• What is the motivation behind the migration, when is the ideal time, and what is the best way to get there?

The findings in a nutshell:

Motivation

While the end of support for the previous version is the decisive factor behind the move, SAP customers have other good reasons for the migration too. According to the meta study, modernization, innovation and transformation are becoming increasingly important – especially in terms of upgrading existing SAP landscapes and IT infrastructure. Companies can leverage their updated application landscape to increase cost flexibility and agility as well as drive digitalization. All in all, decision-makers see SAP S/4HANA as the foundation for innovation, automation and new technologies such as AI, robotics, big data and the Internet of things.

Timing

Considering the potential behind S/4HANA, the move is high on companies’ agendas. As of today, just over one in three SAP customers have already migrated all their important systems to the latest version, and more than a third are still planning to do so. According to the reviewed studies, implementing an alternative ERP solution is not an option for user companies, which means that the transition is simply a matter of time. In addition, the studies indicate that while on-premises remains the most popular operating model, the public cloud – and especially the private cloud – are gaining traction. After all, if change is inevitable, why not do it right?

Approach

In view of the highly individual situation and unique challenges that every company faces, the selective data migration approach offers enormous advantages. The hybrid approach provides maximum flexibility for SAP customers: They can decide which data and structures to include and which to discard in advance while also optimizing and modernizing their processes and structures. According to the studies, a third of those surveyed are already relying on this hybrid strategy, while almost half of large companies are pursuing this approach.

The meta study is part of the new SNP white paper ‘How to make your move to SAP S/4HANA® a success,’ which is available for download.

About SNP

SNP (ticker: SHF.DE) helps companies worldwide to unlock the full potential of their data and shape their own tailored journey towards a digital future. SNP’s Data Excellence Platform CrystalBridge and the BLUEFIELD approach have set a comprehensive industry standard for restructuring and modernizing SAP systems faster and more securely while harnessing data-driven innovations in the cloud.

The company works with more than 3,000 customers of all sizes and in all industries worldwide, including 20 of the DAX 40 and 103 of the Fortune 500. The SNP Group has more than 1,400 employees worldwide at over 35 locations in 15 countries. The company is headquartered in Heidelberg, Germany, and generated revenues of EUR 203,4 million in the 2023 fiscal year.