SAP Digital Access Adoption Program (DAAP)
Executive Summary: SAP’s Digital Access Adoption Program (DAAP) was a strategic initiative to coax customers into SAP’s new document-based licensing model for indirect use.
It offered massive discounts and audit amnesty as carrots, turning a contentious compliance issue into a (more predictable) revenue stream for SAP.
The key for today’s SAP customers is understanding DAAP’s tactics and using them as leverage in current negotiations. Make sure to read our comprehensive guide, SAP Digital Access Licensing: Understanding the Document-Based Model.
Why DAAP Existed
Indirect access – when third-party systems or external users interact with SAP – had become a licensing landmine for SAP and its customers. Under traditional licensing, any indirect use was theoretically covered by named-user licenses or add-on “interface” licenses, but this was murky and led to surprise audits.
High-profile disputes in 2017 (where big SAP customers like a certain brewery faced tens to hundreds of millions in claims) revealed how frustrated and fearful customers were about indirect access fees. Many CIOs felt blindsided and overcharged, leading to a wave of skepticism among SAP’s customer base.
SAP introduced the Digital Access model in 2018 to address this: instead of charging per user for indirect use, it charges per document created (with nine defined document types like Sales Orders, Invoices, etc.).
This was intended to be more transparent, but it also meant some customers could end up owing more if their systems generated many documents. Adoption of the new model was slow – customers were hesitant to switch from the devil they knew.
Enter DAAP in 2019. SAP created the Digital Access Adoption Program to defuse customer resistance and preempt looming audit battles. It was a classic carrot approach: move voluntarily to Digital Access now, and SAP will massively discount the price and waive any past indirect usage charges.
In effect, SAP turned a threatening situation into a voluntary “amnesty sale.” This wasn’t altruism; it was a tactical move to convert compliance risk into subscription revenue on SAP’s terms. “DAAP wasn’t generosity — it was SAP’s way to turn audit fear into predictable subscription revenue.”
What the Program Offered
DAAP rolled out an attractive bundle of benefits to make switching to Digital Access a no-brainer for customers. Below is a summary of key incentives under DAAP and why they mattered:
| Benefit | What It Means | Customer Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Discounted Document Pricing | Up to 90% off digital access license packs | Massive cost savings for early adopters |
| Audit Amnesty | Waiver of retroactive indirect-use fees | No back-charges for past usage (huge risk relief) |
| Fixed Usage Baseline | Locked-in document count as a pricing basis | Predictable cost exposure (no surprise overages) |
| Conversion Credits | Trade in certain existing licenses for credit | Avoids double-paying for the same functionality |
| Simplified Mapping | SAP’s help mapping interfaces to document types | Smoother transition, less guesswork in compliance |
Negotiation Tip: Even if DAAP is no longer an official program, its generous structure set a precedent for SAP’s flexibility. Aim for a similar deal structure – deep discounts, amnesty, and fixed baselines – when you negotiate your own digital access terms.
Who Qualified for DAAP
Not every SAP customer could waltz into DAAP; SAP focused the program on where it would move the needle for both parties.
The ideal candidates were typically SAP ERP (ECC) or early S/4HANA customers with significant third-party integrations – for example, companies running external CRM systems, supplier portals, or IoT platforms feeding data into SAP. These were the customers most at risk of indirect access fees and thus most eager for a solution.
Importantly, DAAP was opt-in and time-limited. Customers had to volunteer for the program before the deadlines (initially set around 2021, later extended through 2022).
SAP often approached organizations with known indirect use exposure first – if your SAP account team or auditors flagged you, it was likely you got an invitation to “discuss Digital Access.”
Practical Insight: If SAP ever proactively pitched DAAP to your company, it’s a sign they had already mapped out your interfaces and saw potential compliance issues.
In other words, SAP knew you were a prime candidate long before you did.
Read about Digital Access vs Named User licensing, SAP Digital Access vs Named User Licensing: When to Choose Each Model.
How DAAP Calculated License Volumes
A cornerstone of any DAAP deal was figuring out how much digital access you actually needed to license. SAP provided the Digital Access Estimation Tool (DAET) for this purpose.
