Handling customer complaints efficiently and automatically – without manual data entry or system switching. That’s exactly what we’ve achieved with SAP Build Process Automation: a smart workflow that processes incoming customer claims, identifies relevant SAP data, and automatically notifies the responsible supplier.
The entire process runs on the SAP Business Technology Platform (SAP BTP) – powered by AI, integrated with SAP S/4HANA, and built with a low-code approach.
SAP Build Process Automation (BPA) is SAP’s low-code/no-code solution to model, automate, and manage business processes directly on SAP BTP. It enables business users and IT to collaborate on digitizing and accelerating processes without launching full-scale development projects.
🔧 Low-Code/No-Code: Build workflows without writing code
🔌 Seamless Integration: Connect SAP and non-SAP systems via OData, REST, or Cloud Connector
🧠 Built-In AI Capabilities: Extract data from documents with SAP Business AI
🔍 Process Transparency: Manage decisions, monitor performance, and ensure visibility
⚡ Fast Time to Value: Turn ideas into productive workflows in days, not months
In this scenario, we demonstrate the automated handling of a customer complaint that typically arrives through a communication channel like email. The goal is to identify the affected product, understand the reported issue, and determine the responsible supplier – all without manual involvement.
Customer Complaint Received
A new message (e.g., via email) triggers the workflow. The content and sender details are automatically extracted.
AI-Based Entity Recognition
A large language model analyzes the email text and extracts key information:
Customer identity
Purchase order number
Material or product ID
Description of the defect
SAP S/4HANA Data Enrichment via BTP
The extracted entities are matched against SAP master data to retrieve:
Customer details
Purchase order records
Product and material master data
Bill of Materials (BOM)
Faulty Component Detection
Based on the description, the AI attempts to identify the likely defective component from the BOM.
Determine Responsible Supplier
Using procurement and BOM data, the workflow finds out whether the part is manufactured in-house or sourced externally – and retrieves the supplier details.
Trigger Follow-Up Actions
The final step is fully customizable and could include:
Sending an automated email to the supplier
Creating a ticket or task in SAP
Starting an internal escalation or return process
The use cases go far beyond handling customer complaints. With SAP Build Process Automation, a wide range of repetitive and manual tasks can be streamlined, such as:
Approval workflows for leave requests, purchases, or investments
Automated master data creation and updates (e.g., customer or supplier records)
Incoming invoice and document processing
Handling service desk inquiries and responses
Automated reminders, escalations, and follow-ups
Integration of non-SAP systems into SAP-based processes
By combining process logic, workflow orchestration, and AI, companies can unlock a wide range of use cases – all designed and managed visually within SAP BTP.
This use case clearly shows how even complex workflows like complaint management can be automated intelligently using SAP Build Process Automation – with no custom ABAP development required.
Thanks to seamless integration with SAP S/4HANA and the power of embedded AI, companies can respond faster, reduce manual effort, and deliver better service.
With tools like SAP Build Process Automation, business teams gain more autonomy, processes become more agile, and solutions can be built iteratively. It’s not just automation – it’s transformation, simplified.
JAN OSTERMANN
Head of Technology & AI
