
"Open book" sounds like it should make the SAP certification exam easier. It does not. Every candidate who sits the SAP performance-based assessment and underestimates the open-book format faces the same problem: you have 2 hours, a live system or AI avatar waiting for you to perform, and zero room for hesitation.
The candidates who pass are those who prepare most effectively for a format that rewards applied competency, fast navigation, and confident execution. This guide gives you every practical tip you need to succeed.
The Most Important Open-Book Exam Truth
Open book means you can look up the answer, not learn the concept. You have 2 hours to complete system tasks or respond to business scenarios with architectural solutions. If you spend 40 of those minutes finding a basic document you have never seen before, you will fail on time alone.
The new SAP exam format — fully launched by end-March 2026 — is a performance-based assessment in two types:
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System-Based (e.g., C_ADBTP BTP Administrator): Execute technical tasks directly in a live SAP environment. Graded automatically by system output.
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Scenario-Based (e.g., P_BTPA BTP Architect, P_BTPA): Engage with an AI avatar acting as your client. Propose and defend SAP solutions under live cross-examination.
Both formats are open-book. Both are strictly 2 hours. Both are unproctored — you take them from your own workspace. And both require a fundamentally different approach than traditional exam preparation.









