SAP adds AI-powered roleplays to its Stay Certified renewal process

Roleplays alongside the classic quiz

Under the new approach, learners can choose between a knowledge-based assessment and short, practical roleplays. The roleplays simulate customer interactions built around defined knowledge goals. Instead of only answering questions about SAP products and capabilities, learners work through a scenario and show how they would apply what they know.

SAP says the scenarios are grounded in content reflecting the latest SAP product releases. The aim is to have learners demonstrate applied, up-to-date knowledge. After each assessment, learners receive immediate, personalized feedback that highlights what went well and where they can improve. According to SAP, this feedback is specific to the scenario rather than a generic score.

Learners who prefer or require a non-AI pathway can still complete a stand-alone assessment quiz.

Why SAP is changing renewal

SAP argues that cloud software brought constant updates and faster release cycles, and that AI has accelerated this. For consultants, developers, architects, project managers, and sales and presales professionals, staying current means understanding both what has changed and how those changes apply to customer situations.

The company says the assessments are meant to help learners focus on the knowledge and capabilities that have changed since they got certified or last renewed. In SAP's words, this creates a clearer connection between maintaining a credential and maintaining relevant expertise. For customers, SAP says, credentials can continue to reflect hands-on expertise aligned with current product capabilities.

The move follows SAP's earlier expansion of certification beyond traditional multiple-choice exams to include practical, performance-based assessments.

A 90-day window and clearer reminders

SAP is also changing the mechanics of renewal. A new 90-day Stay Certified renewal window lets learners pass their assessment within that period, and their certification then continues seamlessly based on the original expiry date.

• Personalized, time-bound reminders are meant to show learners when action is required.
• Improvements in the My Learning section of the SAP Learning site are meant to give clearer visibility into renewal deadlines and certification expiry.

Hands-on pilot at SAP TechEd in Berlin

SAP says it is exploring other practical learning formats as well. At SAP TechEd in Berlin, it will pilot an event-based approach in which eligible learners can fulfill their Stay Certified requirement by taking part in on-site, hands-on sessions. Participation can be credited toward certification renewal.

SAP describes this as following the same principle as the roleplays: practical product knowledge counts.

What it means for certified professionals

For people holding SAP certifications, renewal becomes more flexible: a quiz, an AI roleplay and, for eligible learners at the TechEd pilot, hands-on sessions are all routes to staying certified. The longer renewal window and reminders are intended to make deadlines easier to manage. The new format also shifts renewal toward showing how knowledge is applied rather than only recalled, a direction SAP says is already underway across its certification program. The article was written by Diana Alexandra Roesner, head of Certification Transformation at SAP.