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Getting started · Lesson

SAP vs Workday

Quick answer

For organisations wanting best-of-breed cloud HR/finance, Workday is a strong choice; for a single integrated platform across the whole enterprise including operations and manufacturing, SAP’s breadth wins.

Key takeaways

  • HR: Workday HCM versus SAP SuccessFactors, both leading cloud HR suites.
  • Finance/ERP: Workday offers cloud financials; SAP offers the full ERP breadth of S/4HANA well beyond finance.
  • Architecture: Workday is purely cloud-native SaaS; SAP spans on-premise, private and public cloud.
  • Watch out: Assuming one is universally better, fit depends on your needs.

How they differ

  • HR: Workday HCM versus SAP SuccessFactors, both leading cloud HR suites.
  • Finance/ERP: Workday offers cloud financials; SAP offers the full ERP breadth of S/4HANA well beyond finance.
  • Architecture: Workday is purely cloud-native SaaS; SAP spans on-premise, private and public cloud.
  • Breadth: SAP covers the entire enterprise (manufacturing, supply chain, logistics); Workday concentrates on people and finance.

Which to choose

For organisations wanting best-of-breed cloud HR/finance, Workday is a strong choice; for a single integrated platform across the whole enterprise including operations and manufacturing, SAP’s breadth wins. Many run SuccessFactors or Workday alongside SAP ERP.

Common pitfalls

  • Assuming one is universally better, fit depends on your needs.
  • Comparing on price alone, capability and fit matter more.
  • Ignoring integration with your existing systems.

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Check your understanding

  1. Which statement is true of SAP vs Workday?

    • A. Many run SuccessFactors or Workday alongside SAP ERP.
    • B. SAP MM (Materials Management) manages procurement and inventory, buying goods and services and controlling…
    • C. CDS views are the modern SAP data models; this reference explains finding and understanding the many…
    Show answer

    A. Many run SuccessFactors or Workday alongside SAP ERP.

    Covered in the “Which to choose” section of this lesson.

  2. Which of these also applies to SAP vs Workday?

    • A. Breadth: SAP covers the entire enterprise (manufacturing, supply chain, logistics); Workday concentrates on…
    • B. Learning features, not the end-to-end process.
    • C. Skipping the discipline under delivery pressure.
    Show answer

    A. Breadth: SAP covers the entire enterprise (manufacturing, supply chain, logistics); Workday concentrates on…

    Covered in the “How they differ” section of this lesson.

  3. Which part of the Learn SAP curriculum covers SAP vs Workday?

    • A. SAP interview questions
    • B. Getting started
    • C. SAP tables
    Show answer

    B. Getting started

    This lesson sits in the Getting started section of the Learn SAP course.

Frequently asked questions

What does the term SAP vs Workday refer to in SAP?

SAP and Workday compete most directly in cloud HR and finance. Workday is a cloud-native leader in HCM and increasingly finance; SAP counters with SuccessFactors (HR) and S/4HANA (finance and full ERP).

What is another point to note about SAP vs Workday?

For organisations wanting best-of-breed cloud HR/finance, Workday is a strong choice; for a single integrated platform across the whole enterprise including operations and manufacturing, SAP’s breadth wins.

What else is worth knowing about SAP vs Workday?

HR: Workday HCM versus SAP SuccessFactors, both leading cloud HR suites. Finance/ERP: Workday offers cloud financials; SAP offers the full ERP breadth of S/4HANA well beyond finance. Architecture: Workday is purely cloud-native SaaS; SAP spans on-premise, private and public cloud.

What tends to go wrong with SAP vs Workday?

Assuming one is universally better, fit depends on your needs. Comparing on price alone, capability and fit matter more. Ignoring integration with your existing systems.
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