With the rapidly changing digital environment, organizations are moving towards SAP S/4HANA, which is a replacement for a legacy ERP system, such as SAP ECC.
The decision in favor of a greenfield implementation in SAP or a SAP brownfield implementation is not only a technological choice, but a strategic action with benefits towards continuity, innovation, and ROI.
This blog discusses the two options to help you decide on the approach that resonates with you or your goals.
Failure to make the right choice may result in budget overruns, increased timelines, or inadequate systems to support future needs. This book aids you in balancing the two by considering greenfield implementation in SAP, SAP brownfield implementation, and practical applications.
An upgrade-based migration using a system conversion and bringing previous data, configuration, and customization into SAP S/4HANA. It can be compared to a renovation of the existing ground instead of rebuilding it .
Greenfield implementation in SAP is a program that involves creating a system tailored to the needs of your business to implement modern best practices and remove legacy complexities. Although it is more flexible and innovative, it is accompanied by issues such as higher cost and longer deployment length.
SAP Brownfield implementation enables organizations to transform their current SAP to S/4HANA without any data loss in the business customizations. It is a less disruptive migration and is quick and cost-effective, but can bring over old processes and technical debt.
The Greenfield vs. Brownfield comparison brings to the fore some main differences in cost, speed, customization, and data processing.
This table can assist businesses in making rapid calculations of the best license type of SAP based on their transformation objectives.
| Criteria | Greenfield Implementation | Brownfield Implementation |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Full re-engineering | System conversion & reuse |
| Speed & Cost | Higher cost, slower rollout | Faster, more cost-efficient |
| Customization | Minimal legacy baggage | Existing customizations retained |
| Innovation Potential | High, modern best practices | Limited by legacy structure |
| Business Disruption | Significant change | Smooth transition |
| Historical Data | Selectively migrated | Fully retained |
Real-world SAP Greenfield and Brownfield implementations are examples of how companies in various industries have been successful in transforming their operations. These illustrations represent feasible results, i.e., a fast track of systems upgrade, to end-to-end process transformations, depending on their selected strategy.
An agribusiness specializing in sugar beets, Western Sugar Cooperative, faced challenges with its highly customized, on-premise ERP system that was difficult to upgrade and prone to collapse. To address this, they transitioned to SAP S/4HANA Cloud, public edition.
Solution
Western Sugar Cooperative modernized its operations by transitioning from a heavily customized, on-premise ERP system to SAP S/4HANA Cloud, public edition. This move allowed the company to leverage standardized, best-practice business processes while maintaining flexibility through the cloud. The new system streamlined critical workflows such as order-to-cash, procure-to-pay, and maintenance financing, reducing manual intervention and operational risks. With automated reporting, enhanced data accuracy, and real-time analytics, Western Sugar achieved greater transparency, improved decision-making, and strengthened system security.
Key Benefits
The new system automated manual tasks, minimized costs, and improved business processes such as order-to-cash, procure-to-pay, and maintenance financing. By moving to the cloud, Western Sugar also enhanced security and simplified system upgrades. Additionally, the solution provided real-time reporting and analytics, improving decision-making and operational efficiency.
Inspired by success, the company is expanding its SAP solutions portfolio, including exploring SAP Datasphere for data warehousing and SAP Fiori apps for better mobile access.
A global player in the printing and imaging technology industry sought to modernize its ERP systems to fuel innovation, simplify business processes, and enhance its international trade capabilities. The company partnered with SAP SI Partner to migrate its legacy systems to SAP S/4HANA on the cloud, aiming to reduce infrastructure costs and improve the user experience.
Solution
SAP SI Partner created a migration plan to convert that company’s on-premise ERP systems to SAP S/4HANA with minimal disruption. The migration utilized existing legacy system applications, ensuring a seamless transition. SAP SI Partner employed an agile, iterative delivery methodology, allowing the company to assess over 1500 Fiori apps for business suitability. The migration was completed quickly, over a single weekend.
Key Benefits
GSC Technolabs makes the process of migrating SAP much easier as the company can provide end-to-end SAP migration services, including the advisory process, implementation, and after-migration service. Our specialists assist you in selecting Greenfield or Brownfield methods to facilitate an easy and efficient, ROI-based transition.
We have masters of SAP transformation at GSC Technolabs. We offer:
Sometimes a mid-stream course reorientation can be done, although it is expensive. It is best to make such a decision early in the discovery stage based on definite purposefulness and preparedness.
When you put the correct implementation model with your ERP strategy, you have put your business on the path of innovation, efficiency, and even sustainable growth.
GSC Technolabs provides end-to-end IT solutions committed to helping businesses modernize and grow with confidence. From cloud transformation and cybersecurity to enterprise software implementation, application development, and data-driven insights, we deliver tailored solutions that combine technical expertise with a customer-first approach. We enable organizations to streamline operations, enhance performance, and achieve long-term growth.