In the SAP landscape, a client is an entity with independent information and data. The SAP client concept is based on the fact that an application service provider (ASP) must provide and administer all resources at a minimal cost, which is quite challenging in a multiple customer-client environment.

SAP provides the option of allocating each customer to a client, thereby removing the need to provide separate physical systems for each customer. This helps reduce physical hardware and sharing of hardware and related software, thereby reducing administration and support requirements and facilitating clients and a large number of customers.