The following perspective was authored by ASUG CEO & Chief Community Champion Geoff Scott.
As we step into 2026, the pace of technological change is more rapid than ever before—and the pressure on organizations to keep up has never been greater. With the end of mainstream maintenance for SAP ECC approaching in 2027, this moment represents more than a technical deadline. It’s a wake-up call.
The longer we delay modernization, the further behind we risk falling. Waiting is no longer a neutral choice.
Over the past year, I’ve heard a consistent message from our member community: many teams are spending nearly 80% of their time maintaining legacy systems and custom code. This challenge has been further assessed through ASUG research; in one recent study, 44% of organizations cited handling customizations in SAP ECC as the top migration risk, and 49% identified managing business process changes as their greatest hurdle.
That reality should give every leader pause. When the majority of our resources are dedicated to simply keeping the lights on, innovation becomes an aspiration, rather than an eventuality. Technology should always be a catalyst for new thinking, added efficiency, and increased agility—not a constraint on our ability to move forward.
In the SAP ecosystem, customization—Z programs, custom tables, enhancements—has long been a source of pride. Some organizations track their success by the sheer number of custom objects they’ve built, often in the thousands. But looking ahead, it’s clear now that this mindset is holding us back.
The era of radical decustomization has arrived, and it requires us to rethink what progress really looks like. What if we challenged ourselves to reduce custom code by 20%, 50%, or even 80%? That’s not easy—but it is necessary. Radical decustomization isn’t just a technical exercise; it’s a strategic imperative. According to that same ASUG research report, nearly nine out of ten ASUG members (87%) agree that cleansing SAP master data is essential to a successful S/4HANA migration, with most prioritizing this step before migration begins.
By shedding unnecessary complexity, we free up our teams to focus on what truly matters: business differentiation and transformation. It’s time to stop measuring success through how steadily we keep the lights on—and start measuring it through how strategically we determine which lights to turn off. That will mean making hard decisions, setting clear goals, and committing to IT environments that are leaner, more adaptable, and—ultimately—more strongly aligned to our desired business outcomes.
Of course, decustomization cannot happen in isolation. Without a clear plan to move to S/4HANA and adopt next-generation solutions, these efforts will have limited impact. I don’t underestimate the challenge that this transition presents for our members—but I firmly believe it’s essential for long-term flexibility and growth. Just as energy-efficient technologies transformed how we consume power, we now need IT landscapes that consume fewer customizations while delivering greater value.
None of this can happen in a silo. Community matters—now more than ever. Learning from peers who have successfully reduced customizations in their landscapes, sharing key takeaways with one another, and providing support to one another throughout any period of change is critical. I’m grateful for the collaboration and insights our ASUG community provides, and I encourage you to lean into these as you navigate this journey.
As we move further into 2026, my message is simple: the time for radical decustomization is now. Lead with intent. Embrace change. Empower your teams to innovate. The future belongs to those willing to turn off the old lights—and illuminate what’s next.
Geoff Scott is ASUG CEO & Chief Community Champion.