With increasing privacy regulations worldwide, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), organizations are mandated to honor the rights of individuals regarding their personal data. These rights are exercised through Data Subject Requests (DSRs) — formal requests from individuals to access, correct, delete, or restrict the processing of their personal information.
Managing DSRs efficiently and compliantly is critical in SAP systems where large volumes of sensitive data reside. This article outlines the importance of Data Subject Request Workflows, their implementation in SAP landscapes, and best practices for effective handling of privacy requests.
Data Subject Requests are formal demands made by individuals concerning their personal data held by an organization. Common types of DSRs include:
These requests require timely, accurate, and secure processing to comply with privacy laws.
Handling DSRs manually in SAP environments can be complex and error-prone due to:
Data Subject Request Workflows automate and streamline the end-to-end process, including:
Implement a centralized platform or tool to receive and track all DSRs, ensuring no requests are missed.
Use SAP privacy tools and connectors to automate data discovery and processing across modules such as SAP ERP, SAP SuccessFactors, and SAP Customer Data Cloud.
Integrate secure authentication methods to confirm the requester’s identity before processing requests.
Leverage SAP ILM (Information Lifecycle Management) and Data Privacy features to automate data extraction, correction, or deletion based on request type.
Maintain detailed logs of all requests and responses, supporting regulatory audits and internal reviews.
As privacy regulations continue to evolve, Data Subject Request Workflows are indispensable for SAP customers aiming to manage data subject rights effectively. By automating and integrating these workflows into SAP landscapes, organizations can ensure timely, compliant, and secure handling of personal data requests — fostering trust and meeting legal obligations with confidence.
SAP’s ecosystem offers robust capabilities to support these workflows, making it easier to embed privacy compliance into daily business operations.