SAP ECC

What Is SAP ECC?

SAP ECC (ERP Central Component) is the on-premise ERP solution that, for decades, has been the backbone of enterprise operations in thousands of enterprises across various industries. The solution is known for its stability, flexibility, and deep customization options. No wonder many businesses around the globe still widely use the solution – despite the announced end of support for SAP ECC in 2027 (with optional extended maintenance until 2030). 

ECC modules & capabilities

SAP ECC encompasses all key business areas – from finance and logistics to HR and manufacturing. You can implement individual modules based on your current needs or combine them into one connected system.

The real strength of ECC lies in how these modules work together. When something changes in one area (like a new sales order or a shift in inventory), related areas (like manufacturing) update automatically. Thanks to that, you get less manual work, fewer errors, and faster, more accurate decisions across your entire business.

Key modules of SAP ECC

• Finance and Controlling (FICO): Handles financial accounting, reporting, cost planning, and analytics. Enables storing transaction history and financial data.
• Sales and Distribution (SD): Manages sales, billing, returns, and credit issuance. Supports order processing and customer engagement.
• Materials Management (MM): Manages procurement of materials, services, and inventory. Ensures smooth supply chain and vendor processes.
• Production Planning (PP): Aligns manufacturing with demand. Supports scheduling, capacity planning, and process optimization.
• Quality Management (QM): Supports quality inspection, audit management, and integration with procurement, production, and sales.
• Plant Maintenance (PM): Monitors equipment, schedules maintenance, and reduces downtime through preventive maintenance plans.
• Customer Services (CS): Manages post-sales service such as repair, maintenance, and customer service orders.
• Project System (PS): Handles planning, budgeting, and monitoring of complex projects across departments.
• Human Capital Management (HCM): Covers payroll, time management, travel, career development, and employee data administration.

However, despite having these functional modules, ECC still has some areas that are not fully covered. If needed, you can integrate SAP ECC with specific SAP solutions (like SAP Analytics Cloud for advanced reporting and planning capabilities and AI features or SAP SuccessFactors for HR management) or third-party applications. With the end of support for SAP ECC, integrations might be tricky – but not impossible, though! With our extensive knowledge of SAP solutions (both on-premise and in the cloud), we can help you with integrations and the support of your legacy SAP ECC solution. 

Key benefits of SAP ECC

End-to-end process integration

SAP ECC integrates core business functions, such as finance, HR, procurement, manufacturing, logistics, and sales, into a single system with a unified data flow. Just imagine: once you create a sales order, the related inventory and accounting records are instantly updated – so there;s no need for manual coordination and no space for human-related mistakes.

Real-time data and reporting

The system captures and processes transactions as they occur, allowing for live updates across all modules. That means you can access current figures for revenue, inventory, or production without waiting for end-of-day reports.

Modular flexibility and scalability

You can implement just the modules you need – such as FI/CO, MM, SD, or HCM – and add more over time as needed. This modular approach aligns with your current priorities and scales with your business as it grows.

Proven stability and industry fit

Used by large and mid-sized organizations across sectors, ECC has a long and proven history of handling complex processes. Its reliability and mature feature set make it a dependable choice for lots of businesses globally.

Strong customization features

SAP ECC provides standard features for various business processes – and it can also be strongly customized according to the unique requirements of the business (all thanks to the on-premise deployment). These customizations may include configuring existing functionalities (such as customizing reports and developing applications with specific functionalities tailored to workflow requirements) or adding new features (via add-ons or custom development).

Global reach and compliance support

With built-in localization for multiple countries that cover tax regimes, currencies, and languages, SAP ECC enables organizations to expand internationally while maintaining compliance. 

Migrating from SAP ECC to S/4HANA

SAP has announced that mainstream maintenance for ECC will end in 2027 (with extended support until 2030 at a premium cost) – and that means every business running ECC needs to start thinking seriously about the future.

If you don't migrate to SAP S/4HANA, you risk:

• No security patches or legal updates after support ends

• Compatibility issues with new tools, innovations, and integrations

• Falling behind competitors who benefit from AI, automation, and real-time analytics in S/4HANA

• Rising costs of maintaining an outdated and unsupported system

Staying on ECC might feel "safe," but the longer you wait, the more complex (and costly) the migration can become.

