What is Sana Commerce and how does it work within ERP systems
Sana Commerce is an e-commerce platform that runs entirely on your ERP system. Instead of using a separate database, the webshop retrieves all data directly from systems such as Dynamics 365 and SAP. This means that product information, prices, and customer data are always synchronized with your ERP.
This provides clarity and prevents duplicate data. At the same time, it lays the foundation for a webshop that is completely dependent on that same ERP. As long as your processes remain simple, this works well. But as soon as you want to optimize or customize more, you will notice that this dependency limits your room to maneuver.
The impact of end of life on Sana Commerce
The end of life of Sana Commerce means that the SaaS solution will eventually no longer be developed further and support will decrease. This makes the platform less future-proof for organizations that want to continue growing. Especially in a market where e-commerce is constantly changing, this causes existing limitations to become visible more quickly and carry more weight in day-to-day operations. In this phase, many organizations look to solutions such as Hyvä B2B, because it offers more flexibility to set up a B2B webshop that better aligns with growth and changing customer needs.
ERP dependency within Sana Commerce
In practice, you quickly notice how strongly that dependency impacts operations. If you want to change something in your webshop, you often have to go back to the ERP first. That makes it harder to act quickly or test new ideas.
Especially for organizations working with extensive structures in SAP or Dynamics 365, you see that changes take time. As a result, your webshop does not always follow your commercial strategy, but rather the technical capabilities of your ERP. This is often the first sign that the platform no longer properly aligns with the stage your organization is in.
Limited flexibility in design and user experience
A webshop is more than an ordering system. It is an environment where customers need to be able to work quickly and flawlessly. Think, for example, of navigation, search functions, and an ordering process.
Within Sana Commerce, you notice that this freedom is limited. The front-end is strongly linked to the ERP, leaving you with less room to set up the user experience entirely as desired. This becomes especially noticeable when you want to optimize for conversion or different customer segments. Particularly in a growth phase where you want to steer more towards usability and performance, this can become a limitation.
Technical and functional restrictions within a SaaS solution
As a SaaS solution, Sana Commerce offers ease of management, but the trade-off is that you have less control over the technology. The development of the platform lies with the vendor and follows a fixed roadmap.
That means you do not always decide for yourself when and how you implement new features. If you have specific requirements or want to move faster, you are dependent on what is available. For organizations looking to continuously develop and optimize, that is often the point where they start looking elsewhere.
Limitations in B2B workflows and complexity
B2B e-commerce requires flexibility in processes. You work with customer-specific pricing, different catalogs, and often also with approval flows or complex order structures.
Sana Commerce supports some of these B2B workflows, but as soon as your processes deviate from the standard, it becomes more difficult. Adjustments often have to go through the ERP, making changes more complex. As your organization grows and processes become more specific, you notice that the platform does not adapt as well.
Implementation and costs in practice
Choosing a platform goes beyond just functionality. Implementation and ongoing development also play a major role. Because Sana Commerce is so tightly integrated with the ERP, implementation requires careful alignment between systems.
That means time and capacity are needed for setup, testing, and optimization. Additionally, there are costs that are not always immediately visible, such as adjustments in the ERP and ongoing support. Many organizations only notice this when they grow further and want to customize more than initially anticipated.
When Sana Commerce does work
There are also situations where Sana Commerce is a great fit. If you work with relatively simple processes and rely heavily on your ERP, the direct connection provides clarity and peace of mind.
As long as you have little need for flexibility in the webshop and processes are largely standardized, the platform can function perfectly well. The limitations only become visible when your organization takes the next step and your webshop needs to grow along with it.
The Epartment solution
For many B2B companies, there comes a point where flexibility becomes more important. You often see this when organizations want to grow, enter new markets, or further digitize their processes.
In this phase, many organizations look at solutions like Magento in combination with Hyvä B2B, as this provides more freedom in design, performance, and setting up complex B2B processes without direct dependency on the ERP. Epartment guides companies through this transition and helps establish an e-commerce environment where systems collaborate via an integration layer, ensuring the webshop better aligns with the organization's growth and ambitions.
When you notice that your webshop is starting to limit your growth, it is important to re-evaluate the foundation. Epartment develops B2B webshops on Magento that align with your pricing structures, catalogs, and ordering processes. With Conneqt, ERP and PIM systems are directly connected, and CoreBox keeps the environment stable and fast.
Where can I request a demo for an e-commerce solution geared towards wholesalers?
Many specialized providers offer demos for wholesalers. If you want to see how a solution aligns with your processes, it is wise to look for a partner with experience in your industry. For example, check out how a wholesale webshop is set up and what functionalities are involved.
