SAP S/4HANA: The real change begins after the go-live

The study paints a differentiated picture of the migration landscape. Large industrial companies, such as those in the automotive or pharmaceutical industries, are often more advanced, have transformation programs lasting several years and have set up the migration as a strategic project with strong business involvement.

SMEs, on the other hand, often take a step-by-step approach with focused projects and more limited resources. Brownfield approaches dominate where existing processes and individual developments are to be largely retained. Greenfield or selective approaches are primarily used when comprehensive process modernization and a radical clean-up of historically evolved structures are the goal.

By switching to S/4HANA, companies are not only switching to a new ERP version, but also laying the foundations for a modern, integrated platform architecture. The in-memory technology of the HANA database, simplified data models and standardized interfaces make it easier to consolidate data from different systems and make it usable in real time. The study shows that companies are increasingly expanding their focus beyond stabilization and troubleshooting after the go-live – towards data-driven initiatives.

In combination with the SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP) and SAP Business Data Cloud (BDC), an architecture is created in which S/4HANA forms the operational backbone, while BTP and BDC act as the innovation and data layer. Transaction data from S/4HANA can be linked with IoT information, external market data or unstructured data from other sources. This enables integrated analytics scenarios, AI-supported forecasts or cross-process views of customers, suppliers and assets.

The tension between standardization and individualization remains a defining factor. The valantic SAP Study 2026 confirms that companies that consistently rely on standard processes and outsource enhancements to BTP are more agile in the long term and can adopt new releases and innovations more quickly. At the same time, there are industry requirements and competitive advantages that make individual processes necessary.

It is therefore crucial for success to establish an architecture guideline that defines:

• which functions remain in the standard
• where differentiation takes place via side-by-side extensions
• how in-house developments are controlled and documented

S/4HANA projects thus become architecture and change projects, not just technical migrations.

The study shows that successful S/4HANA programs have several things in common. They have a clear business sponsor who drives the business objectives. They define value cases against which success can be measured, rather than just managing scope and timeline. They embed platform thinking by considering BTP, BDC and AI scenarios from the outset. And they consciously invest in change management and enablement to prepare employees for new processes, interfaces and working methods.

The central message of the valantic SAP Study 2026 is therefore: SAP S/4HANA is more than just a technical upgrade. Companies that understand it as a platform for business transformation and embed it in a well thought-out cloud, data and innovation strategy create the basis for a resilient, data-driven and future-proof organization. The go-live does not mark the end of the transformation, but the starting point of continuous change.

Questions? We would be happy to support you with your project. Get in touch with us!