ECC Risk Register
Staying on ECC is a valid strategy—but only with eyes open. Build a credible risk register that leadership can sign and auditors can review.
risk categories
ready documentation
defensible approach
document with reviews
Why You Need a Risk Register
"We're staying on ECC" is not a strategy—it's a decision. A strategy requires documentation of what you're accepting, what you're mitigating, and who owns each risk.
A formal risk register transforms an implicit decision into an explicit, governed position. It demonstrates to leadership, auditors, and regulators that you've considered the implications and have a plan.
This isn't about fear—it's about professionalism. Every technology decision carries risk. Documenting it shows you're managing the business, not just running systems.
Risk Register Purpose
- • Document known risks formally
- • Assign ownership and accountability
- • Track mitigation actions
- • Demonstrate governance to auditors
- • Support board-level decision making
Last Updated
January 15, 2026
Sources
- •SAP Maintenance Strategy
- •Enterprise Risk Frameworks
Information based on publicly available SAP documentation and industry sources. For the latest details, consult SAP official materials or qualified partners.
Operational Risks
Day-to-day system stability and maintainability
SME Dependency
Critical knowledge held by small number of individuals
Mitigations:
Manual Operations
High reliance on manual processes for routine tasks
Mitigations:
System Stability
Aging infrastructure and accumulated technical debt
Mitigations:
Integration Fragility
Interfaces built on deprecated or unsupported methods
Mitigations:
Security Risks
Vulnerability exposure and compliance posture
Security Patching Gaps
SAP security notes not applied in timely manner
Mitigations:
Access Risk Accumulation
Role creep and SoD violations over time
Mitigations:
Audit Log Gaps
Insufficient logging for forensic or compliance needs
Mitigations:
Third-Party Support Security
If using third-party maintenance, security note delivery may lag
Mitigations:
Talent Risks
Skills availability and knowledge retention
Skills Attrition
ECC expertise leaving the market as focus shifts to S/4
Mitigations:
Recruitment Difficulty
Hard to hire new ECC-skilled resources
Mitigations:
Knowledge Concentration
Too few people understand critical processes
Mitigations:
Commercial Risks
Financial and vendor relationship considerations
Maintenance Cost Increase
SAP or third-party support costs may rise as ECC ages
Mitigations:
Audit Findings
Auditors questioning continuity strategy
Mitigations:
Vendor Leverage
SAP pressure to migrate may affect negotiations
Mitigations:
Insurance/Compliance Impact
Some policies or regulations may view unsupported software unfavorably
Mitigations:
Risk Register Governance
Review Cadence
- MonthlyMitigation status update
- QuarterlyFull risk review with owners
- AnnuallyBoard/steering committee sign-off
- Ad-hocWhen SAP announces changes
Documentation Requirements
- Risk owner assigned for each risk
- Likelihood and impact scored consistently
- Mitigations with target dates
- Residual risk after mitigations
- Escalation thresholds defined
- Link to enterprise risk framework