SAP Identity Provisioning Service (IPS)
- May 15, 2026
- SAP Security, SAP Security
- Carsten Olt
Features, Benefits, and Integration
The SAP Identity Provisioning Service (IPS) provisions identities and authorization rights across your cloud and on-premise applications. This allows you to maintain a unified identity for accessing all systems, even in a hybrid environment, and strengthen your overall security posture.
SAP IPS automates the management of user accounts and transforms data across different systems, eliminating the need for manual transfers.
In this article, you will learn how SAP Identity Provisioning can optimize your SAP landscape.
What is SAP Identity Provisioning Service (IPS)?
SAP IPS (Identity Provisioning Service) is a cloud identity service introduced in 2016. It automates the management of identities and access rights, particularly for cloud applications. With SAP IPS, you can control basic identity lifecycle processes, including the creation, modification, and deletion of user accounts.
SAP Identity Provisioning synchronizes user identities and their attributes, acting as a bridge between an organization’s central user directory and the SAP cloud environment. This automates the entire user lifecycle management process.
Together with the SAP Identity Authentication Service (IAS), SAP IPS provides an end-to-end solution for identity and access management (IAM). The service is available through the SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP).
Key Features of SAP IPS
At its core, the SAP Identity Provisioning Service connects a source system with a target system. The source system contains user data that is needed in the target system. However, SAP IPS can also be deployed as a proxy system by connecting it to an existing identity management (IDM) solution. This option is particularly suited for organizations that already use IDM as their central identity management platform.
SAP IPS is compatible with a wide range of systems, primarily in cloud environments. By connecting SAP IPS to IDM, organizations can also integrate cloud systems into their central identity management that would otherwise only be able to be provisioned.
Beyond this core functionality, SAP IPS offers the following features:
- Access definition and policy management: SAP IPS defines user access through role and group assignments as well as corporate identity attributes such as department. Policies that govern authorization management can be propagated across cloud applications to enforce consistent authorization rules.
- Source system connectivity: SAP IPS connects to corporate identity stores such as SAP SuccessFactors, SAP AS ABAP, Microsoft Entra ID, or Active Directory (AD), which store and manage all user identities and associated attributes. If you already use SAP SuccessFactors, you can connect it directly as a source system for SAP IPS.
- Transformation management: SAP IPS transfers data between source and target systems and transforms it into a unified JSON format when data structures differ. Organizations can configure which data is modified or filtered and which user groups can access specific information. This ensures that security and business requirements are met, and user accounts receive only the authorizations they need.
- Hybrid system integration: SAP IPS integrates and synchronizes on-premise applications within hybrid system landscapes.
Benefits of SAP Identity Provisioning Service
SAP IPS enables centralized identity and access management for your cloud environments and delivers a range of benefits:
- The service supports hybrid SAP landscapes by synchronizing on-premise processes and facilitating extensions through cloud applications.
- Automated account management saves time and reduces maintenance overhead. Since authorization assignment, user administration, and data transfers no longer require manual intervention, SAP cloud services can be deployed faster.
- Automation reduces the resources and costs required for configuration.
- By continuously reconciling data between source and target systems, SAP IPS detects changes in compliance and business requirements and adjusts authorizations automatically. This reduces manual effort, increases efficiency, and lowers the risk of errors. At the same time, it minimizes security risks and simplifies adherence to legal and internal regulations, ultimately improving IT security and reducing compliance costs.
SAP IPS vs. SAP IAS: What Is the Difference?
Like SAP IPS, the SAP Identity Authentication Service (SAP IAS) is a cloud identity service. Both services are built on the same technology stack and work hand in hand: IAS enables IPS to provide secure access to cloud applications.
The following table highlights the key differences between the two services:
SAP IPS (Identity Provisioning Service) | SAP IAS (Identity Authentication Service) | |
Scope | Identity and access management | Authentication and authorization |
Core Function | Manages identity lifecycle processes across cloud and on-premise systems | Enables secure authentication and single sign-on (SSO) |
Features | Automated creation, modification, and deletion of user accounts; role and authorization assignment; synchronization and configurable transformation of user data; activity logging and provisioning job logs | Credential verification and risk-based authentication; access management; delegation to external identity providers; centralized trust management; SSO session management |
Integration | Connects to various source and target systems such as SAP SuccessFactors, Microsoft Entra ID, etc. | Integrates with on-premise and cloud applications and external identity providers |
Standards | SCIM | SAML 2.0 and OpenID Connect |
Integrate SAP IPS with Xiting
The Xiting QuickStart Implementation Service enables a fast and straightforward deployment of SAP Cloud Identity Services IAS and IPS. It is designed for organizations that do not currently have an identity management system (IDM) in place but already have access to SAP IPS and IAS, and use Microsoft Entra ID as their central data source.
As part of the service, two SAP cloud applications are configured and identity federation between SAP IAS and your existing identity provider is established.
In addition, the Xiting team works with you to develop a tailored group concept for user identity distribution. This provides you with an efficient foundation for centralized identity and access management in the cloud.
FAQ
Can SAP Cloud Identity Provisioning Service be used without an IAM solution?
Yes, SAP IPS can be used independently for identity provisioning without requiring a dedicated identity and access management (IAM) solution.
Does SAP IPS replace an IDM solution?
While SAP IPS handles key identity provisioning tasks, it cannot fully replace a dedicated IDM solution. The feature set of SAP IPS is more limited compared to a full IDM platform.
For example, SAP IPS lacks advanced capabilities such as workflow management and auditing, which can result in role and group assignments that are not audit-compliant.
SAP Identity Provisioning Service is best understood as a complement to IDM or as an alternative for organizations with less complex identity management requirements.
Which cloud systems does SAP Identity Provisioning Service support?
A current list of source, target, and proxy systems supported by SAP Identity Provisioning Service is available in the SAP Cloud Identity Services help portal.