SAP GRC 10: A Look at Key Features and Considerations Before Upgrading

SAP Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) 10 is a mature suite of tools designed to help organizations centrally manage their compliance, risk mitigation, and access governance activities. While versions 10 and 10.1 have reached the end of their mainstream maintenance period, it’s helpful to understand their key features and considerations for businesses that may still be operating on these versions.

Core Components of SAP GRC 10

SAP GRC 10 encompasses several critical areas of compliance and access management:

• SAP Access Control: Streamlines user access management and provisioning while supporting segregation of duties (SoD) controls to mitigate potential conflicts of interest. It includes tools like Access Request Management and Emergency Access Management (“Firefighter” functionality).
• SAP Process Control Automates business process monitoring, focusing on financial controls and ensuring adherence to internal rules and regulations.
• SAP Risk Management provides a framework for identifying, analyzing, and assessing potential risks across the organization. It helps develop mitigation plans and monitor their effectiveness.

Benefits of SAP GRC 10

• Centralized Control: GRC 10 provided a unified way to manage risk and compliance processes.
• Improved Visibility: The suite offered better insights into risk exposure, access vulnerabilities, and compliance status, helping inform decision-making.
• Enhanced Efficiency: GRC 10’s automation features helped increase efficiency in risk analysis and user access reviews.
• Regulatory Compliance: The solution was designed to support compliance with regulations like Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX).

Considerations Before Upgrading

As SAP GRC 10 and 10.1 have reached their end of maintenance, organizations using these versions need to consider these factors strongly:

• Support Limitations: Limited support, bug fixes, and security patches from SAP.
• Future-proofing: Continued reliance on an unsupported version increases compatibility issues with newer systems and technologies.
• Compliance Risks: Potential non-compliance with evolving regulations.
• Security Vulnerabilities: Increased susceptibility to security risks due to a lack of security updates.

The Path to Upgrading

Companies still on SAP GRC 10 should carefully plan their upgrade strategy to the newer SAP GRC 12. The latest versions offer:

• Simplified UI/UX: More user-friendly interface for improved usability.
• Enhanced Analytics: Advanced analytics and reporting capabilities.
• S/4HANA Compatibility: Seamless integration with SAP S/4HANA systems.
• Cloud Deployment Options: Cloud versions are available for added flexibility.

Conclusion

Although SAP GRC 10 has provided a strong foundation for governance, risk, and compliance management, the end of its maintenance period signals that organizations should now consider upgrading. The benefits of SAP GRC 12 in terms of features, usability, and ongoing support make it a compelling choice for future-proofing your organization’s GRC strategy.