SAP has announced that SAP Business ByDesign will no longer be available for new customers starting in April 2026. Existing customers will continue to receive support, but this ERP solution will be removed from the offering for new organizations. For many mid-sized companies, this is more than just a product change. It is a strategic signal.
At Kilurion, we see this as an important turning point in the ERP landscape for SMEs.
What has SAP exactly announced
SAP has confirmed through partner communication that SAP Business ByDesign will no longer be on the price list for new customers starting April 20, 2026. This means that new licenses will no longer be sold. For existing customers, nothing will change in the short term. They will continue to receive support, security updates, and compliance maintenance within the agreed contract terms.
SAP has not prominently announced this change on the product page, but several SAP partners and industry organizations have now publicly confirmed it, including Navigator Business Solutions and DSAG, the German SAP user association.
Why this is an important signal
SAP Business ByDesign was for many years the cloud ERP solution for the upper mid-sized businesses. Not as lightweight as Business One, but also not as heavy, complex, and costly as S/4HANA. By discontinuing this product for new customers, a clear gap is created in the SAP portfolio.
SAP implicitly makes it clear that their strategic focus is shifting towards:
- S/4HANA Cloud for larger and more complex organizations
- a more strongly integrated platform around data, AI, and enterprise-wide processes
For many SMEs, this means that they either have to adopt a solution that is actually too large, or they need to look for an alternative that better fits their scale and ambitions.
What does this concretely mean for SMEs?
We see three direct consequences in the market.
First of all, uncertainty arises for companies that are currently selecting an ERP. Business ByDesign was on the shortlist, but suddenly it is no longer a viable option for the future.
Secondly, organizations are faced with a sharp choice. Either grow into the enterprise segment with its associated costs and complexity, or consciously opt for a more flexible ERP platform.
Thirdly, the question arises that has always been there but is now becoming more urgent. How much ERP do you really need to grow, automate, and remain agile?
Why Odoo Makes Sense Right Now
Odoo is not a classic SAP replacement. It is a fundamentally different ERP platform, designed with modularity, flexibility, and rapid evolution in mind. That is exactly what makes Odoo so relevant now.
Where SAP increasingly focuses on large, integrated suites, Odoo offers:
- a modular ERP that you can let grow with your organization
- a transparent cost model without heavy licensing structures
- strong support for cloud, on-premise, and hybrid scenarios
- an open architecture that accelerates integrations and AI applications
For organizations that previously looked at Business ByDesign, we increasingly see Odoo as a better-fitting alternative, both functionally and strategically.
The role of Kilurion in this shift
Kilurion guides SMEs through exactly these kinds of turning points. Not by simply selling another ERP, but by looking together at:
- how processes really work
- where standard ERP is sufficient and where customization adds value
- how AI and automation can be structurally implemented
We do not see ERP as an end goal, but as a foundation for scalability, insight, and autonomy. Odoo fits this because it allows for evolution, rather than locking organizations into a predefined path.
For those for whom this moment is particularly relevant
This development is especially important for:
- companies that are currently selecting an ERP
- organizations that have growth plans and are seeking flexibility
- companies that do not identify with heavy enterprise implementations
- teams that want more control over data, processes, and automation
For existing SAP Business ByDesign customers, there is no immediate need to migrate. However, we are also seeing that strategic reorientation is increasingly being discussed.
Finally
The fact that SAP Business ByDesign is disappearing for new customers is not a problem that needs to be solved. It is a signal that the ERP landscape is changing. This creates space for solutions that better align with how businesses operate today and tomorrow for SMEs.
Odoo is such a solution. Kilurion helps to make that choice consciously, based on evidence, and with a future-oriented approach.
Would you like to brainstorm about what this development means for your organization or clients? We would be happy to have that conversation.
Sources
SAP Business ByDesign price list change confirmed by SAP partners and user associations