SAP Carve-Out: Definition, Process, Benefits

By Emanuel Böminghaus, Legacy Systems Expert and Managing Director, AvenDATA

By Emanuel Böminghaus

Legacy Systems Expert and
Managing Director, AvenDATA
Strategic System Separation and Archiving with AvenDATA
In the course of corporate changes such as mergers, acquisitions or spin-offs, many companies face the challenge of specifically adapting their SAP landscape. The so-called SAP Carve-Out is a proven method for systematically separating individual business units, modules or data segments from an existing SAP system. However, a successful carve-out does not end with the separation – it truly begins with the professional archiving and decommissioning of legacy systems.

What Is an SAP Carve-Out?

An SAP Carve-Out refers to the targeted, structured process of separating specific organizational units, company codes, entities or modules from an existing SAP system landscape. This measure is typically driven by strategic motives, such as:
  • Corporate divestments or spin-offs
  • Mergers & acquisitions (M&A)
  • Restructuring or holding strategies
  • Technological realignment (e.g. migration to SAP S/4HANA)
The goal is to extract relevant data and functions cleanly, without compromising consistency, traceability or compliance requirements.
An SAP Carve-Out places high demands on project design, data security, archiving and testability and must be executed with a clear focus on stability, cost control and IT governance.

The SAP Carve-Out Process – Step by Step

A successful SAP Carve-Out follows a clearly defined process that is tailored to the specific needs of the company. The key phases include:

1. Initiation and Planning

  • Define the project scope: Which units or modules are to be separated?
  • Analyze dependencies between processes, data, and system components. 
  • Establish stakeholder management and governance structures. 
  • Consider legal, tax and compliance-related requirements.

2. Business Blueprint & Target Model

  • Develop a detailed blueprint of the affected business processes and data flows.
  • Identify processes that need to be adjusted or newly defined.
  • Define system boundaries, target architecture and handover points.

3. System Analysis & Technical Design

  • In-depth analysis of the existing SAP landscape, including interfaces, customizations and add-ons.
  • Development of a migration concept including data extraction, transformation and loading processes (ETL).
  • Planning of intermediate steps such as transition clients, test systems or temporary interfaces.

4. Data Migration & Archiving

  • Relevant operational data is migrated — historical or no longer needed data is archived.
  • Audit-proof archiving with AvenDATA ViewBox: enables access to legacy data even after system decommissioning.
  • Deletion of sensitive data (if required) in accordance with data protection regulations (GDPR, HIPAA, etc.).

5. Testing Phases (Functional and Technical)

  • Execution of tests, integration tests, and user acceptance tests (UAT).
  • Validation of data quality and system integrity.
  • Coordination with business departments and end users.

6. Go-Live & Monitoring

  • Controlled execution of the go-live process.
  • Real-time monitoring of live operations.
  • Implementation of support structures for the new system or carve-out area.

7. Post-Carve-Out Optimization

  • Final adjustments in configuration and process alignment.
  • Training and updates in reporting, accounting and controlling.
  • Initiation of the decommissioning process for the legacy system.

SAP Subsystem Decommissioning: The Next Logical Step

A successful SAP carve-out ideally concludes with the professional decommissioning of legacy systems — as long as they remain active, they generate high ongoing costs and IT risks. A structured phase-out of obsolete systems offers several advantages:

1. Post-Carve-Out Assessment

  • Evaluation: Which SAP components are no longer required?
  • Risk analysis: Which data must remain accessible and which can be deleted?
  • Decision-making: Archiving strategy vs. residual usage.

2. Data Validation and Migration

  • Ensuring that all required data has already been migrated or archived.
  • Alignment with legal retention requirements (e.g., HGB, AO, SOX).

3. Cost Reduction and Resource Optimization

  • Reduction of licensing and maintenance costs.
  • Relief for the IT department by eliminating system maintenance, backups and monitoring.
  • Release of storage space and server capacity.

4. Elimination of Security Risks

  • Legacy SAP systems often no longer receive security updates.
  • Deactivation protects against vulnerabilities in the IT infrastructure.
  • Compliance with modern data protection and security standards.

5. Archiving with AvenDATA ViewBox

  • Full access to historical data – even after system decommissioning.
  • Web-based, audit-compliant archiving solution.
  • Multi-system access, role-based permissions, audit logs, and export functions.

Conclusion

An SAP carve-out is more than just a technical project and it represents a strategic milestone in corporate development. Those who plan it carefully, execute it professionally and conclude with targeted archiving and decommissioning gain multiple benefits:
  • Reduced complexity
  • Full compliance with regulatory requirements
  • Lower IT costs
  • Future-ready system architecture
AvenDATA supports you as an experienced partner through all phases from carve-out to data archiving and system decommissioning. With our ViewBox solution, we offer an efficient and legally compliant way to decommission legacy SAP systems while maintaining secure access to your data.
Are you planning to archive a legacy system?
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