Transforming SoD Management in SAP: A Global Energy Company Case Study In today’s dynamic business environment, ensuring proper Segregation of Duties (SoD) within enterprise systems like SAP is a foundational aspect of risk management and compliance. When a global energy company approached us with persistent SoD conflicts, it was clear that their existing role structure had grown overly complex, creating operational inefficiencies, audit challenges, and heightened security vulnerabilities. The client’s SAP landscape had evolved organically over time, with numerous custom roles and overlapping access rights granted across different job functions. As a result, users were often able to perform conflicting transactions—such as creating and approving purchase orders, or initiating and releasing payments—which are clear violations of SoD principles. This not only increased the risk of fraud and error but also placed the organization at significant risk during internal and external audits. Our team initiated the engagement by conducting a comprehensive assessment of the client’s SAP security framework, focusing on role design, access provisioning, and SoD risk analysis. Using leading governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) tools, we mapped out existing access risks and identified areas where conflicts were most concentrated. We found that over 60% of the user roles contained at least one critical SoD conflict. Recognizing the need for a streamlined, standardized approach, we introduced a tailored remediation strategy. This included redesigning the SAP roles to align with business processes while eliminating unnecessary access overlaps. One of our key actions was the development and implementation of SoD-free role templates. These pre-defined roles were designed around the principle of least privilege—ensuring users received only the access they needed to perform their duties, and nothing more. In parallel, we established a governance framework that empowered the client’s internal teams to manage access requests and changes with greater confidence. Automated workflow approvals, consistent naming conventions, and role ownership models were introduced to improve visibility and accountability. To ensure long-term compliance and readiness for audits, we also deployed continuous monitoring controls. These included automated SoD risk analysis reruns every time access was provisioned or changed, real-time alerts for high-risk transactions, and periodic access reviews. As a result, the organization was able to track, prevent, and remediate risks proactively rather than reactively. The impact of these initiatives was significant. SoD risks across the SAP landscape were reduced by up to 95%, with the number of high-risk user-role combinations dramatically decreased. The client’s internal audit team reported a marked improvement in audit readiness, and regulatory compliance metrics were met with greater consistency. Stakeholders across IT, finance, and compliance functions expressed increased confidence in the integrity and security of the SAP environment. In conclusion, by combining deep SAP expertise with a pragmatic, risk-focused approach, we helped this global energy leader achieve a secure, auditable, and efficient SAP access landscape. This transformation not only mitigated critical risks but also laid the foundation for scalable and sustainable security governance moving forward.

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