SAP consulting is changing for many reasons, including SAP’s strategic repositioning toward cloud-native services, AI integration, and customer-centric development.
A part of these changes are low-code/no-code (LC/NC) tools, which have become important facilitators of SAP’s vision for building adaptable, scalable, and user-driven applications.
For SAP consultants of all types, understanding these tools is becoming almost as important as acquiring knowledge of cloud-based IT infrastructure and AI-driven applications, so in this article IgniteSAP will take a brief look at the implications of the use of LC/NC tools in SAP environments, and how this affects SAP consulting careers.
SAP Build (SAP’s most prominent LC/NC offering) provides a versatile platform for creating custom applications, automations, and user interfaces. It simplifies the development process, enabling rapid customization and integration without the need for extensive coding. Through a a drag-and-drop interface and pre-configured components, SAP Build helps organizations quickly respond to changing business requirements, enabling them to quickly create applications that align closely with specific operational needs.
Beyond SAP Build, SAP’s suite of tools extends into various functionalities that complement LC/NC initiatives, catering for automation, workflow creation, and integration needs. SAP Intelligent Robotic Process Automation (iRPA) is one such tool, allowing organizations to automate repetitive tasks through robotic process automation, minimizing manual intervention and streamlining operations.
SAP Workflow Management also offers a no-code interface, to design and execute business workflows, making it possible for non-technical users to manage approval processes and compliance tracking independently, and SAP Fiori Elements provides developers with templates for building user interfaces that adhere to SAP’s design standards, expediting the creation of consumer-grade applications without custom coding.
Other notable tools include SAP AppGyver, which allows small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to build mobile and web applications without technical expertise, and SAP Business Application Studio, an integrated development environment with low-code features for building extensions and integrations. SAP Process Automation, SAP Data Intelligence, and SAP Integration Suite each further enhance the capabilities of LC/NC by supporting automation, data orchestration, and integration with non-SAP systems.
These tools are more than a set of extra functionality to add to SAP environments, their creation is part of a fundamental reimagining of the architecture and implementation processes of SAP systems, and they will have increasingly influence on the ecosystem.
SAP’s commitment to maximizing organizational agility, combined with a push toward a clean core architecture in SAP environments, makes LC/NC tools a prominent feature of its product roadmap.
SAP’s goal in promoting the clean core concept is to encourage users to build essential customizations and applications outside the core system, preserving the integrity of the core while meeting unique business needs.
SAP Integration Suite is also easing the connection of disparate systems within and outside the SAP environment, to enable data flow across cloud, on-premise, and hybrid setups.
In this context, SAP’s LC/NC tools are foundational elements that allow quick adaptation to evolving business landscapes. For consultants, this demands a fresh perspective and the need to acquire yet more new skills, though for those who are already familiar with SAP environments this will be relatively easy.
SAP’s delivery partners and customers are moving towards rapid, iterative project methodologies that prioritize fast delivery and immediate value, in response to volatile market conditions and evolving business needs.
LC/NC tools can contribute substantially to the agile model, as they allow consultants to bypass extensive coding and infrastructure setups, focusing instead on delivering functionality directly aligned with business objectives. This means that SAP consultants will benefit from the use of LC/NC tools within agile methodologies, to accelerate their own workflows and meet clients’ demands for high-speed, adaptable solutions.
LC/NC tools also create new avenues for consultants to engage with clients at a more strategic level. By reducing the technical barriers to customization, consultants can encourage business users within client organizations to participate more actively in digital transformation projects, reducing the workload for specialized developers.
The concept of “citizen development,” where business users design and manage their own workflows and applications within predefined frameworks, allows clients to take ownership of routine modifications. This enables also SAP consultants to take more advisory roles, guiding clients on how to optimize LC/NC usage, ensuring that these projects remain scalable, secure, and aligned with overarching business strategies.
LC/NC tools can accelerate development, but without careful management, there is a risk of “shadow IT,” where applications proliferate without standardized oversight. Certainly, there is the potential for “too many cooks”.
Consequently, along with rigorous user training programs, the expansion of LC/NC usage across organizations requires consulting expertise in setting governance frameworks to ensure that security, compliance, and system integrity are upheld.
This involves designing policies for application deployment, access management, and compliance adherence, particularly for sectors with regulatory requirements.
SAP’s LC/NC tools can also serve as a bridge to allow functional SAP consultants to carry out more complex aspects of technological implementations, including the integration of AI and machine learning into business processes, with less input from technical consultants and developers.
With tools such as SAP Data Intelligence and SAP Analytics Cloud, consultants can use LC/NC platforms to incorporate AI-based insights directly into workflows and dashboards, allowing users to make data-driven decisions without the need for advanced data science expertise.
