 10 Use Cases & Benefits
- HR Workload Automation 5 Use Cases & 6 Best Practices
- Workload Automation in Supply Chain: Unlock 26 Benefits
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) SAP Workload Automation
Why is workload automation important for SAP systems?
Workload automation is crucial for timely data processing, optimal resource utilization, and the smooth functioning of SAP modules like SD, MM, and FICO. It allows organizations to maximize ROI by reducing manual work and enabling 24/7 operations.
Is SAP workload automation software compatible with other systems?
Yes, many workload automation solutions offer compatibility with various systems and databases, allowing for integration beyond just SAP modules. This enables more comprehensive and coordinated enterprise automation and strategies.
How does workload automation enhance SAP performance?
Workload automation ensures that tasks are performed at the optimal time and with the necessary resources, reducing bottlenecks and system downtime. This leads to faster data processing and more efficient operations.
What should I consider when choosing a workload automation solution for SAP?
Factors to consider include scalability, ease of use, compatibility with existing systems, and the ability to integrate with various SAP modules. Cost and vendor support are also important considerations.
Are there any security risks associated with workload automation in SAP?
While workload automation minimizes the risk of human error, choosing a solution that complies with security standards to safeguard customers against unauthorized access and data breaches is crucial.
Can workload automation software handle SAP updates and upgrades?
Most modern workload automation solutions are designed to adapt to changes in the SAP environment, including updates and upgrades. However, it’s advisable to consult the vendor to ensure compatibility.
What is SAP Cloud Automation?
SAP Cloud Automation refers to the technologies and processes used to automate tasks, workflows, and operations within the SAP Cloud environment. This includes automating the deployment, management, and scaling of applications and resources on SAP’s cloud platform to help manage jobs.
What is the difference between SAP Signavio Process and SAP Workload Automation?
SAP Signavio Process and SAP Workload Automation (WLA) serve different but complementary roles in business operations. SAP Signavio is focused on business process management, offering tools for visualizing, analyzing, and optimizing business processes to enhance efficiency and decision-making.
In contrast, SAP WLA is dedicated to the automation of routine tasks and processes, both in SAP and non-SAP environments, ensuring their efficient, consistent execution. While Signavio aids in improving how business processes are designed and function, WLA automates and streamlines the execution of these processes, reducing manual effort and increasing operational reliability.
What is SAP Automation?
SAP Automation refers to the use of various technologies and tools to automate business and IT processes within the SAP environment.
Automation in SAP can take several forms, including:
Business Process Automation: Automating routine tasks within SAP to improve efficiency and reduce manual errors. This includes automating processes like data entry, report generation, and transaction processing.
Robotic Process Automation (RPA): Using software robots or ‘bots’ to replicate a human’s actions interacting with the SAP system’s user interface. RPA is often used for repetitive, rule-based tasks that require interaction with multiple IT systems.
Workflow Automation: Streamlining complex business processes by automating workflow, which involves the integration of various tasks performed by different users or departments.
Test Automation: Automating the testing of SAP applications to ensure they function as intended during and after updates or modifications. This is critical for maintaining system integrity and performance.
Data Migration and Integration Automation: Automating the process of migrating data from legacy systems to SAP, as well as integrating SAP with other systems and applications within the organization.
For more on Workload Automation:
- Top 14 Workload Automation Use Cases in IT, HR, & Accounting
- Workload Automation: Comprehensive Guide for Tech Buyers
- Guide Into IT Orchestration: Benefits, Use Cases & Tools
- Top 7 Enterprise Job Scheduling Software
If you believe your business can benefit from a workload automation solution, check out our data-driven list of workload automation software.
External Links
- 1. SAP: The World’s Largest Provider of Enterprise Application Software.
- 2. Columbia Sportswear Optimizes SAP Job Scheduling for Critical Business Processes – November 17 Webcast. Tidal Software
- 3. RISE With SAP | SAP And Redwood Bring You RISE With SAP.
- 4. Roche Success Story: How to Take Full Advantage of SAP with a SOAP.
- 5. Cloud Based Workflow Automation.
- 6. Cisco TEO—Process Automation Guide for Incident Response for SAP.
- 7. Case Study | Mergen IT.
- 8. SAP EWM Integration with Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) Case Study.
Comments
Your email address will not be published. All fields are required.