4 migration scenarios for SAP Warehouse Management

September 17, 2024

4 minutes

A key update in SAP’s innovation roadmap: as of 2026, SAP will no longer support Warehouse Management (WM), replacing it with the simpler Stock Room Management (StRM) solution. What does that mean for WM users in SAP ECC or SAP S/4HANA? And where does SAP Extended Warehouse Management (EWM) come in? Explore 4 migration scenarios and read how our assessment can help ensure a smooth transition.

Warehouse Management vs. Stock Room Management: what’s changing?

SAP Warehouse Management (WM) is, in fact, the warehouse management system linked to SAP ECC. As SAP ECC is being replaced by SAP S/4HANA, SAP is reviewing its WM solutions as well. This led to the decision to stop improving and supporting WM by end 2025.

The 'basic' functionalities from WM will be available in StRM. However, StRM will no longer support more 'advanced' functionalities. As of 2026, these features will be exclusive to EWM.

Do you want to know which WMS is the right choice for your company? Read more to make the right decision between EWM and StRM.

4 migration scenarios to choose from

Automatic migration to Stock Room Management

For whom?
Your current operations rely primarily on basic warehousing functionalities. You are not using more advanced features like Wave Management or integration with warehouse automations like AS/RS or AGVs.

What to do?
Until the end of 2025, as an S/4HANA user, you will still be able to use WM in compatibility mode, including all functionalities you had in ECC. As of 2026, you will be automatically converted into Stock Room Management, with less features.

Pros and cons?

Pro: No migration or customization needed.
Con: StRM is not future-proof, as SAP will discontinue innovations for it. EWM is better for advanced warehousing needs.

Phased approach with SAP Extended Warehouse Management

For whom?
You're migrating to SAP S/4HANA and use advanced, business-critical warehousing functionalities in SAP WM (e.g., custom developments).

What to do?
After migrating to SAP S/4HANA, move to SAP EWM (basic or advanced license). You can adopt different solutions for different warehouses, like transitioning Warehouse A to Embedded EWM on S/4HANA and Warehouse B to StRM on S/4HANA.

Pros and cons?

Pro: A phased approach provides flexibility and control. Plus, your solution is future-proof.
Con: You'll have to align your S/4HANA and warehousing roadmaps. Since WM is converted into Stock Room Management as of 2026, this scenario is only an option if you already initiated your migration to S/4HANA.

Discover how ODTH is creating the warehouse of the future with SAP EWM.

Big-bang approach with SAP Extended Warehouse Management

For whom?
You rely on advanced, critical warehousing functionalities in SAP WM but won’t complete your S/4HANA migration before the 2026 deadline.

What to do?
If losing functionalities is not an option, you will need to complete the S/4HANA migration, including EWM, all at once before the 2028 deadline (or 2031 with extended maintenance). Alternatively, opt for a phased approach: SAP will automatically integrate StRM and you’ll temporarily lose some functionalities until EWM is implemented.

Pros and cons?

Pro: You’ll get a future-proof solution.
Con: The big bang approach requires time, people, and budget.

Phased approach with Decentralized SAP Extended Warehouse Management

For whom?
You want to prioritize the conversionfrom WM to EWM,but your ERP is still running on ECC.

Follow-up
You'll need to switch from WM to Decentralized EWM and make a link to your ECC system. Now, you have time to upgrade your ECC system to S/4H till the end of 2027 (or 2030 with extended maintenance).

Pros and cons?

Pro: Your warehouse migration is independent of the ECC to S/4HANA transition.
Con: Running two systems in parallel is more expensive than using Embedded EWM.

Does your situation not fit into 1 of these 4 scenarios?

No worries! At Flexso, we can create a roadmap tailored to your specific needs. Ask our expert for more information.

Stock Room Management assessment: ensure a smooth transition

Not sure which migration scenario is best for you? Flexso can help! Our Stock Room Management assessment will guide you to a future-proof warehouse solution tailored to your organization’s needs. Here’s how it works:

Step 1: StRM compliance check

We'll evaluate your current use of SAP WM and your business requirements to determine if StRM is a suitable option.

Step 2: Roadmap and timeline

If a transition to SAP EWM is recommended, we’ll develop a warehousing roadmap with clear goals and a feasible timeline. This roadmap can be part of your bigger S/4HANA migration plan.

Step 3: Next steps

We’ll identify how you can benefit from standard best practices and where custom development might be necessary to turn your warehouse management into a success story.

Why collaborate with Flexso?

Our team of experts has both the expertise and capacity to support your SAP innovation roadmap. With over 20 years of experience in SAP projects, we are industry leaders and stay closely aligned with the SAP Innovation roadmap. We cover the entire SAP solution suite, ensuring that no matter your question or challenge, we have the answer.