Issue

S/4 HANA offers the option to implement 'Classic Version' of 'New Version' for Product Compliance as part of the ERP Rebuild project.  A decision is required, which S/4 HANA version (New or Classic) should be implemented considering scope and timelines.  

Recommendation

Based on the evaluation as per 'Details' section, the recommendation is to implement the 'Classic Version' of S/4 HANA Product Compliance.  The recommendation is mainly driven by the fact that the 'New Version' is only available for implementation from 2027 with limited scope.  

A decision for 'Classic Version' needs to consider that a new ERP project will be required between 2029 and 2036 at the latest for a greenfield implementation of 'New Version' for S/4 HANA Product Compliance.

Background & Context

S/4 HANA Product Compliance includes the following components:

1. Dangerous Goods Management (incl. Substance Volume Tracking)
2. Product Marketability and Component Compliance (Product Safety)
3. Compliance Document Management (Product Safety)

At a high level S/4 HANA for Product Compliance offers two sets of capabilities in Private Cloud.  

1) Classic Version - existing capabilities.

2) New Version - new capabilities.

Assumptions

It is assumed that ERP Rebuild is considering private cloud for implementation as per KDD 'Private vs Public Cloud'.

Constraints

S/4 HANA EHS includes the following components:

1. Emissions Management
2. Waste Management
3. Incident Management
4. Industrial Hygiene
5. Occupational Health

S/4 SAP EHS do not offer different sets of capabilities in Private Cloud.  

Impacts

Licencing

All capabilities of business area "Product Compliance" are available in S/4HANA, but the exact scope may vary compared to the ECC-based products.  Options are:

• You have licensed "SAP S/4HANA" and "SAP S/4HANA for product compliance": you have the choice to either use the so-called "classic functionality" or the "new functionality". For more details please check the attached presentation.
• You have subscribed to "SAP S/4HANA Cloud, private edition" and "SAP S/4HANA Cloud for product compliance, private edition": you have the choice to either use the so-called "classic functionality" or the "new functionality". For more details please check the attached presentation.
• You have subscribed to "SAP S/4HANA Cloud, public edition" and "SAP S/4HANA Cloud for product compliance, public edition": you can use the Product Compliance "new functionality".

Business Rules

Options considered

Option 1: New Version

• New process model, SAP Fiori apps.
• New data model, CDS-based.
• New integration into product master, sales, delivery, procurement, transportation.
• No full scope yet, innovation roadmap.
• Available from 2027 with limited scope only.

Option 2: Classic Version

• All features of the SAP ERP based product safety and product compliance solutions
• SAP GUI and Web Dynpro transactions
• Specification database, workbench approach
• Full scope, no functional enhancements.
• Available now.
• SAP support available until 2029.  SAP standard maintenance available until 2036.
• Requires new project for greenfield implementation of Product Compliance between 2027 and 2036.

Option 3: Continue with ECC 6.0 'On premise'

• Option to continue with SAP ECC 6.0 'on premise', which is supported until the end of 2027. 
• Post 2027 extended support from SAP is available, which is chargeable.
• Requires new project for greenfield implementation of Product Compliance between 2027 and 2036.

Evaluation

	Weight (L/M/H)	Option A	Option B	Option C
Compliance and Regulatory		Pro Con	Pro Pro	Pro Con
Business Impact		Pro Con	Con	Pro Pro
Risk		Pro Con
Complexity		Pro Con Pro	Pro Con	Pro Con
Integration		Pro Con
Longevity		Pro Con

See also

SAP OSS Note Product Compliance: Strategy and Roadmap Overview:  3015382_E_20240627 (sap.com)

SAP presentation as per SAP workshop at Walldorf June 2024:  

KDD 'Private vs Public Cloud' (link tbc)

Change log

Workflow history