SAP ECC 6.0

What is SAP ECC 6.0?

SAP’s first client/server business application software suite was SAP R/3, where the “R” stood for “real-time data processing” and the 3 represented “3-tiers” — database, application server, and client. There were four major releases SAP R/3 between 1992 and 2003. In 2004, a newer version of the software with a revised architecture was released and was renamed SAP ERP Central Component (ECC). This was commonly referred to as SAP ECC 5.0. SAP ECC 6.0 was first launched in 2005 and received eight major enhancement packages before the product was replaced by SAP S/4HANA in 2015. The last major release of SAP ECC was SAP ECC 6.0 EHP 8, generally available in 2016.

What is SAP ECC 6.0?

SAP’s first client/server business application software suite was SAP R/3, where the “R” stood for “real-time data processing” and the 3 represented “3-tiers” — database, application server, and client. There were four major releases SAP R/3 between 1992 and 2003. In 2004, a newer version of the software with a revised architecture was released and was renamed SAP ERP Central Component (ECC). This was commonly referred to as SAP ECC 5.0. SAP ECC 6.0 was first launched in 2005 and received eight major enhancement packages before the product was replaced by SAP S/4HANA in 2015. The last major release of SAP ECC was SAP ECC 6.0 EHP 8, generally available in 2016.

Like other ERP solutions, SAP ECC 6.0 contains modules for finance, human resources, procurement, product development, marketing, sales, service, IT, and supply chain management. At one point SAP indicated that there were over 40,000 enterprise ERP customers running either SAP ECC or SAP Business Suite, a broader package of which SAP ECC formed the core modules. SAP announced in early 2020 that mainstream maintenance for SAP ECC 6.0 would conclude at the end of 2027, though premium maintenance would be available for three years following that date. SAP encourages SAP ECC 6.0 customers to move to SAP S/4HANA.

Key Considerations for SAPinsiders:

• Organizations should begin planning to replace their SAP ECC 6.0 systems. Even if you’re still running SAP ECC 6.0 as your primary ERP system, there are many reasons why you should consider planning for the move to SAP S/4HANA. While the approaching end of mainstream maintenance is a significant factor, many organizations are also looking at the move to SAP S/4HANA as an opportunity to update business processes and streamline customizations that may hinder flexibility. This articlewalks though points to consider when beginning your preparations for a move away from SAP ECC 6.0.
• While there are preparations that need to be made for the move to SAP S/4HANA, there are several tools that can be leveraged to streamline that process. Implementing a new ERP system is a significant task for most organizations and can involve months of planning and preparation at a minimum. While the actual process involved may have changed slightly since this question and answer session was conducted, four experts from SAP talk about what it takes to move from SAP ECC 6.0 to SAP S/4HANA and best practices for making that move successful.