GlossCap

Platform reference · WalkMe · SAP Digital Adoption · Section 508 · ADA Title I · WCAG 2.1 AA · Enterprise training

WalkMe captions: SAP-acquired digital adoption platform, training video exports, and WCAG 2.1 AA compliance

WalkMe, acquired by SAP in September 2024 for approximately $1.5 billion, is the largest Digital Adoption Platform by enterprise market share. Companies use WalkMe to create interactive in-application guidance for complex enterprise software — guiding employees through SAP workflows, Salesforce processes, Workday transactions, Oracle Cloud configurations, and proprietary internal applications. WalkMe exports guided walkthroughs as MP4 training video for asynchronous LMS delivery, and those MP4 exports contain no caption track. Captioning must occur as a separate step between the WalkMe export and the LMS upload. The vocabulary challenge is double-layered: WalkMe's own platform terminology (SmartWalkThru, ShoutOut, Shuttle, AutoPlay, ActionBot, Workstation, Insights, Commander, RealPlay) combined with the enterprise application vocabulary of whatever software is being demonstrated. Since SAP's acquisition, the most significant deployment growth is WalkMe as the guided-adoption layer for SAP S/4HANA migrations — making SAP vocabulary (T-codes, module abbreviations, Fiori tile names, BTP service names) the dominant new application vocabulary layer in WalkMe exports. Section 508 applies to federal agency deployments and federal contractors. ADA Title I applies to all mandatory employee software training. California FEHA from five employees covers virtually all California technology companies in WalkMe's customer base.

TL;DR

WalkMe (now part of SAP) generates interactive software walkthroughs and exports them as MP4 training video for LMS delivery. The MP4 export does not include captions. A VTT or SRT file must be prepared after the WalkMe export and uploaded alongside the MP4 to the LMS (or embedded in a SCORM package). The vocabulary failure rate is double-layered: WalkMe product names (SmartWalkThru, ShoutOut, ActionBot, Workstation, Insights) fail in generic STT, and so does the enterprise application vocabulary being demonstrated — SAP T-codes and module abbreviations, Salesforce Cloud names, Workday business process terms, Oracle Cloud module names. SAP's acquisition of WalkMe makes SAP vocabulary the fastest-growing application vocabulary layer in new WalkMe deployments. Section 508 (federal agencies and contractors), ADA Title I (15+ employees), California FEHA (5+ employees), and the EAA (EU employees) all apply to mandatory employee training delivered via WalkMe-generated video.

WalkMe as a training content generation platform

What WalkMe produces and what format it exports

WalkMe's primary function is in-application interactive guidance: SmartWalkThru flows that guide employees step-by-step through software workflows while the employee works in the live application, ShoutOut announcements, Shuttle content popups, and AutoPlay flows that launch automatically based on user context. The WalkMe Workstation provides a desktop overlay that surfaces guidance across multiple applications in a unified panel.

For asynchronous training — the scenario that creates the captioning requirement — WalkMe can render its SmartWalkThru flows as video. The video export captures the application screen recording with synchronized WalkMe annotations and narration, producing an MP4 file that represents a passive walkthrough of the guided flow. This MP4 is then uploaded to the organization's LMS for on-demand learner access — useful for employees who complete training asynchronously, for reference materials, or for audiences who cannot access the live application environment where WalkMe runs.

WalkMe Studio, the content creation interface, does not generate caption files alongside the video export. The export is a standard MP4 with the audio embedded in the video file. A separate caption file — VTT or SRT — must be created from the audio track and uploaded to the LMS alongside the MP4.

The SAP acquisition: what it means for WalkMe vocabulary in training content

SAP's acquisition of WalkMe in September 2024 has accelerated WalkMe's deployment as the digital adoption layer for SAP S/4HANA migrations and transformations. SAP has positioned WalkMe as the preferred tool for reducing user adoption friction during major ERP implementations — the phase of an SAP migration where employees are first encountering new Fiori interfaces, new workflow structures, and new T-code equivalents in the Fiori launchpad. Training video generated from WalkMe during this phase is among the highest-vocabulary-density content in the enterprise training ecosystem:

WalkMe RealPlay and AI-generated content

WalkMe's RealPlay feature allows organizations to create realistic simulation environments for practice scenarios — employees practice software workflows in a simulated environment before accessing the live system. RealPlay sessions can be recorded and exported as training video. The vocabulary density in RealPlay recordings is even higher than in SmartWalkThru exports because RealPlay narration covers error states, corrective actions, and edge cases that are absent from the happy-path SmartWalkThru. Error messages, system validation responses, and conditional workflow branches introduce additional application-specific vocabulary.

