Convert the system you have, and let SAP run it
Move ECC 6.0 to S/4HANA with a brownfield conversion on RISE with SAP, cut over Thanksgiving weekend 2027 and go live Nov 29, 2027.
It scores 86.8 of 100 against 83.0 for the runner-up, costs $8.85M over five years after vendor funding, and leaves 32 days before mainstream maintenance ends. If anything slips, extended maintenance is the fallback, at two percentage points more on the maintenance basis. It has to be in place before Dec 31, 2027, so the call is made at Mock 3 on Oct 15, 2027.
Runner-up: brownfield on Azure, 83.0. It is $0.30M cheaper over five years, but Kelvane or a managed partner would run infrastructure and Basis. Choose it only with a managed Basis contract in place.
What would change the answer. If either uncertified add-on still has no certified version or replacement by the Jan 29 decision, or the Querétaro launch slips past June, re-run the plan with the bridge option.
Brownfield on RISE leads, and holds under most weightings
Scores run from 0 to 10 on each criterion. Move the weights to match your priorities; the ranking updates as you go, and cost scores follow the two cost assumptions.
Ranking
Weighted score out of 100. The top path is highlighted.
Weights total 100. Default weights from workshop 1.
What flips it. Brownfield on Azure moves ahead only if “Low run effort” drops to 5 or less. No other single weight change moves the lead.
Your assumptions
Weights for each criterion, and two cost assumptions
The scores behind the ranking
Scores come from the three workshops and the readiness findings. Cost is computed from the five-year model below.
| Criterion, 0 to 10 | Brownfield on RISE | Brownfield on Azure | Bridge first | Selective on RISE | Greenfield on GROW |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low disruption | 8 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 3 |
| Live before Dec 31, 2027 | 8 | 8 | 4 | 6 | 3 |
| Fit with how Kelvane works | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 4 |
| History kept online | 10 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 3 |
| Five-year cost | 8.6 | 10.0 | 5.0 | 5.9 | 9.3 |
| Low run effort | 9 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 9 |
All five paths land within about 12% of each other
Project, subscription, support and infrastructure over five years for every path. It follows the funding and project-cost settings above.
Totals are after vendor funding when it is counted.
One deadline is fixed; after it, Kelvane pays more or gets less
Mainstream maintenance for ECC 6.0 on enhancement packages 6 to 8 ends Dec 31, 2027. Everything after that costs more or covers less.
Swipe sideways to see the whole timeline.
Sources: SAP's published maintenance dates and the ERP private edition transition option, summarized in our ECC to S/4HANA field guide. SAP extended the transition option to 2035 on Oct 13, 2026 (SAP News). Gartner estimated in February 2025 that more than 60% of SAP customers were still on ECC 6 on-premises with no decision to move (The Register).
Three areas are ready, two must change, seven need planned work
From SAP's Readiness Check, a custom code analysis, an interface inventory and three workshops. Open any area for the evidence.
RISE moves infrastructure and Basis to SAP; the application work stays with you
The same brownfield conversion, hosted four ways. Costs are five-year subscription or license plus infrastructure and operations, before project and support.
| RISE with SAP | Azure | AWS | Google Cloud | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Who runs infrastructure and Basis | SAP | Kelvane or a managed partner | Kelvane or a managed partner | Kelvane or a managed partner |
| Five-year run cost | $5.30M | $4.85M | $4.95M | $5.00M |
| What Kelvane already has | Not needed; SAP provides it | Its Microsoft 365 tenant and an Azure agreement | The plant data lake | No footprint |
| Fit | Recommended | Runner-up | Viable | Viable |
SAP runs, on RISE
- Infrastructure and network
- Operating system and database
- Technical Basis: patches, upgrades, backups
Kelvane or a provider runs
- Functional support and fixes
- Custom code and interfaces
- Roles and security
- Testing and release planning
$275K to $450K may be available; the plan counts $300K
Programs change often and depend on scope, so the cost model uses a conservative figure. Kelvane files each application before the Jan 29 decision.
Total $275K to $450K. Programs are named once each vendor confirms Kelvane's eligibility.
Decide by January, convert through the year, go live after Thanksgiving
Mock cutovers wait until the Querétaro line 4 launch is done. Hover or tap any bar for its dates.
Swipe sideways to see the whole roadmap.
344 requirements in 14 categories, ready to send
Written from the workshops and the readiness findings, so every partner prices the same scope.
The outline is yours to send. The scoring model and the negotiation playbook come with sourcing and RFP advisory.
Seven steps to a decision on Jan 29, 2027
- Oct 16, 2026Start retiring the 1,570 custom objects that never ranKelvane IT
- Oct 30, 2026Apply for SAP and cloud migration fundingKelvane finance files; NETVarista identifies the programs
- Nov 6, 2026Send the RFP to three implementation partnersKelvane procurement
- Nov 20, 2026Merge or block the 2,300 duplicate business partnersMaster data team
- Dec 4, 2026Remove 150 inactive users and map roles before any orderIT security
- Dec 18, 2026Partner proposals in; shortlist twoSteering committee
- Jan 29, 2027Decide the path, the partner and the contract termsSteering committee