This is a series of blogs written by SAP subject matter experts to prepare you for your journey to SAP S/4HANA. Ready? Let's go!
Topic #1 is add-ons.
Many customers extend their SAP ERP application with partner solutions, which are typically delivered as add-ons. In fact, three out of five SAP systems have third-party add-ons.
To keep an add-on upon conversion, you need a version compatible with SAP S/4HANA. That’s why you should review all add-ons early in your project.
Commercially speaking, there are four types of add-ons:
- SAP add-ons are developed and maintained by SAP, who also provides the installation files. You can check the compatibility and availability of these add-ons for SAP S/4HANA in maintenance planner.
- Reseller add-ons are developed by SAP partners and can be licensed through SAP. We provide the installation files if the add-on is licensed through us.
- Certified add-ons are partner solutions certified through SAP Integration and Certification Center. For these, ask your vendor to confirm the add-on’s availability and compatibility and to provide the installation files. You can find the vendor contact information in our certified solution directory .
- For unknown and non-certified add-ons, you’ll need to identify and contact the respective vendor to check support and availability for the target SAP S/4HANA release. We have no information for these add-ons.
All add-ons must be created with SAP Add-On Assembly Kit software and installed with SAP’s add-on installation tool (“SAINT”). However, occasionally vendors ship extensions in transport files. Technically, these are not add-ons and not covered by maintenance planner. Check if you have any of those in your system to avoid surprises.
We strongly advise you to prepare a simple catalog listing all your add-ons and answering these questions:
- Is the add-on functionality still required? Is a corresponding functionality available in SAP S/4HANA?
- What type of add-on is it from a commercial point of view, and who is the vendor?
- Is the add-on’s compatibility with SAP S/4HANA confirmed by the vendor (or certified by SAP), and if so, for which SAP S/4HANA releases?
- Is there an upgrade or uninstallation package available for this add-on?
Based on your answers, formulate a plan on how to deal with each add-on:
- Keep it in the system.
- Uninstall it. Consider the simulation tool available with support package manager (SPAM) version 7.4 and above. See also SAP Note 2911053 on how to plan and perform uninstallation.
- Start with the highest release of SAP S/4HANA for which this add-on is available.
- Contact SAP’s customer care program to help you with the resolution of possible issues.
A few tips to conclude:
- Execute maintenance planner early in the project.
- Partner add-ons will only be available after the general availability of the corresponding SAP S/4HANA version.
- Contact the partner or third-party vendor at an early stage.
- Clarify licensing terms and potential changes with SAP S/4HANA.
- Contact the vendor if you want to uninstall an add-on that is currently not available in SAINT.
- Most add-ons must be co-deployed on SAP S/4HANA and can only run on SAP S/4HANA if they have been explicitly released for it.
Please see more details
here.
Check out all topics of the series:
tip #1:
Check Your Add-ons. Now.
tip #2:
Check Your Finance Data Quality
tip #3:
Don’t Just Rework Custom Code. Rethink it!
tip #4:
How to Build Custom Extensions
tip #5:
Plan Ahead with Compatibility Packs
tip #6:
Gain Insight to Build a Solid Business Case
tip #7:
Hardware Planning and Data Volume Management
tip #8:
Curate Your Master Data before Deployment
tip #9:
Understand the Functional Impact
tip #10:
Fix Issues Without Bogging Down Conversion
tip #11:
Optimizing Downtime in Conversions
tip #12:
Find Relevant SAP Notes
tip #13:
Accelerate your Rollout with Test Automation
tip #14:
Implementing SAP Fiori
tip #15:
Integration Analysis in SAP Readiness Check
