Greenfield Implementation
A clean-slate approach where you design and implement S/4HANA from scratch, re-engineering business processes to align with SAP best practices.
months typical duration
business change impact
no legacy debt
for process redesign
What is a Greenfield Implementation?
A greenfield S/4HANA implementation means starting fresh. Rather than converting your existing ECC system, you build a new S/4HANA environment from scratch, redesigning business processes to leverage SAP's best practices and the full capabilities of the HANA platform.
This approach offers the cleanest path to S/4HANA—no legacy custom code, no accumulated data quality issues, no compromises. But it also requires the highest investment in change management, process redesign, and parallel operations during transition.
Greenfield is often chosen by organisations undergoing significant business transformation, post-merger integrations, or those whose current ECC implementation has deviated so far from standard that conversion would be more work than starting over.
Key Characteristics
- New system instance
- Process re-engineering
- Selective data migration
- Clean architecture
Last Updated
January 15, 2026
Sources
- •SAP Implementation Guide
- •S/4HANA Best Practices
Information based on publicly available SAP documentation and industry sources. For the latest details, consult SAP official materials or qualified partners.
When Greenfield Fits
Good Fit Indicators
- 1
Business transformation mandate
Leadership has committed to fundamentally changing how the business operates
- 2
Heavy customisation in ECC
Your current system is so heavily modified that conversion would require rewriting most custom code anyway
- 3
Post-merger integration
Consolidating multiple legacy systems into a single S/4HANA instance
- 4
Appetite for process standardisation
Willingness to adopt SAP best practices rather than replicating current state
- 5
Adequate timeline
18-36 months available for implementation with executive support
Warning Signs
- !
Process preservation required
The business insists on replicating current processes exactly—defeats the purpose of greenfield
- !
Limited change management capacity
Organisation has low tolerance for disruption or weak OCM capabilities
- !
Historical data criticality
Regulatory or operational need to maintain full transaction history in the new system
- !
Compressed timeline
Need to be on S/4HANA in less than 18 months—brownfield may be faster
Required Workstreams
Process Design
Map current state, identify gaps, design future-state processes aligned with SAP best practices.
Data Migration
Extract, cleanse, transform, and load master data and selected transactional data.
Configuration
Configure S/4HANA modules according to designed processes and organisational structure.
Integration
Rebuild integrations with upstream/downstream systems using modern APIs.
Extensions
Develop new custom code following clean core principles where standard doesn't fit.
Testing
Full cycle testing: unit, integration, UAT, performance, and regression.
Change Management
Training, communication, and adoption programs for new processes and UI.
Cutover
Plan and execute transition from ECC to S/4HANA with minimal business disruption.
Hypercare
Post-go-live support period with enhanced monitoring and rapid issue resolution.
Typical Timeline
Discovery & Planning
2-3 monthsProcess Design
3-4 monthsBuild
4-8 monthsTest
3-4 monthsDeploy
1-2 monthsHypercare
2-3 monthsNote: Timelines vary significantly based on scope, complexity, and organisational readiness. Multi-country rollouts or complex integrations can extend the timeline to 36+ months.
Questions to Ask Your SI
During Selection
- →How many S/4HANA greenfield implementations has your team completed in our industry?
- →What is your approach to process standardisation vs. customisation decisions?
- →How do you handle scope creep during process design workshops?
- →What accelerators or templates do you bring from similar implementations?
- →Can we speak with references from comparable greenfield projects?
During Execution
- →What is the escalation path when we disagree on process design decisions?
- →How do you manage the balance between SAP standard and our unique requirements?
- →What is your data migration methodology and how do you validate quality?
- →How do you staff hypercare and what triggers transition to BAU?
- →What knowledge transfer is included to ensure our team can operate post-go-live?