Is Your ERP Future-Ready? Exploring Alternatives to S/4HANA for SAP ECC Customers

 

Is Your ERP Future-Ready? Exploring Alternatives to S/4HANA for SAP ECC Customers

Written by Pete Wallace, ERP Consultant with 30+ Years of Experience

Introduction

As SAP prepares to sunset support for ECC 6 and pushes its customers toward S/4HANA, many businesses face a critical question: “Is S/4HANA the right move for us?”

While SAP remains a strong ERP provider for large enterprises, the migration to S/4HANA has raised concerns about costs, implementation complexity, and long-term flexibility. For mid-sized companies in particular, this shift can feel daunting.

In today’s blog post—and the accompanying video—I want to introduce an exciting alternative: Onfinity ERP. Created by former SAP employees, Onfinity delivers a robust, integrated ERP system that offers flexibility, affordability, and powerful features for companies hesitant about the move to S/4HANA.

Let’s dive in.

Watch the Video: Onfinity vs. S/4HANA – A Real Alternative for SAP Customers

In the video below, I explore how Onfinity compares with SAP’s S/4HANA Public Cloud and what makes it an attractive option for businesses that need predictable costs, a faster ROI, and flexibility to scale.


The Challenge: SAP ECC to S/4HANA Migration

SAP ECC has been the backbone of enterprise operations for decades. However, with SAP ending maintenance for ECC 6, customers are being asked to transition to S/4HANA. While S/4HANA offers new features and a modern cloud model, it comes with:

  • High Costs: The base price often grows quickly when adding modules like SuccessFactors (HR), Ariba (procurement), Concur (time/expense), and Analytics Cloud (BI).
  • Complexity: Moving to S/4HANA isn’t a simple upgrade—it’s often a complete re-implementation.
  • Rigid Deployment: The public cloud model may not fit every company, especially those with strict compliance or data sovereignty requirements.

These challenges are causing many mid-sized companies to hit pause and explore other ERP options.

Meet Onfinity: The Future of ERP for Mid-Sized Businesses

Onfinity is a powerful ERP system designed to meet the needs of mid-sized enterprises and government organizations. Built by former SAP employees with a deep understanding of ERP complexities, Onfinity offers:

  • All-in-One ERP Functionality: HR, procurement, CRM, BI, time and expense, and project management are included in the base package—no costly add-ons.
  • Flexibility: Choose fully hosted cloud, on-premise, or private cloud deployment, depending on your infrastructure and compliance needs.
  • Ease of Customization: Onfinity’s Canvas platform allows no-code/low-code customizations without requiring external developers.
  • High-Performance Analytics: With Exasol (included in the Galaxy package), Onfinity provides world-class in-memory analytics that outperform traditional ERP databases like SAP HANA.
  • Faster Implementation: Streamlined deployment with a typical go-live timeframe of 4-8 weeks.

Key Benefits for SAP ECC Customers

If you’re an SAP ECC customer hesitant about the S/4HANA migration, here’s why Onfinity might be the perfect fit:

  1. Retain Core ERP Functions: Onfinity includes all the standard features—finance, procurement, supply chain, HR, and CRM—without needing separate add-ons.
  2. Lower Total Cost of Ownership: Onfinity’s all-inclusive pricing delivers a predictable and affordable ERP experience.
  3. Customization Without Complexity: With the Canvas no-code platform, your team can customize workflows and applications in-house, saving on third-party consulting costs.
  4. Data Flexibility and Performance: Gain access to high-speed analytics with Exasol and robust database management through Oracle (SE2 and Enterprise Edition).
  5. Deployment That Fits Your Needs: Whether you need on-premise, hosted cloud, or private cloud, Onfinity offers options SAP cannot match in its public cloud-only model.

Why SAP Partners Should Pay Attention

SAP Partners struggling to convince clients to migrate to S/4HANA can benefit by offering Onfinity as an attractive alternative. Partners can retain customers, provide value, and build long-term relationships by offering a solution that aligns with mid-sized businesses' budgets, timelines, and customization needs.

Final Thoughts

Choosing the right ERP system is a critical decision, especially when facing the uncertainty of a forced migration. SAP S/4HANA may work for some businesses, but it’s not the only option. Onfinity provides a flexible, scalable, and cost-effective alternative tailored to mid-sized organizations looking for a modern ERP solution without the complexities of SAP’s modular ecosystem.

If you’re ready to explore Onfinity or have questions about how it compares to S/4HANA, I encourage you to watch the video above and reach out for more information.

Let’s future-proof your ERP journey together.


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