SAP Clean Core Extensibility Assessment
Clean core means keeping SAP standard code and data structures unmodified, and putting differences into governed extension layers. This assessment scores how close your landscape is.
1. How many direct modifications of SAP standard objects exist?
Modifications are changes to SAP-delivered code, tracked in SE95 or SPAU.
2. How is custom code used and measured?
3. Which extension approach is the default for new requirements?
4. How do custom objects access SAP data?
5. How are integrations built?
6. How long does a support package or upgrade project take?
7. Is there automated regression testing for core processes?
8. Who governs new custom development?
9. How much business logic lives in custom code compared with configuration?
How to use the assessment
Answer each question for your main SAP production system, based on evidence rather than perception. Use SE95, SPAU, SCMON, ATC results and project records to check your answers. The score maps to four bands, each with next steps. Repeat the assessment per system if you run several, and use the result as an input to the choice between conversion and new implementation.
- Answer with evidence, not opinion
- Involve development, Basis and business owners
- Re-run every six months to track progress
What clean core covers
The idea is to avoid modifications, use released interfaces such as APIs and CDS views, apply key user extensibility for simple fields and logic, and place larger extensions side by side on SAP BTP. The aim is that SAP can ship updates, including in RISE environments where updates are more frequent, without breaking your customizations. It is a direction rather than a binary state, and some legacy exceptions are normal.
Reading the result and trade-offs
A low score does not mean the program should stop. It means remediation, retirement and fit-to-standard work should be sized honestly. A high score reduces conversion effort but does not remove it. Also note that clean core has costs: side-by-side extensions need ownership, integration and monitoring, and some legacy needs are cheaper to keep inside the core than to rebuild.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is clean core a SAP certification?
No. It is a design principle promoted by SAP, not a certification. This assessment is an independent self-check, not an SAP official rating.
Does clean core apply to on-premise S/4HANA?
Yes, the principles apply to any deployment, though cloud editions enforce more restrictions. Following them eases later upgrades in on-premise and private cloud systems as well.
What counts as a modification?
A change to a SAP-delivered object, such as editing standard code or dictionary objects with a modification key. Customer-namespace objects and released enhancements are extensions, not modifications.
Should every Z program be retired?
No. Z programs that implement real differentiation using stable interfaces are fine. The goal is to remove unused code, modifications and fragile direct table access, not all custom work.
If your score points to heavy remediation, Netray can help you structure the retire, keep and rewrite decisions with your team.
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