Common questions about Specforge.
42 answers on scope validation, S/4HANA coverage, how Specforge challenges a system integrator's quote, contributor points and equity, and the company — for SAP customers buying a transformation, SAP architects and creators contributing to the corpus, and investors or partners considering Specforge.
Specforge basics
What is Specforge?
Specforge is an independent scope-validation platform for enterprise IT. It benchmarks every line of your SAP S/4HANA scope — your statement of work, requirements list, or existing SOPs — against a corpus of senior-architect-vetted implementation knowledge, so you know what's standard, what's genuinely custom, and what's missing before you sign a contract with a system integrator.
What does Specforge do?
Specforge validates the scope of an enterprise software implementation before you commit to it. Drop in your SoW or requirements and the Neural Engine returns a line-by-line verdict — standard out-of-the-box, genuinely custom and worth paying for, missing from scope entirely, or where effort estimates drift from peer benchmarks. The output is a board-ready report you take into the negotiation with your SI.
What is the Neural Engine?
The Neural Engine is Specforge's analysis layer. It maps every line of your scope against a corpus of real, anonymised SAP implementations, classifies each requirement by workstream, and routes the result through a senior-architect verification chain. It pairs pattern matching with LLM analysis, but no output reaches you without human architect sign-off.
Is Specforge affiliated with SAP?
No. Specforge is independent and vendor-neutral — not owned by, partnered with, or endorsed by SAP. That independence is the point: where your system integrator is paid more for bigger scope, Specforge is paid by the customer to challenge the quote.
Does Specforge support platforms other than SAP?
Specforge is built vendor-neutral and leads with SAP S/4HANA, where its corpus is deepest. Other enterprise platforms — Microsoft Dynamics 365, Oracle Fusion, NetSuite, Sage, QuickBooks, Workday, and Infor — are on the roadmap but not live in early access.
What is sapps.wiki?
sapps.wiki is the home of Specforge on the web. It hosts the Validate, Generate, and Decide product surfaces, the contributor handbook, and the public corpus knowledge that powers scope validation.
For SAP customers
Specforge sits on the customer's side of the system-integrator conversation. These cover what you get and how it changes the negotiation.
What does Validate actually do?
Validate takes your scope — pasted in or uploaded as Excel — and runs every requirement through three layers: a corpus of real S/4HANA implementations, a workstream classifier, and a senior-architect vetting chain. The output classifies each requirement as Standard SAP match (configurable today), Custom — in expert review (genuine custom development needed), or Workshop scheduled (the requirement needs a half-day session to scope properly). The aggregate report is the artefact you take into a contract negotiation with your SI.
How do I know if my system integrator is over-scoping my project?
Run your SI's proposed scope through Validate. The Neural Engine flags every line that's standard out-of-the-box (so shouldn't be billed as custom development), every effort estimate that drifts above peer benchmarks, and anything padded into the scope. The aggregate report gives you specific, defensible line items to challenge in the negotiation.
What is a fit-gap analysis?
A fit-gap analysis compares your business requirements against what the standard system delivers out-of-the-box, identifying fits (standard) and gaps (custom work). Specforge produces an instant, line-by-line fit-gap on your SoW or requirements, grounded in a corpus of real implementations rather than a single consultant's opinion.
How is Specforge different from my system integrator?
Your SI is on commission — paid more when the scope is bigger and more custom. Specforge has the opposite incentive: we get paid by the customer to challenge the SI's quote. We don't sell you implementation hours. The corpus plus senior-architect verification is what makes the challenge credible.
Does Specforge replace my system integrator?
No. Specforge sits on the customer's side of the table to validate scope and challenge the quote, but you still need an SI to deliver the implementation. Think of Specforge as the independent second opinion that makes sure you're buying the right scope at the right price before the SI starts.
Can Specforge review my RFP before I send it to system integrators?
Yes. Bring your requirements or existing SOPs and Specforge turns them into validated requirements language for your RFP or RFQ — and a baseline you can check every SI response against. Knowing what's standard before you ask for quotes is the cheapest leverage in the whole program.
What's the difference between Standard SAP and Custom in the report?
