SAP Cloud ERP: How to Navigate the FUE Metric

Licensing direct access: the FUE

Rise with SAP introduced a subscription-based license model, marking a shift from the traditional on-premise perpetual model that SAP customers were accustomed to. With the rebranding to SAP Cloud ERP, the logic formally remains unchanged: the reference metric is still the FUE – Full Usage Equivalent.

In the past, SAP used various types of Named User licenses for direct access to the digital core. Now, consumption is measured in FUEs: a unit of measure that considers the level of use and the authorizations granted to each user. In SAP Cloud ERP contracts, within the Cloud Services section, two key entries will be found:

Usage metric: FUE

Amount: the number of FUEs purchased, valid for the duration of the contract (these are term-based licenses).

The system is simple in principle: each type of user is translated into a certain number of FUEs, and the sum determines the total consumption—which is also the basis for licensing costs.

Let's look in detail at the intended use types:

• Advanced Use Type (similar to the on-prem Professional User): this type of FUE provides users with full access to applications, allowing them to create and modify data, run reports, and use the full range of business processes. It is typically assigned to individuals who require advanced features and play a key role in managing business operations.
• Core Use Type (similar to the on-prem Functional User): this type of FUE is assigned to users who need limited access to the S/4HANA application because they perform activities only on specific modules and reports.
• Self-Service Use Type (similar to the on-prem Productivity User): this FUE type is designed for users who access S/4HANA through self-service portals and only need to view data and access basic business processes.
• Developer Use Type (Developer): this is a usage type for roles such as programmers who need access to development and test environments.

To see the roles and responsibilities with each Use Type, you need to consult the SDG (Service Description Guide) for private editions or the SUD (Service Use Description Document) for public editions. These documents list, for each Usage Type (e.g., SAP S/4HANA Cloud Core), the associated system features (e.g., management and processing of sales orders). For a more detailed level, you can refer to the FSD (Feature Scope Description), which outlines the specific capabilities of the S/4HANA Cloud versions.

Anche se la metrica FUE non è cambiata con il rebranding, occorre prestare attenzione: con gli ultimi ruleset SAP (V91 – Ruleset V1.69) alcuni ruoli utente sono stati riclassificati verso categorie più onerose (es. da Core a Advanced). Questo significa che, a parità di utilizzo, il conteggio FUE può salire e i costi aumentare in modo non sempre immediatamente evidente. Ne abbiamo parlato in un approfondimento ad hoc (link).