WalkMe has also introduced AI-generated content features (AI Content Builder) that can auto-generate step text and narration suggestions. AI-generated narration may have different acoustic patterns than human narration — the same vocabulary accuracy issue that affects Synthesia AI video captions (AI TTS voice degrading STT round-trip accuracy) can appear when WalkMe's AI-generated audio is processed by a generic captioning service.

WalkMe platform vocabulary: the most common STT failure terms

WalkMe product and feature names

WalkMe's own product vocabulary creates a baseline vocabulary failure surface in any training content that discusses WalkMe itself (administrator training, WalkMe adoption training for L&D teams, or WalkMe setup guides). The most common STT failure terms from the WalkMe platform vocabulary include:

WalkMe deployment contexts: Salesforce, Workday, Oracle

Beyond SAP, WalkMe is widely deployed on Salesforce, Workday, and Oracle Cloud applications. The vocabulary failure modes for each deployment context parallel the analysis in the Whatfix captions page (the vocabulary challenge is platform-agnostic to the DAP layer — it depends entirely on the target application). For WalkMe-on-Salesforce, the relevant vocabulary is Salesforce Cloud product names, Apex/SOQL developer vocabulary, and org-specific custom object names. For WalkMe-on-Workday, the relevant vocabulary is Workday HCM and Finance module terminology, business process names, and supervisory organization vocabulary. For WalkMe-on-Oracle Cloud, the relevant vocabulary is Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) service names, Oracle Fusion module names, and Oracle ERP vocabulary.

The Salesforce Trailhead captions page covers Salesforce vocabulary in depth; the Workday Learning captions page covers Workday-specific vocabulary. A combined WalkMe-on-Salesforce or WalkMe-on-Workday glossary draws from both the WalkMe platform vocabulary table and the target application vocabulary table from those pages.

Compliance requirements for WalkMe training video

Section 508 for federal agency WalkMe deployments

WalkMe is deployed at multiple federal agencies for in-application guidance on government IT systems — GSA, HHS, VA, DoD civilian systems, and others. Section 508 (29 U.S.C. § 794d) requires that federal agencies' electronic and information technology, including training video, be accessible to people with disabilities. WalkMe-generated MP4 exports used as training content for federal employees must include accurate captions meeting the WCAG 2.0 AA standard (the technical baseline referenced in the Revised 508 Standards, 36 CFR Part 1194).

Federal contractors using WalkMe to build training for government systems as part of a contract deliverable are subject to the same Section 508 requirements through FAR clause 52.239-2. A systems integrator deploying WalkMe on a federal ERP system and producing walkthrough training videos for agency employees must deliver those videos with corrected, accurate captions — not uncaptioned exports or auto-captioned files that fail to meet the accuracy standard for the dense government IT vocabulary in the narration.

For federal agency training specifically, the vocabulary in WalkMe exports is particularly dense: FISMA control numbers (AC-1 through SR-12), OMB M-memo identifiers (M-23-07, M-24-08), agency-specific abbreviations, mission-system names, and classified vocabulary considerations for training on government-specific systems. See government employee training captions and Section 508 captions for the full federal compliance analysis.

ADA Title I for enterprise WalkMe customers

ADA Title I (42 U.S.C. § 12112) requires employers with 15 or more employees to provide reasonable accommodations for hearing-impaired employees, including accessible training video. WalkMe-generated training video delivered through an LMS as mandatory software onboarding — which is effectively every WalkMe deployment — creates an ADA Title I captioning obligation. The hearing-impaired employee assigned mandatory SAP onboarding via a WalkMe walkthrough video must receive the same quality of training as hearing employees. An uncaptioned or poorly captioned WalkMe export does not meet this standard.

The ADA Title I obligation is not modified by SAP's ownership of WalkMe. Using SAP WalkMe as part of an SAP S/4HANA implementation does not create a SAP vendor obligation to provide accessible content — the employer's obligation to provide accessible training attaches to the mandatory training assignment, regardless of which DAP tool generates the training video.