Using LC/NC platforms, consultants can deploy other AI features within applications (with some specialist oversight), simplifying processes like demand forecasting, fraud detection, and supply chain optimization.
This ability to apply AI using interfaces like SAP Build means consultants can drive innovation in a way that is faster and more accessible to end users, and consultants can more easily support clients in transforming data into actionable insights and optimizing resource allocation: a valuable capability as data-driven decision-making becomes a competitive differentiator across industries.
SAP consulting is not only a technical discipline but also a set of skills that manage the deployment of technology to realize business objectives. As organizations recognize the potential of AI to improve efficiency, reduce risk, and uncover new revenue streams, consultants are still needed to guide clients through the technical and business implications of these integrations.
While they open up numerous new paths for development and accelerating consulting activities, there are also technical limitations inherent to LC/NC tools that will present an ongoing need for specialized SAP developer expertise.
LC/NC platforms are limited in their capacity to address highly complex customizations or optimize back-end processes. Certain mission-critical applications, such as those requiring intricate data transformations or high-frequency transactions, still necessitate custom coding and advanced architecture configurations that LC/NC tools cannot currently replicate.
This reinforces the value of skilled SAP consultants and developers in enterprise environments where high-performance standards and operational resilience are non-negotiable.
As clients increasingly prioritize adaptability and resilience in their digital transformations, LC/NC tools offer a pathway to innovation without the complex work of traditional coding. As we have seen, this shift means less time spent on troubleshooting complex customizations and more time dedicated to strategic initiatives, such as optimizing workflows, implementing advanced analytics, and supporting business process re-engineering.
But as the capabilities of LC/NC tools continue to expand, they will also create new roles and career pathways for SAP consultants who specialize in these platforms.
For example, there is potential for supporting positions, which might be referred to as LC/NC Solution Architect or LC/NC Governance Consultant, to emerge. These roles would focus on designing scalable, governance-compliant LC/NC applications in larger companies, and ensuring that citizen developers within an organization have the training, resources, frameworks, and oversight needed to build effective solutions.
With the growing adoption of LC/NC tools, SAP consultants will also find that they can use these platforms to build and refine their own internal processes. For example consultancies can use LC/NC tools to manage project workflows, automate administrative tasks, and allocate resources: resulting in a more efficient consultancy operation.
This internal use improves operational efficiency in SAP implementations and other projects, but also means that many SAP consultancies will be leaders in LC/NC innovation, capable of guiding clients through their own LC/NC initiatives with proven expertise and practical examples.
SAP offers various certifications on its LC/NC tools through SAP Learning Hub and openSAP (openSAP is free), providing structured learning paths for consultants aiming to build formal expertise.
As LC/NC adoption grows, these certifications will demonstrate a consultant’s ability to use these tools effectively. This will be increasingly important as the barrier LC/NC will be less of an impediment to non-specialists.
Those consultants who have undergone training and accumulated experience in the practical application of LC/NC scenarios may also consider alternative careers in delivering advanced user training courses for their own clients, either in the course of LC/NC initiatives or independently.
Long-term, the integration of LC/NC tools within SAP’s ecosystem will likely reshape the SAP talent market by elevating the skills and expectations placed on consultants.
Overall, LC/NC platforms democratize certain aspects of development, but they also increase demands on SAP consultants, who will be expected to bring a higher level of strategic thinking, governance oversight, and cross-functional collaboration to their roles.
SAP consultants who adapt to these changes will find themselves well-positioned to transition into roles that bridge technical and business domains, such as Solution Architect, Digital Transformation Consultant, or Innovation Lead. These roles require a combination of technical know-how, business awareness, and advisory capabilities: making LC/NC expertise an asset for sustained relevance and career growth.
As SAP invests in these tools, they become indispensable to its strategic vision, and by extension, to the professional relevance of SAP consultants.
For consultants dedicated to delivering high-impact solutions, LC/NC skills provide a practical means of meeting clients’ demands for agility and adaptability without compromising system stability.
So far, the potential for SAP’s LC/NC tools to transform the consulting landscape has been somewhat underestimated. They offer a blend of efficiency, adaptability, and user empowerment that aligns with SAP’s shift toward a cloud-first, AI-driven ecosystem at fundamental and organizational level.
As the SAP landscape evolves, so too must the skill sets and approaches of those who work within it. This is not just a technical upgrade but a strategic reorientation, and SAP consultants must remain agile, valuable, and aligned with the future trajectory of SAP’s enterprise technology.
If you are an SAP professional looking for a new role in the SAP ecosystem our team of dedicated recruitment consultants can match you with your ideal employer and negotiate a competitive compensation package for your extremely valuable skills, so join our exclusive community at IgniteSAP.
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