SAP Clean Core with Mercoline: Fully integrated solutions without modifying the SAP standard

If changes are made to the core of an SAP system, its future-proofing is compromised: system updates become more complex, new customisations riskier, and the system landscape harder to manage.

Since the introduction of S/4HANA and CloudERP at the latest, SAP has sought to prevent this and has consistently embraced the Clean Core principle.

In this article, you will learn what lies behind this concept, what advantages Clean Core offers, and how Mercoline combines Clean Core with integrated solutions.

“Clean Core” describes a key architectural approach for SAP systems in which the SAP standard remains as untouched as possible.

Extensions and customisations are not implemented within the system core, but via mechanisms approved by SAP such as APIs, BAdIs, SAP BPT or in-app tools.

The basic principle behind SAP Clean Core is “Keep the core clean”. The SAP standard must be clearly separated from custom development, rather than mixing the two together.

For Mercoline, Clean Core has long been part of our solution portfolio: our on-stack solutions are all Clean Core ready.

For years, it was common practice to implement customisations directly within the SAP core system.

In the short term, this approach offers speed and flexibility. However, it also has significant drawbacks:

• Increasing complexity
• Complications with SAP updates
• High costs for maintenance and customisation

By promoting the Clean Core approach, SAP ensures 

• regular updates,
• rapid innovation and
• system stability.

In practice, SAP’s Clean Core principle means that the SAP standard remains unchanged, extensions must follow clearly defined mechanisms, and extension architectures are kept strictly separate from one another.

To ensure that the SAP standard remains unchanged, no direct modifications may be made to the SAP core. Similarly, there must be no far-reaching changes to standard SAP processes.

When further developing the SAP system, users and developers should follow SAP best practices rather than making changes to the system on their own initiative.

SAP has defined clear processes and mechanisms to enable companies to implement customisations, extensions and personalisations despite the Clean Core policy.
Extensions and customisations can be implemented as follows without altering the core:

• API (Application Programming Interfaces)
• BAdI (Business Add-Ins)
• Events and extension points

The use of these mechanisms guarantees the compatibility of the SAP system with future updates and releases.

There are two approaches to ensuring that extension architectures remain separate:

• Embedded Extensions (in-app and on-stack extensions)
• Side-by-side extensions

Both extend the functionality of the SAP system without modifying the core.

SAP’s Clean Core requirements are not met in the following cases:

• Direct modification of the standard
• Access to objects not approved by SAP
• In-house developments and standard processes are inextricably linked

Such interventions in the SAP Core entail risks and can have long-term consequences, such as:

• The SAP system is no longer, or only partially, eligible for upgrades
• High operating costs, as not only the SAP system but also all extensions must be operated and maintained
• Technical debt

With Mercoline solutions, you can avoid these risks. Extensions are consistently implemented using standard SAP mechanisms – without any intervention in the Core, yet fully integrated and embedded.

Mercoline solutions are developed as on-stack modules that do not interfere with the SAP Clean Core. This means that no changes to the SAP architecture are required to integrate our SAP-integrated supply chain solutions into your processes.

• No changes to the SAP standard
• Use of standard SAP mechanisms
• Extensions directly within the system context, avoiding system breaks

This offers companies the following benefits:

• Stable processes
• Low complexity
• Long-term upgradeability

With Mercoline, companies do not have to compromise between integration and Clean Core. The two go hand in hand.
 

SAP Clean Core is transforming the way SAP can be adapted and tailored to specific requirements. The focus is no longer on maximum customisation within the core, but on a clear separation between the standard system and extensions.

Organisations that adopt Clean Core today lay the foundations for:

• A stable and future-proof SAP system
• Faster innovation
• Lower operating costs

Extending the SAP system with a side-by-side solution using SAP BTP is just one option: even when fully integrated into the SAP system as an on-stack solution, the benefits of the Clean Core approach can be fully utilised without sacrificing high levels of process integration.