Customers were typically asked to run this tool (or an audit program) to count how many qualifying documents their systems created in a year. This annual document count became your baseline volume for the new license.
For example, if the tool found your external systems created 5 million SAP documents (sales orders, invoices, etc.) per year, that 5M became the number of documents you’d license under Digital Access.
SAP would then offer you a license pack (often in million-document increments) at the special DAAP rate. Establishing this baseline accurately was crucial because it locked in your cost (and if you underestimated, you’d blow through your license; if you overestimated, you overpaid).
Checklist for Baseline Validation: Before signing on the dotted line, savvy customers took a few steps to ensure the baseline was fair:
- Verify the Counting Tool & Note: Confirm you’re using the latest DAET version (and SAP note guidance) so the count is accurate. An outdated tool might over-count documents.
- Exclude Non-Production Data: Remove any test systems, training clients, or purely SAP-to-SAP integrations from the count. Only externally triggered documents should count; internal transactions or duplicates can distort the numbers.
- Document the Measured Volume: Keep a record of the document counts and how they were derived. You’ll want this information later in case of any disputes or to benchmark future growth.
- Negotiate Growth Bands: If you expect business growth, discuss upfront what happens if you exceed the baseline. Secure a growth allowance or pre-set pricing for extra documents to avoid open-ended costs.
Expert Insight: SAP’s DAAP math started very generous and then tightened over time. Your job as a customer is to capture that early-phase generosity – lock in a favorable document count and discount structure while SAP is in “deal mode.”
DAAP Pricing Mechanics
Unprecedented Discounts: DAAP’s pricing was eye-popping by SAP standards. Early participants enjoyed 75% to 90% off the standard price of digital access licenses.
In practice, this meant companies were paying only 10–25 cents on the dollar compared to the list price. For perspective, if your indirect usage would normally cost $1,000,000 in SAP license fees, under DAAP, you might pay roughly $100,000.
This kind of discount was virtually unheard of in SAP deals – it showed how badly SAP wanted customers to transition to the new model.
Pre-Paid Document Packs: SAP sold Digital Access in blocks of documents (e.g., 1 million, 5 million, 10 million documents per year).
Under DAAP, you essentially pre-paid for a block of usage at the heavily discounted rate. SAP offered two flavors of this deal structure:
- Option A (Growth Option): License 115% of your current measured volume, but only pay for that extra 15%. In other words, you get 15% more capacity than you need, “for free,” equating to roughly an 85% discount overall. This built-in buffer protected you if your document count grew.
- Option B (Max Discount Option): License exactly 100% of your current usage, with a 90% discount on that purchase. You pay just 10% of the list price for what you use now – the absolute lowest upfront cost, but no cushion for growth.
Either way, DAAP made the first hit of Digital Access licensing as painless as possible. However, these terms were a one-time concession. After the initial conversion, any additional documents or expansions would not automatically enjoy the same steep discount.
For instance, if two years later you needed another million documents, that purchase might be at a standard discount (far higher cost per unit than your DAAP deal). Similarly, annual maintenance fees would apply on the net license price you paid – low if you paid 10% of the list, but it could jump if you later add licenses at higher prices.
Negotiation Tip:
Insist on DAAP-era pricing protections for the future. If you convert under a special deal, negotiate the right to buy additional documents later at a comparable discount or rate.
SAP will often mirror your original per-document price for large customers – but only if you explicitly write it into the contract or renewal terms.
How DAAP Changed SAP’s Audit Strategy
Before DAAP, SAP’s approach to indirect access was largely punitive (the “stick”): surprise audits, huge compliance bills, and public lawsuits to make examples (not exactly a customer-friendly atmosphere). DAAP introduced the “carrot.”
Once this program rolled out, SAP dialed down the aggressive audits related to indirect use. The focus shifted to persuading customers to voluntarily come into compliance via the discounted program, rather than catching them after the fact.
This had two effects. First, many customers breathed a sigh of relief – there was a path to address indirect usage without a multi-million dollar ambush.
