S/4HANA Migration: 5 Critical Success Factors Most Companies Overlook

In the rush to meet SAP’s 2027 deadline for transitioning from legacy ECC systems to S/4HANA, many organizations are fast-tracking their migration projects. At Sreeyok Consulting, we’ve guided dozens of enterprises through successful transformations—and we’ve noticed a pattern of critical factors that frequently get overlooked in the planning stages.

Data Cleansing Strategy Before Migration

The transition to S/4HANA isn’t just a technical upgrade—it’s an opportunity to address years of accumulated data inefficiencies. Many companies underestimate the volume of redundant, obsolete, or trivial (ROT) data in their legacy systems.

Why It Matters: S/4HANA’s in-memory architecture means every byte of unnecessary data impacts both performance and costs. Additionally, migrating problematic data often perpetuates existing business process issues.

Success Approach: Begin with a comprehensive data assessment at least 6-8 months before technical migration. Establish clear data governance protocols and implement automated cleansing tools to reduce manual intervention.

Business Process Reimagination vs. Technical Migration

Too often, S/4HANA projects are approached as primarily technical endeavors rather than business transformation opportunities.

Why It Matters: Simply replicating existing processes in S/4HANA rarely delivers the promised ROI. The real value comes from reimagining processes to leverage S/4HANA’s capabilities like real-time analytics and simplified data models.

Success Approach: Before diving into technical configurations, conduct process mining to identify inefficiencies, then design future-state processes that capitalize on S/4HANA innovations. Involve business users early and frequently.

Custom Code Remediation Complexity

Companies consistently underestimate the scale and complexity of custom code remediation required for S/4HANA.

Why It Matters: Many organizations are running SAP environments with thousands of custom objects developed over decades. Our analysis shows that typically 30-40% of custom code is never used but continues to create complexity.

Success Approach: Implement a phased custom code analysis starting with usage statistics, HANA compatibility, and simplification item impact. Create a remediation roadmap that prioritizes business-critical functionality.

Integration Architecture Modernization

While focusing on core ERP components, many overlook the broader integration landscape that connects SAP to other enterprise systems.

Why It Matters: S/4HANA introduces new integration paradigms that may require rethinking existing interfaces. Legacy point-to-point integrations often become bottlenecks in the new architecture.

Success Approach: Develop an integration strategy that leverages SAP’s API-first approach. Consider implementing API management tools and modernizing middleware concurrently with your S/4HANA project.

Change Management Beyond Training

Perhaps the most consistently underestimated factor is the human element of the transformation.

Why It Matters: Even perfectly implemented technical solutions fail when users resist adoption or lack understanding of new workflows. S/4HANA introduces significant UI changes with Fiori, requiring users to adjust to new ways of working.

Success Approach: Implement a comprehensive change management program that addresses organizational impacts, identifies change champions, and creates meaningful user engagement throughout the project lifecycle—not just during go-live training.

Conclusion: The Path Forward

At Sreeyok Consulting, our approach to S/4HANA migrations integrates these often-overlooked factors from day one. By addressing these critical success elements early, we’ve helped our clients achieve on-time, on-budget implementations while maximizing business value.

If you’re planning your S/4HANA roadmap or struggling with an in-progress implementation, our team of certified SAP experts can provide the guidance needed to navigate these challenges successfully.

Contact our transformation specialists today for a complimentary S/4HANA readiness assessment.