Understanding the SAP S/4HANA Public Cloud solution has been eye-opening

It offers a modern, standardized, and cloud-first ERP approach built on best practices. Here’s a summary of key takeaways:

📌 Key Concepts & Architecture

SaaS-based ERP: Delivered as Software-as-a-Service, with automatic quarterly upgrades.

Multi-tenant architecture: Shared but securely partitioned cloud model managed by SAP.

Fit-to-standard approach: Encourages process adoption over code customization.

🔧 Customization Approaches

✅ In-App Extensibility: Add custom fields, UI changes, validation logic — all from within the SAP Fiori interface.

✅ Side-by-Side Extensibility: Build full custom apps using SAP Business Technology Platform (SAP BTP) and OData APIs.

⚠️ Quarterly Upgrade Management

Test upgrades early using the sandbox tenant.

Ensure extensibility logic is regression-tested before the production cutover.

Stabilize configurations prior to release windows.

🔄 Enhancement Limitations

Public Cloud: No direct access to ABAP Workbench tools like SE80, SE18, etc.

Only SAP-provided enhancement points (BADI) can be used with key-user tools.

On-Premise: Full access to custom enhancements, user exits, and modification framework.

📡 Integration and Extensibility

Use OData APIs for real-time and batch data exchange.

SAP API Hub helps discover, test, and connect to available services.

CPI-DS (Cloud Platform Integration for Data Services) supports scheduled data migration/integration between on-premise and cloud systems.

📚 Other Key Concepts Covered

RISE with SAP: SAP’s business transformation-as-a-service bundle.

SAP Activate methodology for implementation.

Cloud ALM for managing the lifecycle and project activities.

CBC (Central Business Configuration) for streamlined scoping and setup.

🔗 Attached visuals help summarize these differences and highlight how Public Cloud differs from On-Premise in terms of enhancements and extensibility.

Let’s keep learning and exploring more about SAP S/4HANA and its cloud evolution! 💡