SAP’s API Policy introduces a clearer governance framework for API consumption across cloud, on-premise, and SAP S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition (RISE) environments. The policy is intended to support secure, scalable, and governed integration practices while continuing to enable innovation through published and supported interfaces.  

The primary objectives of the policy are to ensure APIs are used as documented and intended, maintain platform stability and security, establish governance around automation and AI-driven access, and support innovation through supported integration methods. Importantly, the updated policy does not change contractual entitlements or licensing rights. Instead, it formalizes SAP’s technical governance approach across its product portfolio. 

The update also introduces clearer distinctions between published and non-published APIs, formal governance around AI-driven and automated API usage, and more consistent enforcement of rate limits, throttling, and usage controls across environments. At the same time, several areas remain unchanged. Customers retain their contractual license rights and entitlements, they are still free to build custom integrations, and there is no indication that existing compliant integrations will stop functioning as a result of the policy update. 

Operating Model Impact: RISE vs Non-RISE Customers

• Infrastructure & Operations: Under RISE, SAP manages the infrastructure, operations, and lifecycle of the environment. In non-RISE environments, customers retain responsibility for managing infrastructure and operational delivery. 

• Integration Ownership: Customers remain responsible for integration design and compliance in both models. However, in non-RISE environments, ownership and accountability remain fully customer-led.

• API Enforcement: RISE environments enable SAP to apply system-level controls such as monitoring, safeguards, and throttling. In non-RISE environments, enforcement relies on customer-managed governance and tooling. 

• Dependency Visibility: RISE customers may rely more heavily on SAP-managed telemetry and detection capabilities. Non-RISE customers typically have greater direct visibility but depend on the maturity of their own monitoring and governance processes.

• Exposure to Legacy APIs: Within RISE environments, hidden dependencies on legacy APIs may create greater operational impact due to the managed runtime. Non-RISE environments provide increased visibility but may carry greater exposure to unmanaged technical debt.

• AI Governance: SAP applies stronger governance and enforcement around API usage patterns in RISE environments. Non-RISE customers are responsible for implementing and maintaining their own governance controls for AI-driven access.

• Integration Remediation: For RISE customers, remediation responsibilities remain customer-owned unless otherwise agreed contractually. In non-RISE environments, remediation remains fully owned and managed by the customer end-to-end.

How Compliance Is Managed and Enforced 

• Compliance Principle: SAP’s approach is based on usage patterns and adherence to documented APIs rather than certifying individual interfaces. The focus is on encouraging supported integration methods while maintaining platform stability and governance.

• Allowed Usage: Organizations can continue using published SAP APIs, customer-developed APIs including Z namespace, CDS, RFC, and OData, as well as supported integration middleware, provided usage aligns with documented standards.

• Restricted Usage: SAP places restrictions on the use of internal or non-published APIs, bypassing governance controls, unmanaged AI or agentic access, and large-scale extraction activities outside approved architectures.

• Monitoring Scope: Monitoring is focused on API metadata, including volume, frequency, response behavior, and system usage patterns. Business data payloads are not included within the monitoring scope.

• Detection Methods: Compliance monitoring relies on pattern-based analytics, system telemetry, and classification of API usage behavior to identify unsupported or higher-risk integration activities.

• Enforcement Model: SAP’s enforcement approach is progressive, beginning with monitoring and customer engagement before moving to technical safeguards, such as throttling, where required.

• Audit Tooling: Customers can use tools such as ATC Cloud Readiness checks, the simplification item catalog, API classification metadata, and system logs to support compliance and governance activities.

Policy Limitations 

API Policy places clear boundaries on what type of API usage is permitted and what type is restricted for the purpose of making sure all customers have secure and stable integrations  

Restricted:

• Use of SAP internal, private, or non-published APIs, 
• Circumventing rate limits, controls, or governance layers,  
• Uncontrolled AI or agentic automation over SAP APIs,  
• Large-scale extraction outside approved architectures. 

Supported:

• Customer-developed APIs in own namespace,  
• Published SAP APIs (SAP Help Portal, Business Accelerator Hub),  
• Integration via SAP or third-party middleware (if compliant).  

Contractual and Legal Framework 

SAP API Policy works within existing agreements and doesn’t change existing rights or commercial arrangements. Where applicable, SAP’s approach will continue to comply with applicable legal requirements, including regulated access and data portability, and will be enforced through built-in technical features and product documentation, rather than contractual changes. 

Using non-published API’s: Organizations relying on internal, private, or non-published SAP APIs may face increased operational and compliance risk over time, as these interfaces are not officially supported and can change through upgrades, patches, or product evolution. This may lead to integration instability, increased maintenance effort, governance challenges, and operational limitations rather than contractual impacts.

AI Adoption and Governance: Adopting SAP AI does not create compliance concerns under the SAP API Policy. However, organizations using external AI agents or automation without appropriate governance controls or documented APIs may increase security exposure, API consumption risk, operational complexity, and the likelihood of unsupported integration patterns.

Conclusion 

In summary, SAP’s API Policy introduces clearer governance for API usage without limiting flexibility. By aligning integrations with supported and documented APIs, organizations can strengthen compliance, reduce operational risk, and support long-term innovation across both RISE and non-RISE environments. 

Sources:

API Policy & FAQS: SAP API