As businesses continuously expand and innovate, ERP systems play a crucial role in managing processes, optimizing resources, and enhancing operational efficiency. However, over time, many systems become cumbersome due to overlapping customizations, leading to increased maintenance costs and hindering upgrades. For enterprises using SAP, this challenge is even more pronounced as they must balance unique business needs with system flexibility. SAP Clean Core helps businesses eliminate redundant customizations within the core system, paving the way for a flexible, easy-to-maintain platform that is ready for future upgrades.
Integrated within SAP BTP, SAP Clean Core adopts a modern approach, enabling businesses to extend and customize their systems without affecting the SAP S/4HANA core. This reduces upgrade risks, ensures consistency and stability, and fosters sustainable growth.
1. SAP Clean Core – A Strategy for a Streamlined SAP System
"Core"
In SAP BTP, "Core" refers to the fundamental platform that ensures efficient system operation, encompassing processes, data, integrations, operations, and scalability. This is where workflows are designed, executed, and optimized to enhance enterprise performance. Data plays a central role, ensuring consistency and supporting accurate decision-making. SAP BTP also provides powerful tools for integrating with both SAP and non-SAP ecosystems, allowing seamless operations without compromising the core system. A robust system must not only be stable but also flexible in scaling. Instead of directly customizing ERP, businesses can leverage SAP BTP to develop additional functionalities, ensuring easy upgrades and cost-efficient operations.
"Clean"
"Clean" ensures that all system components - from processes and data to integrations and scalability - adhere to cloud standards, are easy to maintain, and optimized for performance. Instead of modifying the core system, customizations and extensions are implemented via SAP BTP using tools such as SAP Extension Suite and SAP Integration Suite. Maintaining a streamlined system helps businesses optimize operations, reduce risks, and remain poised for sustainable growth.
With Clean Core, SAP BTP retains its essential components while optimizing operations through a cloud-based model. Rather than modifying ERP directly, Clean Core encourages businesses to build extensions on SAP BTP, keeping the system flexible, easy to maintain, and ready to integrate with advanced technologies like AI, Machine Learning, and process automation.
Adopting Clean Core not only enhances operational efficiency but also lays the foundation for continuous innovation, maximizing SAP’s benefits while ensuring scalability. This is not just an option - it is becoming a necessity for maintaining competitiveness and preparing for emerging technology trends.
2. Benefits of Clean Core with SAP BTP
Enhanced Upgradability and System Lifecycle Optimization
When an ERP system is overly customized, each upgrade becomes a major challenge, requiring extensive testing and potentially affecting existing functionalities. Implementing Clean Core with SAP BTP decouples customizations from the core system, allowing businesses to swiftly update SAP S/4HANA without disrupting operations. This not only enables organizations to leverage the latest SAP innovations but also significantly reduces system maintenance time and costs.
Simplified System Architecture and Risk Reduction
By migrating extensions and customizations to SAP BTP, businesses maintain a lightweight core system, free from complex custom code dependencies. This minimizes module conflicts, reduces operational errors, and ensures system stability even as business scale expands. Additionally, leveraging standard services on SAP BTP—such as SAP Extension Suite and SAP Integration Suite—allows organizations to adopt best practices without reinventing solutions.
Flexible Architecture and Strong Integration Capabilities
SAP BTP provides a multi-service platform that enables businesses to extend their systems without impacting ERP performance. Services like API Management, Event Mesh, and Business Process Automation facilitate third-party application integration and data connectivity across various sources—without modifying the core system. This allows organizations to rapidly adapt to new business requirements without adding complexity to their systems.
Driving Innovation Without Compromising the Core System
Clean Core ensures that innovations—from AI and Machine Learning to IoT and business process automation—are implemented on SAP BTP rather than within ERP itself. Businesses can leverage the SAP ecosystem and partner solutions to extend functionalities and enhance user experiences while maintaining the stability of their existing systems.
Cost Optimization and Maximized ROI
Operating and maintaining an over-customized ERP system is costly, requiring continuous testing, updates, and troubleshooting. With Clean Core, businesses can lower their Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) by utilizing built-in tools and services on SAP BTP rather than developing expensive in-house customizations. Additionally, scalable resources ensure IT efficiency, minimize waste, and maximize Return on Investment (ROI).
3. The Future of Clean Core
Clean Core is not just a strategy for optimizing existing systems—it is the foundation for the long-term evolution of ERP. With advancements in cloud computing, automation, and AI, Clean Core is increasingly becoming the standard for businesses seeking flexible operations, scalable growth, and innovation without the burden of excessive customizations.
In this model, system expansions will focus on non-intrusive methods rather than direct ERP modifications. Businesses will utilize SAP BTP to develop extensions, integrating through APIs and cloud services. This minimizes upgrade risks while ensuring long-term compatibility with new SAP versions.
Furthermore, data and business processes will be increasingly centralized, using advanced analytics tools to optimize performance. With this scalability, Clean Core enables businesses to maintain an efficient SAP system while continuously improving and adapting to market changes without disrupting operations.
Clean Core is not just a trend—it is becoming a fundamental standard for businesses to maintain flexibility, optimize efficiency, and prepare for future transformations. By eliminating redundant customizations and leveraging SAP BTP, businesses can easily upgrade their systems, ensuring stability while driving innovation.
CMC Consulting is committed to accompanying enterprises on their journey to SAP system optimization, helping them build a solid foundation for long-term growth. If business leaders are considering a SAP Clean Core strategy, now is the right time to act. Contact CMC Consulting to explore the best solutions for your business operations.
Reference Articles:
https://community.sap.com/t5/technology-blogs-by-members/benefits-of-keeping-the-core-clean-with-sap-btp
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/understanding-sap-clean-core-simplifying
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-clean-core-sap-extending-without-compromising-integrity-ibeac
CMC Consulting
21/03/2025
19
