Systematic strategic planning has become, increasingly, a vital factor for small and medium enterprises, since they can not remain indifferent to the challenges, both internally and externally facing, especially in such uncertain times like the present.

Many of these companies are now faced with two fundamental questions:

- How to implement systematic procedures for strategic planning towards the future?
- What success factors must be taken into account during this process?

There are various elements that define the environment for SMEs: business processes that connect different sectors, the trend to high capital investment towards internationalization, increasing pressure on price margins by big business and, finally - but no less important - technological developments - most of which points us towards completely new business relationships.

All these challenges have a direct influence on the area of operation of small and medium enterprises. Thus, to reach new markets, for example at the regional level, any company must define a clear and undisputed position that allows it to compete effectively.
Will also need to create organizational structures and provide suitable technological conditions that facilitate their access to new trade routes and supply? But managing all these variables, at the same time you think about future needs with some flexibility and innovation, requires the development of structures, processes and systems very different from what is now reality for small and medium enterprises.

In the world of business, size does matter.
Small and medium enterprises which, on a recurring basis, relying on instinct or simply maintain a passive face of new developments occurring in their economic environment, put at risk their ability to compete in the short and medium term. For this reason, small and medium enterprises must be able to translate its vision and strategy possible realities, strongly supported by the foundations of a tactical and operational structure of reference, as do large firms. How to get that? Tools and ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) business management that give small and medium enterprises, according to their characteristics and needs, the support necessary to maintain and change their strategic planning a systematic way.

Many SAP customers are small and medium enterprises, SAP ERP solutions adopted exactly the same reasons large firms: achieving efficiency, new markets and gain control over the competition.