To better understand why the migration to SAP S/4HANA is more than a simple software upgrade, you should know the four key innovations of the new ERP system:

• Acceleration of data processing: Unlike all previous SAP systems, S/4HANA no longer processes data in batches one after the other, nor does it separate online analytical processing (OLAP) and online transaction processing (OLTP) when processing data. Instead, S/4HANA is designed as a column-oriented in-memory database, which leads to a significant acceleration of data processing in which a lot of data is aggregated and analysed "on the fly." For this purpose, all relevant data must be permanently held in the in-memory database.
• Greater ease of use: SAP S/4HANA builds on the new, more convenient SAP Fiori user interface. This user interface is based on a process- and role-based personalized usage concept that enables much more intuitive operation than the old SAP Graphical User Interface (GUI).
• Installation flexibility: While all previous SAP products were only available as a so-called on-premise version for local installation, S/4HANA gives you the choice between an on-premise and cloud variant. The associated choices give you unprecedented flexibility to tailor the ERP system to your company's requirements.
• New pricing model: With the new installation options, SAP has also expanded its pricing models. In addition to the traditional licensing models, where the software is located in your own data center or with an Infrastructure-as-a-Service provider (hyperscaler), you can also purchase the cloud version on a subscription basis with different user models. In addition, the license costs no longer relate only to the number of users, but are also billed according to the gigabyte performance of the in-memory database used.

Describe the current state of your SAP system:

• Which software version are you currently using with which apps and add-ons?
• To what extent has your current SAP system been tailored to your company's requirements: Are there any applications, integrations or individual customisations that are not suitable for migration?
• What about the quality and quantity of your data?
• Which departments and business processes use SAP?
• How future-proof are your existing systems with regard to the change of business areas

Formulate your strategic goals and requirements for migrating your ERP system to S/4HANA:

• Should the change to SAP S/4HANA be used to optimise existing business processes?
• In which departments and for which business processes will there be the greatest benefit from switching to SAP S/4HANA?
• Do you need a proof of concept (PoC) for the changeover or do you want the transformation to go as smoothly as possible?
• What financial, time, and human resources do you have available for the transition?