SAP Enable Now & WalkMe: What’s next

(Article updated in May 2026)

The takeover of WalkMe by SAP has come as a surprise, especially to long-time users of SAP’s Enable Now. What happens now?

It was an announcement with a bang: instead of further developing the familiar Enable Now tool for training content, documentation and simulations, SAP has acquired WalkMe. WalkMe is a platform for in-app user guidance and digital process support. And it is based on a completely different software architecture.

We talk about the strengths and limitations of this new tool in our article SAP WalkMe: Why it is no substitute for a training concept.

But there was another announcement that caused uncertainty. SAP does not intend to develop Enable Now any further. Maintenance is only available until 2030. This means that SAP Enable Now is in the final lifecycle phase and will be strategically supplemented and replaced in the future by WalkMe Learning Arc.

That came as a surprise.

And it raises questions. Not only for existing users, but also for customers who are faced with the decision to use one of the two tools. In particular, what happens to existing Enable Now content has long been a source of uncertainty.

However, it is now becoming clearer where the journey is heading: SAP is positioning WalkMe Learning Arc as the successor to the Digital Learning area. Existing Enable Now learning content will continue to be usable, editable and, in some cases, can even be adopted as new microlearning content.

In our article, we try to shed some light on the situation and answer the question: What’s next for Enable Now and WalkMe?

How do Enable Now and WalkMe work?

Although the benefits of Enable Now and WalkMe are very similar, the two tools differ in their application and objectives:

SAP Enable Now is the leading digital adoption platform and is used for SAP training. The tool helps to create structured learning content. Users can use it to familiarize themselves with complex applications in advance using simulations and e-learning – for example, for SAP system launches and demanding process training.

For many SAP customers, Enable Now therefore plays an important role in training and is deeply integrated into change management processes.

WalkMe, on the other hand, is a platform for digital user guidance. It provides in-app support – i.e. directly in the software – with interactive help and guides users step-by-step through processes or explains input. WalkMe focuses on digital adoption during onboarding or software training in the live system – not on the creation of learning content or enterprise content management (ECM).

There is another difference between the two training tools: WalkMe is only available in the cloud, unlike Enable Now, which can be used hybrid, with a cloud component and a desktop application. Cloud usage is a compliance issue, especially for regulated industries (pharma, finance, public sector).

What are the challenges?

The two solutions do not compete directly, but complement each other – and that is precisely why SAP is pursuing the goal of merging them in the future. Strategically, this is understandable. Operationally, however, this transition remains challenging, as the systems differ significantly from one another in terms of technology, functionality and architecture.

These are the most important points:

• Different content and formats: WalkMe works with in-app user guidance directly in the system. SAP Enable Now, on the other hand, was primarily developed for traditional learning content, documentation and simulations. For a long time, it was unclear how existing Enable Now content could continue to be used in the future. However, SAP has now made it clearer that existing digital learning content can be transferred to WalkMe Learning Arc, played back and further processed. Selected content can even be reused as new microlearning formats. Nevertheless, the migration of existing learning landscapes remains a complex issue.
• Different architectures: The two platforms also differ considerably in technical terms. SAP Enable Now is closely linked to the classic SAP system landscape. WalkMe, on the other hand, is based on a modern cloud and digital adoption architecture. It is therefore not easy to completely merge the two worlds. In addition, it is still unclear how certain functions can be developed or replaced in the long term.
• Technological focus on AI and usage data: WalkMe’s greatest value for SAP lies in the areas of artificial intelligence, automation and usage analysis. This is likely to have been a key reason for acquiring the tool. The platform recognizes where support is needed and evaluates usage behaviour. This data can be crucial in helping to optimize processes.
• Two platforms are not a solution: there is no way around a merger of some kind in the medium term. SAP customers are unlikely to be prepared to use two different systems in parallel and create duplicate content in the long term. The announcement of the design freeze already speaks for itself. But:
• Long transition instead of a hard cut: It is now becoming apparent that SAP is opting for a gradual transition rather than an abrupt replacement. Although Enable Now will no longer be strategically developed further, it will remain in support for several more years. At the same time, SAP is clearly positioning WalkMe Learning Arc as the platform of the future for digital learning and digital adoption. For companies, the main question is therefore how existing learning content, processes and training concepts can be developed further in a meaningful way.

