SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP) for many customers is a central enabler of clean-core ERP strategies, as it helps large enterprises reduce customization, increase agility, and prepare core systems for AI-driven operations. Real-world examples from McDonald’s and a global consulting firm, as reported by Diginomica January 20, show how extensibility, rather than deep core modification, is reshaping cloud ERP programs at scale.
Organizations pursuing digital transformation are increasingly prioritizing reduced custom code in their ERP cores, particularly as SAP customers transition from on-premises SAP ECC environments to SAP S/4HANA. SAP BTP marks this shift by allowing non-core functionality to move into side-by-side extensions, enabling innovation without disrupting upgrade paths.
Clean Core in Practice
McDonald’s reportedly began its SAP BTP journey to address a fragmented HR landscape spanning hundreds of local systems and processes. Over the past two years, the company implemented SAP SuccessFactors as its global HR platform, introduced the McDonald’s+me employee portal, and deployed SAP BTP as the integration and extension layer. More than 100 SuccessFactors integrations and 16 Ariba integrations were built using SAP Integration Suite and Advanced Event Mesh, shifting from point-to-point integrations to publish-subscribe patterns that improved scalability and reduced redundancy.
Custom solutions were selectively developed where standard platforms fell short. McDonald’s created a payroll dashboard using HANA and UI5 to identify and resolve errors before data reached country-specific payroll systems. Event-driven integrations automated background checks, while Data Quality Services standardized address validation across 23 countries. What began as an integration team evolved into a full BTP Center of Excellence, now positioned as the enterprise integration platform for SAP and non-SAP systems. Deployments continue in phased waves through 2026, with plans to introduce AI-driven ticket triage and resolution.
A second case study detailed a global consulting firm escaping a custom-built legacy ERP that had outgrown the business. After committing to SAP S/4HANA Public Cloud in 2022, the organization adopted a strict clean-core discipline, reserving customization for SAP BTP extensions only. Now live in 20 countries with more than 40,000 employees, the company uses BTP Business Process Automation to manage complex intercompany transactions, cutting processing time from 15 minutes to under 10 seconds. The architecture spans HANA Cloud, Integration Suite, Event Mesh, Analytics Cloud, and Datasphere, supporting AI pilots such as automated supplier invoice creation that reduce manual effort by up to 30 minutes per task.
What This Means for ERP Insiders
Clean-core discipline is a prerequisite for ERP agility at global scale. The above use cases show enterprises drawing sharper lines between essential differentiation and customization debt, using SAP BTP to isolate complexity from the core. This signals a maturation of cloud ERP programs, where extensibility strategies are designed up front rather than retrofitted after upgrades stall.
Event-driven integration patterns are replacing point-to-point architectures as the foundation for scalable ERP landscapes. Both organizations used publish-subscribe models to reduce redundancy, improve resilience, and simplify change management across geographies. For ERP architects and integration leaders, this reflects a broader shift toward platform-centric integration strategies aligned with continuous innovation.
AI readiness is increasingly treated as an architectural outcome rather than a standalone initiative. By consolidating data, standardizing processes, and maintaining clean cores, these organizations created environments where AI agents can be deployed incrementally and safely. The implication for ERP leaders is clear: Foundational design decisions made today will determine whether AI delivers operational value tomorrow.
