SAP Helps Resellers Grow Faster With New Partner Program Focused on Business Intelligence for Small and Midsize Companies

BEIJING, July 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- SAP AG (NYSE: SAP) today announced the expansion of the SAP® PartnerEdge™ program to help resellers accelerate profitability with select SAP® BusinessObjects™ business intelligence (BI) solutions, specifically designed for small and midsize enterprises (SMEs). ACA Pacific, a leading Australian distributor of specialist IT solutions, and China National Software & Service Co., Ltd, a Chinese global IT service company with end-to-end service capability, are the first distributors to join the SAP PartnerEdge program for authorized resellers. The announcement was made at China SAPPHIRE, being held July 26-27 in Beijing.

(Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110126/AQ34470LOGO)

Working with select distribution partners will give SAP access to an even larger base of reselling organizations that can capture the rapid growth in the analytics market. Previously, SAP has focused on selling only SAP® Crystal solutions via the distribution channel. As of today, authorized resellers that are sponsored by an SAP-endorsed local distributor can sell SAP® BusinessObjects™ BI software, Edge edition, as well. The authorized reseller program was launched in the Asia-Pacific region today and will be made available to distributors and resellers on a global basis in a phased approach.

First Distributors to Join Authorized Reseller Program
"As a successful specialist distributor with a reputation for offering best of breed solutions, we are excited to be among the first distributors to join the newly launched SAP PartnerEdge program for authorized resellers," said HB Tan, director, ACA Pacific. "With more than 23 years of channel experience, we are committed to linking quality products with market needs and to adding value in the form of services and support to both the vendors we represent and the customers we serve."

"We are proud to be the first distributor to join the SAP PartnerEdge program for authorized resellers in China," said Xujie, vice president, China National Software & Service Co., Ltd. "This program is in line with our corporate values to create, share and grow our own company as well as the companies with which we work."

Benefits for Distributors and Authorized Resellers
The SAP PartnerEdge program for authorized resellers will offer new revenue streams to distributor partners through an expanded portfolio. Additionally, they will be able to both offer resellers of BI solutions an entry point into one of SAP's fastest growing markets as well as be able to expand and further specialize their partner base. Distributors will serve as single points of contact for reselling partners and will be responsible for billing and collecting revenue from authorized resellers.

To join the authorized reseller program, resellers must be sponsored by an SAP-endorsed local distributor partner. They must also meet minimum program entry requirements, which include signing a partnering agreement and fulfilling the product authorization requirements. Resellers that join the program benefit from:

• Reduced entry barriers by gaining membership with no initial or recurring program fees
• Full access to authorized reseller product education at no cost
• Attracting more business and increased profitability with BI solutions priced for SMEs
• Generating revenue with consulting and professional services, receiving certified training on implementing SAP solutions and access to resources to help boost add-on sales and upgrades
• Receiving expert assistance through SAP-endorsed distributor partners
• Gaining access to the SAP® Channel Partner Portal site and online automated tools, including partner-specific resources, marketing tools and collateral to help increase brand awareness and demand generation

"We have identified a surge in demand of smaller organizations for advanced BI solutions as many small companies are moving from reporting to ad-hoc query quicker than before," said Kevin Gilroy, senior vice president, Global Indirect Channels, SAP. "This represents a huge opportunity for resellers who are the preferred partner for these small businesses. The reach of distributors in the market is very powerful as they touch even more buying centers than we do. By joining forces with ACA and China National Software & Service Co., Ltd., we are once more underlining our commitment to driving our partners' and customers' growth through collaboration and innovation."

For announcements, blog posts, videos and other coverage, visit the Events Newsroom.

About SAP
As market leader in enterprise application software, SAP (NYSE: SAP) helps companies of all sizes and industries run better. From back office to boardroom, warehouse to storefront, desktop to mobile device – SAP empowers people and organizations to work together more efficiently and use business insight more effectively to stay ahead of the competition. SAP applications and services enable more than 195,000 customers (includes customers from the acquisition of SuccessFactors) to operate profitably, adapt continuously, and grow sustainably. For more information, visit www.sap.com.

Any statements contained in this document that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "forecast," "intend," "may," "plan," "project," "predict," "should" and "will" and similar expressions as they relate to SAP are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. SAP undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations. The factors that could affect SAP's future financial results are discussed more fully in SAP's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including SAP's most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of their dates.

© 2012 by SAP AG. All rights reserved.
SAP and the SAP logo are registered trademarks of SAP AG in Germany and other countries. Business Objects and the Business Objects logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Business Objects Software Ltd. Business Objects is an SAP company. Sybase and the Sybase logo are registered trademarks of Sybase Inc. Sybase is an SAP company. Crossgate is a registered trademark of Crossgate AG in Germany and other countries. Crossgate is an SAP company.

Follow SAP on Twitter at @sapnews.

For customers interested in learning more about SAP products:
Global Customer Center: +49 180 534-34-24
United States Only: 1 (800) 872-1SAP (1-800-872-1727)

For more information, press only:
Tanja Charrier, +49 62277 48522, [email protected], CET
SAP Press Office, +49 (6227) 7-46315, CET; +1 (610) 661-3200, EDT; [email protected] 
Torrey Fazen, Burson-Marsteller, +1 617-912-5401, [email protected], EDT

SOURCE SAP AG