Understand What Exists
Before You Migrate It.
S4Migration is a structured research environment for organizations preparing for SAP S/4HANA. Explore the systems, integrations, data, reports, customizations, processes and dependencies that form the enterprise Technology Quilt — and understand how they may influence migration readiness, pre-projects and Clean Core decisions.
S/4 Migration Starts Before the Migration Project
An S/4 program eventually involves configuration, data migration, integrations, testing, cutover and implementation.
But many of the most important questions exist before those activities begin. S4Migration organizes this investigation into a structured research model.
Questions that should be answered first
Which systems currently support the business?
Which applications duplicate functionality?
Which processes depend on spreadsheets?
Which reports depend on BW?
Which interfaces are still required?
Which customizations remain necessary?
Which systems contain historical information?
Which applications should remain outside S/4?
Which dependencies could affect Clean Core?
Which decisions require separate pre-projects?
Core Concept
The Enterprise Technology Quilt
An enterprise rarely operates through one ERP system. Business activity spans ERP applications, analytics platforms, planning tools, integration middleware, custom applications, spreadsheets, external services, databases, reports, automation and manual processes.
Collectively, these technologies and their relationships form the organization's Technology Quilt.
Relationship model
People
Owners, SMEs, users, operational knowledge
Processes
Business processes and workflows
Technology
ERP, analytics, planning, custom, external
Data
Master, transactional, historical, reference
Integrations
APIs, middleware, EDI, files, batch
Reports / Extensions / Automation
BW, dashboards, custom programs, workflows
S/4 Migration Implications
Readiness, pre-projects, Clean Core, path decisions
This diagram illustrates relationships, not a fixed technical architecture.
Purpose of Technology Quilt research
The purpose of Technology Quilt research is not merely to build an application inventory. It is to understand:
What exists
The full inventory of systems, tools and technologies in use
Why it exists
The business purpose and origin of each technology
Who uses it
Owners, consumers and operational dependencies
What processes depend on it
Business processes that would be affected by change
What data passes through it
Data flows, master data, transactional history
What it connects to
Upstream and downstream system relationships
What depends on it
Reports, extensions, other systems and processes
What should be investigated before S/4
Pre-project candidates and readiness gaps
Research Coverage
Explore the Current Enterprise from Multiple Angles
Each research area provides a structured lens for investigating the enterprise landscape before migration decisions are made.
Applications
ERP, planning, analytics, treasury, tax, supply chain, HR, custom and external applications.
Integrations
APIs, middleware, EDI, files, batch interfaces, manual uploads and system-to-system dependencies.
Data
Master data, transactional data, historical data, reference data and ownership.
Processes
Business processes and the technologies through which they operate.
Reports & Analytics
Operational reporting, BW, planning, dashboards, extracts and spreadsheet dependencies.
Customizations
Custom programs, modifications, extensions, workflows and locally developed solutions.
People
Owners, SMEs, users and sources of operational knowledge.
Dependencies
Upstream and downstream relationships that can affect migration decisions.
Research Methodology
A Structured Way to Investigate S/4 Readiness
The research model follows a repeatable sequence — from initial discovery through to preparation activities and pre-project identification.
Identify what exists across the enterprise technology landscape.
Organize technologies, processes, data and dependencies into structured categories.
Understand relationships between objects — what depends on what.
Separate documented facts from working assumptions and undocumented knowledge.
Understand the potential S/4 relevance of each technology and relationship.
Investigate duplication, technical debt and unnecessary complexity.
Document evidence-based transformation choices with supporting rationale.
Translate findings into readiness activities and pre-project candidates.
Discover
Identify what exists across the enterprise technology landscape.
Classify
Organize technologies, processes, data and dependencies into structured categories.
Connect
Understand relationships between objects — what depends on what.
Validate
Separate documented facts from working assumptions and undocumented knowledge.
Assess
Understand the potential S/4 relevance of each technology and relationship.
Rationalize
Investigate duplication, technical debt and unnecessary complexity.
Decide
Document evidence-based transformation choices with supporting rationale.
Prepare
Translate findings into readiness activities and pre-project candidates.
Research Structure
Reduce Reinvention During Migration Preparation
Many S/4 programs repeatedly ask similar discovery questions. S4Migration organizes those questions into a repeatable research structure — so knowledge accumulates rather than disappears between projects.
Object
What are we examining?
SAP BW system, BW report, custom extraction program
Question
What do we need to know?
Which S/4 processes may be affected by this dependency?
Evidence
What information supports the answer?
Interface documentation, system landscape diagrams
Relationship
What else does this affect?
Connected to: Finance reporting, Period-end close process
Finding
What did the investigation reveal?
BW dependency is undocumented in current landscape
Implication
Why might it matter for S/4?
May require BW Dependency Assessment pre-project
Decision
What decision may eventually be required?
Retain, migrate to SAC, or redesign reporting approach
Artifact
Where should the information be documented?
Pre-project registry, readiness record, decision log
Status
What remains unresolved?
Owner not confirmed. Evidence not validated.
This is presented as a research method, not as a claim of project success. Findings and implications depend on the specific enterprise landscape and transformation objectives.
Readiness Assessment
Migration Readiness Is Multi-Dimensional
Each dimension requires separate investigation. A single overall readiness score may obscure critical gaps in specific areas.
Business Readiness
Organizational alignment, sponsorship and transformation objectives.
Process Readiness
Current-state process documentation, redesign requirements and ownership.
Technology Readiness
System inventory, technical debt, version currency and landscape complexity.
Data Readiness
Master data quality, data ownership, historical data strategy and volumes.
