Basware: CFOs and CIOs clash as SAP migration deadline looms

ERP migrations exposing companies to compliance breaches amid $100bn transformation wave 

CHARLOTTE, N.C., May 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- CFOs and CIOs are fighting over finances and key resource allocation amid tariffs and the looming SAP S/4HANA migration deadline fast-approaching in 2027, analysis reveals from Basware. 

With over 22,000 companies worldwide impacted by the upcoming migration, the urgency to act before the deadline grows each day.  

Tighter budgets causing migration uncertainty 

According to data, approximately 61% of SAP customers using older Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems have not yet licensed S/4HANA. As the latest version of SAP's business management software, S/4HANA represents a significant transformation – one that many enterprises still need to undertake as the 2027 migration deadline approaches.  

Failure to migrate by the cut off will result in the loss of official SAP support, and reduced access to future product innovations – both of which can lead to increased operational costs and technical risk for businesses.  

The SAP S/4HANA migration market represents a $100bn opportunity, as enterprises look to modernize their systems, streamline operations and enhance compliance. Amid ongoing global economic uncertainty, enterprises are under pressure to scrutinize every dollar of spend, from finance operations to new AI investments, causing a rift between CFOs and CIOs who are battling to align on spending priorities. 

"For some, SAP S/4HANA is just a technology migration. But forward-thinking enterprises are taking the opportunity to drive real, wide-scale transformation, focusing on ROI, simplifying their ERP landscape and establishing a clean digital core" said Mark McCarthy, CRO of Basware. "As the great SAP migration continues, the real opportunity is making the investment count – and that means aligning finance and IT around outcomes that matter." 

ERP migrations costing hundreds of millions over several years 

ERP systems such as Oracle NetSuite, Microsoft Dynamics 365 and SAP S/4HANA Cloud are used to manage the entire IT process of businesses by tracking all aspects of production, distribution, financials, HR and back office.

ERP upgrades can cost large enterprises upwards of $100 million, rising to $500 million depending on the complexity and size of the organization. These projects typically span multiple years, involving significant resources for software, implementation, training and ongoing support.

For CFOs, this creates financial holes due to uncertain ROI, business disruption risks from potential downtime, and hefty implementation fees for the technology. Add to that skills gaps for SAP talent, the cost of training, and the lack of financial transparency during migration, it's more important than ever for CFOs to gain complete control over functions such as invoicing, especially when integrating platforms into ERP environments. 

Meanwhile, CIOs are battling with opposing challenges including outdated systems, poor data quality, which can lead to errors and inefficiencies.  

Where boardroom alignment can be found is in artificial intelligence, with 75% of CFOs advocating for greater investment in AI to automate critical financial processes such as e-invoicing compliance and regulation – which play a pivotal role in the broader SAP S/4HANA migration strategy.  

McCarthy added: "Every month of delay brings greater compliance risk, uncertainty and escalating costs. Forward-thinking enterprises are acting now – extending their ERP strategy with specialist solutions that align to SAP's clean core principles. Basware is already supporting over 600 enterprises running SAP ERP systems, including over 100 large organizations using Basware alongside SAP S/4HANA. By managing this complexity with Invoice Lifecycle Management platforms, they're able to achieve full automation, compliance, and visibility in accounts payable." 

How companies are navigating ERP migrations 

The 2027 migration deadline is a top priority for companies, including healthcare wellness company Empire Portfolio Group, materials manufacturer KION and industrial minerals producer Imerys.  

"We needed a state-of-the-art process to complement our Shared Services Centres rollout and prepare the implementation of SAP S/4HANA," said Christophe Boden, VP of Shared Services and Continuous Improvement at Imerys. "Basware emerged as the ideal solution provider to digitize our AP (accounts payable) operations and drive process efficiencies."

North American manufacturing giant Mauser has also overhauled its accounts payable operations in light of the upcoming deadline, integrating Basware with its existing SAP ERP system. The 'plug and play' approach allowed Mauser to streamline invoice processing without adding complexity – keeping its ERP setup simple while gaining greater automation, visibility and faster approvals. As a result, approval time for non-PO invoices from 3.6 days to 1.6 days. 

By integrating Invoice Lifecycle Management solutions into its ERP system, Mauser has significantly reduced manual touchpoints, cutting the time spent on matching purchase orders and invoices by 90% and reducing overall manual matching by 71%.  

To help enterprises navigate ERP migrations, Deloitte and Basware recently expanded their partnership with a new, practice-based Center of Excellence, in response to increasing demand driven by SAP S/4HANA migrations. Combining Deloitte's deep finance and compliance expertise with Basware's platform, the collaboration is designed to accelerate digital finance transformation and ensure ERP migration projects are complete before the 2027 deadline hits. 

About Basware   

Basware is how the world's best finance teams gain complete control of every invoice, every time. Our Intelligent Invoice Lifecycle Management platform ensures end-to-end efficiency, compliance and control for all invoice transactions. Powered by the world's most sophisticated invoice-centric AI – trained on over 2 billion invoices – Basware's Intelligent Automation drives real ROI by transforming finance operations. We serve 6,500+ customers globally and are trusted by industry leaders including DHL, Heineken and Sony. Fueled by 40 years of specialized expertise with $10 trillion in total spend handled, we are pioneering the next era of finance. With Basware, Now it all just happens.™  

Glossary of Terms 

• SAP S/4HANA - an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system from SAP unifying business operations in real-time using AI and machine learning. It acts as a single business suite bringing together core functions including finance, sales, procurement, marketing, HR and more. 
• ERP – business management software that integrates and automates core business processes in a single system. 
• ERP Migrations – the process of moving to a new ERP system, transferring data, business processes, configurations and integrations. 
• Manual Touchpoints (in the release context) - managing invoice processing on the edge with Basware, rather than customizing the SAP core.
• SAP 'Clean Core' - an approach that encourages enterprises to avoid over-customization of the ERP system, keeping the core standardized for easier upgrades, stability and innovation adoption. 

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