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SAP S/4HANA: An Overview and Key Considerations
What Is SAP S/4HANA?
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) has been the cornerstone of SAP solutions since the company was founded in 1972. SAP’s first packaged mainframe software application, SAP R/2, was released in 1979, and was followed by SAP R/3, SAP ERP Central Component (ECC) 5.0, and SAP ECC 6.0. SAP’s current flagship enterprise ERP solution, SAP S/4HANA, was released in 2015, and was a significant shift for the organization as it ran exclusively on the SAP HANA database.
Modules included in an SAP S/4HANA system include: Asset Management, Finance, Human Resources, Manufacturing, R&D/Engineering, Sales, Service, Sourcing and Procurement, and Supply Chain. Each of these modules consist of multiple applications that offer specific features and functionality, as well as industry-specific and enhanced line-of-business functions.
SAP S/4HANA: An Overview and Key Considerations
What Is SAP S/4HANA?
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) has been the cornerstone of SAP solutions since the company was founded in 1972. SAP’s first packaged mainframe software application, SAP R/2, was released in 1979, and was followed by SAP R/3, SAP ERP Central Component (ECC) 5.0, and SAP ECC 6.0. SAP’s current flagship enterprise ERP solution, SAP S/4HANA, was released in 2015, and was a significant shift for the organization as it ran exclusively on the SAP HANA database.
Modules included in an SAP S/4HANA system include: Asset Management, Finance, Human Resources, Manufacturing, R&D/Engineering, Sales, Service, Sourcing and Procurement, and Supply Chain. Each of these modules consist of multiple applications that offer specific features and functionality, as well as industry-specific and enhanced line-of-business functions.
Key Considerations for SAPinsiders
- SAP S/4HANA is the solution that SAP wants enterprise ERP customers to be running, but it is about more than simply adopting technology. According to Tom Janoshalmi, the former Global Head of SAP Digital Core Move, organizations need to look at their move to SAP S/4HANA to being about a connected story not just a technology upgrade. While SAPinsider research has shown that many organizations look at SAP S/4HANA largely because of the upcoming end of maintenance for core SAP ERP releases, more see a move to SAP S/4HANA as the opportunity to re-engineer and update processes and configurations. Janoshalmi agrees. He wants organizations to focus on the value they can derive from SAP S/4HANA and what they can achieve moving forward. You can hear more about why the move to SAP S/4HANA is important by reading SAPinsider’s interview with Janoshalmi.
- SAP S/4HANA is the core around which organizations can build their transformed landscape. When Eczacıbaşı Building Products needed to update their existing systems and processes, they looked at SAP S/4HANA as the central part of their update. The overall process involved a complete evaluation of all their current processes and implementing technologies that would increase agility while boosting customer brand experience. SAP S/4HANA was used to connect all the different parts of the business in that process. This article covers more about the Eczacıbaşı project, as does this event session where they discuss their results.
- SAP continues to enhance SAP S/4HANA by including it in RISE with SAP. RISE with SAP is not a new product, but an offering that includes assets that help organizations achieve transformation. The central part of this is SAP S/4HANA Cloud, the software-as-a-service version of SAP’s flagship ERP solution. Damien Johnson from SAP explains in this session what RISE with SAP is, and how it impacts organizations’ existing SAP S/4HANA projects.
850 results
From Complexity to Control: Driving Aerospace and Defense innovation with SAP S/4HANA and ProtivitiApr 23, 2025 — Digital transformation in the aerospace and defense industry, driven by SAP S/4HANA, is essential for organizations to enhance efficiency, ensure compliance, and manage operational complexity, with Protiviti serving as a key partner in this transformative journey.
3 minute read
Case Study: Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany puts Digital at the Heart of HealthcareJul 23, 2024 — A new SAP S/4 HANA ERP solution ushers Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany Healthcare into a digital future. If innovation and data are the lifeblood of life sciences, digital tools and technology are at the heart.
