Blog

AccessFlow – Bringing Visibility to all Accesses on a Unified Platform
In a complex ERP environment, keeping a track of internal access and permissions is one of the major challenges faced by modern organizations. With constant onboarding and offboarding processes of resources, promotions and high turnover rates happening daily, it becomes quite hard to keep a tab on access management. It is therefore of utmost importance to ensure that the right people in an organization have the right access to the ERP environment for the appropriate amount of time.
Automating this end-to-end ERP access authorization process using a compliant Identity and Access Management (IAM) solution not only avoids time-consuming and resource-intensive activities but also simplifies the entire process by reducing manual intervention and human errors.
AccessFlow
AccessFlow is an automated, self-service access management system built on the ServiceNow platform. It offers seamless integration with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) environments –

• On-Premise Oracle EBS from R12.x version onwards
• On-Premise SAP S/4HANA and future versions

AccessFlow is the Enterprise Access Management Solution that connects your active directory or any IAM tools to CMDB, for requesting access.​ It maintains and protects Enterprise Access, Privileged Access, Role-based access, Access both on-premises and on cloud, Manual or scheduled access review/attestation, Owner accountability, Authorized approval process, Dashboards and reporting.
In addition to simplifying access management to ERP environments and improving visibility, the key differentiators of AccessFlow are:

• Centralized Access Management
• Enhance business productivity and save cost
• Stay Compliant
• Deliver Superior User Experiences
•  Seamless mobile support

Key Features of AccessFlow

1. End to End Integration with ERP Package – Oracle EBS and SAP S/4HANA On-Premise​

• Account Management: Create/Deactivate, SAP/Oracle accounts from AccessFlow ​
• Add/Remove Entitlements: Permissions for the SAP/Oracle user accounts can be added/removed.​
• Account Reconciliation: Automatically reconcile the permissions added from SAP and Oracle side to AccessFlow
• Custom Integration with Cloud ERP can also be offered to clients. For more details, please access the deck

2. e-Signature ​: The organization can enable the digital signature feature on its configuration catalogue, which means that if access for any users needs to be approved/attested, an additional authentication mechanism will be used. This will help the organization to comply with 21 CFR Part 11 regulation​

3. UI Changes for Better Usability

• Changes in the Navigation Bar
• Improved Access Request Page
• Reduced the number of clicks on Review & Approval page
• Few Catalogs added/removed

Business Benefits of AccessFlow

• Process efficiency
• Compliance
• ERP integration
• Cost saving
• Centralized data
• Efficient onboarding and offboarding process
• Increase employee satisfaction and productivity
• Reduce IT risk
• Dashboards and Reporting
• Reduce admin tasks and human errors

Cost Benefit Analysis
ERP Framework is complex in nature, and it requires a specialized skill set to manage the system​. Integration of ERP and other IAM systems necessitates both the tool licenses and additional integration costs​. AccessFlow not only helps to bring down the cost but also makes it easy to access, even for those with no knowledge of the ERP framework

• Streamlined approach: AccessFlow capabilities change into a streamlined approach that offers improved agility, scalability, and efficiency, all at a reduced cost. This enables the business to support current and future projects while still addressing the challenges raised by user interface demands.​
• Application from the store: If you have a basic ServiceNow license for AccessFlow, you can download the Application from the store. Though the integration work is not free it is much lower than other tools in the market.
• Automates the access request: It is a self-service portal that automates the access request process without requiring manual intervention from the system administrator. This in turn saves a huge amount of money.

When compared with the annual support fee, integration cost, and license cost of other tools in the market, AccessFlow offers a 90% reduction in the cost. This enables 90% increase in efficiency of the process.
Segregation of Duties
Segregation of Duties have been implemented to ensure that preventive internal control mechanism has been enforced to help organizations in meeting mandates. This will assist in reducing potential malicious behavior for high-risk and sensitive tasks that are distributed across several authorities in a corporate ecosystem. The implementation of SoD will be beneficial in three major ways:

• It will prevent data theft and fraudulent activities carried out intentionally
• Maintain Regulatory Compliance
• Gain 360-degree visibility into the riskiest access and access combination

Process efficiency and Productivity
Integration can improve the efficiency and productivity of processes. You obtain real-time data and the ability to see who has access to which modules. This ensures you will still be up to date on the status of access requests, and you will be able to revoke access quickly if necessary. AccessFlow provides a centralized report that automates the admin task, thus eliminating system administrator and reduces human error.
When dealing with any typical tool, new employees or individuals seeking access to the ERP system requires 7 to 10 working days. In addition, there is a long list of personnel required for the process such as – HR, Reporting Manager, Department head, System admin, CIO/ERP heads and System Admin, etc. With AccessFlow, the complete process can be done in one or fewer working days.
Register here for a free demo now and explore more on Alcor’s IAM offering to bring your access management to life!