SAP Articles
SAP Clean Core Strategy for Cost Effective S/4HANA Projects
Noel DCosta
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The SAP clean core strategy is changing how companies run ERP—finally, maybe for the better. I’ve worked with teams who were practically afraid of their own SAP systems. Layers of custom code built over years made upgrades painful, sometimes impossible. Everyone knew it, but they kept adding more.
Clean core offers a way out. You keep the core of S/4HANA clean—no deep modifications—and use side-by-side extensions (like SAP BTP or APIs) only when it really matters. It’s about doing less, but smarter. Not everything needs to be tailored. In fact, most things probably shouldn’t be.
But here’s the thing: this isn’t just a tech fix. It’s a mindset shift. You’ve got to ask tough questions like, Do we actually need this process? Or is it just familiar? That’s where it gets hard.
In practice, clean core falls apart when:
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Teams stick to “how we’ve always done it”
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Customizations creep back in quietly
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No one owns the rules on what’s allowed
Still, when companies commit, the results are noticeable. Faster upgrades. Lower costs. Fewer fires. One CIO told me they cut SAP operating expenses by over a third—and released updates faster than ever.
It’s not perfect. But it’s a much better place to start.
SAP Clean Core strategy focuses on minimizing custom code in the core ERP system by leveraging side-by-side extensions via SAP BTP. It enables smoother upgrades, better system stability, and future-ready cloud transformation.
What Is the SAP Clean Core Strategy?
A clean core strategy means keeping your SAP S/4HANA system as close to standard as possible. No more hacking the core to match every business quirk. Instead, you extend only where it makes sense—using approved tools like SAP BTP, in-app extensibility, or APIs.
The best way I’ve found to explain it? Think of your smartphone. You don’t mess with the operating system. You install apps. That’s it. SAP wants you to treat S/4HANA the same way: keep the foundation stable, add what you need on top—without breaking the base.
This wasn’t how things worked in the ECC days. Everyone customized everything. It felt necessary at the time, and to be fair, it worked—until it didn’t. Upgrades took forever, cost a fortune, and often broke stuff.
Now, S/4HANA is built differently. The core handles essential processes. Extensions handle the rest. Done right, this approach brings real results:
Upgrades that take weeks, not months
Lower maintenance spend (I’ve seen 30–40% reductions)
Easier path to cloud
Better overall system stability
I remember a manufacturer that had 400+ custom objects in ECC. Their upgrades were a nightmare. After moving to clean core, they dropped to 50 well-managed extensions. Updates now take 2–3 weeks—with barely a hiccup.
The tricky part? Knowing when not to customize. That’s where most companies stumble.
| Benefit Category | Description | Business Impact (Quantified) |
|---|---|---|
| Lower Upgrade Costs | Side-by-side architecture eliminates custom rework during SAP upgrades | Up to 40% reduction in upgrade cost and 30–50% faster upgrade cycles |
| Reduced Technical Debt | Clean separation of core and custom logic minimizes legacy ABAP usage | Decreases future rework by 60–70% for enhancements or migrations |
| Improved TCO | Minimized core modifications lead to stable, predictable operations | Estimated 20–35% savings in long-term support and maintenance |
| Faster Time to Value | Independent innovation streamlines rollouts for new processes | New features deployed 40–60% faster vs. monolithic core changes |
| Easier Compliance | Clean separation improves auditability of business processes | Reduces audit failure risk; compliance prep time cut by ~30% |
| Improved Agility | Extension layer allows flexible changes without touching core | Response time to business needs improved by 50–70% |
| Enhanced Collaboration | Clear governance enables coordinated development across teams | Up to 25% increase in delivery velocity across distributed teams |
| Cloud-Readiness | Architecture aligns with SAP RISE and public cloud models | Speeds cloud migration by 30–50%; reduces remediation by 40% |
Why Businesses Are Adopting Clean Core Strategies
Companies aren’t moving to clean core just because SAP recommends it—they’re doing it because it fixes problems they’ve been dealing with for years.
First, upgrades get dramatically easier. I spoke with an IT director who said their SAP upgrade cycles dropped from three months to just a few weeks after going clean core. No more sifting through broken custom code every quarter. Things just… worked.
Second, the pace of innovation improves. When systems aren’t weighed down by technical debt, new features are easier to adopt. One manufacturer I worked with implemented SAP’s AI-driven inventory solution in a matter of days—something that would’ve taken months with their old setup.
