Are Hidden ERP Costs Burying Your IT Department?
This blog was originally published in October 2017 and updated in September 2026. Many organizations assume ERP support and maintenance fees are a predictable cost of doing business. What they often don’t realize is that those fees represent only a fraction of the true cost of keeping ERP systems running. ERP maintenance, upgrades and self-support […]
Independent, Third-Party Support Definition (in 1,300 Words or Less)
This blog was originally published in July 2020 and was updated in July 2026 Why keep paying more for software support that delivers less flexibility and slower resolution? Third-party support gives organizations a proven way to cut costs, avoid unnecessary upgrades and get more responsive service. Learn more about third-party support, its benefits and how […]
SAP’s Maintenance Deadlines Are Looming for More Products
SAP’s end-of-maintenance clock is ticking, and the pressure isn’t limited to ECC and S/4HANA customers. A broad portfolio of SAP products — including Global Trade Services (GTS), Commerce (Hybris) On-premise, BusinessObjects (BOBJ), Business Warehouse (BW) and Business Planning and Consolidation (BPC) — are approaching critical deadlines. Mainstream maintenance for many of these products ends as […]
No Extension to SAP ECC 6 and Business Suite 7 Mainstream Maintenance End Dates in 2025 and 2027
This blog was originally published in February 2023 and was updated in August 2025 The end of mainstream maintenance for SAP ECC 6 and Business Suite 7 is coming soon. Organizations are being pressured by SAP to migrate to S/4HANA, while many are considering sticking with ECC 6, as noted by several SAP analysts. Allow […]
Accelerating Out of the Turn
This summer, the roar of Formula One engines will echo not just from the big screen with the release of the new F1 movie, but also in boardrooms and IT strategy sessions around the world. Why? Because the principles that guide elite F1 drivers through hairpin turns are the same ones that can guide IT […]
SAP Renaming Strategy Brings Added Confusion and Costs
The parade of new names announced at SAP Sapphire 2025 had attendees tilting their heads and furrowing their brows. “Wait, what?” “But I thought ….” “What does ‘RISE’ mean now?” What’s clear is that SAP has once again moved the goalposts for its customers. At first glance, the recent rebranding of “RISE with SAP” to […]
What to Do Before SAP Says “NO”
No one likes to be told “NO.” Especially not from customer support, whose job is to say “YES” when you need help. Unfortunately, many SAP ECC6 and S/4HANA customers may be hearing “NO” a lot more soon. Mainstream Maintenance for SAP ECC6 is ending in 2025 or 2027, depending on which enhancement pack you use. […]
Dear SAP Support — I’ve Met Someone Else
I don’t think we should see each other anymore. It’s not you; it’s me. Actually, on second thought, it’s mostly you. Our relationship started as expected, but we’ve grown apart. We now want different things. Let me explain. You’ve changed It used to be that my annual maintenance fee got me support, maintenance and new […]
No More FOMO – SAP ECC Customers Are Not Missing Out on New Features
FOMO, or the fear of missing out, is a thing, mostly in social media and personal endeavors. But it also has a parallel in enterprise software roadmaps. Stay with me and I’ll explain. ERP software – it first hit the scene in the 1960s. In the decades that followed, the number and variety of ERP […]
