SAP confirms final transition period for S/4HANA Compatibility Packs

SUMMARY: SAP Compatibility Packs provide temporary usage rights that allow certain classic SAP ERP functionalities to run within an SAP S/4HANA system, introduced to help customers maintain business continuity while migrating from SAP ERP (ECC) to S/4HANA. SAP has announced a five-month transition period for the usage rights of Compatibility Packs for SAP S/4HANA on-premise, extending the final end date to 31 May 2026.  

SAP has announced a final five-month transition period for the usage rights of Compatibility Packs for SAP S/4HANA on-premise, extending the previously communicated end date of 31 December 2025 to 31 May 2026.

This extension is positioned as a last transition window for SAP customers still reliant on Compatibility Packs, and should be treated as a firm milestone rather than an indication of further flexibility.

What are SAP compatibility packs?

Compatibility Packs provide temporary usage rights that allow certain classic SAP ERP functionalities to run within an SAP S/4HANA system. They were introduced to help customers maintain business continuity while migrating from SAP ERP (ECC) to S/4HANA, particularly where equivalent functionality was not yet available in the S/4HANA core.

Importantly, Compatibility Packs were never intended as permanent solutions. They are transitional by design and are subject to strict usage timelines defined by SAP.

What was already known – and what has changed

SAP has long communicated that usage rights for most Compatibility Packs would expire on 31 December 2025, a position formally documented in SAP Note 2269324. This deadline has been referenced consistently across SAP guidance, licensing documentation, and customer briefings over several years.

What has changed is SAP’s acknowledgement that some customers are not yet in a position to fully retire these components. As a result, SAP has introduced a one-time, five-month extension, moving the final cut-off to the end of May 2026.

SAP has been clear that this is a final transition period. No further extensions have been indicated.

Why does this matter now?

For customers still using Compatibility Packs, this announcement carries several important implications:

• This is not a pause – it is a deadline
  The extension provides limited breathing room, not a reset. Organisations should plan on Compatibility Pack usage ending permanently in mid-2026.
• Compliance and licensing risk increases over time
  Continuing to rely on Compatibility Packs beyond their permitted usage period may introduce contractual, audit, and operational risks.
• Migration effort often touches multiple domains
  Compatibility Pack dependencies frequently span custom code, data models, integrations, reporting, and business processes. Addressing them late in the program increases complexity and cost.
• Future SAP releases may hard-block usage
  As SAP continues to evolve S/4HANA, technical enforcement of Compatibility Pack restrictions is expected to become more stringent.

What is SAP’s position moving forward?

Alongside the extension, SAP has indicated it will offer tailored transition programs for customers moving to SAP cloud solutions that replace Compatibility Pack functionality. These programs are intended to support customers as they adopt standardised, supported alternatives aligned with SAP’s long-term product strategy.

Details of these programs will vary by solution area and customer landscape, and SAP recommends customers engage directly with their SAP account teams to understand applicable options.

What should organisations be doing now about Compatibility Packs?

With fewer than six months added to the original deadline, organisations should already be executing, not planning, their Compatibility Pack exit strategy. This typically includes:

• confirming which Compatibility Packs are active across all systems
• identifying business and technical dependencies
• mapping required remediation to native S/4HANA functionality or SAP cloud solutions
• aligning remediation work with upgrade, transformation, or clean-core initiatives
• validating timelines against the May 2026 hard stop.

A final window and a clear signal

SAP’s message is unambiguous: Compatibility Packs are ending. The additional transition period is designed to enable completion of in-flight remediation, not to delay decision-making.

For organisations still dependent on these components, the next few months represent a critical window to reduce risk, regain control of their S/4HANA roadmap, and avoid avoidable disruption as SAP enforcement tightens.