SAP recently announced that SAP Business ByDesign will no longer be offered to new customers. Whilst it may feel like devastating news to existing customers, it should only be a cause for concern if you have no plans to grow or enter new markets. Otherwise, no immediate action is likely to be required, as SAP will continue to support all organisations effectively using the solution today, for a long time into the future.
ERP systems are usually selected at a pivotal point in a business’s journey, whether during growth, transformation, or a need for stronger governance. At that time, the system fits. It supports reporting requirements, aligns with operational complexity, and gives leaders confidence in how the business is run.
The announcement provides a moment to pause and reflect, and will undoubtedly raise some important questions. Interestingly, ERP Assessments rarely begin with failure. More often than not, they begin with success. As businesses evolve, leaders begin to ask whether their ERP is aligned with the target operating model and whether it is a good investment to support further diversification and growth plans. ERP success often creates the next ERP question: In these situations, the ERP system may still be stable and reliable, but leaders begin to sense that it was designed for a different version of the business.
Over time, organisations experience natural change, such as:
- Expansion into new markets, entities, or regions.
- Increased operational or supply chain complexity.
- Greater pressure for real-time insight and faster decision-making.
- Evolving business models: product-led, service-led, or hybrid.
- Higher expectations around flexibility, integration, and speed.
That’s not a problem. It’s a sign of maturity.
Realignment is not replacement:
Performing an ERP Assessment is often seen as a decision to change systems. In reality, it’s far more strategic than that:
- Realignment should be about:
- Confirming whether today’s ERP still supports tomorrow’s operating model.
- Understanding where friction is emerging and why.
- Separating short-term optimisation from long-term architecture decisions.
- Creating clarity before urgency exists.
In many cases, this process leads to confidence that the current ERP remains the right choice for the foreseeable future.
That is a valuable outcome.
When ERP alignment conversations start in an organisation, alignment discussions often surface when leaders notice:
- Reporting is taking longer than the business now moves.
- AI is allowing competitors to gain market share by reducing profits and maintaining profitability.
- Workarounds increase, and margins erode, making the business less competitive.
- Integrations multiply around the core system.
- Greater reliance on spreadsheets or external tools.
Difficulty adapting processes without disruption.
These are rarely signs of system failure. More often, they indicate that the organisation has evolved beyond the assumptions made at the time of implementation.
There is no single “next” ERP:
- One of the most important realisations leaders come to during ERP planning is that there is no universal upgrade path.
- Different growth trajectories require different ERP shapes:
- Some organisations value operational simplicity and continuity.
- Others prioritise agility, insight, and user empowerment.
- Some require deep operational control across complex, multi-site environments.
- The right ERP is not the most advanced or the most popular system. It’s the one that best fits how your organisation actually operates.
ERP planning, therefore, is about fit and not labels.
The advantage of planning before pressure exists:
The strongest ERP decisions are made early, before timelines tighten and options narrow. Organisations that plan ahead benefit from:
- Clear evaluation criteria.
- A realistic understanding of effort and change.
- The ability to phase decisions over time.
- Greater control over timing and investment.
Planning does not commit you to change. It gives you options and confidence.
How Eximiere supports alignment-led decisions:
We have worked on Business ByDesign for many years, and our plan is to provide an assessment of your solution today and where you intend to use Business ByDesign. This allows us to focus on architecture and alignment first, rather than steering conversations toward a predetermined outcome.
Our role is to help organisations:
- Assess ERP alignment against future operating models.
- Understand credible medium-term options.
- Design a pragmatic 3–5 year ERP roadmap.
- Move deliberately or confidently, stay where they are.
Sometimes the right answer is change. Often, it’s confirmation; both outcomes represent success.
Final thoughts…
If you’re currently using SAP Business ByDesign, Eximiere can help you step back and assess whether your ERP remains aligned with your business's evolution. Our approach is advisory, and should you wish to review Acumatica, we can provide a plan to migrate your configuration and data, understanding your future target operating model. As experts in both S/4HANA and Business ByDesign, we can explain the key differences, where friction may arise, and which options make sense over the medium to long term.
In many cases, an assessment leads to confidence in staying exactly where you are. When it doesn’t, it provides clarity and structure to plan next steps on your own timeline.
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