Third, cost is a real factor. Customizations are expensive to maintain, and they add complexity every time something changes. Companies that go clean core report:
20–40% reduction in SAP support costs
Fewer system outages
Less reliance on outside consultants
And then there’s cloud. SAP’s cloud products are built with standardization in mind. If your core isn’t clean, cloud adoption becomes a struggle. A clean core aligns your system with how SAP is building for the future.
One CFO told me flat out:
“We were spending most of our SAP budget maintaining the past. Now, we’re spending it building what’s next.”
| Reason | Details | Business Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Upgrade Readiness | Avoid core code modifications and retain upgrade compatibility | Faster, cheaper upgrades with less technical debt |
| Extensibility via BTP | Use SAP Business Technology Platform for side-by-side extensions | Separates innovation from core stability |
| Cloud Transition | Simplifies movement to RISE with SAP or other SaaS platforms | Enables clean migration path to S/4HANA Cloud |
| Reduced Maintenance Overhead | Minimizes custom ABAP, Z-code, and hardcoded logic | Lowers total cost of ownership (TCO) |
| Future-Proofing | Adopts SAP's clean core vision to stay aligned with product roadmap | Ensures long-term support and adaptability |
| Compliance & Governance | Improves auditability and traceability by keeping core untouched | Supports internal control and regulatory needs |
| Developer Efficiency | Allows clean, isolated extension layers for innovation | Faster development cycles with less testing risk |
Key Business Benefits of the SAP Clean Core Approach
Let’s take a closer look at the real, practical benefits companies are seeing with a clean core strategy. These aren’t abstract gains—they’re visible, measurable, and affecting day-to-day work across departments.
1. Faster Innovation Cycles
When you stop building everything from scratch, you can adopt new SAP features much faster.
One retail company rolled out SAP’s AI-powered demand forecasting in three weeks.
Competitors with legacy customizations? Took them months to do the same.
Why? The clean core team could just turn it on. The others had to rewrite or retrofit everything to work with old code.
2. Reduced Technical Debt
Every custom change is something your team has to maintain forever. That adds up.
A manufacturer had over 2,000 custom mods in ECC.
After moving to S/4HANA with a clean core, they cut that to under 200.
The CIO told me:
“It’s the first time in 15 years our devs are building instead of fixing.”
Each customization you eliminate:
Reduces testing effort
Lowers risk of upgrade failure
Frees up resources for actual progress
3. Lower Total Cost of Ownership
This one’s straightforward—less customization means lower costs.
Companies are cutting support budgets by 20–40%
One mid-sized business saved $1.2M and reallocated it to long-delayed digital projects
As the clean core model matures:
You need fewer people to manage the system
Upgrade cycles get smoother
Consulting spend drops dramatically
One exec said it best:
“We’re finally investing forward instead of paying to keep the lights on.”
4. Improved System Performance
Less bloat = faster systems.
One distribution company cut their month-end close time by 67%
MRP runs dropped from hours to minutes
These changes aren’t just for IT dashboards.
Finance teams stopped working weekends
Warehouse staff started handling urgent orders in real time
This kind of speed impacts actual decisions, not just background processes.
5. Better User Experience
Standard SAP Fiori interfaces are designed to be clean, consistent, and accessible. Custom screens? Not so much.
A pharma company saw training time for new hires drop by 40%
New employees got productive in days, not weeks
The HR director told me onboarding went from frustrating to seamless.
And because Fiori works across devices, users don’t need to relearn the system on mobile vs desktop.
Employees notice these improvements. They’ve used well-designed apps at home. They expect their tools at work to be just as smooth—and clean core helps you deliver that.
| Aspect | SAP Clean Core | Non-Clean Core |
|---|---|---|
| Upgrade Readiness | Minimal impact due to side-by-side extensibility | High rework due to in-core customizations |
| Customization Method | SAP BTP / side-by-side apps | Direct modification to SAP core |
| Extensibility Approach | Loosely coupled and scalable | Tightly coupled and rigid |
| Technical Debt | Controlled and minimal | High, with long-term maintenance cost |
| Compliance & Auditability | Better due to isolated extensions | Challenging due to custom logic in core |
| Performance | Predictable and optimized | Often impacted by deep custom logic |
| Development Speed | Faster using low-code/no-code tools | Slower, often ABAP-heavy |
| Vendor Support | Aligned with SAP roadmap | Support issues for modified objects |
| Upgrade Frequency | Supports frequent SAP upgrades | Delays upgrades significantly |
| Cloud Migration | Easier transition to RISE or S/4HANA Cloud | Requires remediation before cloud move |
| Total Cost of Ownership | Lower over long term | Higher due to custom maintenance |
Transitioning to S/4HANA with SAP Clean Core
Moving to S/4HANA with a clean core strategy is more than just a system upgrade—it’s a chance to rethink how your ERP supports the business. But it also forces tough decisions. What do you keep? What do you let go? And how much complexity is worth rebuilding?
