Getting Ahead of GDPR: Managing Data Privacy and Transparency

GDPR (the General Data Protection Regulation) may sound like just another confusing acronym, but this new law will have far-reaching consequences for companies across the world. The deadline for compliance is just over a year away – 25 May 2018 – an extremely short period of time to implement major system changes. By this date, all organisations world-wide collecting, storing and processing personal data from European Union (EU) citizens must be ready to reveal the individual data they have, what purpose it is being stored for, and where it is kept.

To hold and manage the data, irrespective of whether this data is held in the EU or not, each organisation needs to get explicit, informed consent from every person, and demonstrate compliance with the guiding principles of the regulation, including that data protection is at the heart of the system design. Compliance will be non-negotiable, and organisations with data security breaches will face heavy fines of 4% of turnover or €20 million - whichever is greater.

Although this can all seem intimidating, a recently-developed software application called Data Disclose can help you stay ahead of the game. This unique tool allows you to locate and display data across your SAP systems in seconds, with APIs to also connect non-SAP systems. Designed by EPI-USE Labs, the premier SAP add-on software specialist, Data Disclose is built on a solid foundation of existing technology and Intellectual Property (IP) by leveraging a well-established software product called Data Secure – part of the Data Sync Manager (DSM) suite.

EPI-USE Labs has spent over twenty years in the SAP space creating and developing advanced software solutions, and can offer guidance and share expertise on GDPR.

“Transparency and privacy are key concepts within GDPR,” says Paul Hammersley, Vice-President of Application Lifecycle Management Products at EPI-USE Labs. “Not only does personal data need to be protected from unauthorised access or use, but people have the right to be informed, the right of access and the right to be forgotten. In short, absolute control over their own data and its protection. Because people have the right to ask for details about their data, organisations need to know which personal data is stored where, and for what purpose. This can be hugely time-consuming; the ability to find this data quickly and efficiently becomes crucial.”

“With Data Disclose, we can help you shine a light on the dark dusty corners of your SAP system so you can see exactly where the data resides across systems. It finds, retrieves and presents a subject’s data footprint across SAP systems – and as an added benefit, across non-SAP systems as well, if integrated with the latter’s API. It does this in seconds across SAP ERP, CRM, SRM, BW systems. This is no mean achievement, when you consider that SAP systems store data in an intricate way; SAP is highly configurable, with data replicated across the system in many different places. Data Disclose can bring you considerable peace of mind, especially when weighed-up against the stringent requirements of the new laws.”

While Data Disclose is in ramp-up phase, scheduled for release this month, EPI-USE Labs also has two other exciting new products in development to assist customers with GDPR. Further details on these solutions will be revealed in the next two months.

Visit this link for more information on key GPDR issues and Data Disclose.

About EPI-USE Labs

EPI-USE Labs is a global software solutions company whose products and services enable organisations to accelerate the performance of their SAP and SAP SuccessFactors systems. These advancements empower customers to make faster, more accurate business decisions while saving time, money and other resources. Through its suite of solutions and services the company is able to significantly boost productivity in the areas of client and data copying, data security and anonymization, reporting, cloud solutions, and much more.  

At the heart of the company is a culture of driving value through innovation. With over 30 years of experience, EPI-USE Labs is a proud member of groupelephant.com, with business operations in 47 countries employing 1,500 people.