SAP Jam adds work patterns, processes

SAP on Monday updated its SAP Jam collaboration software to include work patterns, processes that connect the social enterprise to sales and service.

The German software giant a year ago launched the cloud-based SAP Jam and now claims more than 10 million subscribers. The first patterns SAP is releasing connects SAP CRM with Jam.

Here's the way these patterns will work in SAP Jam: Employees would select from a list of patterns to pull together experts, repeat processes and adapt as needed. Marriott and TELUS Communications were cited as early customers.

The first pre-configured patterns in SAP Jam and CRM will revolve around account planning, deal rooms and service requests. These patterns will be delivered Nov. 14 through Dec. 5. Jam is designed to be customized for line of business applications.

Dion Hinchcliffe, chief strategy officer at the Dachis Group, said:

Companies are starting to move beyond the "provide and pray" model of enterprise social networking to more purpose-driven social workforce scenarios. Toward this goal, I think the latest version of SAP Jam has taken a significant step forward in bring IT systems and social systems closer together by providing meaningful off-the-shelf work templates that organize social activity around common and useful business functions.

Overall, SAP's vision for Jam hasn't changed much, but work patterns are an advance.