SAP Product Compliance New: Get Started with a Hybrid Approach

Companies using SAP Product Compliance Classic face a strategic decision: When is the right time to move to SAP S/4HANA for Product Compliance, commonly referred to as “Product Compliance New”? The new solution offers ways to integrate compliance more closely into business processes. At the same time, the transition needs to support day-to-day operations and the processes companies have built up over many years.

A phased hybrid approach can serve both goals. Companies can adopt selected capabilities in Product Compliance New while continuing to run established processes in Classic. This lets them start the transition early and set the pace according to their business needs.

The transition goes beyond technical migration

Product Compliance New introduces a different data and process model. Existing specifications, property types, rule sets, and extensions need to be assessed before they can be carried over. Companies also need to define how responsibilities, approvals, and collaboration between Product Stewardship and Logistics will work in the target setup.

Start by looking at how the business uses the current solution. Which processes can the new standard solution support? Where are additional capabilities needed? Which functions should stay in Classic during the transition?

Assess functionality and automation for each process

SAP continues to develop Product Compliance New. Whether it can replace a company’s Classic setup depends on the target release, deployment model, and specific business processes. Three areas deserve particular attention.

• Safety data sheet authoring. New supports maintaining SDS data and generating safety data sheets. For companies that rely heavily on rules to derive classifications and text, the question is how much of that work the target architecture can automate. Assess whether the authoring workflow can match the automation your teams rely on today through regulatory content, SAP EHS Expert rule sets, and WWI templates.
• Labeling. New provides label data and related functions. Assess the full operational workflow, from managing templates and determining which labels are required to printing them in production and shipping. Companies with complex Global Label Management (GLM) scenarios should check what their target release supports and how it integrates with a suitable printing solution.
• Substance volume tracking. New already includes Substance Volume Tracking (SVT), and SAP continues to develop it. Whether it can replace an existing setup depends on the regulations, material flows, and checks the company needs to support. Review import, manufacturing, and sales scenarios, how volumes are assigned to legal entities, and what happens when thresholds are exceeded.

For each process, the practical test is whether the solution covers the required scope and can be run in production with a manageable level of ongoing maintenance.

Where New can already add value

Dangerous goods management and product marketability checks are good candidates for early adoption.

For dangerous goods management, New supports structured product assessments and checks whether transport is permitted within integrated business processes. This makes dangerous goods information available where logistics teams need it to carry out their work.

Product marketability checks help determine whether a product may be manufactured or sold in the intended markets. Integration with sales and delivery processes helps teams identify missing assessments or restrictions early and handle the affected transactions accordingly.

Use a hybrid architecture to move in stages

Companies can introduce dangerous goods management and marketability checks in New while continuing to author safety data sheets automatically in Classic during the transition.

The 3E Hybrid Adapter can support this setup. Used with the 3E ERC+ Suite, it connects established Classic capabilities with selected processes in New. Companies can continue to use their existing regulatory content, rule sets, and SDS authoring workflows while adopting new capabilities.

For each scenario, define which data needs to be exchanged, in which direction, and which processes depend on it. Assign a system of record for each data object, clarify how release statuses are handled, and define how the exchange will be monitored.

Start early and plan the next stages

Begin by documenting your current processes and assessing them against the target system. Prioritize the areas that can deliver value now. A pilot with representative products, countries, and business processes lets you test the proposed setup before rolling it out more broadly.

Plan how you will eventually replace the functions that stay in Classic. Review new releases, business requirements, and operating costs regularly to decide when each process is ready to move.

SI PRO helps companies assess their existing product compliance landscape, develop a roadmap, and implement hybrid scenarios. Together, we can identify where Product Compliance New can add value now and plan how to bring established processes into the new setup over time.

Would you like to find the right starting point for your company? Talk to us about your processes and the architecture that fits them.