SAP Sales Cloud and Service Cloud Version 2

SAP has introduced a new version of Sales & Service Cloud called ‘Sales & Service cloud V2’. Acorel has started two projects now using V2. This blog will describe the highlights of the solution, including our advice regarding this new version..

The main reasons for introducing a new version, which is not essentially a new version but rather a rebuild of the existing solution, are as follows:

• The current platform for V1 is overstretched based on the technology and standards used
• The performance for V1 is lacking the today needs
• The scalability and availability are not on the same line as customers are requesting
• There is a bigger need for extensibility with other solutions, which should give a seamless experience

Therefore SAP has decided to rebuild the solution on a new platform.

Platform

The new platform is solving the challenges mentioned before in the introduction.

The new platform enables new possibilities on both functional and technical levels. The following highlights can be identified:

• Modern new cloud-native microservices
• Zero downtime upgrades
  • This is a crucial improvement for many customers
  • There will also be no two weeks test time for an upgrade, while both test and production will be updated on the same time
• API and event drive architecture
  • The platform is API first, meaning if you need to extend an object for example, you first have to update the API
• Micro frontends
• Extensibility using low/no-code solution Application Plane (AppGyver)
  • Its now very easy to create your own process and screen flow logic using the extensibility framework
• Increased performance
  • We have experienced that the performance in for V2 is really a big improvement
• New UX design
  • Less clicks, faster screen loading, dynamic response layout
• Monthly releases

Roadmap

The roadmap for V2 is available on high level, giving an idea of which objects are included or are to be added. If you are running a project or need more details this cannot be found in the available documentation. In all projects running V2 now, we are in close contact with SAP regarding the needed functionality.

For example, at the moment, there is no project or transport mechanism in place. The number of API’s are limited and objects for data migration are restricted to some basic objects. Account duplicate check is being developed, planned for the end of the year, and account merging will become available next year. These type of details will not be in the roadmap overview slides. Therefore its always advisable to check your project scope and the available functionality needed at the moment.

SAP will focus on H1 2024 to have the functionality in line with the current V1 functionality. Currently the focus is to have the functionality for H1 2023 ready. Below Sales & Service Cloud roadmap overview shows which functionality is already covered at the end of H1 2023.

Functionality

The functionality for V2 will be matching the functionality for V1. There will be some differences between the 2 solutions.

• Ticket management is replaced by case management
  • In principle the goal of this functionality is the same, however the usability is much better with case management
• No SDK
  • There will be no SDK available for version 2
  • Any coding should be done outside the system for example with Application Plane (AppGyver) or any other development platform and integrate this into the solution
  • There are some interesting developments on the roadmap like using external hooks, but currently its not clear if there will be possibilities to enhance the standard behaviour
• No internal reporting
  • All reporting is replaced by the embedded SAP Analytics Cloud solution
• Focus on embedded mashup integration with SAP and non SAP applications including content transfer from mashup into Sales & Service Cloud
• Availability of new solutions Agent Desktop, Dynamic Guided Selling, Intelligent Pipeline Management and Visit Planning, New insight levels
  • These solutions can also be added to V1 as an add-on but will be delivered as a standard solution for V2 except for dynamic visit planning.
• New Utility add-on

Advise

There is no announced end of lifetime or maintenance period for V1 at the moment. There is also no immediate need to migrate at the moment. The first time V2 for Sales & Service Cloud and the current V1 solution are comparable will be by the end of H1 2024.

For customers already having V1, the first moment to check if you want to migrate will be during H1 2024. SAP is working on a migration path. At the moment it looks very promising, but the details how to migrate are not clear yet.

For new customers the decision to start your implementation of V1 of V2 depends on the scope and timeline. If you have a limited scope and the timeline is somewhere end of 2023 or beginning 2024 for go-live, it’s possible to start using V2. If you have an extensive scope then you cannot go live before H1 2024, because functionality is still missing. If you have a limited scope but want to go live around Q3 2023, I think its to soon.

Following links are available for the Sales & Service Cloud V2 help information. These links also contain the latest updates.

Sales Cloud V2 Help

Service Cloud V2 Help