Integration Readiness
Interface inventory, middleware dependencies and API compatibility.
Custom Code Readiness
Custom programs, modifications, extensions and Clean Core positioning.
Reporting Readiness
Report inventory, BW dependencies, analytics strategy and gaps.
Security Readiness
Authorization concepts, role design and compliance requirements.
Infrastructure Readiness
Hosting, sizing, network, cloud strategy and technical prerequisites.
People Readiness
Skills, organizational change, training and key-person dependencies.
Migration Strategy Readiness
Migration path clarity, approach decisions and cutover strategy.
Clean Core Readiness
Current-state custom code posture and extension architecture readiness.
Pre-Project Library
Some Migration Questions Become Pre-Projects
Discovery can reveal areas requiring focused work before or alongside the core implementation program. These pre-projects help convert research findings into actionable preparation activities.
The relevance of each pre-project depends on the enterprise landscape, transformation objectives and evidence discovered during readiness research. Not every organization requires every pre-project.
Clean Core
Clean Core Begins with Current-State Understanding
Clean Core discussions should include more than custom code. Research should consider relationships among all dimensions of the enterprise landscape.
A customization may need to be retained, redesigned, standardized, replaced, moved side-by-side or investigated further. The correct disposition depends on the business requirement and the available architecture.
Research should consider
Possible dispositions for a customization
Do not define Clean Core as simply eliminating customization. Each object requires individual investigation against its business purpose and available architectural alternatives.
Retain
Redesign
Standardize
Replace
Move side-by-side
Investigate further
Use neutral research language when documenting Clean Core findings. Avoid prescriptive language before the business requirement has been validated.
Migration Paths
Research the Migration Path After Understanding the Landscape
Migration-path decisions should be informed by evidence from the Technology Quilt. No single path is inherently preferred — the appropriate approach depends on the specific enterprise context.
System Conversion
The existing SAP system is technically converted to S/4HANA. Processes, data and configuration are carried forward.
Research considerations
- Existing customizations
- Data volumes
- Simplification impacts
- Clean Core posture
New Implementation
A new S/4HANA system is implemented. Processes are redesigned and data is selectively migrated.
Research considerations
- Process redesign scope
- Data migration strategy
- Historical data handling
- Organizational change
Selective Data Transition
Data is selectively migrated between systems, allowing for partial process standardization.
Research considerations
- Data selection criteria
- Transition complexity
- Landscape consolidation
- Parallel operations
Factors to investigate before path selection
Illustrative Technology Profiles
Technologies Commonly Found in Enterprise Quilts
These illustrative profiles represent technologies that may appear in enterprise landscapes. Not every organization uses every technology listed — the actual Technology Quilt depends on the specific enterprise.
SAP ECC
ERPCore transactional ERP system
S/4 research relevance
Source system for conversion or migration
SAP SE
SAP BW
AnalyticsBusiness intelligence and reporting platform
S/4 research relevance
Reporting dependency, potential BW/4HANA path
SAP SE
SAP BPC
PlanningBudgeting and planning consolidation
S/4 research relevance
Planning dependency, SAC migration consideration
SAP SE
SAP Analytics Cloud
AnalyticsCloud-based analytics and planning
S/4 research relevance
Target platform for reporting modernization
SAP SE
SAP PI/PO
IntegrationProcess integration middleware
S/4 research relevance
Interface inventory, integration rationalization
SAP SE
SAP Integration Suite
IntegrationCloud integration platform
S/4 research relevance
Target integration platform consideration
SAP SE
SAP SuccessFactors
HCMCloud HR and talent management
S/4 research relevance
HR data integration, employee master dependencies
SAP SE
SAP Ariba
ProcurementProcurement and supplier management
S/4 research relevance
Procurement integration, supplier data dependencies
SAP SE
Salesforce
CRMCustomer relationship management
S/4 research relevance
Customer master data, integration interfaces
Salesforce
MES
ManufacturingManufacturing execution system
S/4 research relevance
Production interface, goods movement dependencies
Various
Treasury Platform
FinanceCash and treasury management
S/4 research relevance
Financial integration, bank communication
Various
Tax Platform
TaxIndirect tax determination and compliance
S/4 research relevance
Tax calculation integration, regulatory dependencies
Various
Data Warehouse
AnalyticsEnterprise data warehouse
S/4 research relevance
Historical data strategy, reporting dependencies
Various
Excel / Spreadsheets
Process ToolManual process support and reporting
S/4 research relevance
Spreadsheet dependency discovery, process risk
Microsoft
Custom Applications
CustomLocally developed applications and tools
S/4 research relevance
Extension assessment, Clean Core positioning
Internal
Authenticated Workspace
Inside the Research Workspace
After login, the public research guide becomes a working research environment — structured, searchable, filterable and relationship-driven.
Technology Quilt Explorer
Search and explore systems and their relationships across the enterprise landscape.
Technology Inventory
Research technologies using structured records with classification, ownership and research status.
Dependency Explorer
Understand upstream and downstream connections that may affect migration decisions.
Readiness Workspace
Investigate readiness by research dimension across all twelve assessment areas.
Pre-Project Registry
Connect findings to focused preparation activities and track pre-project status.
Research Library
Access structured reference guides, architecture research and methodology documentation.
Evidence & Validation
Track where information comes from and whether it has been validated or remains assumed.
Decision Records
Document transformation decisions, their evidence base and the reasoning behind them.
Begin Your Research
Start With the Current Enterprise.
Before deciding what should move to S/4HANA, understand what exists today and how it is connected. Explore the Technology Quilt, investigate migration readiness, and organize the questions that should be answered before implementation.