Vanilla vs customized SAP systems

Vanilla is the term used when computer software (also other computing related things like hardware) are not customized from their original form, i.e., they are used without any customizations or updates applied to them (see wikipedia).

A vanilla SAP system refers to a standard installation of the SAP software without any additional customizations or enhancements. It is also known as a standard SAP system or a SAP system without any modifications.

When an organization decides to implement an SAP system, they can either choose to use the vanilla SAP system or customize it to meet their specific needs. The vanilla SAP system can be flexible and configurable, in a way that to some extent it meets the requirements of the organization without requiring significant customization. However, it is not uncommon for the organizations to require additional functionality that are not provided by the standard system.

In such cases, the organizations may choose to customize the vanilla SAP system by developing custom programs, reports, and interfaces, or by implementing add-on modules or third-party software solutions. However, customizing the SAP system can be a complex and expensive process that requires significant resources and expertise.

In summary, a vanilla SAP system is a standard installation of the SAP software without any customizations or enhancements. It provides all the standard modules and features that are offered by SAP and can be configured to meet the requirements of different businesses to some extent. However, companies may choose to customize the system to meet their specific needs, although this can be a complex and costly process.

In an era of cloud computing when the organization are moving to the cloud it becomes important to analyze into what extend their SAP installation are customized. Heavy SAP customization can be challenge for the cloud. Mostly because of the customization may not be compatible with the cloud environment or the cloud platform on which the SAP instance is being hosted. In addition, there might be a security and compliance issues, impact on scalability and performance, and maintenance and support challenges. It is important to carefully evaluate the impact of customization when moving SAP to the cloud and plan accordingly to minimize any potential issues.