Second, SAP turned its audit teams into sales allies; auditors would identify an indirect use issue and then guide the customer toward DAAP as the solution. It was compliance-by-choice instead of compliance-by-force, and it improved customer relations (at least relative to the audit wars of 2017–2018).
Fast forward to today: DAAP as a named program may have sunset, but SAP’s indirect access enforcement is still heavily influenced by its legacy.
SAP would much rather have a customer willingly purchase Digital Access licenses than engage in a nasty audit fight. The “audit stick” is mostly a last resort or a looming threat to encourage cooperation.
Strategic Insight: If SAP hints at an indirect access audit or you sense risk, proactively propose a conversion deal. Essentially, you say, “We’ll buy what we need to legitimize this, but we expect the DAAP treatment (big discount and no penalties).” This flips the script – you’re solving their compliance concern on commercial terms, which is exactly how DAAP was designed to work.
Using DAAP Logic in Current Negotiations
SAP’s formal Digital Access Adoption Program officially had an end date, but you can still use its logic to your advantage.
Think of DAAP not as a one-time offer that expired, but as a playbook of incentives that you can bring to the table. When negotiating any new SAP agreement – be it a routine license renewal, a move to S/4HANA, or settling an audit – leverage the precedent of DAAP to secure similar terms.
Here are ways to do that:
- Reference Past Discounts: Remind SAP of the 80–90% discounts that were given under DAAP. Use that as your benchmark. For example: “Under the previous adoption program, customers our size got 90% off – we expect something in that ballpark.” This anchors the discussion at the high end of SAP’s flexibility.
- Fix the Baseline Multi-Year: Push to lock in a fixed document count baseline for 3-5 years at an agreed price. In essence, extend the idea of a “one-time” DAAP volume into a multi-year cap. This prevents SAP from charging more if your usage spikes unexpectedly – at least until the term is over.
- Ask for Amnesty (Again): Even though DAAP’s amnesty was a specific offer, you can still negotiate a written waiver of past indirect use fees as part of any new deal. Frame it as, “If we’re investing in Digital Access licenses now, we expect protection from any retroactive charges.” SAP’s reps know this logic; it was the crux of DAAP.
- Bundle for Leverage: SAP is most generous when there’s a bigger deal on the line. If you’re doing a major purchase or upgrade (e.g., moving to RISE with SAP or a large S/4HANA migration), bundle the Digital Access conversion into that deal. Use the larger negotiation to subsidize the Digital Access terms – you might get DAAP-level discounts as part of a broader discount package or incentive fund.
Example Language: “We’re prepared to formalize our Digital Access licensing, but only if SAP can extend a DAAP-equivalent deal – meaning on-par discounting and a clean slate on any past indirect use.”
In other words, make it clear that you’re willing to resolve the issue on the right terms. SAP sales teams today have latitude to offer “DAAP-like” proposals, especially if it helps close a big opportunity or prevent a customer from stalling an S/4HANA project over licensing concerns.
Read how to measure Digital Access, Estimating & Measuring SAP Digital Documents: How to Quantify Digital Access Usage.
Risks and Considerations
Switching to Digital Access via a DAAP-style agreement can be a smart move, but it isn’t without risks. As with any licensing change, the devil is in the details. Keep an eye on the following pitfalls:
What to Watch For:
- DAAP’s Generosity May Not Repeat: If you approach SAP today, the rep might claim that the old program is over and full list pricing (or much lower discounts) now apply. This is often a negotiating tactic. Be prepared to counter with evidence or benchmarks (e.g., other companies recently got 80% off) to show you know the precedent. Don’t accept a first quote that’s far worse than DAAP terms – it’s usually a test.
- Limited Amnesty Scope: Ensure that any “audit forgiveness” or waiver covers all your relevant systems and historical usage. Under the formal DAAP, SAP forgave past use up to the adoption date. You want the same commitment. Also, be aware: if you introduce new third-party systems after the agreement, they won’t be covered. A year from now, a new interface that wasn’t accounted for could open a fresh indirect usage exposure. Plan for how new integrations will be licensed in the future.
