5 Clean Core Myths
“Clean Core” might sound straightforward – stick to the standard, stay upgradeable, and avoid custom code clutter. But in practice, achieving a truly clean core takes more than good intentions. It requires clarity, cross-functional collaboration, and often, a fundamental shift in mindset. In our daily work with clients, we frequently encounter recurring misconceptions that can stand in the way of real progress. In this blog post, Jakob Frankenbach, Head of Development at sovanta, breaks down the five most common myths about SAP’s Clean Core strategy – and what it really takes to move from theory to impact.
𝐌𝐲𝐭𝐡 #𝟏: “𝐖𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐀𝐏 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐝 – 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡.”
Let’s start with one of the most persistent myths: “If we only use SAP standard, we’re automatically doing everything right.” Yes, following the standard helps keep your core technically clean and upgradeable – and that’s a great start. But Clean Core has two dimensions, and sticking to standard alone only addresses one:
- Upgradeability
Ensuring you can adopt SAP innovations smoothly - Differentiation
Building what makes your business unique and competitive
Focusing only on the first means missing out on the second. SAP standard is what everyone has – it no longer gives you a competitive edge. A true Clean Core strategy balances stability with flexibility. It enables innovation without compromising your ability to upgrade. So instead of asking “Are we staying standard?”, the real question is: “Where do we need to differentiate – and how can we do that cleanly?” Because Clean Core isn’t “no extensions.” It’s “the right extensions in the right place.”
𝐌𝐲𝐭𝐡 #𝟐: “𝐒𝐢𝐝𝐞-𝐛𝐲-𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐂𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐞.”
After clearing up the first misconception around SAP standard, let’s tackle the next one:
“If we move our customizations to the cloud, we’re clean by default.” Sounds logical – but the reality is more complex. Moving extensions side-by-side (e.g., to SAP BTP) is a technical shift, not a guarantee of a clean, future-proof architecture. Because Clean Core isn’t just about where your custom code lives. It’s about how you design it:
- Clear separation of concerns
- Stable APIs
- Manageable lifecycle
- Minimal core entanglement
Even in the cloud, you can still end up with tangled services, unclear ownership and complex, hard-to-maintain integrations. Clean Core is not a location. It’s a principle. So the real question isn’t “Side-by-side – yes or no?” It’s: “Is our extension architecture clean, scalable, and resilient?”
𝐌𝐲𝐭𝐡 #𝟑: “𝐖𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭.”
This one’s a classic. It often sounds like: “Let’s keep planning a bit longer – just to be sure we didn’t miss anything.” Spoiler: You will always miss something. And that’s okay. Clean Core isn’t about designing the one perfect target architecture that solves all problems for the next 15 years. It’s about making progress – step by step, guided by clear principles. Of course, you need a solid foundation. But often, the real blockers aren’t technical – they’re psychological:
- Fear of complexity
- Fear of rework
- Fear of choosing the wrong path
In reality, the bigger risk is standing still. A good first step today beats a perfect blueprint that’s never implemented. Iteration and learning beat over-engineering and delay. Clean Core is a journey, not a finished diagram.
𝐌𝐲𝐭𝐡 #𝟒: “𝐂𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 – 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.”
Many see Clean Core as a defensive move: Keep the core upgradeable, avoid issues with custom code, don’t break the system. But here’s the real story: Clean Core isn’t just about staying safe – it’s about moving faster. When your core is clean, you:
- Reduce technical debt
- Integrate new SAP innovations with less friction
- Build differentiating experiences side-by-side
- Enable teams to focus on business impact – not on core constraints
Clean Core is the foundation for agility, scalability – and yes: innovation. It’s not the opposite of speed. It’s what makes speed possible. So instead of asking “How do we stay clean?”, ask: “What can we now build – because we are clean?”
𝐌𝐲𝐭𝐡 #𝟓: “𝐂𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧 𝐈𝐓 𝐭𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐜.”
It’s not. Yes, Clean Core starts with technical principles – but it only succeeds if the entire organization is on board. A Clean Core strategy means more than clean code and upgrade-friendly systems. It requires a new way of thinking about how your company drives innovation and handles change – across technology, business, and design. Because Clean Core is also:
- A business decision about where to differentiate
- A UX strategy to design intuitive, efficient processes
- A process challenge that demands agility
- A mindset shift that breaks down silos between IT and business
It’s not about moving everything to the cloud. It’s about creating focus, ownership, and user-centered value – together. Real Clean Core happens when architecture, processes, and UX evolve together – with shared responsibility and clear intent.
Clean Core: A Strategic Enabler for SAP Landscapes
Clean Core isn’t a buzzword. It’s a principle-driven, pragmatic approach to building agile, future-ready SAP environments – with impact across IT and business. Ready to take the first step? Don’t wait for the perfect moment – start where you are, with the right partner.
