Lesson 3 of 6
Process Insights: diagnostics and benchmarks
9 min
Listen to this lesson
SAP Signavio Process Insights is the part of the suite built for standard SAP processes. It extracts data from SAP ERP or SAP S/4HANA, calculates prebuilt process performance indicators, shows process flows and blockers, and suggests what to do about them. For a process owner it is the fastest way from "I think invoices are slow" to a measured statement with a recommendation attached.
What a diagnostic contains
| Element | What it shows | Owner's use |
|---|---|---|
| Process performance indicators (PPIs) | Measured rates and times, for example automation rates, on-time rates, lead times | Where the process underperforms |
| Process flows and blockers | Typical flows and the reasons documents get stuck | Which situations create rework |
| Value analysis | An estimate of the monetary impact of improvements | Priorities for the improvement backlog |
| Correction recommendations | Fixes in the current SAP system: configuration, master data, usage | Quick wins inside the existing setup |
| Innovation recommendations | SAP capabilities that could help, for example newer SAP S/4HANA features or automation | Inputs for roadmap and fit-to-standard |
| Benchmarks | Internal comparison across units; external peer comparison for selected indicators | Whether a value is good or bad, and realistic targets |
The parts of a Process Insights diagnostic. The exact content depends on the process and release.
Benchmarks deserve care. Internal benchmarks compare your own units, for example plant 1710 against plant 1720 or company code 1710 against 1810. SAP's material describes external peer benchmarks as available for selected indicators only, so do not assume every number has a peer comparison. When a benchmark is available, use it to set a target range, not as a verdict.
Reading a diagnostic: Dan's procure-to-pay view
| Indicator (illustrative course data) | Company code 1710 | Company code 1810 | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supplier invoices posted without manual intervention | 58% | 71% | Detroit lower than Toledo |
| Invoices paid after due date | 9% | 4% | Late payments cost discounts |
| Purchase orders created after the invoice | 6% | 2% | Maverick buying signal |
| Invoices blocked for price differences | 11% | 5% | Linked to rotor price $42 vs $40 standard? |
Illustrative course data: a Process Insights view of Contoso's invoice processing by company code.
Read a diagnostic in a fixed order. First, check the data basis: which system, client, company codes and period. Second, look at the indicators furthest from target, not the ones with the nicest charts. Third, open the blockers and flows behind those indicators to see where documents get stuck. Fourth, read the recommendations critically: a correction recommendation may assume a configuration Contoso does not use, and an innovation recommendation may require a license. Fifth, decide with a target and a date.
Notice what Dan did not do: he did not accept the recommendation as written, and he did not ask the analyst to "fix the indicator". He found the cause (Lakeside's purchase order price of $42.00 against an outdated $40.00 basis), asked the buyer to confirm it, and only then agreed the fix. The indicator is the symptom; the owner's job is to find the cause and the person who can remove it.
Use the diagnostic in governance, not only in analysis. Dan brings the three indicators furthest from target to his monthly process review, each with its cause, owner and next step, and shows the trend since the last load or subscription refresh. Over a year, that short list is a better record of process improvement than any number of dashboards, and it is exactly what an auditor or a new CFO wants to see.
Ways to get Process Insights
| Route | What you get | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Discovery edition | A one-time, free analysis for customers covered by SAP maintenance: you extract a limited data set, send it to SAP, and get access to a tenant with a reduced set of performance data | Business case before a transformation |
| RISE with SAP starter pack | Process Insights with a one-time data load, connected through an SAP BTP subaccount | A baseline before or after go-live |
| Subscription | Continuous analysis | Ongoing performance management |
What would you do?
Process Insights recommends activating a newer invoice automation capability for Contoso's supplier invoices. Dan likes it. What should he do before adding it to the roadmap?
- Process Insights provides PPIs, flows and blockers, value analysis, correction and innovation recommendations, and benchmarks.
- External peer benchmarks exist only for selected indicators; internal benchmarks compare your own units.
- Read in order: data basis, worst indicators, blockers, recommendations, decision.
- Discovery edition and the RISE starter pack give one-time analyses; continuous use needs a subscription.
Check your understanding · not graded
Lesson check
1. What does a correction recommendation address?
2. What is true of external peer benchmarks?
3. What is the first thing to check in a diagnostic?
4. Who can request the discovery edition?