SAP version upgrades rarely fail on the technical upgrade itself. They overrun because the impact on custom code, interfaces and testing was not understood early enough. This checklist reflects the approach we use on upgrade projects.
- Define the target release and confirm compatibility of add-ons, interfaces and third-party tools.
- Run an impact analysis to identify the technical objects affected by the upgrade. Our toolkits do this before the project starts, so effort is estimated on facts.
- Size the infrastructure for the target release, including database growth and peak workloads.
- Check Unicode status and plan a conversion if the target release requires it.
- Upgrade a sandbox first to rehearse the process and measure downtime.
- Remediate custom code identified in the analysis, prioritising business-critical objects.
- Adjust dictionary and repository objects (SPDD and SPAU) carefully and document every decision.
- Regression test end-to-end business processes, not only individual transactions.
- Rehearse the cut-over at least once with production-sized data and timing.
- Plan hyper-care with clear ownership for the first weeks after go-live.
Where projects usually slip
The most common causes of delay are unknown custom-code impact, incomplete test scope and cut-over windows that were never rehearsed. Each of these is avoidable with early analysis and disciplined planning.
Fixed scope
S/4HANA Readiness Assessment
A fixed-scope recommendation for your SAP S/4HANA path, with roadmap and effort.
See what's included