The path you take shapes how these decisions play out. There’s no universal answer—but three common approaches show up in most real-world projects.
1. System Conversion (Brownfield)
This is the direct route: migrate your existing ECC system into S/4HANA. All your configurations, master data, and (unfortunately) most custom code come along for the ride.
It works well for companies with stable processes and deep investments in their current system. But it requires discipline to avoid just dragging technical debt into a newer box.
What makes this approach work:
A custom code analysis early on to flag what’s obsolete
A technical debt cleanup plan with clear priorities
Strong governance to prevent further customization post-migration
It’s faster to implement than starting from scratch, but you’ll need post-go-live cleanup phases to align with clean core principles.
2. Greenfield Implementation
This is the cleanest approach—but also the hardest. You build a new S/4HANA system from the ground up, without carrying over old processes or customizations. That means you can stick closely to SAP standards and only extend where it’s truly needed.
Greenfield works best when:
Your current system is too outdated or heavily customized to salvage
You want to simplify operations or standardize globally
You’re willing to revisit business processes, not just replicate them
It requires more involvement from business teams, more decisions upfront, and strong alignment between IT and operations. But the long-term payoff—fewer upgrades headaches, lower maintenance costs, cleaner architecture—is significant.
3. Selective Transformation
This hybrid approach gives you more flexibility. You selectively migrate parts of your system—like master data and core configurations—while redesigning or rebuilding areas that no longer serve the business.
It’s often used by companies that:
Have multiple ECC systems to consolidate
Want to modernize selectively without losing everything familiar
Need to keep historical data but clean up business logic
The key here is planning. If you don’t clearly define what’s being kept and why, the project can drift into either full conversion or an over-engineered greenfield without the benefits of either.
What Helps—Regardless of Path
No matter how you move to S/4HANA, a few things make a real difference:
Run detailed process assessments. What’s essential? What’s just habit?
Document every extension decision. It saves time later—and prevents reinvention.
Invest early in skills. Your team needs BTP, API integration, and extension framework knowledge.
Plan for resistance. Change is hard. Don’t underestimate the cultural side of this work.
There’s no “best” method—just the one that fits your business goals, your current system, and your appetite for change. What matters is staying focused on long-term simplicity, not short-term comfort. Clean core isn’t just a destination. It’s a discipline.
| Transition Phase | Focus Area | Clean Core Guidance |
|---|---|---|
| 1. System Assessment | Evaluate legacy ECC setup, custom objects, enhancements | Run ATC, CCLM, and usage reports to identify custom code candidates for side-by-side migration |
| 2. Scope Definition | Identify what goes into S/4HANA core vs. side-by-side on BTP | Separate custom workflows, reports, and UI into BTP where possible |
| 3. Clean Core Governance | Define what changes are allowed in core going forward | Establish a technical architecture board and clean core policy |
| 4. Custom Code Strategy | Refactor or eliminate tight in-core ABAP logic | Rebuild using CAP, RAP, or microservices in BTP |
| 5. Integration Architecture | Design clean, API-driven connectivity to S/4HANA | Use SAP Integration Suite and decouple point-to-point connections |
| 6. Testing & Validation | Ensure migrated extensions function with S/4HANA core | Perform E2E testing including BTP-side services |
| 7. Post-Go-Live Stabilization | Monitor core and BTP layers independently | Use SAP Cloud ALM or 3rd-party observability tools |
| 8. Continuous Optimization | Track new SAP releases and adopt clean upgrades | Use feature toggles and decoupled deployment strategies |
| Evaluation Area | System Conversion | Greenfield | Selective Data Transition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clean Core Fit | Moderate – requires significant cleanup of legacy custom code | Excellent – clean architecture by default | Good – opportunity to selectively move clean elements |
| Custom Code Strategy | Analyze with ATC/CCLM; refactor or move to BTP | Design clean from start; BTP-first model | Lift clean code only; isolate legacy to BTP |
| Master Data Handling | Data retained as-is; high data cleansing effort | Rebuilt with clean, validated master data | Migrate selected data sets; data harmonization required |
| Process Standardization | Minimal – retains legacy processes | Full standardization opportunity | Selective standardization by line of business |
| Timeline & Cost | Shortest duration; lower up-front cost | Longer due to reimplementation | Medium – cost/time depends on scope |
