Navigating the future with SAP ECC:
Making informed decisions on EHP levels below 6
The SAP landscape is constantly evolving and so should your strategy. If your organisation is running on SAP Enhancement Package levels 5 or below (EHP0–5), you’re at a critical decision point—balancing the familiarity of your current system with the potential benefits of upgrading or migrating.
But this isn’t just about technology – it’s about future-proofing your business. The decisions you make today will determine your agility, efficiency and competitiveness tomorrow.
So, let’s cut through the jargon and explore your options with a pragmatic focus on what truly matters to your organisation.
#1
Assessing your current position: Why EHP levels below 6 matter
EHP5 has long been a dependable foundation for SAP ERP users, providing stability and essential functionality. However, the SAP ecosystem has evolved significantly since its release. From increasing compliance demands and integration complexities to the need for enhanced performance, relying on an outdated system can introduce operational and security risks.
Here are key questions your organisation should be considering:
- Is EHP5 still supported? SAP is gradually phasing out legacy systems, leading to reduced support for older versions. Mainstream support for EHP 0–5 will officially end in late 2025, with no extended support options. Meanwhile, EHP6–EHP8 will receive mainstream support until the end of 2027, with extended support available through 2030.
- How stable is your current system? Conducting a thorough health check can reveal hidden vulnerabilities, inefficiencies or performance bottlenecks that may impact daily operations.
- Has your business evolved? Growth, strategic shifts, mergers or divestitures may have changed your organisation’s needs since your current EHP level was implemented. As businesses transform, technology must keep pace to support new goals and challenges.
Understanding where you stand today is the first step in making informed decisions about your SAP strategy moving forward.
#2
Evaluate the options: Upgrade, transform or stay the course
Option 1: Upgrade to EHP7 or EHP8 for SAP ECC 6.0
If you’re looking to extend the life of your ECC platform without a full migration, EHP7 or EHP8 is the logical next step. It enhances system stability, expands functionality, and strengthens compliance capabilities.
- Pros: Maintains a familiar environment, reduces change management efforts, and keeps you connected to SAP’s latest ECC innovations.
- Cons: While EHP8 is the most advanced enhancement package for ECC, it’s not SAP’s future focus. Standard support ends in 2027, limiting long-term viability.
Option 2: Migrate to SAP S/4HANA
This is the transformative leap. S/4HANA offers a modern architecture, cutting-edge embedded analytics, modern user interface and experience, embedded AI use cases and unparalleled processing power. Furthermore, S/4 is part of SAP’s cloud applications suite, naturally integrated with analytics, data management, standard integrations and AI applications. It’s the cornerstone of SAP’s roadmap and positions your business to embrace a digital-first future.
- Pros: Future-proof your systems, enable agile user experience with embedded support tools, real-time insights and streamline processes.
- Cons: Required a larger initial investment in time, resources and change management.
For more information about our S/4HANA services, explore the links below:
- MoveWorks by Birchman: Our SAP Qualified Package Solution, designed for affordability and quick implementation
- GROW with SAP: Discover how S/4HANA can support your transformation journey.
Hold Steady, but plan ahead
Moving to EHP7 or EHP8 is a viable 3-4 month project that keeps your system stable and compliant. Alternatively, transitioning to S/4HANA by year-end can unlock advanced capabilities, if feasible.
Not sure which route to take?
We offer a comprehensive assessment of your SAP environment—providing a tailored roadmap aligned with your business needs. Designed to deliver in up to three weeks with no long term commitment and ensures you make the right move—on your terms.
Click here to learn more and get started.
#3
Build a roadmap: From evaluation to execution
Whichever path you take, success depends on thorough preparation and execution. Here’s a structured approach to navigating the journey:
Step 1: Conduct a system assessment
Start with tools like the SAP Readiness Check to evaluate system health, compatibility, customizations, and integration points. But a true roadmap goes beyond ECC—if you rely on BW, BPC, APO, or PI/PO, these systems are also approaching end-of-life. At Birchman, we provide a holistic assessment of your entire SAP landscape, mapping out a future-ready architecture with SAP’s latest applications and platforms.
Learn more about the assessment
Step 2: Engage stakeholders early
Successful transformation isn’t just an IT project—it’s a business-wide initiative. Engaging IT teams, business leaders, and end-users from the outset helps align expectations and ensures organisation-wide buy-in.
Step 3: Pilot the future
Testing in a sandbox environment allows you to explore functionalities, troubleshoot issues, and refine processes before a full-scale rollout. This reduces risk and ensures a smoother transition.
Step 4: Build a comprehensive training plan
Even the best technology can fail without the right user adoption. A structured training program equips your teams with the skills and confidence to embrace new tools and workflows effectively.
#4
The Big Picture: Align with SAP’s roadmap
SAP’s future is clear—S/4HANA is the strategic platform moving forward. While upgrading to EHP8 can provide a short-term solution, it’s essential to keep the bigger picture in focus.
- SAP is continuously investing in S/4HANA innovations, making it the platform of choice for those ready to embrace modern ERP.
- The longer you delay migration, The longer you delay migration, the more technical debt, integration challenges and business risks you may accumulate.
- It’s not only about ECC. Future-proofing your business means looking beyond core ERP to assess the full SAP landscape—including legacy applications like BW, BPC, APO, and PI/PO, which are also reaching end-of-life.
By aligning your strategy with SAP’s trajectory, you position your organisation to stay competitive and adaptable in an ever-evolving marketplace.
#5
Balancing costs with value
Upgrades and migrations involve costs—licensing, hardware, consulting and change management. The real question isn’t just about the price tag; it’s about the value.
- What will improved performance save in time and resources?
- How much revenue could new functionalities unlock?
- What risks can be mitigated by enhanced compliance and security?
We’re not here to upsell; we’re here to deliver outcomes. That’s why every recommendation we make ties back to a clear ROI for your business.
A partner for every step
Navigating these decisions doesn’t have to be overwhelming. We’re here to help you cut through the noise, weigh your options and craft a roadmap that aligns with your business goals.
Whether you’re considering EHP8, exploring S/4HANA, or simply figuring out what’s next, our team combines SAP expertise with real-world pragmatism to deliver solutions that work.
Birchman will guide you in choosing the appropriate license for S/4HANA, ensuring you make the right decision for your business needs.
Practical, insightful, forward-thinking. That’s not just how we work—it’s how we help you succeed. Reach out today and let’s start shaping your SAP journey.
FAQs
Question #1: Why does navigating the future with EHP5 matter for organisations?
Ans: For organisations still running EHP5, having a strategy ensures they prepare for upcoming end-of-mainstream support deadlines, maintain regulatory compliance, and align with their ERP roadmap.
Question #2: What are the key benefits of upgrading to EHP5?
Ans: Upgrading to EHP5 offers improved system performance, access to newer features within SAP ERP 6.0 and a platform to support future ERP transformation.
Question #3: What is the end-of-support timeline for EHP5 and why is it important?
Ans: Mainstream support for SAP ERP 6.0 systems on EHP5 expires on 31 December 2025, meaning organisations must plan upgrades or migrations to avoid unsupported operations.
Question #4: What are the strategic upgrade paths from EHP5?
Ans: Organisations can choose to upgrade to a higher enhancement package (e.g., EHP6+), migrate to SAP S/4HANA, or move to a cloud ERP solution as part of their long-term roadmap.
Question #5: How should businesses assess whether staying on EHP5 is viable?
Ans: Companies should evaluate system customisations, business process readiness, data quality, IT infrastructure, and future business growth to decide whether EHP5 continues to be viable.
