One of the key expectations for commercial software packages is that they should be continuously updated and improved in all possible ways.
SAP ECC is no exception: Support Packages (SP) deliver bug fixes, performance improvements and legal changes, whereas Enhancement Packages (EhP) introduce new features and functionalities, which can be activated as needed.
EhPs are cumulative, which means that when you apply the latest EhP you automatically receive all the improvements from earlier packages, and the “weight” of EhPs (in number of modified programs or new lines of code) keeps increasing over time.
SAP launched ECC 6.0 (EhP0) in 2006 and followed with one EhP per year until EhP7, which came out in 2013. Then EhP8 (the last EhP for ECC6) was launched in 2016.
For almost 15 years, SAP ECC customers had to decide to implement the latest EhP or not, based on the expected value of the new functionality it brought. Many of them skipped an EhP, and then another, until they reached a point where the perceived cost and risk of the next EhP upgrade outweighed the possible benefits. This explains why so many ECC6 customers are still on early EhP levels (0 to 5).
SAP ECC6 Maintenance Timelines
SAP launched S/4HANA in 2015 and initially announced that support for ECC6 would end in 2025.
Then, in early 2020, considering the number of customers still on ECC6, they announced that:
- SAP ECC6 EhP 6 to 8 would be supported under Mainstream support until end of 2027, and then under Extended support (at a 9% higher cost) until end of 2030.
- SAP ECC6 EhP 0 to 5 would only be supported under Mainstream support until end of 2025, with no Extended support offered.
Since then, the pace of moves to S/4HANA has increased, and some customers have also started the process to move off SAP, but there is still a significant percentage of ECC6 customers on EhP level 0 to 5 who don’t have a plan and would prefer to continue using ECC6 for foreseeable future.
Why not consider an EhP upgrade?
For years, these customers shunned EhP upgrades on the grounds that they could not justify the cost. Then for months, they heard that rather than wasting time and money on an EhP upgrade, they should start moving to S/4HANA, as a one-step conversion was possible.
As a matter of fact, an EhP upgrade can be treated as a technical project, with user involvement required only for regression testing. The risk of regression is real, especially if there has been no EhP or SP upgrades in years, and there has been a significant volume of bespoke development. However, this risk would be even more real for an S/4HANA conversion instead of an EhP upgrade, so this can’t be used as a reason to say no to an EhP upgrade.
And, for a small to mid-size ECC6 customer with no other SAP system, an EhP upgrade should cost 5 to 10 times less than moving to S/4HANA.
Some might still consider it a waste of money on a platform approaching end of life, but if your ECC6 meets business needs for the short to medium term, an EhP upgrade is certainly the lowest-cost solution to extend its supported life by 5 years.
How PASàPAS can help
At PASàPAS, we specialize in cost-efficient EhP upgrades designed to maximize your SAP ECC system’s useful life while minimizing disruption. Whether your goal is to extend support until 2030 or prepare for a future migration to S/4HANA, our experienced consultants ensure a smooth and secure transition.
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