SAP S/4HANA
What is SAP S/4HANA (S/4HANA)?
SAP's current-generation ERP suite, built to run only on the SAP HANA in-memory database.
S/4HANA replaces SAP ECC as SAP's core ERP and simplifies the data model, for example by collapsing many finance and inventory tables into single line-item tables. It ships as an on-premise product and as cloud editions (Private and Public). Moving to it from ECC changes transactions, tables, and custom code behavior, so conversions require regression testing across all end-to-end processes.
Related terms
SAP ERP Central Component
SAP's previous-generation ERP (ECC 6.0), running on any supported database and succeeded by S/4HANA.
SAP HANA
SAP's in-memory, columnar database platform, required for S/4HANA and BW/4HANA.
Universal Journal
The single S/4HANA line-item table (ACDOCA) that stores General Ledger, controlling, asset, and material-ledger postings together.
Simplification List
SAP's document listing all simplification items for a given S/4HANA release.
SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition
SAP's multi-tenant SaaS ERP with standardized processes, SAP-managed upgrades, and key-user or ABAP Cloud extensibility.
SAP S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition
A single-tenant, SAP-hosted S/4HANA offering with nearly full on-premise functionality, branded SAP Cloud ERP Private since 2025.
Brownfield
An S/4HANA transition approach that converts an existing ECC system in place, keeping data, configuration, and custom code.
Greenfield
An S/4HANA transition approach that builds a new system with fresh configuration and migrates selected data.
More in SAP S/4HANA
Planning an S/4HANA move?
Read the field guides on testing an ECC to S/4HANA migration and grab the free template library.