For many organisations, 2026 is no longer about whether to move to Cloud ERP (S/4HANA) Public but how and how quickly. With mainstream support for SAP ECC ending in December 2027, the window for a controlled migration is narrowing. Delay now leads to higher costs, fewer skilled resources and greater operational risk.
What often catches leadership teams out is that a Cloud ERP (S/4HANA) Public migration is not a technical upgrade. It is a business transformation that affects data, processes, operating models and governance. In our experience, the most common SAP Cloud ERP (S/4HANA) migration challenges are predictable but only if you know where to look.
For organisations assessing SAP S/4HANA Public Cloud, understanding where migration risk is concentrated is the first step towards building a controlled transition.
Below, we outline the most critical Cloud ERP (S/4HANA) Public migration challenges in 2026, alongside proven best practices and examples from our work with organisations navigating these challenges.
SAP cloud migration issues: the risks to address first
Migration risk extends well beyond the technology itself. Skills shortages, governance requirements, security, compliance, resource constraints and compressed timelines can all affect the outcome of a Cloud ERP (S/4HANA) Public migration. Addressing these risks early gives organisations more room to make informed decisions before they become delivery problems.
By 2026, shortages of experienced Cloud ERP (S/4HANA) Public specialists are affecting most projects. Demand is particularly high for data migration, finance, testing and cutover roles. In the UK and EU, this is further constrained by labour market conditions.
When these skills are missing at critical moments, delays multiply.
Migration to Cloud ERP (S/4HANA) Public changes how security and compliance are managed. When these topics are delayed, post go live risk increases.
Early attention to these areas also helps organisations establish the governance and delivery capacity needed for later stages of migration.
Data-migration challenges and control measures
Poor data remains the single greatest risk in SAP cloud ERP (S/4HANA) Public migration. Legacy environments often contain decades of duplicated, incomplete or obsolete data. When this data is moved into an in memory platform such as Cloud ERP (S/4HANA), underlying issues surface immediately.
Inaccurate master data leads to unreliable reporting, broken processes and operational disruption after go live. Despite this, many projects continue to underestimate the effort required to clean and govern data before migration.
Best practice: Establish data governance early
Successful projects treat data as a business asset, not a technical afterthought. This includes:
- Cleansing and de duplicating data before migration begins
- Agreeing field level definitions with accountable business owners
- Running incremental validation cycles instead of one off checks
- Embedding governance controls to prevent data degradation after go live
Birchman in practice: DBS S/4HANA project recovery
When David Brown Group went live with an incomplete Cloud ERP (S/4HANA) Public environment, missing data and configurations left the business exposed. Birchman was engaged under significant time pressure.
We assessed the landscape, identified critical data gaps and completed essential migration activities at pace. The result was a stabilised system that met the original separation deadline and protected business continuity.
This reflects a common pattern in SAP Cloud ERP (S/4HANA) Public migration challenges. Data issues rarely resolve without intervention but they can be addressed effectively with the right focus and governance.
Process design and adoption in an S/4HANA migration
One of the most underestimated Cloud ERP (S/4HANA) Public migration challenges is process design. Too often, organisations try to replicate legacy processes rather than adopt standard SAP ways of working. This increases customisation, cost, long term risk and maintenance effort.
At its core, migration to Cloud ERP (S/4HANA) Public is a decision about how the business intends to operate in the future.
Best practice: align process redesign with SAP Activate
A structured, business led approach delivers more predictable outcomes:
- Run early discovery workshops with senior stakeholders
- Prioritise high impact processes such as finance and supply chain
- Use standard SAP processes as the baseline
- Validate designs iteratively, not at the end
Birchman in practice: Alfrecell’s 12 week transition
Alfrecell faced a hard deadline to separate from a multinational ERP landscape. There was no time for over engineering. Birchman worked side by side with the business to align on standard processes early and avoid unnecessary complexity.
Alfrecell moved from ECC to S/4HANA Cloud in just 12 weeks, without disrupting day to day operations. This illustrates how process simplification reduces delivery risk in cloud ERP migration.
A technically successful Cloud ERP (S/4HANA) Public migration can still fail if users do not adopt the system. Resistance often appears in the form of workarounds, spreadsheets or shadow systems. Training alone does not solve this.
Best practice: embed change management throughout
Effective change projects typically include:
- A clear executive narrative linked to business outcomes
- Change champions embedded within each function
- Structured hypercare after go live
- Ongoing communication beyond launch
Integration, custom code and Clean Core decisions
Most organisations operate hybrid system landscapes. During Cloud ERP (S/4HANA) Public migration, integration weaknesses often surface for the first time. Point to point integrations become fragile and difficult to manage.
As organisations assess their target architecture, integration and customisation decisions need to be considered together. The aim is to create a landscape that supports the new ERP without recreating the complexity of the legacy environment. A sustainable approach includes:
- API first integration design
- Side by side extensibility
- Central integration governance
Birchman designs integration as part of the target operating model rather than as a separate technical task. This supports future change and reduces long term maintenance effort.
