In addition to standardizing document-based processes and cost savings, the coming year will also be about reducing the data and document footprint and getting rid of unnecessary ballast. Against this background, specialists from the fields of archiving and document management predict four important trends for 2022.

1. Sustainability means “delete”

In recent months, the topic of “green IT” has picked up steam again. Because advancing digitalization is associated with increasing energy and resource consumption and the mountains of data waste consume vast amounts of electricity, a turnaround will take place here. The reason: Only those who regularly delete their data and create a single point of truth (SPoT) for documents act sustainably. Even when switching to S/4HANA, which around 69 percent of SAP customers are planning according to the SAP Quarterly Statement, there are therefore considerations for flexible data and document management. Anyone who “cleans up their cellar” before migrating can significantly reduce their own data and document footprint and save costs thanks to intelligent archiving.

2. Renting instead of buying: archive services on the rise

The figures speak for themselves: Sales from cloud computing rose from 8.3 billion euros in 2019 to 12.1 billion euros in 2021. This trend will continue. Cloud-enabled solutions are also gaining in importance in data and document archiving. In addition to the technical, organizational and tax advantages that cloud-based solutions can bring, the changed distribution of costs, which is particularly attractive for small and medium-sized companies, is also significant. A rental model can therefore lead to a modernization of document archiving very quickly and without much pre-financing.

3. The cloud is becoming even more important

Companies are currently facing particular challenges: new user requirements, increasing competitive pressure and digital business processes. Migrating specific applications and storage systems to the cloud is therefore a high priority for IT decision makers. SAP's move to the cloud is just one of many indicators. According to the latest Lünendonk study, 87 percent of SAP customers want to complete the S/4HANA rollout by 2025. The majority of them plan to use a hybrid cloud — a combination of on-premises, private and public cloud. As a result, the CMIS interface standard is attracting more and more attention. With this, an “intelligent document” can be created that can access a wide variety of applications. A cost-intensive ECM system is therefore no longer required.

4. Rethinking document-based processes

RISE with SAP is familiar to almost everyone in the SAP community. SAP's idea of creating a holistic concept that goes beyond S/4HANA transformation is one of the trends in 2022. Why? Document-based processes are becoming increasingly important and should help ensure transparency and efficiency along the value chain. Historically grown document silos, which impair the efficiency of digital business processes, are to be replaced once and for all. It is therefore important to introduce end-to-end processes and eliminate manual, paper or processes in parallel systems.