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SAP's Signavio hit with function injunction in Germany

Policy1 min read

A German court has banned SAP from offering one feature of its Signavio software in Germany. The case was brought by Celonis, a rival that makes process mining software.

What happened

The Munich Regional Court ruled that SAP broke a patent owned by Celonis. The patent covers a way to measure the time between steps in a business process. Because of this, SAP may not offer that feature in Germany. The court also asked SAP to share more information and financial statements about the alleged copying. The ruling only applies in Germany.

Key facts

  • The ruling covers one function inside SAP Signavio Process Intelligence, not the whole product.
  • Celonis first filed a lawsuit in the US in March last year.
  • A trial in that US case is set for September 2027.
  • Pharma company GSK once found about 28,000 different versions of one sales order process.

Why these two companies are fighting

Process mining software shows how work really gets done inside a company, not how it was planned. Celonis was founded in 2011. SAP bought Signavio in 2021 to compete in this market and to help customers move to the cloud. SAP says Signavio is not required for its cloud moves, but it is sold in bundles with RISE with SAP, a package that helps companies switch to SAP's newest ERP system, S/4HANA.

Why it matters

SAP says customers will not be affected. It says the product is still available and that S/4HANA Cloud moves are not changed. SAP has appealed the ruling and is also challenging the validity of the patent. The dispute is one of several legal fights between the two companies, so more court decisions are likely.

What to watch

  • The result of SAP's appeal of the Munich ruling.
  • The decision of the Federal Patent Court on whether the Celonis patent is valid.
  • The US trial, set for September 2027.
  • Whether SAP shares the financial information the court asked for.

Glossary

SAP
A large software company that makes business software for managing money, people, and supplies.
Signavio
A SAP product that helps companies map and improve their business processes.
Celonis
A software company that uses process mining to show how business processes really run.
Process mining
Using data from computer systems to map how work actually happens step by step.
S/4HANA
SAP's newest business software system, which runs a company's core operations.
RISE with SAP
An SAP package that helps companies move their software to the cloud.

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