| Risk Profile | Higher risk from technical debt and tight coupling | Lower risk – clean architecture reduces failures | Medium – depends on transition scope and legacy use |
| Cloud Readiness | Limited – requires additional clean-up post go-live | Ready for RISE or public cloud from day one | Moderately cloud-ready depending on design decisions |
| Recommended For | Large ECC clients with heavy investment in legacy | Organizations seeking long-term modernization | Businesses needing hybrid control with clean core roadmap |
| Key Clean Core Action | Custom code remediation + governance overlays | Architect with core vs. BTP split from blueprint phase | Filter core candidates; push rest to extension layer |
SAP Clean Core Approach Implementation Risks and Challenges
The benefits of a clean core strategy are real. But let’s not pretend it’s easy—especially if you’re coming from a system that’s been heavily customized over the years. The shift is just as much about people and mindset as it is about technology.
1. Business Process Standardization Resistance
This is the hardest part. Not the code. Not the tools. It’s convincing teams to let go of “how we’ve always done it.”
You’ll hear things like:
“Our process is different.”
“Standard SAP won’t work for us.”
Sometimes that’s true. Often, it isn’t.
I sat in a meeting once where a head of sales insisted their unique process was untouchable. But after digging in, it turned out most of it was legacy admin work—forms and steps their customers actually found frustrating. Maybe 20% of it added real value.
A global manufacturer had to go through the same reality check. Different regions insisted on different ways of handling sales orders. After analysis? 80% of it could be standardized. The rest became extensions—handled cleanly, outside the core.
You need strong executive support to cut through the noise. Someone has to keep asking: Does this process give us a competitive edge, or is it just familiar?
2. Data Migration Complexities
If your legacy system is full of custom fields, get ready for some serious data work.
A retail company I worked with found over 15,000 custom fields—many with critical info. Mapping that to a clean core model wasn’t quick or simple. It took months.
Common hurdles:
Figuring out which custom fields actually matter
Deciding where that data fits (or if it fits at all)
Cleaning inconsistent, duplicated, or obsolete data
Ensuring nothing breaks when it moves
Expect data work to take up 30–40% of the total project effort. Most teams underestimate this. Don’t make that mistake. Start early.
3. Knowledge Gaps
Your SAP team might be great—but are they ready for BTP, APIs, cloud deployments, and the extension framework? Probably not right away.
One manufacturer I know ran a three-month training program before implementation even started. That early investment saved them major headaches down the line.
Teams need to shift from:
ABAP-heavy work to BTP development
Database hacks to clean API integrations
Monolithic thinking to modular extension logic
This change is uncomfortable, especially for senior staff used to old ways. But it’s necessary.
4. Short-Term Cost Increases
Clean core saves money—but not upfront. You’ll spend more in the short term on:
BTP licenses and cloud infrastructure
New tools and consultants
Training
Running parallel systems during cutover
One consumer goods company I worked with added $500K to their project cost. But they saved over $2 million within three years by eliminating custom code maintenance.
Getting buy-in is tough. It’s hard to sell costs now for benefits later. But most companies break even within two years—and after that, the savings just keep building.
| Risk or Challenge | Description | Mitigation Strategy |
|---|---|---|
| Complex Integration Architecture | Side-by-side extensibility requires well-managed APIs and middleware | Use SAP Integration Suite and define governance for interfaces |
| Developer Learning Curve | Teams may lack experience in BTP, CAP, or event-driven design | Invest in upskilling and provide reference templates |
| Initial Time & Cost Overhead | Setup of clean core layers, extensions, and governance adds upfront effort | Plan clean core in phases and prioritize high-risk custom logic first |
| Tooling Gaps | Not all SAP modules are fully extensible via BTP today | Verify extensibility coverage before blueprinting |
| Operational Overhead | Multiple systems (core + BTP) mean more monitoring & coordination | Establish centralized observability with SAP Cloud ALM or similar |
| Change Resistance | Business and IT teams used to direct in-core customizations | Run awareness sessions on clean core benefits with stakeholders |
| Cost Transparency | BTP costs can be unclear during planning | Estimate cloud credits, runtime, and service usage upfront |
Must-Read Articles to Strengthen Your SAP Strategy:
Practical Implementation Strategies for the SAP Clean Core
So how do you actually implement a clean core strategy—without spinning in circles or overwhelming your teams? From the projects I’ve seen go well, it comes down to a few key steps done in the right order, with the right people in the room.
