Quick Brief
- The Announcement: SAP launches a new “trusted support expertise” designation in SAP Partner Finder, rolling out March 2026, to help customers identify high-performing implementation partners.
- The Impact: Enterprise customers gain data-driven partner selection criteria based on support collaboration effectiveness, reducing project risks and accelerating cloud deployments.
- The Target: Partners should aim for a 30% benchmark no more than 30% of their support cases should be consulting or “how-to” inquiries, demonstrating operational self-sufficiency.
- The Prerequisite: Partner S-users must be enabled for transparency in support case handling and customer oversight.
SAP announced on January 27, 2026, a new partner qualification framework that will display trusted support expertise designations in SAP Partner Finder starting March 2026, according to a company press release. The initiative targets enterprise customers seeking implementation and operations partners for SAP cloud services by introducing measurable support collaboration metrics. Jens Bernotat, head of Strategy, Portfolio, and Ecosystem Management for Global Customer Support at SAP, and Marcus Blaesi, head of Global Ecosystem Programs for Global Customer Support, jointly authored the announcement.
Support Proficiency Standards and Qualification Criteria
Partners qualifying for the trusted support expertise designation must demonstrate operational efficiency through specific metrics. The target benchmark requires that no more than 30% of partner-created support cases fall into consulting or “how-to” categories, indicating partners resolve most customer inquiries independently without escalating to SAP. High-performing partners establish standard operating procedures and continuously optimize service delivery using SAP’s data-driven support insights, including Support Collaboration Analytics dashboards available in SAP for Me.
The qualification framework encourages consultants to complete Support Accreditation training, a no-cost course covering SAP’s support offerings, real-time channels like Expert Chat and Schedule an Expert, and best practices for cloud implementations. Partners must also implement dedicated partner S-users to enable transparency, allowing customers to monitor partner actions through the service partner user management application.
AdwaitX Analysis: Strategic Shift to Measurable Partner Performance
SAP’s move addresses a critical gap in enterprise software ecosystems: partner quality variability. Unlike traditional partner certifications focused on technical skills, this designation quantifies operational effectiveness through support ticket analysis. Partners that independently address consulting questions can resolve inquiries faster by avoiding SAP involvement, directly impacting project timelines.
Customers benefit from reduced project risks when partners effectively apply SAP Cloud ALM guidance and the SAP Activate methodology, mitigating escalations during implementation phases. The 30% target serves as a measurable benchmark partners exceeding this limit demonstrate dependency on SAP for routine inquiries, signaling potential service delivery inefficiencies.
Partner Finder Integration and Customer Visibility Tools
| Feature | Availability | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Support Proficiency Badge | March 2026 | Identify qualified partners in SAP Partner Finder |
| Support Collaboration Analytics | Currently Available | Partner performance dashboards in SAP for Me |
| Customer Insights Dashboard | Currently Available | Monitor partner support effectiveness |
| Partner S-User Authorization | Required Now | Enable transparency in case handling |
The SAP Partner Finder platform will display the new support proficiency designation alongside existing credentials starting March 2026. Customers can use this designation when evaluating implementation providers, gaining visibility into partner support collaboration quality before making selection decisions.
Implementation Timeline and Customer Action Steps
The March 2026 rollout gives partners time to demonstrate alignment with the 30% support case target. SAP recommends customers take immediate action by authorizing partner S-users through the service partner user management application to enable tracking. The customer insights dashboard in SAP for Me provides real-time visibility into partner support collaboration effectiveness, allowing enterprises to evaluate current partner performance before the official designation launch.
Partners can complete Support Accreditation training at no cost to align with SAP’s best practices for support collaboration. The training covers support channels, case management, and SAP Cloud ALM integration, helping partners optimize their service delivery and reduce unnecessary support escalations. The support expertise designation establishes a standardized quality benchmark for customers evaluating partners across SAP’s global ecosystem.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is SAP’s trusted support expertise designation?
A qualification badge appearing in SAP Partner Finder from March 2026, identifying partners who meet support collaboration targets, including keeping consulting cases under 30% of total support requests.
How can customers verify partner support proficiency?
Use the customer insights dashboard in SAP for Me to monitor partner support effectiveness, and authorize partner S-users for transparency in case handling activities.
When does the Partner Finder badge become visible?
March 2026, allowing customers to evaluate and select partners based on verified support expertise during partner selection processes.
What is the 30% support case target?
A benchmark where no more than 30% of a partner’s SAP support cases should be consulting or “how-to” inquiries, demonstrating the partner resolves most issues independently.
Are partner S-users mandatory for the designation?
Yes, partners must work with partner S-users as a prerequisite for showing trusted support expertise in SAP Partner Finder.
