SAP Certified Partner
An SAP Clean Core does not mean less customization—it means greater future-proofing.
Instead of directly modifying the ERP core (S/4HANA), extensions are clearly decoupled and implemented via defined, upgrade-stable interfaces.
SAP is consistently refining this principle. The former 3-tier model has now evolved into a more precise maturity model: the Clean Core Level Concept (A–D). This new model no longer evaluates extensions based on their technical location, but rather on their upgrade stability and cloud readiness.
This is precisely where the strategic difference lies—and the reason why Clean Core is no longer an option today, but rather the architectural foundation for AI-powered ERP systems.
Forget the common misconception that a “clean core” doesn’t allow for customization. It’s not about sacrificing functionality, but about how it’s implemented. We shift the logic away from a rigid core toward flexible interfaces, so your ERP system remains as agile as your business model.
To put this concept into practice, we need to look beyond the program code itself. SAP defines six key dimensions for this purpose, which we must actively manage:
Reduce the complexity of your workflows, as nested processes can significantly slow down your update cycles.
Consistently decouple your custom functions from the SAP standard so that upgrades do not cause errors in your in-house developments.
Ensure clean, accurate, and up-to-date data records to create a reliable foundation for analytics and AI tools.
Use standardized APIs and events to ensure that your entire IT landscape communicates in a stable yet flexible manner.
Software Version
Keep your system up to date with the latest software to benefit from current security features and innovations.
Make your operations and maintenance as efficient as possible to free up resources for new projects.
In a cloud environment that consistently prioritizes standardization, rigid modifications become an unpredictable risk to your entire IT strategy.
Anyone who directly modifies the SAP core is feeding a “customizing monster” that devours valuable resources and inextricably intertwines in-house developments with the standard code. In the past, developers often bent the system so far out of shape that it can barely function today, and every upgrade becomes a risky gamble, as manual testing and time-consuming fixes drive costs out of control. At a time when SAP releases new cloud innovations every quarter, this rigid architecture is finally collapsing.
A major problem remains the creeping “update horror”: If new releases regularly lead to errors, many IT departments avoid the necessary updates. This jeopardizes security and piles up technical debt like unwashed dishes. The end result is an ERP system as immobile as a medieval knight in his armor. Such rigid structures prevent you from quickly integrating new AI technologies or automated cloud services into your processes. This not only slows down IT but also massively weakens the competitiveness of your entire company.
SAP is continuously refining its strategy and replacing the previous 3-tier model with a more precise maturity model: the Clean Core Level Concept. These four levels help you pragmatically assess your customizations and systematically reduce technical debt.
In the past, there was often only a stark choice between “clean” and “unclean.” The new model, however, recognizes that matured system landscapes need time to evolve. It offers you a clear roadmap to gradually guide your customizations toward cloud security.
Until now, SAP has followed the traditional three-tier model (separating modification, customization, and development). The new level concept (levels A through D) replaces this rigid approach. It no longer evaluates enhancements based on where they are located, but rather on their upgrade stability. A Level A object is “cloud-ready,” regardless of whether it is located in BTP or directly in S/4HANA (as ABAP Cloud).
Instead of rigidly locking down the kernel, assign each function to one of the four levels. The goal is always to use the highest possible level to ensure that your system remains updatable.
| Level | Strategy | What does this mean for your SAP architecture? |
| Level A | Cloud Native | You use SAP Build or ABAP Cloud and access only officially released interfaces. This provides you with maximum stability during every upgrade. |
| Level B | Classic APIs | They use tried-and-true “Classic APIs.” While these are well-documented and generally stable, they do not have a formal contract for future versions. |
| Level C | Internal Objects | SYou are accessing internal SAP objects that are not officially supported. This increases the risk that customizations will no longer work after a system update. |
| Level D | Not Recommended | You modify the standard code directly or write data to tables without using an interface. This “red zone” compromises security and severely hinders upgrades. |
The key recommendation today is: Adopt a “BTP-first” strategy. Ideally, develop new features directly at Level A to ensure your ERP system is ready for the future.
SAP Build plays a key role in consistently achieving Level A (Cloud Native). Its low-code/no-code solutions enable business departments and IT to create extensions directly on SAP BTP without touching the core.
SAP Build Apps: Creating UI extensions that communicate with the core via APIs.
SAP Build Process Automation: Moving workflows and automations from the ERP core to the cloud.
Joule Integration: The AI assistant Joule supports developers within SAP Build (e.g., SAP Build Code) in generating code snippets and logic that automatically comply with Clean Core guidelines. This significantly accelerates the development of Level A extensions and reduces human errors in API usage.
Governance: SAP Build helps prevent uncontrolled growth by providing a standardized framework for side-by-side extensions
A Clean Core ensures long-term agility and reduces your IT costs. Keeping your core clean saves you money with every upgrade and paves the way for innovations like artificial intelligence. We transform your ERP system from a rigid burden into a real competitive advantage. By consistently choosing a clean core, you’ll put your company back at the forefront of technology. You’ll no longer be laboriously managing your legacy systems, but instead investing directly in the future of your business processes.
A streamlined system accelerates innovation across your entire organization. Because you’ve cleanly decoupled your extensions, you can adopt new technologies—such as the AI copilot SAP Joule—much more quickly.
This offers you tangible strategic advantages:
Accelerate innovation: Integrate new features immediately, instead of spending months laboriously adapting outdated interfaces.
Significantly reduce costs: Perform upgrades without massive budgets for extensive testing or manual corrections, since the SAP core remains unchanged.
Guarantee flexibility: Stay adaptable and react lightning-fast to market changes.
Accelerate migration: Use AI tools like Joule to generate high-quality code and massively shorten your journey to the cloud.
Increase security: A streamlined core reduces potential vulnerabilities and better protects your data from attacks.
A Clean Core is a sustainable strategy for your company’s success. It saves you valuable time, reduces your costs, and takes the fear out of every system upgrade. Those who shed unnecessary baggage today create the freedom needed for future innovation and secure their competitiveness in a digital world.
For you, Clean Core means, above all, a cultural shift. It’s about breaking new ground and consistently protecting the standard instead of bending it. This gives you a system that supports your growth instead of holding you back with outdated structures.
Imagine deploying new SAP releases as easily as updating an app on your smartphone. This is exactly the goal you achieve with a clean core that remains free of dangerous modifications. Since the final transition periods for many regulations expire in August 2027, you should act now and future-proof your IT landscape. A clean core is the best insurance against “update horror” and the ideal foundation for sustainable business success.
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