6 min read
RISE with SAP makes sense when an enterprise needs a genuine infrastructure exit or is modernising from heavily customised ECC to a clean-core S/4HANA cloud model. It does not make sense as a hasty lift-and-shift before commercial renewals or when your internal team lacks governance over vendor SLAs.
The commercial contract reality behind the sales pitch
SAP’s sales incentives heavily favour RISE bundles, combining cloud infrastructure, software licenses, and basic technical management into a single subscription. However, New Zealand enterprises often discover that line-of-business customisations and third-party integrations still require separate consulting management. Before signing, demand clarity on boundary demarcation.
Why ‘Clean Core’ is an architectural discipline, not a product upgrade
Migrating to the cloud without stripping away obsolete Z-tables and modifications merely shifts decades of technical debt into an expensive subscription model. A true clean-core migration requires rigorous architectural pruning and adopting SAP BTP (Business Technology Platform) for side-by-side extensions.
Managing delivery risk and keeping internal control
The biggest risk in RISE programmes isn’t technical hosting—it is the erosion of institutional knowledge. Ensure your local team actively co-delivers alongside senior practitioners, retaining internal capability rather than becoming permanently dependent on vendor escalation desks.
About Nick Mulcahy
Director & CEO · Bonfire. Veteran SAP practitioner specializing in complex New Zealand enterprise delivery and strategic advisory.
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