What to do if Clean Core in S/4HANA Service Private Cloud is not always an option?
- Kris Golonka
- Aug 22
- 3 min read
Benefits of Clean Core in S/4HANA are undeniable - one of them is the fact that the upgrade projects to newer versions of S/4HANA are promised to go smoother enabling customers to do it more frequent to benefit from new standard functionalities as soon as they are released by SAP. The other undeniable fact is that following Clean Core may not be the easiest while designing and implementing a process in S/4HANA. If a S/4HANA Public Cloud is used there is no other way but Clean Core. Luckily for S/4HANA Private Cloud, there is a golden mean that will not make all implementations 100% Clean Core but it will help to finally reach it while leveraging the constantly evolving S/4HANA.
Three Tier Extensibility Model
In order to make it easier for customers to understand how extensions should be built in S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition, SAP defined a three-tier extensibility concept:
Tier 1: Cloud Extensibility Model
Tier 2: Cloud API Enablement
Tier 3: Classic ABAP Extensions
Tier 1: Cloud Extensibility Model
Extensions that completely follow Clean Core principles based on ABAP Cloud development model using objects released for Cloud Development:
Key User Extensibility
Developer Extensibility
Side-By-Side Extensibility
Ones of the most common examples in S/4HANA Service would be a Custom Field or Cloud BAdI.
Tier 2: Cloud API Enablement
Only for S/4HANA Private Cloud. If a requirement cannot be fulfilled without using the non-released for Cloud Development objects, those objects can be encapsulated in a custom made released Wrapper Object created by a developer. From that moment, only Wrapper Object is being used. An example in S/4HANA Service can be wrapping the most popular BAPI CRM_ORDER_MAINTAIN to perform changes in a Service Document, that are not available in released APIs.
Tier 3: Classic ABAP Extensions
Only for S/4HANA Private Cloud. This Tier is similar to Tier 2 but here we use techniques and enhance objects that cannot be wrapped like in Tier 2. The biggest and most challenging example would be adapting the User Interface used in the vast majority of S/4HANA Service Fiori Apps - WebUI.
How to get to Tier 1 from Tier 2 and Tier 3
Having a 3 Tier architecture doesn't mean that the job is done and the landscape is future-proof - it is only a prerequisite for smoother journey towards it. All Tier 2 and Tier 3 enhancement need to be shifted to Tier 1. Some of possible steps are:
Use the Influence Portal from SAP to request releasing for Cloud objects that are not released yet or to implement a new Cloud API
Check if the newest version of S/4HANA provides a released for Cloud Object that can replace your Tier 2 and Tier 3 objects
Check for new functions in new S/4HANA Release, that you can use to adapt a business process not to have to use certain enhancement outside from Tier 1
Try to rethink or redesign a business process accepting all challenges that would be brought along
Conclusion
Following SAP recommendations regarding enhancements while implementing S/4HANA Service is challenging. There is good news though for the customers that chose Private Cloud - there is no need to follow Clean Core principles at all cost. There is a strategy, that will finally bring those customers to the final stage, where their S/4HANA will finally be future-proof, without compromising the timeline of the implementation project and constant postponing of a desired Go-Live.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
If you're planning a Clean Core journey in S/4HANA Service or need guidance on sustainable extensibility, we're here to help. Contact us at 4cx to discuss how we can support your transformation — without compromising your core.
Kris Golonka
4cx
For Better Customer Experience
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