1. Start with Process Assessment
Begin by comparing your current processes to what SAP offers out of the box. No assumptions, no excuses—just look at what’s really different and what’s just habit.
I remember a chemical company that believed they had 340 “unique” processes. After a joint review with business and IT, only 47 needed to stay. The rest? Easily handled with standard SAP functionality.
This part isn’t an IT-only job. You need operations, finance, sales—whoever owns the process—to weigh in. They’ll tell you what’s actually critical versus what just feels familiar.
2. Develop a Clear Extension Strategy
Decide upfront what gets extended and how. If you don’t draw the lines early, things get messy—fast.
Common extension types include:
Custom reports or screens
Workflow steps that don’t exist in standard SAP
New data fields
Interfaces with external systems
Pick your tools (BTP, in-app extensibility, APIs) and define who approves what. Otherwise, the customizations sneak back in through the side door.
3. Create a Technical Debt Reduction Plan
If your system’s full of custom code, you won’t clean it up overnight. One manufacturing client used a simple approach:
Drop a third by using standard SAP
Rebuild a third as proper extensions
Keep a third temporarily, but with a roadmap to replace or retire it
Breaking it down this way helped avoid disruption. IT could focus. Business users weren’t overwhelmed.
4. Invest in Change Management
This isn’t just a system upgrade—it’s a change in how people work. That kind of shift needs real planning.
A healthcare provider I worked with put 15% of their budget into change management. Not just training—they did role-specific prep, set up support desks, and ran constant communication before, during, and after go-live.
When launch day came, users didn’t panic. They understood the why behind the changes and felt supported. That made adoption faster and way less painful.
None of this is flashy, but it works. And skipping these steps? That’s how clean core projects stall out.
| Strategy | Description | Execution Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Use Side-by-Side Extensions | Avoid in-core modifications by building apps in SAP BTP | Leverage SAP CAP, RAP, or Node.js apps with APIs to ERP |
| Define Clean Core Governance | Establish boundaries for what can/cannot be customized in core | Create guardrails and review boards for technical oversight |
| Prioritize Core Stability | Separate innovations from business-critical core logic | Keep core system lean; use BTP for non-critical apps |
| Adopt API-First Design | Design integrations using stable APIs over direct DB access | Use SAP API Hub, Integration Suite for orchestration |
| Enable Centralized Logging & Monitoring | Manage operations across core and BTP extensions | Implement SAP Cloud ALM, Alerting Framework, or 3rd party tools |
| Modularize Custom Functionality | Build small, reusable components instead of large monoliths | Use microservices or function-based architecture |
| Baseline Early and Track Technical Debt | Track custom code usage and enforce clean core KPIs | Use ATC (ABAP Test Cockpit), CCLM, or custom dashboards |
| Educate Stakeholders | Align IT and business leaders on clean core goals | Run change management, capability demos, and cost-benefit workshops |
A Real Example: Manufacturing Company Clean Core Journey
Here’s a real example that ties everything together. A mid-sized manufacturing company with operations in three countries decided to move from their old, heavily customized ECC system to S/4HANA, using a clean core model.
Over 15 years, their legacy system had accumulated more than 1,200 customizations. Upgrades were painful—taking anywhere from 6 to 9 months—and often created more problems than they solved.
They kicked things off with a full process review, working directly with business teams. Every customization was evaluated and categorized:
- 40% were replaced by standard SAP functionality
- 35% were kept, but rebuilt as proper extensions
- 25% were outdated and dropped entirely
To manage the necessary extensions, they followed a clear structure:
- Real-time, business-critical pieces were built directly in S/4HANA using the SAP Extension Framework
- More complex needs were handled through SAP BTP
- Lightweight changes were delivered using SAP Fiori elements
The full project took 14 months. The first two were focused entirely on simplifying and aligning business processes, and getting everyone on board.
