Customizing Code in SAP Systems can be both a blessing and a curse. While it allows for tailored solutions to specific needs, it can also lead to complexity and issues, especially during system upgrades. The transition to SAP S/4HANA can be hindered by disorganized custom code that needs to be meticulously reviewed and modified.
Fortunately, there is a solution known as the “Clean Core” approach. SAP Clean Core involves segregating customizations from the core system, making future updates smoother, faster, and more secure.
So, how can you implement this approach effectively?
Let’s delve into the roadmap of Clean Core and the practical solutions that support its implementation.
What Does “Clean Core” Really Mean?
Over time, SAP environments, especially those running on ECC, accumulate layers of custom code deeply integrated into the core system. This accumulation makes upgrades to S/4HANA challenging, as every line of code requires scrutiny, modification, and testing.
On the other hand, the Clean Core concept advocates for a well-organized core system that closely aligns with standard practices while allowing for customizations.
According to Clean Core principles, custom code should be isolated from the core and executed in SAP’s extensibility frameworks like key user extensions, RAP (Restful ABAP Programming Model), and CAP (Cloud Application Programming). This separation keeps the core system clean, minimizes the impact of customizations during upgrades, and facilitates the adoption of new SAP features.
The Process: Moving to a Clean Core SAP System
But how can you achieve this desired Clean Core state?
In this section, we will explore the recommended process that we at smartShift consider optimal.
Step 1: Making Sense of Your Custom Code
The journey towards a Clean Core begins with a comprehensive inventory of all custom objects, ranging from user exits to Z-programs, and assessing their relevance in your current setup. It is crucial to analyze the dependencies between custom and standard objects, and grasp the business rationale behind each customization.
This analysis should encompass both technical and functional dimensions of the code. It’s important to understand that code deemed inactive may still be vital during specific operational phases, such as financial closures or annual reporting.
Therefore, a detailed plan should be formulated, outlining critical code, decommissionable segments, and areas requiring modernization. Given the complexity that may arise, leveraging supportive tools like a robust Clean Core X-Ray is highly recommended.
Step 2: Remediation and Optimization
The next step involves addressing compatibility issues between legacy custom code and S/4HANA. The transition to S/4HANA introduces significant changes in database structure (moving to HANA), user interfaces (Fiori), and core functionalities, necessitating modernization of older custom code for seamless operation.
Remediation focuses on reworking the code logic to align with the new environment. This is particularly crucial for code interacting with areas substantially altered in S/4HANA, such as material ledger or asset accounting.
Furthermore, the remediation process should evaluate how custom code impacts system performance. Legacy code optimized for older databases may not perform optimally on the HANA platform, requiring remedial action.
Traditional code remediation can be time-consuming, but advanced solutions like smartShift’s Intelligent Automation can expedite the process to a matter of weeks.
Step 3: Automating Dual Maintenance
During the SAP upgrade, the existing production system must remain fully operational, necessitating dual maintenance to ensure synchronization between the current ERP system and the new S/4HANA environment.
Setting up streamlined processes is essential to mirror changes made to custom code in the current system to the new S/4HANA environment. Automated solutions for dual maintenance, such as those offered by smartShift, can assist in merging and reconciling changes in real-time.
Step 4: Security and Compliance
As part of the Clean Core process, conducting a thorough security audit of the custom codebase is imperative. Any security or compliance issues identified during the audit should be rectified before migrating the code to the S/4HANA environment.
Specifically, scrutiny should focus on code interacting with sensitive data like financial records or personal customer information to ensure adequate security measures are in place. Compliance issues, especially in regulated industries, should also be addressed.
Step 5: Realizing Clean Core in S/4HANA
The final phase of the SAP Clean Core journey entails decoupling custom code from the core SAP system as much as possible. This core tenet involves maintaining the integrity of the core system while executing custom business logic externally, such as through key user extensibility. This approach simplifies future updates and upgrades.
Decoupling necessitates adapting the code to function in a new modular, service-based architecture. This shift entails reimagining the implementation of custom business processes to interface with the SAP core via APIs, rather than being deeply embedded within the core infrastructure.
Optimizing custom code and achieving a Clean Core in SAP systems is a challenging endeavor, but with the right strategies and tools, it is entirely feasible. Solutions like smartShift’s Clean Core X-Ray can assist in comprehensively analyzing, remediating, and decoupling your existing codebase, resulting in a modernized and scalable SAP environment poised for future advancements.
In conclusion, embracing the Clean Core methodology can lead to a more efficient and agile SAP ecosystem, primed for ongoing innovation.