Standard SAP match means the requirement is configurable in the standard system today — no custom code, no extra licence. Custom — in expert review means genuine custom development is needed, which is where real cost and risk live. Workshop scheduled means the requirement needs a half-day session to scope properly before it can be classified.
What is RICEFW and does Specforge cover it?
RICEFW stands for Reports, Interfaces, Conversions, Enhancements, Forms, and Workflows — the custom-development objects in an SAP project. Specforge identifies which of your requirements genuinely need RICEFW custom development versus standard configuration, and can produce a RICEFW inventory as part of the Generate module.
Does Specforge work for greenfield and brownfield S/4HANA migrations?
Yes. Specforge supports greenfield (new implementation), brownfield (system conversion), and selective data transition approaches to S/4HANA. The validation is about the scope of requirements and effort, which applies across migration strategies.
Can I upload my scope as an Excel file?
Yes. You can paste requirements directly or upload them as Excel. The Neural Engine processes each line the same way regardless of input format.
How accurate is the AI?
The classification engine combines pattern matching against the corpus with LLM analysis, then routes every line through a human architect chain (L1 to L2 to L3 expert). No artefact reaches you without senior-architect sign-off. We don't claim AI is right on its own — we claim the architect-verified output is right.
What does Specforge cost?
Pricing is being finalised as we move from early access to commercial launch. Two paths: a per-project Validate report (one-time fee, board-ready output) and an ongoing platform subscription for organisations running multiple SAP programs. Contact us for early-access pricing.
Can I keep using Specforge after we sign the SOW?
Yes — that's where Generate and (planned) Decide come in. Validate is the wedge; the platform extends through the program lifecycle. Workspaces persist; revisit your scope after the SI begins, regenerate artefacts as scope evolves, and keep an institutional memory of every decision.
How do I get started with Specforge?
Specforge is invite-only during early access. Enterprise customers can request access to run a Validate report on their scope; independent SAP architects can request contributor access. Reach the team at hello@specforge.io.
Coverage, security & data
Is my scope confidential?
Yes. Customer workspaces are isolated by row-level security in our database. Only the customer and the architects working on the customer's delivery see the scope text. When approved patterns enter the public corpus, they are anonymised — workspace identifiers, customer names, and any PII are stripped before contribution.
How is my data protected?
Customer workspaces are isolated by row-level security in the database, so only you and the architects on your delivery see your scope. Patterns that enter the public corpus are anonymised first — workspace identifiers, customer names, and PII are stripped before any contribution. The full data-protection commitments sit in the Liability framework, which is in legal review.
What SAP versions and deployments does Specforge cover?
S/4HANA on Private Cloud (RISE), Public Cloud (continuous edition), on-premise, and hybrid. Versions 2020 through 2023, plus the Public Cloud continuous release. Other ERPs (Microsoft Dynamics 365, Oracle Fusion, NetSuite, Sage, QuickBooks, Workday, Infor) are on the roadmap but not live in early access.
Does Specforge cover RISE with SAP?
Yes. RISE with SAP (S/4HANA Private Cloud Edition) is covered, alongside Public Cloud, on-premise, and hybrid deployments.
For SAP architects and creators
How do I become a contributor?
Specforge is invite-only during early access. Independent SAP architects with substantial implementation experience can request access via contributors@specforge.io. Once accepted, you start at the C1 (Apprentice) level and progress through six creator levels by accumulated points and approved artefacts.
What is the difference between a contributor and a validator?
Contributors (creators) author artefacts and requirements; validators review and vote on them through the senior-architect chain. Both earn points — the verification roles carry per-action grants of 5 to 20 points depending on level.
How do the creator levels work?
Creators progress through six levels, starting at C1 (Apprentice), advancing by accumulated points and approved artefacts. From the A3 Expert level onwards, newly earned points become equity-eligible.
What artefacts can I create on Specforge?
Workshop decks, functional specs (FSDs), technical specs (TSDs), functional and technical unit-test scripts (FUT/TUT), RICEFW inventories, training material, and standard operating procedures — produced from the corpus and refined through architect review.
How are points earned?
Points come from contributions — approved artefacts (set per task by architect vote), verifications (5 to 20 points depending on level), voting on new work, and mentoring junior contributors.
