The SAP Gold Partner label is retiring, discover the new model.
A long history
Historically, SAP partners were differentiated by levels of recognition known as ‘Platinium’, ‘Gold’ and ‘Silver’. This framework notably recognized the partner’s commercial performance (e.g. volume of licenses and subscriptions sold), but did not allow precise identification of the expertise held by the SAP partner on the various solutions in the SAP portfolio.
End of Platinum Gold and Silver labels
In August 2022, SAP introduced the SAP Competency Framework, a complete overhaul of the competency framework that recognizes the distinctions passed on to its integrators. This new model officially comes into effect from September 2023.
The SAP Competency Framework aims to help SAP customers and prospects select the SAP partner that best fits their transformation journey. Designed to focus on customer value and results, it rewards partners with demonstrated delivery expertise and excellence in specific industries and domains. In practical terms, any SAP customer or user can now search for partners based on their skills, using the SAP Partner Finder.
New concepts in the SAP Competecy Framework
Skills and specializations:
SAP introduces the notions of skills and specializations which aim to identify the partner’s level of maturity on each of the vendor’s solution portfolios. Among the first solution portfolios identified: core S/4HANA, SCM, HCM. As an example: the ‘Payroll’ specialization is distinguished within the ‘HCM’ competency.
By competence block and specialization, SAP distinguishes three levels of maturity:
- Essential : this level of competence recognizes partners who have met delivery and training requirements in at least one SAP product or process specialization. It indicates that customers can rely on these partners’ level of expertise to successfully implement a project.
- Advanced : these partners are SAP-certified, have platform integration expertise and have successfully implemented a greater number of projects that have resulted in customer success.
- Expert : this level is reserved for partners who have helped customers with their end-to-end digital transformation.
To obtain one of these maturity levels, each SAP partner must reach a minimum performance threshold on two indicators:
- A certified team : the partner must have a minimum number of consultants, project managers and BTP Platform experts, all certified.
- Live projects : the partner must justify a minimum number of projects that have passed the Go Live stage in the last 24 months.