2 minute read
Strong Program Management Office for a Successful SAP S/4HANA MigrationAug 20, 2024 — In SAP S/4HANA migration projects, maintaining a broader perspective can be challenging due to the fast-paced nature and frequent emergence of new challenges. A structured risk management approach and a strong Program Management Office (PMO) are critical for project success. The PMO should focus on managing budget, timeline, and scope by implementing a coherent methodology, governance framework, and a comprehensive program schedule. Effective scope management, change control, and risk management are essential to keep the project on track. By following best practices in PMO setup, including clear communication, robust planning, and proactive risk management, SAP S/4HANA migrations are more likely to succeed, ensuring timely delivery, budget adherence, and efficient management of project scope.
2 minute read
IBM’s Journey to SAP S/4HANA on RISE: A Blueprint for Global TransformationApr 3, 2025 — IBM's migration from SAP ECC to S/4HANA on RISE, executed in partnership with SNP, illustrates how strategic collaboration and advanced methodologies can facilitate rapid ERP modernization, achieving significant cost savings, reduced data footprint, and enhanced operational efficiency with minimal disruption across a vast global user base.
3 minute read
L3Harris and Lessons Learned While Moving SAP S/4HANA to the CloudFeb 5, 2020 — When moving to SAP S/4HANA, it is important to learn as much as possible from the experience of others that have already travelled that path. And what is especially useful are the lessons that they have learned along the way. Josh Fisher, Senior Manager – SAP Technical Services at L3 Harris, has much that he […]
2 minute read
An Overview on Rise with SAPFeb 19, 2025 — Customers moving to SAP S/4HANA come from different backgrounds and have different end goals. RISE with SAP is designed to address unique customer scenarios. RISE is not a system upgrade, it’s a redesigned method of working that allows customers to change not only once, but to continuously transform. Rise with SAP simplifies a customer’s move to the cloud and helps throughout their business transformation journey. RISE with SAP delivers seamlessly with SAP partners, Hyperscaler partners, the Reseller community, and Software partners. RISE with SAP is designed to help SAP customers.
9 minute read
The Office of the SAP CFO and the Future of FinanceDec 31, 2025 — SAP CFO organizations are at a turning point. Our latest benchmark study of 110 SAP-centric enterprises reveals how finance leaders are modernizing their core, automating the close, and leveraging AI to move from transactional efficiency to strategic intelligence.
The Office of the CFO is evolving from a compliance-driven function into a strategic co-pilot for the enterprise. SAPinsider’s 2025 research shows that 54% of organizations have migrated core financial activities to SAP S/4HANA, creating the digital backbone for automation and AI. Yet only 17% report fully integrated finance systems, leaving most stuck at “Level 3 – Established” maturity. This plateau limits agility and slows transformation. CFOs face mounting pressure from regulatory complexity and cybersecurity risks, while internal demands for efficiency and performance drive a shift toward automation and real-time insights.
Modernization isn’t optional. 47% of organizations now prioritize automating the financial close, and leaders achieving 1–3 day close (just 5% today) gain a decisive competitive advantage in agility and decision-making. AI adoption is accelerating, 69% of respondents use AI in finance, primarily for forecasting and anomaly detection. Those leveraging AI report faster cycle times and less manual effort, freeing capacity for strategic planning. The report provides actionable recommendations for CFOs at every maturity level, from fixing data foundations to piloting agentic AI and moving toward autonomous finance.
Download the full report to benchmark your SAP CFO transformation and learn how to accelerate modernization.
2 minute read
The Complete SAP S/4HANA Pre-Migration HandbookAug 15, 2025 — The SAP S/4HANA pre-Migration guide provides a step-by-step approach to prepare your systems, manage data, and reduce risks for a smooth migration to S/4HANA. It covers key strategies for archiving, performance testing, and legacy system decommissioning to ensure efficiency and cost savings. Get your copy of the guide today and start planning a seamless SAP S/4HANA migration.
1 minute read
How UiPath’s CIO Reframed SAP Transformation: Five Lessons From ‘Customer Zero’Feb 3 — UiPath ran its SAP S/4HANA migration as a Customer Zero initiative, embedding automation directly into execution rather than layering it on after go-live. The experience reshaped clean-core discipline, operating models, and readiness for agentic workflows under live finance conditions.
3 minute read