The 2026 SAP Compatibility Pack Deadline: What You Need to Do Now

The final deadline for SAP S/4HANA Compatibility Pack usage rights is May 31, 2026. This marks the end of a critical transition period for on-premise SAP S/4HANA customers, requiring them to migrate from legacy SAP ERP functionalities to either native S/4HANA solutions or modern cloud-based alternatives. This guide explains what the deadline means for your business and outlines the immediate steps you need to take to ensure a smooth transition.

What is the SAP Compatibility Pack?

The SAP Compatibility Pack is a collection of software that provides temporary usage rights for certain classic SAP ERP functionalities within an SAP S/4HANA on-premise environment. It was designed as a transitional bridge, allowing businesses to maintain operational continuity while they progressively adapt their custom code and business processes to the new S/4HANA architecture. Essentially, it allowed companies to run older functionalities on the new system, buying them time to complete their full migration.

Why is the May 2026 Deadline So Critical?

SAP has been clear that the Compatibility Pack was always a temporary solution. The final extension to May 31, 2026, announced on December 31, 2025, was positioned as a “final five months transition period” to give remaining customers a last window to complete their move. After this date, the usage rights for these legacy functionalities will expire, meaning they will no longer be supported or legally usable within your S/4HANA system. Continuing to use them poses significant compliance and operational risks.

This deadline forces a strategic decision. Companies can no longer postpone the final, and often most complex, steps of their S/4HANA transformation. The time has come to address the custom code and legacy processes that the Compatibility Pack has been shielding.

What You Need to Do Now: A 3-Step Action Plan

With only a few months remaining, a structured and immediate response is crucial. Here is a practical 3-step plan to navigate the deadline effectively.

Step 1: Assess Your Current Usage (1-2 Weeks)

The first step is to gain a complete and accurate picture of your organization’s reliance on the Compatibility Pack. You cannot plan a migration without knowing exactly what needs to be moved.

• Conduct a Comprehensive Audit: Use SAP’s tools and readiness checks to identify every instance where a Compatibility Pack is in use. This includes not just the core functionalities but also any custom code that depends on them.
• Analyze Business Impact: For each identified component, determine its business criticality. Which processes depend on it? What is the impact of its removal? This analysis will help you prioritize your migration efforts.
• Engage Stakeholders: Communicate with business process owners and key users to understand their reliance on these legacy functions. Their insights are crucial for a successful transition.

Step 2: Define Your Migration Strategy (2-4 Weeks)

Once you know what you are using, you need to decide where to move it. There are three primary paths forward, and the right choice will depend on the specific function and your long-term IT strategy.

• Path A: Migrate to Native S/4HANA Functionality: This is the preferred path. S/4HANA offers modern, optimized, and fully supported alternatives for most Compatibility Pack functions. This approach aligns with a “clean core” strategy and ensures long-term stability.
• Path B: Transition to SAP Cloud Solutions: For some functionalities, SAP offers superior alternatives in its cloud portfolio (e.g., SAP SuccessFactors for HR, SAP Ariba for procurement). This can be an opportunity to accelerate your move to the cloud and leverage more innovative solutions.
• Path C: Remediate or Retire Custom Code: This is where the real challenge often lies. Custom code that relies on Compatibility Pack functions must be adapted. This may involve refactoring the code to use new S/4HANA APIs, replacing it with a standard Fiori app, or retiring it completely if it is no longer needed. Specialized tools, such as the Lupus Consulting CCA Toolset, can automate a significant portion of this work, reducing manual effort and risk.

Step 3: Execute and Validate (Remaining Time)

With a clear strategy, the final step is execution. This phase requires rigorous project management and technical expertise.

• Develop a Detailed Project Plan: Create a realistic timeline with clear milestones for each migration path. Assign ownership and allocate the necessary resources, including both internal teams and external partners.
• Leverage Automation for Custom Code: For custom code adaptation, use automated tools to accelerate the process. These tools can identify required changes, suggest solutions, and even perform mass updates, significantly reducing the manual workload on your development team.
• Rigorous Testing: Thoroughly test every migrated or adapted component. This includes unit testing, integration testing, and user acceptance testing (UAT) to ensure that business processes continue to run smoothly and without disruption.
• Decommission Old Components: Once the new solutions are live and validated, formally decommission the old Compatibility Pack components to ensure compliance and a clean system architecture.

The Strategic Opportunity

While the May 2026 deadline presents a challenge, it is also a strategic opportunity. It forces the final step towards a truly modern, agile, and future-proof ERP system. By embracing native S/4HANA functionalities and cleaning up custom code, you can unlock the full potential of your S/4HANA investment, leading to improved performance, faster innovation, and a lower total cost of ownership.

Do not wait. The clock is ticking, and the time to act is now. A proactive, structured approach, supported by experienced partners and automated tools, is the key to successfully navigating this final milestone in your S/4HANA journey.