ERP Modernisation: SAP S/4HANA Migration Lessons Learned

The SAP Deadline

With SAP ending mainstream support for ECC by 2027, enterprises must accelerate their S/4HANA migration plans.

Migration Approaches

Greenfield

Start fresh with clean data and reimagined processes. Best for standardising on SAP best practices.

Brownfield

Convert existing ECC in-place. Preserves customisations but carries technical debt.

Selective Data Transition

New S/4HANA system with selective migration of master data and open transactions.

Top 5 Lessons

1. Start with business process redesign, not technical migration
2. Clean your data before migration — garbage in, garbage out
3. Custom code remediation takes longer than expected — start early
4. Change management is 60% of success — invest in training
5. Plan for dual maintenance — both systems run in parallel for months

The Cloud Factor

SAP RISE and BTP push S/4HANA Cloud as the default. Evaluate cloud vs on-premise based on customisation needs.

Summary

S/4HANA migration is a business transformation opportunity, not just a technical upgrade.