WCAG 2.1 AA and the SAP WalkMe compliance posture

SAP has published accessibility conformance reports (ACRs / VPATs) for WalkMe as part of SAP's overall product accessibility program. SAP's VPAT for WalkMe covers the WalkMe in-application guidance experience — the SmartWalkThru, ShoutOut, and Shuttle runtime experience for end users with screen readers, keyboard navigation, and other assistive technologies. The VPAT does not and cannot cover the caption accuracy of MP4 video exports generated from WalkMe flows, because that accuracy depends on the specific audio content of each video export, not on the WalkMe platform's own accessibility features.

The WCAG 2.1 AA caption standard — specifically SC 1.2.2 (Captions — Prerecorded) — requires captions that accurately convey all spoken content in prerecorded synchronized audio-visual content. This standard applies to each WalkMe-generated training video independently. SAP's product-level VPAT attestation does not substitute for per-video caption accuracy compliance.

EAA for European companies using WalkMe

The European Accessibility Act (EAA), enforceable from June 28, 2025, requires digital products and services placed on the EU market to meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards. For European companies (or companies with EU employees) using WalkMe for internal training, the EAA's WCAG 2.1 AA requirement applies to training video delivered to EU-based employees. WalkMe is widely deployed at large European enterprises — the manufacturing, retail, financial services, and healthcare companies that form Europe's enterprise software market. WalkMe exports used as training content for EU employees must include WCAG 2.1 AA-compliant captions. For the EU-specific regulatory analysis, see EAA captions requirements and EN 301 549 captions.

Caption workflow for WalkMe-generated training video

Step 1: export the WalkMe flow as MP4

In WalkMe Studio, the video export function renders the SmartWalkThru as a screen-capture MP4. The export settings may allow the narrator to record voiceover narration synchronized to the flow steps, or the narration may be baked in from the flow's audio track. Export the MP4 to a local folder. Verify the audio track is present and intelligible by playing the MP4 before submitting for captioning — audio quality issues (low volume, background noise, distorted microphone) are best corrected at the export stage rather than discovered after captioning.

Step 2: prepare the two-layer glossary

Build a glossary that covers both vocabulary layers: WalkMe platform terms (SmartWalkThru, ShoutOut, Shuttle, AutoPlay, ActionBot, Workstation, Commander, Insights, RealPlay) and the target application vocabulary. For SAP deployments, include all T-codes, module abbreviations, Fiori app names, and custom Z-object names from your SAP implementation. For Salesforce deployments, include all Salesforce Cloud product names, Agentforce sub-products, and org-specific custom object names. For Workday deployments, include business process names, module names, and supervisory organization vocabulary. Submit the MP4 and the combined glossary to GlossCap.

Step 3: upload VTT or SRT to the LMS

After receiving the corrected VTT or SRT file from GlossCap, upload it to the target LMS alongside the WalkMe MP4. For Cornerstone OnDemand, SAP SuccessFactors Learning, Workday Learning, and TalentLMS, the caption sidecar upload is available in the content management interface. For LMSes that accept SCORM packages, include the VTT in the SCORM package directory and reference it in the video element's track tag. For externally hosted video (YouTube or Vimeo), upload the VTT to the video host platform before embedding in the LMS. See VTT captions for training videos for the format specification and SRT captions for training videos for the SRT format alternative.

See GlossCap pricing

FAQ — WalkMe captions

Does WalkMe generate captions when exporting training video?

No. WalkMe's video export (MP4 from SmartWalkThru flows) does not include a caption track. The export produces a standard MP4 file containing the screen recording with synchronized narration audio. There is no VTT, SRT, or other caption file generated as part of the WalkMe Studio export workflow. SAP's acquisition of WalkMe has not added auto-captioning to the video export feature as of the date of this page. Captioning must be performed as a separate post-export step before the MP4 is uploaded to the LMS. This is the same pattern as other Digital Adoption Platform exports and most eLearning authoring tool exports — see Whatfix captions for the parallel DAP analysis and SAP Enable Now captions for the SAP authoring tool comparison.

SAP acquired WalkMe — does SAP have an accessibility statement that covers WalkMe video exports?

