Thought Leadership

Take Control of your SAP User Access Reviews: Simplify, Streamline, Succeed

November 22, 2024 By Soterion

Are you facing challenges with User Access Reviews? Many organisations find this a challenging process due to the technical and complex nature of SAP authorisations and non-descriptive SAP role naming conventions.  

Periodic User Access Reviews ensure assigned access remains relevant. The effectiveness of these reviews depends on reviewers understanding the access details, and risks associated with each role.

Regular User Access Reviews help maintain compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX). This critical SOX compliance activity ensures that internal controls over financial reporting are effective and that any unauthorised access, which could lead to financial misstatements, is promptly addressed.

In this article we will explore how Soterion’s Periodic Review Manager offers a unique solution to many of the challenges commonly faced by organisations. Soterion is purpose-built to simplify User Access Reviews while empowering business users through intuitive, business-friendly reporting capabilities.

Before diving deeper into the User Access Review process, it’s important to first consider the organisation’s SAP security and GRC control activities from a broader, holistic perspective.

Implementing effective controls for SAP security and GRC

Establishing effective controls is critical for managing risks in SAP environments. A common challenge is Segregation of Duty (SoD), where users face conflicts due to excessive access rights. Over time, authorisation creep occurs as employees retain access from previous roles, leading to potential security breaches and compliance issues.

To mitigate these risks, organisations should enforce least-privileged access, ensuring users have only the permissions needed for their roles. Continuous monitoring and regular review of control activities ensure ongoing effectiveness, helping businesses prevent fraud, data breaches, and operational disruptions. A strong GRC program not only secures your organisation but also enhances overall efficiency and governance.

By implementing these control activities, organisations can effectively manage and mitigate the risks related to SAP user access.


Now let’s take a look at the User Access Review process.

User Access Review and the role of People, Process, Technology, and Design

The effectiveness of the User Access Review control activity is shaped by the dynamic interaction between people, process, technology, and design. Success hinges on identifying the right individuals for compliance tasks, establishing well-defined processes, selecting the appropriate technology, and ensuring a solid design foundation.

Below, we explore the common challenges and key considerations when conducting User Access Reviews:


People

Challenges

  • Identifying appropriate stakeholders to conduct the review of user access.
  • Reviewers lacking the technical expertise in understanding and interpreting SAP access risk and authorisations needed to assess whether access is appropriate.
  • Difficulty for reviewers in interpreting the data provided by IT during the review process.

Considerations

  • Select reviewers who have a strong understanding of both technical and business aspects of SAP access.

Process

Challenges

  • Prolonged and cumbersome review processes leading to delays and reviewer fatigue.
  • Difficulty in defining clear criteria for items to be included in a User Access Review.
  • Lack of clear communication regarding objectives and requirements, resulting in ineffective reviews.

Considerations

  • Establish a well-defined process that clearly outlines what is expected from reviewers to meet the control’s objectives. This should include specific items for review, deadlines, and step-by-step guidance for the review process.

Technology

Challenges

  • Technology used to facilitate the User Access Review fail to provide the necessary information for a comprehensive review, such as risk or usage information.
  • Technology not presenting data in a format that enhances the quality and effectiveness of the review process.

Considerations

  • Organisations should evaluate the impact of the tools and solutions used to support the review process.
  • Choose software that enables the organisation to maximise the value of the User Access Review as a key SAP access control.

Design

Challenges

  • Role methodology directly affects the efficiency and accuracy of the User Access Review process.
  • Role Naming conventions complicating the reviewer’s ability to make informed decisions.

Considerations

  • Complete any planned remediation activities before initiating the User Access Review.
  • When designing new roles, use clear and descriptive naming conventions to help reviewers easily understand the access provided.
  • If utilising a business or job role concept, consider splitting the review into two stages: the Business Role’s content review followed by a User-to-Business Role review.

How Soterion assists in addressing these challenges


  • Soterion offers functionality that simplifies the creation and facilitation of the User Access Review process.
  • Soterion provides flexible configuration options, enabling organisations to generate reviews with data that is strictly within the defined review scope.
  • Soterion delivers detailed information on access risks, combined with usage statistics, to help reviewers make more informed decisions.
  • Soterion features intuitive process flow diagrams that convert technical language into a business-friendly format, enhancing review efficiency and reducing reliance on specialised technical support.

Watch Soterion’s Periodic Review Manager Demo Video

Key Benefits of Soterions Periodic Review Manager

  • Fast-Track Reviews: Business users can swiftly conduct reviews using intuitive business process flow diagrams. This eliminates the need for technical knowledge associated with transaction codes, Fiori apps, and SAP role names. 
  • Meet Audit Requirements: Address a key audit requirement with minimal effort. 
  • Enhanced Accountability: Gain insight into business processes and their impact on access. 
  • Prevent Authorisation Creep: Limit SAP authorisation creep through quality reviews. 
  • User-Friendly Dashboards: Easily manage the process with progress dashboards to expedite the review process. 

Take control of your compliance tasks and unlock the true potential of your User Access Reviews with Soterion’s Periodic Review Manager.

Feel free to email us on [email protected] if you have any questions or would like to know more. We will gladly assist with a demo to see how we can help.

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