The key dates
- End of 2027: mainstream maintenance ends for SAP ECC 6.0 and the other SAP Business Suite 7 core applications.
- 2028 to 2030: optional extended maintenance, at a premium of two percentage points on top of the standard maintenance fee.
- 2031 to 2033: the SAP ERP, private edition, transition option, available only for systems that move to SAP ERP private edition on SAP HANA before the end of 2030 and meet SAP's eligibility conditions.
After mainstream maintenance ends, customers without extended maintenance move to customer-specific maintenance: SAP still helps with known issues, but no longer delivers new legal changes, fixes or support packages.
What the end of mainstream maintenance means for you
Your systems keep working. The risk grows over time: legal and tax changes, security fixes and compatibility with newer operating systems, databases and interfaces are no longer delivered as before. For Romanian companies, legal changes such as SAF-T and e-Factura updates are a practical reason not to wait.
Is the 2033 transition option right for you?
The transition option is not a simple extension of ECC maintenance. As published by SAP, it requires moving ECC to SAP ERP, private edition, on SAP HANA before the end of 2030, a minimum system size, and a separately charged SAP success plan. It suits large customers who need more time for a complex transformation, and should be checked against SAP's current terms.
Your options
- Migrate to S/4HANA before the end of 2027 and stay on mainstream maintenance.
- Buy extended maintenance and migrate before the end of 2030.
- Move to SAP ERP private edition and evaluate the transition option, if you qualify.
- Use third-party support for ECC, accepting that legal changes and innovation from SAP stop.
For most mid-sized companies, the practical choice is between options 1 and 2. The earlier you start, the more control you have over budget, timing and the availability of experienced consultants.
How to plan the next 12 months
- Run the SAP Readiness Check and a custom code analysis.
- Decide the transition path: brownfield, greenfield or selective.
- Choose where S/4HANA will run: on-premise, AWS or RISE with SAP.
- Clean up data and archive what you no longer need.
- Build a budget and timeline with buffer for testing.
- Secure SAP Basis and functional capacity early.
Frequently asked questions
Will my SAP ECC system stop working in 2028?
No. The software keeps running. What changes is the level of support from SAP: without extended maintenance, you no longer receive new support packages, legal changes or fixes in the same way.
How much does extended maintenance cost?
SAP charges an extra two percentage points on top of the standard maintenance fee for extended maintenance from 2028 to 2030.
Is it too late to start an S/4HANA migration?
No, but the time for a relaxed timeline is shrinking. Starting with an assessment now keeps both 2027 and 2030 within reach.
Written by the SAP Basis team at Farrenio. Dates and rules reflect publicly available information on 2026-11-13; check SAP's and ANAF's current terms before making decisions.