It remains to be seen how SAP will merge the two solutions in the long term. The key question for users is how smoothly the migration of existing content and learning processes will actually work.

Opinion: Strategically, the move is understandable. Topics such as AI-supported user guidance, contextual learning and data-based process optimization are becoming increasingly important. At the same time, however, it is also clear that existing customers in particular need clear guidance, realistic transition scenarios and more support in the transformation of existing learning landscapes when it comes to such technological changes.

What alternatives are there?

Due to the current unanswered questions regarding the future of Enable Now, many companies are looking at alternatives for digital training and user support. Three providers are frequently mentioned here.

All in all, a changeover is possible, but involves considerable effort and not inconsiderable costs. Therefore, the most sensible option for existing customers is to wait and see.

Will there be a migration from SAP Enable Now to WalkMe?

Yes, SAP has now communicated in much more concrete terms what the transition from SAP Enable Now to WalkMe Learning Arc will look like. While it was unclear for a long time what would happen to existing learning content, SAP now explicitly refers to a “transition” of existing digital learning content to the new platform.

As things currently stand, existing SAP Enable Now digital learning content is to be integrated into WalkMe Learning Arc:

• hosted,
• played and
• further processed

can be used. Selected content can also be reused as new microlearning objects in WalkMe Learning Arc. SAP expressly emphasizes that existing content will not be lost.

However, the following restriction is important:
This transitional solution only affects digital learning content from SAP Enable Now. Content from SAP Companion and classic digital adoption functions such as guided tours or hotspots are currently excluded.

For existing Enable Now customers, this means:

• Existing learning content does not have to be copied prematurely.
• The further development of existing content remains sensible for the time being.
• At the same time, companies should systematically analyze their learning landscapes and content and evaluate which formats are suitable for WalkMe Learning Arc in the future.
• It is also becoming increasingly important to develop expertise in digital adoption, in-app guidance and AI-supported learning processes.

Our assessment therefore remains: don’t react hastily – but actively prepare for the transition.

What should SEN and WalkMe users do now?

In the short term: keep calm, but plan strategically

The greatest uncertainty of recent months appears to be easing somewhat. SAP is visibly working on enabling existing customers to make the transition with as little risk as possible. The official statements indicate that existing learning content will remain usable and will not have to be completely rebuilt.

Nevertheless, companies should not confuse the remaining support period of Enable Now with a standstill. Now is the right time to critically review existing content, learning processes and governance structures.

Medium-term: Targeted evaluation of existing content

Even if SAP now describes specific transition scenarios, this does not automatically mean that every existing learning landscape can be adopted unchanged.

Companies should therefore check at an early stage:

• Which content is still relevant
• Which formats should be modernized
• Where traditional training content can be combined more closely with in-app support in future
• Which content is suitable for microlearning

This is because WalkMe Learning Arc pursues a more contextual and AI-supported learning approach overall than SAP Enable Now.

Long-term: preparing for the new world of learning and adoption

With WalkMe Learning Arc, SAP is clearly pursuing the strategy of linking learning, digital adoption and AI-supported user support more closely together.

The platform should:

work cloud-based,

integrate modern analytics and AI functions,

enable contextual learning and

Provide learning content directly in the work process.

We have summarized more about the new platform in the article SAP WalkMe Learning Arc: Functions, advantages and differences.
This not only changes the technology, but also the way companies will have to think about learning and enablement in the future.

Many details about the long-term platform strategy remain open. At the same time, SAP’s communication now seems much more concrete and binding than a few months ago.

There is therefore much to suggest that SAP intends to make the transition gradually – and wants to take existing Enable Now customers with it to a greater extent than originally feared.

SAP expertise for your team

Skills, not just knowledge. Our tailor-made training solutions will help your employees gain real expertise in working with the SAP environment. Tell us where we should strengthen your team.