For decades, BSH Hausgeräte GmbH has been a trusted name in kitchens worldwide through iconic brands such as Bosch, Siemens, and Gaggenau. Today, BSH is applying the same spirit of innovation not just to home appliances—but to finance and IT transformation.
In partnership with SAP, BSH is reinventing its finance function with a cloud-first strategy, aiming to reduce manual processes, break down data silos, and enable AI-driven decision-making.
Technology That Follows Vision
Operating in more than 50 countries with 39 manufacturing facilities, BSH manages a highly complex financial landscape. The responsibility of keeping financial data accurate, consistent, and usable across global entities lies with the Group Controlling team, led by Heiko Schletz, Head of Governance, Methods, and Systems.
BSH’s guiding principle is simple yet powerful:
Technology must follow vision, not the other way around.
The company is working to unify accounting and controlling into a single, integrated process supported by real-time data and analytics. This shift ensures financial insights are available faster and with far less manual effort.
Simplifying Reporting with SAP Datasphere
To modernize reporting and analytics, BSH is piloting SAP Datasphere, SAP’s next-generation data management platform. The goal is to unify SAP and non-SAP data into one governed environment.
In a recent use case, BSH connected:
- Accounting balances
- Controlling P&L data
- Market and performance metrics
All data was consolidated automatically—without spreadsheets or manual processing.
This approach clearly demonstrates where finance is heading:
connected systems, integrated data, and insight-driven reporting.
Breaking Down Silos to Enable AI
A key long-term objective for BSH is to eliminate silos between:
- Accounting
- Controlling
- Treasury
By implementing a parallel ledger architecture, BSH aims to support both legal entity reporting and group-level consolidation within a unified framework.
By moving to SAP S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition, integrated with SAP Datasphere and SAP Analytics Cloud, BSH is building a single source of truth for finance. This foundation enables advanced analytics, such as value-driver trees, and prepares the organization for SAP’s evolving AI capabilities.
“SAP’s AI evolution is running in the direction we also want to go,” says Schletz. “The technology meets our vision—and that’s why it’s a perfect fit.”
The Road to RISE with SAP
BSH has used SAP solutions for decades, beginning with SAP R/3, followed by SAP S/4HANA, SAP Business Warehouse, and SAP Analytics Cloud.
The next major milestone is cloud migration with RISE with SAP. Over the next two years, BSH plans to:
- Migrate fully to the cloud
- Consolidate six ERP systems into one global SAP S/4HANA environment
- Simplify and harmonize its application landscape across all regions
This transformation ensures finance teams spend less time consolidating data and more time creating business value.
Advice for SAP S/4HANA Transformations
Schletz offers clear guidance for organizations considering RISE with SAP:
- Start with a clear finance vision
- Align accounting and controlling from the beginning
- Treat SAP S/4HANA as a cross-functional transformation, not just an IT project
- Ensure collaboration across logistics, sales, and customer service
“If you don’t start with a concept that combines accounting and controlling, don’t start with SAP S/4HANA,” he emphasizes.
A Finance Function Designed for Insight
BSH’s transformation journey continues, but its direction is clear:
- Cloud-first finance with RISE with SAP
- Integrated, real-time financial data
- AI-ready analytics
- Reduced manual effort
“We want the machine to do what it does best, so people can focus on creating value,” Schletz concludes.
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Disclaimer
This article is for informational and educational purposes only.
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