As the 2027 support deadline approaches, many organisations are working with compressed delivery schedules. This places pressure on budgets, stretches internal teams and limits contingency.
Best practice: focus on Clean Core delivery
Under constrained timelines, risk is reduced by:
- Design for standard SAP functionality first
- Minimise customisation
- Run workstreams in parallel where possible
- Reduce data volumes prior to migration
Custom code should therefore be assessed as part of the wider Clean Core decision rather than treated as an isolated technical workstream.
Cutover readiness and post-go-live stabilisation
By 2026, shortages of experienced Cloud ERP (S/4HANA) Public specialists are affecting most projects. Demand is particularly high for data migration, finance, testing and cutover roles. In the UK and EU, this is further constrained by labour market conditions.
When these skills are missing at critical moments, delays multiply.
As the 2027 support deadline approaches, many organisations are working with compressed delivery schedules. This places pressure on budgets, stretches internal teams and limits contingency.
A technically successful Cloud ERP (S/4HANA) Public migration can still fail if users do not adopt the system. Resistance often appears in the form of workarounds, spreadsheets or shadow systems. Training alone does not solve this.
Post-go-live stabilisation therefore needs to be considered before go-live, with the right resources, governance and hypercare arrangements already in place.
Applying S/4HANA migration best practices
The individual challenges are closely connected. Strong data governance supports reliable processes, standardisation reduces customisation, effective integration supports the target operating model, and the right delivery model gives teams the capacity to manage cutover and stabilisation. The following practices bring the key lessons together:
#1
Data governance
Successful projects treat data as a business asset, not a technical afterthought. This includes:
- Cleansing and de duplicating data before migration begins
- Agreeing field level definitions with accountable business owners
- Running incremental validation cycles instead of one off checks
- Embedding governance controls to prevent data degradation after go live
#2
Process standardisation
A structured, business led approach delivers more predictable outcomes:
- Run early discovery workshops with senior stakeholders
- Prioritise high impact processes such as finance and supply chain
- Use standard SAP processes as the baseline
- Validate designs iteratively, not at the end
#3
Blended delivery
Resilient projects avoid reliance on a single sourcing approach and instead combine:
- Senior specialists for high risk phases
- Scalable delivery teams for build and testing
- Automation and delivery tools to reduce manual effort
- Structured knowledge transfer to internal teams
#4
Change management
Effective change projects typically include:
- A clear executive narrative linked to business outcomes
- Change champions embedded within each function
- Structured hypercare after go live
- Ongoing communication beyond launch
#5
Clean Core
Under constrained timelines, risk is reduced by:
- Design for standard SAP functionality first
- Minimise customisation
- Run workstreams in parallel where possible
- Reduce data volumes prior to migration
#6
Integration governance
A sustainable approach includes:
- API first integration design
- Side by side extensibility
- Central integration governance
#7
Security and compliance
Strong projects include:
- Early risk and compliance assessments.
- Role based access and segregation of duties
- Ongoing monitoring and audit readiness
Together, these practices provide a practical framework for managing the operational, technical and organisational risks associated with migration.
Turning Cloud ERP (S/4HANA) Public Migration Challenges into Confidence
The most common SAP Cloud ERP (S/4HANA) Public migration challenges, including data quality, skills shortages, process complexity and time pressure, are well understood in 2026. The differentiator lies in execution.
At Birchman, we focus on proven methodologies with measurable results. Whether stabilising a complex project or delivering a Cloud ERP (S/4HANA) Public transition, we support organisations in moving forward with confidence.
Talk to our experts about planning your Cloud ERP (S/4HANA) Public migration or explore our case studies to see how we support transformation at critical points.
FAQs
Question #1: Which migration roles are essential?
Ans: Demand is particularly high for data migration, finance, testing and cutover roles. A blended delivery model can combine senior specialists for high risk phases with scalable delivery teams for build and testing, alongside structured knowledge transfer to internal teams.
Question #2: How should organisations plan cutover?
Ans: Cutover should be treated as a critical delivery phase rather than a final technical activity. Organisations need the right specialist resources, validated data, tested processes, clear governance and structured hypercare arrangements in place before go-live.
Question #3: What happens to custom code during migration?
Ans: Customisation should be assessed against the target operating model and standard SAP functionality. The Clean Core approach prioritises standard SAP functionality first and minimises customisation, helping reduce long term risk and maintenance effort.
Question #4: Which measures indicate that migration readiness is sufficient?
Ans: Readiness should be demonstrated through validated data, tested business processes, sufficient specialist resources, integration readiness, security and compliance controls, and clear cutover and hypercare plans. Incremental validation and ongoing monitoring help identify gaps before go-live.
