SAP ECC end of maintenance 2027: your options explained
Short answerSAP mainstream maintenance for SAP ECC 6.0 (EHP 6 to 8) ends on 31 December 2027. Optional extended maintenance runs to 31 December 2030 at extra cost. Most companies should plan their move to S/4HANA now.
The dates
- 31 December 2027: end of mainstream maintenance for SAP ECC 6.0 with enhancement packages 6 to 8.
- 31 December 2030: end of optional extended maintenance, available at an additional fee.
- After that, customer-specific maintenance is reactive only and does not include new legal changes.
Your options
- SAP Cloud ERP, Private. Move to S/4HANA Cloud, private edition, with infrastructure and operations in one contract and AI available early.
- SAP Cloud ERP. Start fresh on S/4HANA Cloud, public edition, if standard processes suit you.
- On-premise S/4HANA. Convert or reimplement and keep running it yourself.
- Extended maintenance. Buy time to 2030, at a cost, while you prepare.
Greenfield, brownfield or selective?
Greenfield starts again on best practices. Brownfield converts your system and keeps history. Selective data transition lets you choose which data and processes move. The right answer depends on how much of today's design you want to keep.
Do not just migrate; modernise
A move to S/4HANA is the moment to clean the core, fix master data and prepare for AI. Done well, it is the first step to an Autonomous Enterprise, not just a technical upgrade.
What to do this quarter
Run a readiness and custom-code assessment, compare the options with real numbers, and book your transformation window. Projects that start late compete for scarce SAP skills as the deadline approaches.