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Software giant SAP is extending its support for enterprises transitioning to cloud-based enterprise resource planning (ERP), offering a private cloud subscription transition option for customers who need more time to migrate under RISE with SAP.

During its Q4 investor call held at the end of January, the company said it still plans on ending on-premises SAP ERP Central Component (ECC) maintenance by 2027 and extended services by 2030, however this new option provides business continuity support through 2033 for organizations facing complex migrations.

The move reflects SAPโ€™s commitment to helping businesses modernize at their own pace without disrupting critical operations.

โ€œNo two journeys to the cloud are the sameโ€”especially for customers with large, complex IT landscapes,โ€ said Jan Gilg, chief revenue officer Americas and Global Business Suite at SAP. โ€œThink of this as a safety net, giving businesses the breathing room they need to modernize without compromising their operations.โ€

Bridging Legacy Systems and Cloud ERP

SAPโ€™s private cloud transition option is not an extension of traditional on-prem support but rather a structured path toward full cloud adoption. It enables enterprises to maintain existing systems while laying the groundwork for future transformation under RISE with SAP.

โ€œMoving to the cloud is not just a technical decisionโ€”itโ€™s a journey,โ€ Gilg said. โ€œFor many large customers, this journey requires time and careful planning. The SAP ERP, private edition, transition option helps organizations cross safely from legacy systems to the modern, agile world of cloud ERP.โ€

This approach allows businesses to continue using familiar systems while benefiting from cloud-based innovations, including AI-driven analytics, enhanced security and real-time data processing.

SAPโ€™s cloud-first push has paid off financially, with cloud ERP revenue accounting for 84% of total cloud earnings in 2024. The companyโ€™s cloud revenue surged 25% year over year to nearly $18 billion, helping drive SAPโ€™s third consecutive quarter of double-digit revenue growth.

โ€œOur cloud backlog grew 43%,โ€ Gilg explained, underscoring strong demand for SAPโ€™s subscription-based cloud solutions.

New Tools to Simplify ERP Migrations

To streamline the migration process, SAP is integrating three solutions into RISE with SAP. The first is LeanIX, which helps organizations analyze and optimize their IT landscapes, identifying redundancies and planning migration strategies.

SAP Signavio provides process mining and workflow optimization to help businesses redesign operations for cloud ERP, and WalkMe is a digital adoption platform that guides employees through system changes, aiming to provide faster onboarding and improved user experience.

โ€œThese tools act like a coordinated team of specialists helping companies transition,โ€ Gilg explained.

AIโ€™s Expanding Role in SAPโ€™s Cloud ERP

Gilg explained AI is becoming a key differentiator in SAPโ€™s cloud ERP evolution, with Joule, SAPโ€™s generative AI copilot, playing a central role. Joule allows users to interact with ERP systems via natural language, simplifying workflows and providing real-time insights.

โ€œWeโ€™re embedding AI deeply into our ERP solutions to enhance automation, decision-making, and business intelligence,โ€ said Gilg. โ€œWhether itโ€™s automating invoice matching, predicting financial trends, or optimizing supply chain operations, Joule is designed to help customers operate more efficiently and scale faster.โ€

SAP is also tailoring industry-specific AI models for demand forecasting, predictive maintenance and supply chain optimization.

Gilg said by extending support through 2033, introducing powerful migration tools, and embedding AI into its cloud ERP suite, SAP is positioning itself as a partner as enterprises undergoing wide-ranging digital transformations.

โ€œWeโ€™re not asking customers to leap into the unknown,โ€ he said. โ€œWeโ€™re walking alongside them, helping them build a bridge to the future of ERPโ€”one step at a time.โ€

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