At ACBaltica, we help businesses move from ECC to S/4HANA with:

• Clear migration roadmaps

• Risk and readiness assessments

• Data cleansing and system preparation

• Technical migration and post-go-live support

Why choose ACBaltica for SAP ECC implementation and support services

1. We help you get the most out of your ERP system. With the end of support of ECC in 2027, you will no longer have any updates, and no cutting-edge functionalities will be available for ECC users. But we can help you deal with that! We can integrate your SAP ECC with any SAP product or solution (including SAP BTP), ensuring the unlimited capabilities of your core system.
2. Extensive knowledge of SAP solutions and products. We've worked with SAP solutions for over 20+ years and know all versions released since then. We can help you find a perfect solution to modify your ECC to suit all your needs.
3. Variety of services. With a legacy solution like SAP ECC, you will need many customizations to ensure your ERP still supports all your business processes – and we can help you with that! Custom development, system support, or even an external SAP team – we can do all that and more!

Frequently asked questions about SAP ECC

Is SAP ECC outdated?

SAP ECC is still widely used, but it's becoming outdated. SAP is phasing out mainstream support by 2027, with extended support only until 2030 (at extra cost). While ECC remains functional, it may lack real-time processing and does not offer the AI capabilities and modern user experience provided by SAP S/4HANA, SAP's next-generation ERP. If you're planning for the long term, we recommend you start preparing for the S/4HANA convertion.

What's the difference between SAP ECC and S/4HANA?

The main difference lies in the technology and architecture. SAP ECC is a traditional ERP system that runs on older databases and processes data in batches. SAP S/4HANA, on the other hand, is built for the in-memory SAP HANA database, offering real-time data processing, a simplified data model, and embedded AI and analytics. It also features a modern, user-friendly interface (SAP Fiori) and enhanced integration with cloud applications – making it faster, more flexible, and future-ready.

When does SAP ECC 6.0 support end?

SAP ECC 6.0 mainstream maintenance will end on December 31, 2027. After that, only extended maintenance will be available until December 31, 2030, and at an additional cost. After 2030, SAP will no longer provide official support for ECC systems.

How many modules are in SAP ECC?

The most commonly used modules of SAP ECC are: 

• FI (Financial Accounting)

• CO (Controlling)

• MM (Materials Management)

• SD (Sales and Distribution)

• PP (Production Planning)

• QM (Quality Management)

• PM (Plant Maintenance)

• HR/HCM (Human Resources / Human Capital Management)

• WM (Warehouse Management)

• LE (Logistics Execution)

There are also some submodules inside this structure. Each module focuses on a specific business function and can be implemented individually or together for a fully integrated system.

What is included in SAP ECC extended support?

SAP ECC extended support (offered after mainstream maintenance ends) includes critical fixes, legal updates, and limited support services but does not include new features, improvements, or non-security-related updates.

Here's what's typically included in extended support for ECC 6.0:

• Security patches and legal/regulatory updates

• Support for existing functionalities (troubleshooting, limited corrections)

• Access to the SAP support portal and incident handling

But please note that these critical aspects are not included: 

• New functionality or enhancements

• Innovations or platform upgrades

• Guaranteed compatibility with new SAP technologies

Extended support is a temporary solution designed to provide businesses with additional time to migrate to SAP S/4HANA. Please note that after 2027 (or 2030 with extended support), support will end completely.

What is the cost of SAP ECC extended support?

The cost of SAP ECC extended support is an additional premium on top of your standard maintenance fee:

• From 2028 to 2030, SAP charges +2% on top of your existing Enterprise Support contract.

• After 2030, standard extended support ends, and SAP may offer Customer-Specific Maintenance, which is negotiated individually and often significantly more expensive, with a limited support scope.

Please note that these fees do not include innovation, new features, or compatibility with new SAP platforms. It's a way to buy time, but the cost increases the longer you wait.

How do I migrate from SAP ECC to S/4HANA?

Migrating from SAP ECC to S/4HANA typically involves one of three approaches:

1. System Conversion (Brownfield). You keep your existing ECC system and convert it to S/4HANA. It is ideal if you want to retain your current configurations and processes while upgrading the technology stack.

2. New Implementation (Greenfield). You start fresh with a clean S/4HANA setup. It is best if you want to simplify, remove outdated processes, or adopt best practices built into S/4HANA.

3. Selective Data Transition. You move selected data and processes from ECC to S/4HANA. This hybrid approach works well for companies wanting to restructure while preserving historical data.

While converting, you should also choose whether you prefer to stay on-premise or move into the cloud (private or public). To review options, you can read our blog post.