Large-scale ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) projects are among the most challenging marathons in the business world. Organizations embark on these journeys with ambitious goals: to fully digitalize operations, reduce costs, and boost process efficiency. Reaching these goals, however, requires endurance, discipline, and seamless teamwork.
SAP projects resemble a grand orchestra performance. Business processes, software modules, consultants, and end-users all take their places on stage. Yet, for the orchestra to stay in harmony, it needs an invisible conductor: the SAP Basis team. Without Basis, the music may start—but soon the rhythm breaks, and the symphony falls apart.
In many projects, this invisible conductor is left in the background. Business processes, module consulting, and departmental demands take the spotlight, while infrastructure, testing, and system administration are overlooked. The result can be catastrophic—millions of dollars wasted. According to Gartner, more than 70% of large-scale ERP projects in recent years either exceed their budgets or fail altogether.
In this article, we will first explore the critical functions of SAP Basis. Then, we will examine major SAP project failures worldwide to see how the lack of sufficient Basis support played a decisive role in these setbacks.
The Critical Functions of SAP Basis: The Invisible Backbone of a Project
Building an SAP project is like constructing a skyscraper. The steel columns may not be visible, but they carry the entire structure. SAP Basis is that invisible steel frame.
1. System Architecture and Infrastructure Planning
SAP projects rely on the flawless alignment of hardware, operating systems, databases, and application layers. Especially with SAP S/4HANA’s in-memory database architecture, correct system sizing is even more critical than with traditional databases. Insufficient hardware leads to bottlenecks as the number of users grows. At this stage, the Basis team is responsible for:
- Planning CPU, RAM, disk, and network capacity
- Designing load balancing and high availability scenarios
- Optimizing decisions between cloud and on-premise architectures
Think of it as a Formula 1 car: if the engine power is not calculated correctly, you’ll end up stalled in the middle of the track.
2. Transport and Configuration Management
In SAP projects, hundreds of development objects move from testing to production. Manual transport processes increase the risk of errors, while tools like ChaRM (Change Request Management) in SAP Solution Manager provide traceability, approvals, and automation. The Basis team:
- Defines transport paths
- Establishes automation and control mechanisms
- Prevents version conflicts
A single faulty transport can trigger a domino effect, and one morning you may find hundreds of users locked out of the system.
3. Test Environment Setup and Management
Projects that claim, “We don’t need a test environment; let’s go straight to production,” might save time in the short term, but they lose millions in the long run. Basis teams are responsible for:
- Performance testing (load and stress tests)
- Disaster Recovery (DR) testing (failure scenarios)
- System upgrade and patch testing
Without adequate load testing, systems can hit CPU or memory saturation right after go-live, causing complete outages. These processes reveal how the system will behave under real-world conditions before it’s too late.
4. System Monitoring and Performance Optimization
Post go-live, continuous system monitoring directly impacts user experience. Basis teams:
- Monitor CPU, memory, disk I/O, and network traffic
- Apply HANA database optimizations
- Set up proactive alerts to resolve issues before they escalate into crises
In the SAP world, this is like constantly checking the cockpit instruments of a plane. The pilot (business units) may fly the plane, but if the cockpit is not monitored, the entire flight is at risk.
5. Backup and Disaster Recovery (DR) Planning
Many companies think about disaster recovery after go-live. But once a system crashes or data is lost, it’s already too late. Basis teams ensure:
- Robust backup strategies
- Detailed disaster scenarios
- Replication and failover solutions
Jumping out of a plane without a parachute is unthinkable. Running an SAP project without a disaster recovery plan is just as reckless.
6. Update and Patch Management
The SAP ecosystem evolves constantly. The Basis team is responsible for:
- Applying security patches
- Performing kernel updates
- Managing compatibility testing
Without regular patch management, systems become outdated, vulnerable to cyberattacks, and prone to incompatibility risks.
The Cost of Neglecting Basis: Global SAP Project Failures
In theory, everything looks straightforward. But in practice, neglecting SAP Basis support can turn multimillion-dollar projects into complete failures. A common theme emerges across these stories: project managers and business units underestimate the risks tied to technical infrastructure and system administration. Below are some lessons learned from high-profile failures around the world.
1. Lidl
Germany’s retail giant Lidl invested more than €600 million in its SAP ERP project. After years of development, the project was ultimately canceled.
Challenges:
- Rejecting SAP’s standard data model and insisting on heavy customizations
- Chaos in transport and configuration processes
- Misalignment between business processes and technical infrastructure
Critical Lesson from a Basis Perspective:
The role of the Basis team during the architectural phase is to keep the project as close to standard as possible, highlight the technical costs and risks of customizations, and strengthen the system landscape. In Lidl’s case, this role was sidelined. Transport management and landscape governance were not maintained.
2. Revlon
Cosmetics giant Revlon faced serious disruptions after moving to SAP ERP. Its supply chain broke down, products failed to reach stores, sales dropped, and the company even faced a rare investor lawsuit.
Challenges:
- Inadequate integration and performance testing
- System instability immediately after go-live
- A flawed cutover plan execution
Critical Lesson from a Basis Perspective:
Integration testing and load testing are fundamental responsibilities of the Basis team. When these are skipped or carried out superficially, technical problems quickly translate into operational and financial losses. For Revlon, the damage was not only system-related but also a severe blow to brand reputation.
3. Haribo
Candy giant Haribo launched its S/4HANA project with high expectations. However, the initiative quickly ran into major bottlenecks.
Challenges:
- Supply chain disruptions
- Neglect of performance and stress testing
- Data migration setbacks
- Insufficient planning
Critical Lesson from a Basis Perspective:
Without thorough load and scalability testing, even high-performance systems like SAP S/4HANA can grind to a halt in real-world scenarios. The Haribo case proved that going live without realistic testing and simulation of actual data and user volumes is nothing more than a disaster.
4. Hershey
In 1999, U.S. chocolate giant Hershey faced one of the most notorious ERP failures in history. The project aimed to accelerate supply chains, strengthen production planning, and boost sales. Instead, critical planning mistakes led to a historic disruption. Right after go-live—during the crucial Halloween season—products failed to reach stores on time. Sales dropped sharply, and the company’s stock value plummeted overnight.
Challenges:
- Critical testing phases (integration and load testing) skipped or shortened due to time pressure
- Data migration issues
- Weak cutover planning
- Insufficient user training
Critical Lesson from a Basis Perspective:
The Hershey case is a textbook example of how poor test environment management, flawed transport sequencing, and weak cutover planning can escalate into billion-dollar losses. One of the Basis team’s key responsibilities is to execute performance and stress testing with realistic scenarios to ensure system stability before go-live. At Hershey, neglecting these processes turned what could have been a “sweet” success story into a crisis.
Conclusion: Seeing the Basis Team as the Invisible Conductor
SAP projects are not just about business process transformation—they are also journeys through highly complex technical landscapes. Failed projects around the globe teach us a clear lesson:
- The Basis team is not “just technical support,” but a strategic partner that must be involved from day one.
- Transport management, testing, performance optimization, and disaster recovery planning should be treated as core project activities, not afterthoughts.
- Basis teams’ proactive warnings and recommendations must be taken seriously—because once the symphony falls apart, even the best conductor cannot bring it back in tune.
The most important takeaway from these global failures is this: If Basis is neglected or involved too late, even the best-designed SAP projects are highly likely to fail. In your next project, put your Basis team at the strategy table from the very beginning. You’ll see the difference in the return on your investment.