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All are on S/4

With the elimination of the 9000 euro S/4 flat rate, SAP is trying to move all existing customers to S/4 this year. The trick: It's not about operational systems, but only about license rights - but SAP has never made a precise distinction here.
Peter M. Färbinger, E3 Magazine
May 17, 2023
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This text has been automatically translated from German to English.

S/4 Enterprise Management for ERP

The exact wording from the SAP price list is: SAP S/4 Hana Enterprise Management for ERP customers (# 7018538). This is the well-known 9000 euro S/4 flat rate, with which SAP existing customers buy the right to choose between Contract and Product Conversion. This item no longer exists in the SAP PKL Q2/2023, which is why SAP existing customers without a flat rate lose the right to Product Conversion.

In a very readable article by SAP licensing expert Lorenz Müller of HiSolutions (Berlin) in the upcoming E-3 June 2023 issue, the new situation is discussed in detail. Lorenz Müller writes: During a grace period of 90 days until July 16, 2023, companies can continue to purchase the SAP S/4 Hana Enterprise Management for ERP customers flat rate (# 7018538), even though it is already no longer included on the SAP price list.

Product or Contract

In a roundtable discussion at the E-3 video studio licensing experts Dr. Jana Jentzsch and Dr. Michael Sandmeier explained what this could mean for SAP's existing customers. Click here to go directly to the recording of the discussion in the E-3 YouTube channel. Product Conversion doesn't have to be the better path to S/4 for every existing SAP customer, but anyone who doesn't have the 9,000-euro flat rate by July 16 is missing out on the chance to choose, because then the only option left is Contract Conversion.

This often becomes really expensive, writes Lorenz Müller of HiSolutions in the E-3 June issue and continues: The change from the previous usage-based licensing to the new authorization-based licensing dramatically increases the licensing requirements for many customers. Previously very generous authorization models often cannot be changed, or can only be changed at great expense. Or there are individual absolutely necessary authorizations that require expensive license types.

SAP's Thumbscrew

Experts from the SAP community agree that this change in the price list is only the beginning of a new corporate policy at SAP. The conciliatory "cloud first" and the charming hybrid idea from last fall are increasingly giving way to the dedicated "cloud only".

Even if "cloud only" is wishful thinking on the part of the three SAP board members Christian Klein, Jürgen Müller and Thomas Saueressig, SAP's existing customers will have to fight even harder for their on-prem and hybrid systems. The SAP Executive Board is even ignoring concerns and warning cries from within its own ranks. Hardly anyone wants to denigrate a "cloud only" idea, but SAP is not yet ready: Cloud ALM exists more as a vision than as a product.

Application Lifecycle Management

Automated testing in a public cloud is still far from working at SAP, even if SAP partner Tricentis claims the opposite. A complex ERP landscape consisting of development, test and production systems is not yet prepared for this. Whether Christian Klein will listen to the internal critics and take the warning seriously will become clear later this year. In any case, the private cloud (on-prem) seems to be the safer route if the existing SAP customer has the right license agreements.


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Peter M. Färbinger, E3 Magazine

Peter M. Färbinger, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief E3 Magazine DE, US and ES (e3mag.com), B4Bmedia.net AG, Freilassing (DE), E-Mail: pmf@b4bmedia.net and Tel. +49(0)8654/77130-21


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Working on the SAP basis is crucial for successful S/4 conversion. 

This gives the Competence Center strategic importance for existing SAP customers. Regardless of the S/4 Hana operating model, topics such as Automation, Monitoring, Security, Application Lifecycle Management and Data Management the basis for S/4 operations.

For the second time, E3 magazine is organizing a summit for the SAP community in Salzburg to provide comprehensive information on all aspects of S/4 Hana groundwork.

Venue

More information will follow shortly.

Event date

Wednesday, May 21, and
Thursday, May 22, 2025

Early Bird Ticket

Available until Friday, January 24, 2025
EUR 390 excl. VAT

Regular ticket

EUR 590 excl. VAT

Venue

Hotel Hilton Heidelberg
Kurfürstenanlage 1
D-69115 Heidelberg

Event date

Wednesday, March 5, and
Thursday, March 6, 2025

Tickets

Regular ticket
EUR 590 excl. VAT
Early Bird Ticket

Available until December 20, 2024

EUR 390 excl. VAT
The event is organized by the E3 magazine of the publishing house B4Bmedia.net AG. The presentations will be accompanied by an exhibition of selected SAP partners. The ticket price includes attendance at all presentations of the Steampunk and BTP Summit 2025, a visit to the exhibition area, participation in the evening event and catering during the official program. The lecture program and the list of exhibitors and sponsors (SAP partners) will be published on this website in due course.