SAP has confirmed that standard support for ECC 6.0 and Business Suite 7 will end in 2027, with only an extended maintenance option available until 2030 at an additional cost. In other words: companies still running these versions will either pay more… or migrate to S/4HANA under SAP’s terms.
Although SAP has promoted “special programs” like RISE with SAP, the message is clear: there is no turning back. If your company remains on legacy versions, sooner or later you will face a decision—absorb the cost and complexity of a forced migration, or explore more flexible alternatives.
The key question: Does it make sense to follow SAP’s roadmap, or is it time to rethink your ERP strategy entirely?
According to SAP, the end of ECC support is meant to drive companies toward a “modern and secure” environment, with integrated processes and future scalability. Through itsa RISE with SAP,program, the company presents a guided journey for customers to complete this transition.
However, a closer look reveals a different reality.
SAP continues to offer configurations that analysts describe as “halfway clouds”: hybrid, private, and even on-premise setups that limit true flexibility. This approach feels counterintuitive at a time when businesses need agility and real cloud-native capabilities.
Even more concerning, SAP’s innovation roadmap shows limited embedded AI capabilities, forcing organizations to rely on external add-ons instead of a fully integrated solution.
In other words: SAP is pushing customers to migrate—but not necessarily to a real cloud model, nor to the level of innovation the market already demands. For many mid-market companies, it looks more like a commercial move to monetize a captive client base.
The transition to S/4HANA officially started in 2019. Since then, many global enterprises have already migrated—or shifted to other solutions—supported by budgets large enough to absorb such complex projects without disrupting daily operations.
For mid-sized and family-owned businesses with operations in Latin America, the story is very different:
Uncertainty and obsolescence risk
Running ECC past 2027 leaves companies exposed to vulnerabilities and without regulatory, financial, and operational updates. But even for those who migrate today, the uncomfortable question remains: what guarantees SAP won’t force another migration in 5–10 years with the same “innovation” argument?
Costos elevados y tiempos de implementación extensos
iMigrating from ECC to S/4HANA is not a simple upgrade. Industry reports (CIO, Horváth Consulting) show projects typically take 18–36 months, with more than 60% going over budget or schedule. Costs often reach hundreds of thousands of dollars in licenses, consulting, and data migration, while critical processes risk disruption during the transition.
Talent shortage
The demand for S/4HANA consultants has surged. Gartner, Forbes, and Third Stage Consulting Group highlight a global shortage of skilled SAP professionals, leading to higher fees, long wait times, and, in some cases, reduced implementation quality.
The result: mid-market companies are trapped between two unattractive options: a costly, risky migration to S/4HANA—or running an unsupported ERP after 2027/2030.
An unwritten rule in business is simple: when your tools dictate the pace, you end up working for the tool rather than driving value for your business.
With something as critical as an ERP, every support deadline or version shift means renegotiating contracts on the vendor’s terms. This has become SAP’s business model: forcing customers into costly upgrades under its timeline.
Even with the best digital transformation strategy, if your company is captive to a vendor’s roadmap, your plan will never be fully realized.
You may think: “I can stay on ECC and rely on my IT team or partners to make adjustments.” But in practice, this exposes your company to serious risks.
In today’s landscape of rapid innovation, running unsupported systems is more than conservative—it’s dangerous. Operating SAP ECC beyond 2027 means no more security updates or compliance guarantees, putting financial data, client information, and supplier records at risk.
For companies with operations in Mexico, Brazil, and the wider LATAM region, the risks multiply:
Regulatory compliance: Local tax authorities in LATAM update e-invoicing and reporting requirements frequently. Unsupported versions of SAP will struggle to adapt, creating compliance gaps.
Data security: After 2030, with no security patches, vulnerabilities could expose companies to data theft, fraud, and operational downtime.
International certifications: Businesses relying on standards such as ISO 27001, SOX (U.S.), or GDPR (EU) risk failing audits or facing penalties if they run critical systems without vendor support.
And beyond compliance, there is a strategic opportunity cost: staying on ECC means missing out on innovation already built into other ERPs—real-time analytics, predictive insights, AI-driven workflows, and integrated business intelligence. Falling behind makes companies slower to react and more expensive to operate.
Delaying the migration until the last possible moment may sound appealing, but it creates more urgency and increases the likelihood of making the wrong choice. Hidden costs include:
Extended support fees
After 2027, extended maintenance for ECC comes at a premium—industry reports suggest significant increases that, in some cases exceed the cost of migrating to an alternative ERP. And critically: extended support provides only limited patches, not full functionality
Scarcity of talent
As ECC becomes obsolete, talent will shrink and costs will rise. Think of COBOL in banking and insurance—institutions still dependent on it today pay astronomical salaries for the few remaining programmers. ECC will follow a similar path.
Smaller migration window
Starting the evaluation process today allows for a controlled transition. Waiting too long risks rushed projects, operational downtime, and higher costs both within and outside the SAP ecosystem.
At this stage, most companies see two main options: follow SAP into S/4HANA or rethink ERP strategy with a SaaS-native solution like Oracle NetSuite.
Costly and long-term: 18–36 months, hundreds of thousands in costs, with high risk of overruns.
Vendor lock-in: Following SAP’s roadmap means accepting its upgrade cycles, with the possibility of another forced migration in the future.
Limited innovation: Many advanced features require extra modules and integrations, increasing complexity.
For global corporations with multimillion-dollar budgets, this path may be viable. For mid-market companies in LATAM, it’s risky and inflexible.
Oracle NetSuite takes the opposite approach: a true SaaS ERP, cloud-native for over 25 years, with automatic updates included—and never forcing customers into disruptive reimplementations.
Lower total cost of ownership (TCO): No infrastructure, lower maintenance, and continuous updates reduce long-term costs.
Faster implementation: Deployments typically complete in 4–6 months, with results visible in less than 100 days and ROI up to 300% in 18 months (Forrester TEI study).
Continuous innovation included: Twice-yearly automatic updates deliver AI-driven insights, advanced analytics, and local tax compliance at no extra cost.
Global scalability: NetSuite OneWorld supports operations in over 200 countries and jurisdictions, including compliance for Mexico, Brazil, the U.S., Canada, and Europe.
The difference is strategic: SAP decides when and how you migrate, while NetSuite gives you continuity, predictability, and freedom to evolve without disruption.
The end of SAP ECC support is not just a date—it’s a wake-up call. Staying on SAP means accepting vendor lock-in, unpredictable costs, and the risk of repeating the same cycle in the future.
But it is also an opportunity. Moving to Oracle NetSuite allows your company to gain agility, predictability, and confidence to scale into new markets, while adopting innovation continuously—without pausing your operations or repeating forced upgrades.
In short: SAP forces you to react; NetSuite enables you to evolve.
At Efficientix we’ve helped companies across the Americas since 2010 navigate this critical decision with clarity and expertise. Our team implements Oracle NetSuite following industry best practices—ensuring the transition becomes a growth accelerator, not a risk.
👉 Book a free demo and see how your company can migrate without disruption and start seeing results in under 100 days.📥 Still evaluating? Download our exclusive report: SAP vs NetSuite Comparison—a clear view of costs, timelines, and risks to support your decision.