SAP S/4HANA 2023 & FPS03
: What's New?
SAP S/4HANA 2023 & FPS03
An Overview of the Latest SAP Release
With SAP S/4HANA 2023, SAP is introducing the most powerful and versatile ERP system on the market. Numerous innovations in manufacturing, finance, procurement, supply chain, and service deliver greater efficiency, transparency, and automation.
With the FPS03 (Feature Pack Stack 03) update, SAP is setting new standards: AI-powered processes, global compliance updates, improved performance, and a clear focus on intelligent automation.
Why S/4 HANA 2023?
With the 2023 release, SAP is launching a new two-year update cycle for on-premise deployments. This will ensure that S/4HANA 2023 remains stable and up-to-date in the long term—until the next major release, S/4HANA 2025, which is scheduled for Q4 2025.
Important FPS03 Updates:
AI & Automation
AI-powered Journal Upload
Automated Document Extraction for Service Processes
AI Explanations for Production Optimization
Predictive workforce planning
Enhancements to the "SAP Joule" AI assistant
Finance, Tax & Compliance
Golden Tax China
E-invoicing for multiple countries
DMEE → DMEEX Migration
Journal Ledger Updates (Peru)
Manufacturing & EHS
PMQ Performance Optimizations
New Import/Export Data Validation Checks
Improved JIT/JIS processes
HR / Payroll
Legal Updates for 2025 in 10+ Countries
Changes to Pension and Vacation Policies
Cross-Application
New migration apps
Centralized Bank Payments (Japan)
Enhanced Industry Cloud Integration
Technology & Performance
New SAP UI5
Faster reporting
Optimized data processing
Release History of SAP S/4HANA
Until 2019, SAP used four-digit version numbers such as 1511, 1610, and 1709 —these represent the year and month of the release (e.g., 1511 = November 2015).
Since S/4HANA 2020, releases have been issued every two years and named after the calendar year (2020, 2021, …).
Feature Pack Stacks (FPS) provide additional functionality between major releases.
| Release | Publication | FPS01 | FPS02 | FPS03 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1511 | 11.11.2015 | May 2016 | Aug 2016 | – |
| 1610 | 31.10.2016 | May 2017 | Aug 2017 | – |
| 1709 | 15.09.2017 | Feb 2018 | May 2018 | – |
| 1809 | 21.09.2018 | Feb 2019 | May 2019 | – |
| 1909 | 20.09.2019 | Feb 2020 | May 2020 | – |
| 2020 | 07.10.2020 | Feb 2021 | May 2021 | Aug 2021 |
| 2021 | October 2021 | Feb 2022 | May 2022 | Summer 2022 |
| 2022 | 12.10.2022 | Spring 2023 | Summer 2023 | Fall 2023 |
| 2023 | 11.10.2023 | Q1 2024 | Q2 2024 | Q1 2025 |
| 2025 | Q4 2025 | Q1 2026 | Q2 2026 | Q1 2027 |
What does FPS03 mean for businesses?
FPS03 delivers improvements you can use right away—without a full upgrade.
✔ Greater automation
FPS03 reduces manual tasks through new AI-driven and rule-based automations in core business processes.
✔ More AI support
With advanced AI features such as intelligent journal entries and automated document recognition, decisions can be made more quickly and accurately.
✔ Internationally recognized compliance
FPS03 includes numerous country-specific updates on tax, e-invoicing, and regulatory requirements, ensuring that global business operations comply with legal requirements.
✔ More stable processes
Optimized backend processes and technical improvements ensure greater system stability and more reliable day-to-day operations.
✔ Faster user interfaces
New performance optimizations in Fiori apps and planning applications reduce load times and improve the user experience.
✔ Improved maintainability (Clean Core)
FPS03 supports a cleaner system architecture that simplifies upgrades and remains low-maintenance over the long term thanks to clear expansion models.
What's next for SAP?
SAP is clearly positioning S/4HANA for the future:
1. AI-First Strategy
More and more processes are becoming intelligent, automated, and self-learning.
2. Expansion of SAP Joule
The AI assistant is becoming a central component of the entire ERP system.
3. Clean Core & BTP
Customizations should be made via SAP BTP in a way that ensures compatibility with future upgrades.
4. Additional FPS Updates and Annual Releases
SAP continuously releases new feature packs and annual major releases.
Further information and technical documentation:
1. What’s New in SAP S/4HANA and SAP S/4HANA Cloud, private edition 2023 FPS03 (PDF) >
Official "What's New" document from SAP for FPS03. A list of all new and modified features—including an indication of whether a feature applies to S/4HANA On-Prem, Cloud Private Edition, or both products.
2. Simplification List for SAP S/4HANA 2023 – Feature Pack Stack 3 (PDF) >
A technical "bible" for architects and developers. Describes which functions, tables, transactions, and interfaces have been simplified, replaced, or removed in S/4HANA 2023 (FPS01–03)—including the implications and necessary actions.
3. Upgrade Guide for SAP S/4HANA 2023 (any FPS/SPS) (PDF) >
Step-by-step guide for upgrading from older S/4HANA releases (1511–2022) to S/4HANA 2023—regardless of whether you end up on FPS00, FPS01, FPS02, or FPS03. Includes recommendations on the Readiness Check, SUM, Maintenance Planner, etc.
4. What’s New Viewer – SAP S/4HANA & SAP S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition >
Interactive web interface for filtering new features in S/4HANA 2023 FPS03—for example, by line of business, division, or availability (on-premises vs. private cloud). Ideal for displaying only the relevant changes tailored to specific target groups.
Recorded SAP webcast showcasing the key innovations in FPS03—with a focus on AI, automation, and usability. Many of the features demonstrated also apply to S/4HANA 2023 On-Prem; cloud-only features are typically clearly identified as such.