SAP publishes Accessibility Conformance Reports (ACRs, also called VPATs) for its products, including WalkMe products under SAP's product portfolio. These ACRs cover the WalkMe runtime experience — the in-application guidance interface as experienced by end users with assistive technologies. They do not cover the caption accuracy of MP4 video exports generated from WalkMe flows, because caption accuracy is content-dependent (it depends on the specific audio in each exported video), not platform-dependent (it is not a feature of the WalkMe software itself). SAP's ACR/VPAT for WalkMe confirms conformance with EN 301 549 and WCAG 2.1 AA for the WalkMe guidance experience. It cannot and does not confirm that any particular WalkMe-generated training video has WCAG 2.1 AA-compliant captions — that determination depends on the caption file attached to each video. The employer or content owner is responsible for ensuring that WalkMe-generated training video has accurate captions. See WCAG 2.1 AA captions for the accuracy standard.

We use WalkMe for SAP S/4HANA migration training — what SAP vocabulary terms are most likely to fail in generic STT?

For SAP S/4HANA migration training via WalkMe, the highest-risk vocabulary terms are: all SAP T-codes used in the narration (FB01, ME21N, MIGO, FBL3N, VA01, MM01, and equivalent T-codes for your implementation); SAP module abbreviations (FI, CO, SD, MM, PP, HCM, PM, QM, PS, CS); SAP Fiori tile names and group names (especially custom tile names from your implementation's tile catalog); the S/4HANA vs. ECC transition vocabulary (the dual-naming problem when trainers refer to both old ECC T-codes and new Fiori equivalents); SAP BTP service names if the training covers BTP-hosted applications; and your implementation's custom Z-table names, Z-T-codes, and ABAP program names. Your SAP basis team or implementation partner should maintain a glossary of custom objects that serves as the starting point for the captioning glossary. The SAP Enable Now captions page has a detailed SAP vocabulary breakdown that applies equally to WalkMe-on-SAP training content.

We have WalkMe deployed on Salesforce for our sales team — which Salesforce vocabulary terms need to be in the glossary?

For WalkMe-on-Salesforce training, the glossary should include: Salesforce product suite names (Sales Cloud, Service Cloud, Marketing Cloud, Revenue Cloud, Data Cloud, Commerce Cloud, MuleSoft, Tableau); Agentforce and Einstein AI sub-products (Agentforce, Einstein GPT, Copilot for Salesforce, Einstein Activity Capture, Einstein Conversation Insights — and note that "Agentforce" is a 2024-era name with near-zero STT corpus exposure); Salesforce developer vocabulary if your WalkMe content covers admin or developer workflows (Apex, SOQL, SOSL, LWC, Aura, Visualforce, Flow Builder, SFDC); Salesforce-specific terms (opportunity, account hierarchy, record type, page layout, permission set, profile, sandbox, managed package); and org-specific custom object names, custom field labels, custom picklist values, and custom report names. The Salesforce Trailhead captions page has the full Salesforce vocabulary analysis. Your Salesforce admin or implementation partner's data dictionary is the authoritative source for org-specific vocabulary.

We are a federal agency using WalkMe on government IT systems — what are our specific Section 508 obligations for WalkMe training video?

Federal agencies using WalkMe on government IT systems are subject to Section 508 (29 U.S.C. § 794d) and its implementing regulations at 36 CFR Part 1194. Section 508 requires that agency electronic and information technology — including training video delivered to agency employees — be accessible to people with disabilities. For WalkMe-generated MP4 training video, Section 508 requires captions that meet the WCAG 2.0 AA standard (the technical baseline in the Revised 508 Standards). The applicable Success Criterion is SC 1.2.2 (Captions — Prerecorded): captions must accurately convey all spoken content, including the technical terms, system names, and agency-specific vocabulary in the WalkMe narration. Auto-captions generated by upload to YouTube or similar platforms do not meet this standard for government IT training content, which contains agency-specific abbreviations, OMB directive references, NIST control codes, and mission-system names that are entirely out-of-vocabulary for generic STT models. The corrective workflow is the same as for private-sector WalkMe deployments: corrected VTT or SRT file generated with a vocabulary glossary covering the government IT vocabulary in the narration, uploaded to the LMS or included in the SCORM package before delivery to agency employees. See Section 508 captions and government employee training captions for the full federal analysis.

Further reading