Since going live, their system updates now take weeks, not months. IT support costs dropped by 32%. And most importantly, they’ve been able to roll out three major SAP features in the 18 months after launch—something they couldn’t have done with their old setup.
Where are SAP Clean Core Strategies Heading?
Here’s where things are going. SAP is putting serious resources into making the clean core model more practical and easier to adopt.
The BTP platform keeps growing, adding more options for building extensions. Their recent acquisitions in the integration space are improving how systems connect. And with RISE with SAP, the clean core idea is now built into the overall cloud migration path.
In recent discussions with SAP leadership, a few things stood out about what’s coming next:
- More pre-built industry extensions that cover common needs
- Better tools to help identify which customizations can be reworked as extensions
- A broader set of APIs to speed up extension development
- New testing tools designed specifically for clean core setups
SAP’s actions make it clear—they’re committed to this approach for the long haul.
Practical Advice for Your Clean Core Journey
If you’re planning a move to clean core, theory only gets you so far. Here’s what I’ve seen actually work on real projects—not in perfect conditions, but with all the usual internal friction, shifting priorities, and tight budgets.
1. Set a realistic timeline.
Clean core isn’t a quick win. You’ll spend more time upfront rethinking processes and managing change. But that time pays off—fewer upgrade delays, lower support costs, better system performance. Just don’t expect instant results.
2. Start with business leads, not IT.
If the business isn’t onboard with standardization, things grind to a halt fast. I’ve seen great technical plans stall because one sales VP wouldn’t budge on a legacy process. Get business leadership involved early—they’re the ones who’ll either clear the path or block it.
3. Set up a customization review board.
Not every customization is bad. What matters is having a clear, consistent process for reviewing them. Ask: Does this change create value, or is it just replicating old habits? And write it down. Don’t rely on tribal knowledge.
4. Build BTP skills before you need them.
Extension work on BTP isn’t the same as old-school ABAP. Teams need time to learn. Don’t wait until development kicks off—start training early, let people experiment.
5. Track what really matters.
Go-live is just one milestone. Measure things like:
Reduction in technical debt
Time to deploy new features
These tell you whether the approach is actually delivering long-term value.
6. Don’t do it all at once.
Focus on the pain points first—those areas where custom code creates constant problems. Fix those, build momentum, then expand.
7. Document everything.
Why did that customization stay? Who approved it? What was the tradeoff? Keep a record. It’ll save you time, especially when new people join or when someone questions a decision a year down the road.
It won’t be perfect. You’ll make compromises. But with the right structure, it’s manageable—and it sticks.
Is Clean Core Right for Your Business?
The clean core approach isn’t a fit for every company. It works best for organizations that:
- Prioritize flexibility over full customization
- Have consistent processes across regions or business units
- Want to make use of new SAP features as they’re released
- Are moving toward cloud-based systems
- Deal with long, painful upgrade cycles
If your edge comes from processes that SAP doesn’t support out of the box, more customization might be necessary. Just go in with a clear understanding of the long-term tradeoffs—higher maintenance, slower upgrades, and more effort to adopt new features down the line.
| Evaluation Area | Consideration | What to Assess |
|---|---|---|
| IT Landscape | Multiple legacy customizations in core SAP modules | If high, clean core helps reduce future upgrade risks |
| Business Agility Needs | Business requires frequent changes and rollouts | Clean core allows faster deployment through BTP |
| Upgrade Frequency | You want to adopt SAP's bi-annual upgrade cadence | Clean core supports easier version adoption |
| Integration Complexity | You rely on multiple cloud or non-SAP apps | API-first clean core suits hybrid environments |
| Customization Depth | You have many Z* custom objects tightly coupled | Requires cleanup or side-by-side refactoring |
| Cloud Transformation Plan | You're planning RISE with SAP or S/4HANA Cloud | Clean core aligns directly with SAP's cloud roadmap |
| Development Model | Desire to move toward agile, modular, scalable development | Clean core enforces governance and separation of concerns |
| Compliance Requirements | Need strong audit, traceability, and separation of duties | Core simplification helps maintain compliance boundaries |
Share Your Clean Core Experiences
Have you implemented a clean core strategy? What challenges did you face? What benefits have you seen? Share your experiences in the comments below.
The SAP community learns best from real-world stories. Your insights might help other organizations navigate their own clean core journeys.
