SAP extended mainstream maintenance for the last three enhancement packages of SAP ERP 6 (EHP 6, 7 and 8) until the end of 2027. Maintenance for earlier enhancement packages have not been extended and will end on December 31, 2025. Customers using those last enhancement packages have the option to extend maintenance until December 31, 2030, for an additional fee of 2% on the maintenance base. The fee applies to on-premise customers. For ERP Private Cloud customers, the fee is included in the subscription. After 2027 – or after 2030 for those opting for extended maintenance – these versions wil automatically fall into customer-specific maintenance. Full details on maintenance timelines and how to check release and enhancement package levels are available in the blog post.

To support customers in understanding and transitioning to SAP S/4HANA, SAP introduced the SAP Customer Evolution Kit, which aims to provide a clear path for customers by defining the value of RISE with SAP, understanding its capabilities, the transition process, and the product roadmap. The SAP Customer Evolution Kit enables organizations to understand how to leverage SAP solutions to transform their businesses into an intelligent, sustainable enterprise and provides a streamlined methodology to clearly define the incremental value potential of RISE with SAP and other cloud solutions and identify the preferable transition path, build a journey map, and create a benefit case.

Maintenance Options

Mainstream Maintenance: This is the standard support level for SAP solutions, including legal changes, regular support packages, problem resolution, global support backbone, mission-critical support, and specific service level agreements.

Extended Maintenance: This option offers similar support to mainstream maintenance but with some limitations. For instance, there may be technical restrictions affecting maintenance delivery. Extended maintenance is available for enhancement packages 6, 7 and 8 of SAP ERP 6 and SAP S/4HANA 1709, 1809 and 1909.

Customer-Specific Maintenance: Organizations automatically enter this phase at the end of mainstream or extended maintenance. Customers continue to pay their annual support fee, but support is limited. No new legal changes or support packages are provided, technology updates are not guaranteed, and only known problem resolutions are supported, with potential fees for new problem resolutions. Unlike mainstream or extended maintenance, customer-specific maintenance does not have a set end date.

SAP transition options depend on the customer’s starting point

New Implementation (Greenfield):

• Starts with a system without existing data.
• Can be an empty system or a template from SAP or a partner.
• Requires data migration for both master and transactional data.

Lift & Shift (Brownfield):

• Moves an existing system as-is to a cloud data center.
• Applies to SAP ERP under a Private Cloud contract or S/4HANA as part of RISE with SAP S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition.

System Conversion (Brownfield):

• Technically transitions an existing SAP ERP system to S/4HANA and moves it to a cloud data center.
• Always involves the full system in a big-bang approach.

Selective Data Transition (Bluefield):

• Uses a toolbox approach for non-standard projects like company code splits, regional system mergers, or carve-outs.
• Requires expertise from SAP or specialized partners.

Additionally, the usage rights for Compatibility Scope will also expire on December 31, 2025, however, SAP will exceptionally extend the Compatibility Scope usage rights to December 31, 2030, for Transportation (LE-TRA), Customer Service (CS), and selected items in Production Planning in the Process Industry (PP-PI).

Considering that any transition project can take months or even years, organizations need to plan their next steps, especially if they are using a system with mainstream maintenance ending in 2025. Offering enhanced scope and similar flexibility as the current SAP ERP system, RISE with SAP S/4HANA Private Cloud is a natural choice for the technical transition.