Sighthem vs SAP
SAP is an ERP giant known for global scale, deep accounting and end-to-end enterprise process management. Sighthem is a fast-to-deploy foreign trade operations platform focused on an exporter team's daily work, from finding customers to letters of credit and shipping. This page compares the two honestly and explains why most teams run them together.
For a foreign trade team, the question is not "SAP or Sighthem" but "which layer does which job." SAP is widely regarded as the gold standard for enterprise resource planning: its depth in multi-company accounting, financial consolidation, production planning, supply chain and global regulatory coverage is unmatched. But that power comes with long implementation projects, consulting cost, and export-specific flows (Incoterms, L/C and document tracking, HS codes, VAT refund, inward processing) that often have to be added through custom development. Sighthem delivers those foreign-trade-native flows out of the box and goes live in days, while leaving accounting and statutory financial records to an enterprise ERP like SAP. The right call depends on your scale and on which layer your team is losing time in.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Dimension | Sighthem | SAP |
|---|---|---|
| Positioning | Foreign trade operations platform (CRM + ERP + AI); focused on the exporter's daily work. | Enterprise ERP giant; multi-company accounting, production, supply chain and global processes. |
| Foreign trade depth | High and native: Incoterms, proforma, HS codes, customs declaration, VAT refund, inward processing out of the box. | Strong via Global Trade Services modules; many Turkey-specific flows may require implementation/custom work. |
| Letter of credit (L/C) and documents | Native module: L/C terms, document checklist, presentation and deadline alerts. | Trade finance is covered; operational L/C/document tracking is typically set up via configuration/custom work. |
| Customs / HS code | Declaration prep, HS code management, integrated with shipment data. | Classification and compliance possible via Global Trade Services; local customs integration depends on the project. |
| UBL e-invoice | Produces GİB-compliant UBL-TR XML, including export COMMERCIAL INVOICE, one click from shipment. | Local e-transformation is strong; e-invoice is usually delivered via an integrator/localization package. |
| Lot/expiry + multi-warehouse | Multi-warehouse, lot/expiry traceability, GS1 barcode and FEFO picking out of the box. | Very strong: advanced warehouse, lot and batch management at enterprise scale (WM/EWM). |
| CRM / communication (calls + live translation, WhatsApp) | In-browser calls + live translation, WhatsApp (official API + QR), email discovery/verification, campaigns native. | A separate CRM product (Sales/Service Cloud) is strong; call live translation/WhatsApp are typically add-on products/integrations. |
| Accounting depth | Does not aim for full accounting/ledger; exports account, invoice and order data to accounting/ERP. | Industry-leading: multi-company ledger, financial consolidation, cost accounting and deep local compliance. |
| Setup / onboarding | Self-serve SaaS; 14-day free PRO trial, no card required, live in days. | Typically requires an implementation project, consulting and a longer go-live timeline. |
| Scale / enterprise maturity | Designed for SMB and mid-market exporter teams; fast and lightweight. | Very strong: global enterprise scale, vast ecosystem, consultant network and reference depth. |
| Where it is best | Trade operations + CRM + AI on one panel, fast setup. | End-to-end management of multi-site enterprise accounting, production and supply chain. |
"Not stated" means no clear public vendor information was found for that capability; it does not mean the feature is absent. Data as of June 2026.
Complement, not replacement
This need not be an either/or. If SAP already runs in your organization, we are not suggesting you replace it; full accounting, financial consolidation, production planning and statutory ledgers stay strong in SAP. A common setup: enterprise resource planning and accounting in SAP; lead-to-collection trade operations, customer communication (calls + live translation, WhatsApp), L/C and document tracking, customs and inward processing in Sighthem. Sighthem exports account, invoice and order data in standard formats to feed the accounting side, bringing export flows down to a layer the team can use quickly. For exporter teams that have not yet deployed a large ERP and want to start fast, Sighthem carries operations end to end on its own; when accounting needs grow, you can add an ERP like SAP alongside it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Sighthem instead of SAP?
Partly. If your need is full accounting, financial consolidation and statutory ledgers, an enterprise ERP like SAP is far deeper there and Sighthem does not aim to replace it. But if your daily work revolves around finding customers, proforma, L/C, customs, shipping and customer communication, Sighthem can carry that foreign trade operation end to end on its own; you keep accounting in your existing ERP or add it later.
Can I use both together?
Yes, this is the most common setup. Accounting, financial consolidation and production planning stay in SAP; trade operations, CRM, call recording/live translation, L/C and customs tracking run in Sighthem. Sighthem exports account, invoice and order data in standard formats to feed the SAP side.
SAP is already a powerful product, why would I need Sighthem?
SAP's strengths are undeniable: enterprise scale, deep accounting, a vast ecosystem and global regulatory coverage. Sighthem does not compete with that; it focuses on Turkey-specific foreign trade flows (Incoterms, L/C and documents, HS codes, VAT refund, inward processing) and the export team's daily customer/communication work. These flows are usually added to SAP through long projects and custom development, while in Sighthem they ship out of the box and go live in days.
Is Sighthem suitable for a large enterprise?
Sighthem is designed for SMB and mid-market exporter teams, where its speed and light footprint are an advantage. For multi-site, multi-company enterprise-scale financial consolidation and deep production planning, an enterprise ERP like SAP is a better fit. In large enterprises the common path is to keep SAP as the backbone and accelerate the foreign trade operations layer with Sighthem.
Where does the SAP information in this comparison come from?
Information about SAP is based on the company's public product documentation and common sources, as of June 2026. In the table, "Not stated" means no clear public information was found for that capability; we do not claim the feature is absent. SAP is a highly configurable, broad product family; for current, organization-specific scope, request a demo from SAP or a partner.
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