- Renewal and True-Up Uncertainty: Some early DAAP contracts lacked clarity on future pricing. After the initial discounted purchase, customers may face steep costs for additional documents or increased support fees. Avoid this by negotiating caps or fixed rates for renewals and expansions now. Otherwise, SAP might come back in a couple of year,s asking you to pay much higher rates for the same licenses (especially if they know you can’t easily revert to the old model).
Before you sign any Digital Access conversion deal, go through a quick preparedness checklist to protect your organization:
Checklist – Before Signing a Digital Access Deal:
- Cover All Integrations: Double-check that every third-party system or interface that generates SAP documents is identified and included in your usage assessment. No hidden interfaces should be left lurking, or else the “amnesty” won’t cover them.
- Lock In Future Rates: Negotiate explicit terms for future growth. For example, “any additional document licenses within the next X years will be priced at the same per-document rate as this deal.” Also consider adding a clause that caps annual support fee increases on these licenses.
- Secure Written Amnesty: Ensure the contract (or amendment) clearly states that SAP waives any claims for unlicensed indirect use before the effective date of the new licenses. This clause is your insurance against any retroactive surprises.
- Verify the Counts and Types: Review the final license entitlement – how many documents of each type are you getting, and how was it calculated? Make sure it matches your understanding of the DAET results. If something looks off (e.g., too high), question it before signing. It’s much harder to adjust afterward.
Expert Insight: DAAP solved one immediate problem – it eliminated the looming audit liability. But it can introduce a new challenge: long-term cost uncertainty.
Once those discounts expire, you might face rising costs, especially if your business grows or SAP tightens its policies. Always go in with eyes open about the total cost of ownership over the coming years, not just the upfront discount.
The Future of DAAP-Like Offers
Officially, SAP’s Digital Access Adoption Program was a time-bound initiative. Unofficially, the spirit of DAAP is alive and well. SAP continues to offer “conversion incentives” whenever it aligns with its sales goals.
They just don’t always market it under a catchy acronym anymore.
If you’re negotiating an S/4HANA upgrade, a RISE with SAP contract, or a big license renewal, pay attention: SAP often bundles in a deal to address indirect access as part of the package.
For instance, during a S/4HANA migration discussion, your SAP rep might say, “We can include Digital Access licenses at a special rate if we close this upgrade.” That is essentially DAAP, just folded into another deal. Similarly, if you’re at risk of an audit, SAP might quietly offer an unofficial amnesty + discount if you purchase the needed licenses now – again, DAAP by another name.
What does this mean for customers? Leverage the pattern. SAP’s endgame is to eventually get everyone on the document model.
They know customers still hesitate due to cost, so they will extend “one-time” style incentives when it suits them. Your job is to ask for them.
Strategic Tip: Ask your SAP account manager point-blank: “What conversion incentive can you offer us today for Digital Access?” You may need to initiate the topic. By showing you’re aware of past programs, you signal that you expect a similarly favorable deal.
SAP representatives often have some flexibility (special discount approvals, credit for legacy licenses, etc.) to close a Digital Access sale – especially if it helps them hit a larger sales target. Don’t be shy about bringing up DAAP; even if it’s “expired,” its legacy can still guide the negotiation in your favor.
5 Ways to Leverage DAAP Terms in 2025
- Anchor your negotiation around DAAP-level discounts (target 75–90% off list price on Digital Access licenses). SAP has done it before – remind them and aim high.
- Request full audit amnesty for past indirect use in writing. Make any deal contingent on wiping the slate clean up to today so that you won’t pay twice for historical usage.
- Lock in multi-year caps on usage and pricing. Use a DAAP-style baseline to fix your document count for 3–5 years, and insist on predetermined rates for any additional volume.
- Bundle and leverage: Tie your Digital Access licensing into bigger initiatives (like an S/4HANA migration or a RISE contract). The more SAP stands to gain, the more generous they’ll be with digital access terms.
- Document everything (pun intended): Run SAP’s estimation tools (or your own) and keep records before negotiations. Bring your own data to define the baseline – don’t let SAP dictate your usage numbers unchallenged. This ensures you negotiate from a position of knowledge and confidence.
Read about our SAP Services.