If you have any questions or want to discuss a situation you have in your SAP Implementation, please don't hesitate to reach out!
Questions You Might Have...
1. What is a clean core for SAP?
A “clean core” in SAP means keeping the core ERP system — like S/4HANA — free from custom code modifications. You don’t build or change things inside the core. Instead, you extend around it. The idea is to reduce technical debt and simplify future upgrades. SAP pushes this because upgrades become harder and slower when the system is heavily modified.
So, it’s not that you can’t customize — it’s how you do it that matters.
2. What are the 5 dimensions of SAP clean core?
SAP outlines five dimensions for a clean core approach:
Extensibility – Building custom features without altering core code.
Integration – Connecting systems through standard APIs, not hard-coded hacks.
Configuration – Using in-app settings instead of modifying code.
Infrastructure & Operations – Keeping environments stable and consistent.
Modifications – Minimizing or eliminating direct changes to core objects.
Each one is basically a lever to help you keep the base clean and easier to maintain.
3. What is SAP Clean Core with a SAP BTP strategy?
SAP BTP (Business Technology Platform) is the main toolbox for building clean core extensions. Instead of writing custom ABAP in the ERP system, you build apps and services on BTP. That keeps the core untouched. You can think of BTP as the sandbox — it’s where innovation happens without breaking the ERP house.
Clean core + BTP = flexibility with safety. In theory.
4. What are the pillars of SAP clean core?
People often use “dimensions” and “pillars” interchangeably, but if you’re focusing on pillars — they usually refer to:
Standardization – Stick to SAP-delivered features as much as possible.
Cloud readiness – Design in a way that supports cloud evolution.
Decoupled extensions – Build add-ons that don’t interfere with the ERP’s upgrade path.
Lifecycle alignment – Keep updates and releases manageable, even predictable.
They all point toward one goal: don’t tangle your business logic with SAP’s upgrade cycle.
5. What is dirty core vs clean core?
A dirty core happens when people add custom code, change SAP standard objects, or apply unsupported modifications. That makes upgrades painful, support tricky, and integrations fragile.
A clean core, by contrast, is lean. It follows SAP’s guidelines, uses APIs, and stays upgrade-safe. Clean doesn’t mean basic — it means smart separation between what’s yours and what’s SAP’s.
6. What is cleancore?
Sometimes people use “cleancore” as shorthand, especially in documentation or tools. It’s not a different concept — just a condensed term for “clean core.”
7. What is SAP clean core extensibility?
It’s the practice of adding custom logic or features without touching the SAP core. There are different types:
In-app extensibility – Like custom fields or forms added through SAP tools.
Side-by-side extensibility – Using BTP or external platforms to create full apps or services that interact with SAP via APIs.
Both follow clean core principles — you extend, but you don’t interfere.
8. What is SAP clean core extensibility and ABAP cloud?
ABAP Cloud is SAP’s version of ABAP designed for cloud use. It enforces clean core by design — it limits what you can change and how. If you want to write ABAP but still keep things clean, this is the way. You use approved APIs, you avoid touching the core, and you deploy to environments like SAP BTP ABAP Environment or S/4HANA Cloud.
It’s like ABAP with guardrails.
9. What are the SAP clean core dimensions?
Same as earlier — the five are:
Extensibility
Integration
Configuration
Infrastructure & Operations
Modifications
They show how different aspects of your system affect the “cleanliness” of the core.
10. What does SAP clean core assessment entail?
An assessment looks at how close or far you are from a clean core. It typically includes:
A scan of custom code (where it is, what it touches)
Review of system modifications
Analysis of integrations
Look into how you handle extensions
Documentation gaps or process issues
The outcome is often a roadmap — like, here’s what to untangle, here’s what to build outside, etc.
11. What does SAP S/4HANA clean core mean?
It means running your S/4HANA system with minimal or no modifications to the core. You use SAP-provided functionality as-is, and when you need more, you use supported ways to extend — like BTP, ABAP Cloud, or in-app extensibility tools.
It’s not just about code — it’s about architecture and governance, too.
12. What is SAP Cloud ALM clean core?
SAP Cloud ALM (Application Lifecycle Management) supports clean core by giving you tools to monitor, test, and manage changes across systems. Think of it as a control tower — it tracks what’s been modified, what’s compliant, and what might break things later.
It helps teams enforce clean core standards over time, not just during initial setup.