What happens to my points, and when are they equity-eligible?
For now, points are recognition currency: visible on the leaderboard, unlocking perks, signalling depth of contribution. From the A3 Expert level onwards, every new point is equity-eligible — convertible to equity at a future liquidity event (IPO, secondary, etc.). Points earned at lower levels stay as recognition only; crossing into A3 is the line.
When will I be paid in cash?
After commercialisation. Once Specforge has paying customers and validated revenue, 50% of every customer dollar flows to contributors as cash compensation, distributed by points earned per quarter. This is the floor; we can run higher contributor share above it but never below.
Do I have to be employed by Specforge?
No. Contributors are independent — no salary, no employment, no benefits. You contribute when you have time, your level reflects your accumulated work, and you share in the upside through both recognition and (eventually) cash plus equity. Most contributors will continue to do their day job alongside Specforge contribution.
Who owns artefacts I submit?
The corpus owns submitted artefacts (per the IP assignment in the contributor agreement, currently in legal review). You retain your byline in perpetuity, get the 15% legacy share when your artefact is reworked, and earn ongoing cash from durable artefacts after commercialisation.
What if my artefact gets reworked?
v1's contributors get a 24 to 48 hour first right of refusal each time the artefact is reopened — claim the rework yourself or auto-decline by silence. Either way, you stay named on v1 in perpetuity and earn a 15% legacy share whenever a new version ships.
For investors and partners
What's the moat?
The corpus and the architect network. A pretty UI with an LLM and public docs gets cloned in 18 months. The defensible asset is many real SAP implementations (anonymised) with quoted-vs-delivered hours, vetting outcomes, and architects who've seen the patterns and signed off. The architect-verified loop is the moat; the AI is the leverage.
What is Specforge's business model?
Three commercial paths: a per-project Validate report (one-time fee), an ongoing platform subscription for organisations running multiple SAP programs, and a marketplace layer on artefact purchases. The corpus and architect network are the durable assets.
How does Specforge make money?
Customers pay for validated scope — either a one-time Validate report or a platform subscription. After commercialisation, 50% of every customer dollar flows to the contributors who build and verify the corpus, distributed by points earned per quarter.
Why now?
The Specforge concept first appeared on LinkedIn in 2012. It was pitched at Deloitte, IBM, and PwC — none of them funded it. The technology to make it real didn't exist yet. LLMs that can reason about SAP topology with the fidelity of a senior architect are a post-GPT-4 capability. The thesis was right; it was just twelve years early.
What's the market size?
The SAP services market is roughly $30 to $40 billion per year. Even taking 0.1 to 1% is enough to be a real company. Three commercial paths: B2B SaaS to mid-market SAP customers ($200 to $1,000 per month per workspace), enterprise contracts with Fortune 1000 SAP shops ($50k to $500k per year), and a marketplace layer on artefact purchases. Sized well, this is a $50M to $500M ARR business depending on path mix.
Who's the competition?
No tool today does what Specforge proposes. SAP Signavio is process discovery. Solution Manager is internal SAP infrastructure. Panaya is upgrade impact. LeanIX is enterprise architecture mapping. None of them sit on the customer's side of the SI conversation.
What's the risk profile?
Three real risks. (1) Bootstrapping the corpus — getting the first 100+ anonymised implementations is the hardest 6 months. (2) GTM is an enterprise sales motion through SAP user groups (ASUG, DSAG) — slow, expensive, but well-understood. (3) Hallucination liability — the architect-verified loop is the answer; the unit economics depend on the human-to-AI ratio.
Is the equity model real or aspirational?
Aspirational and committed. The recognition-to-equity conversion happens at a future liquidity event (IPO, secondary, acquisition). The 50% revenue floor for contributors is a public commitment. The 5% minimum equity pool for contributors is the floor we'll codify in the company's incorporation documents. None of this is binding until the contributor agreement is finalised by counsel, and contributors will be asked to sign that agreement before any equity-eligible point is earned.
FAQ v0.2 · 42 questions. Missing something? hello@specforge.io. For the full functional walkthrough see Product overview; for governance see Handbook.