From ECC to S/4HANA Private Cloud: The journey of RISE with SAP since 2021

The launch of “RISE with SAP” in January 2021 was a turning point for the SAP ECC client base because, for the first time, they were being offered a realistic option to move to S/4HANA Cloud.

With in-depth experience of S/4HANA conversions, SAP move-to-cloud projects and SAP licensing, PASàPAS was ideally positioned to help ECC customers make the most of this new offer, and we soon delivered migrations to RISE with SAP.

This article summarises the evolution of “RISE with SAP” since its launch and explains why it has become the default option for SAP ECC customers moving to S/4HANA.

Until 2021, moving to S/4HANA Cloud required a greenfield approach and involved redeveloping customizations in a way that would keep the ERP core software free from modifications (“clean”), to enable annual upgrades. Also, at that time, “Clean Core” meant developing customizations on the SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP), which could significantly increase the cost of a migration.

Not surprisingly, SAP ECC customers really struggled to justify a move to S/4HANA Cloud, and between 2016 and 2021, most S/4HANA migrations were On-Premise rather than Cloud.

Then SAP spotted the trend, and to address the concerns of their ECC clients and encourage them to move to their Cloud ERP, they launched “RISE with SAP – Private Edition” with the following features:

• Option to implement via conversion, including data, configuration and customizations (“Clean Core” became an objective rather than a prerequisite)
• Flexible deployment on customers’ preferred hyperscaler (AWS, Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure)
• Customers retaining control over the timing of upgrades, subject only to staying on supported versions of S/4HANA
• A comprehensive bundle of services such as SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP) credits, SAP Business Network Starter Pack, and embedded tools for business process intelligence.

From the start, RISE with SAP generated significant interest amongst the ECC client base, kicking off a move to S/4HANA Cloud, and enabling SAP to progressively accelerate this movement through a combination of incentives and pressure.

Looking back, the following 3 measures taken by SAP remain as the most decisive ones for RISE:

• In 2023, SAP announced that some of their future innovation would only be available with cloud ERP, including the transactional carbon accounting capabilities of “Green Ledger”, and generative AI functionality, probably the two most significant developments in the S/4HANA roadmap.
• Shortly thereafter, whilst reiterating the importance of achieving “Clean Core” to reap the full benefit of continuous software innovation, SAP broadened its definition to make the objective much more achievable. BTP remains a key component for side-by-side extensions, but SAP now also emphasizes the use of in-app extensibility options within SAP S/4HANA itself.
• Then at the beginning of 2024, to address the cost challenge, SAP introduced transformation incentives in the form of substantial credits for ECC customers who wish to transition to S/4HANA Cloud.

Despite the objections, SAP has stayed the course for the past two years and today, RISE with SAP has become the recommended path for SAP ECC clients moving to S/4HANA, unless stringent data residency or compliance constraints prevent them from moving to a cloud-based system.

PASàPAS is here to guide your transition to RISE with SAP, offering tailored solutions to address the specific challenges of moving from ECC to S/4HANA Cloud. Our RISE Migration solution combines the expertise of RISE-certified architects and the industrialized processes of our S/4HANA Conversion Factory to ensure a smooth migration with minimal risk. From scoping and sizing your cloud solution to coordinating all stakeholders during the migration, PASàPAS provides end-to-end support. We also help optimize data volume with SAP’s Lean Selective Data Transition and ensure your customizations align with “Clean Core” principles, setting the foundation for continuous innovation.

Contact us today to learn how PASàPAS can make your move to RISE with SAP seamless and efficient.