How do we schedule transports for SAP S/4HANA without breaking payroll or GST runs?

Here is a four-step process:

• Step 1: Identify and prioritize notes

The SAP Support Portal is the primary source for security notes, released monthly on ""Patch Day"" (the second Tuesday of each month).

• Step 2: Implement and test custom code fixes

To minimize business disruption, apply fixes in a non-production environment and test them thoroughly before deployment to production.

• Step 3: Deploy to production with cloud transport management

Use the built-in transport and deployment tools on BTP to promote your tested changes to production.

• Step 4: Monitor and verify post-deployment

After the patch is deployed, monitor system logs and health to ensure stability and verify the fix is effective.

To prove that your SAP S/4HANA system has been patched this month, auditors will require evidence that aligns with a complete and controlled patch management lifecycle. This includes documentation and logs from the identification, testing, application, and verification phases of patching.

Validating custom code after kernel and ICM patches in SAP S/4HANA is primarily a quality assurance task, rather than an automatic process triggered by tools. The impact on ABAP custom code from these technical components is usually minimal, especially for ICM patches, but careful testing is still necessary. You can validate compatibility by following a structured testing and analysis process.

To apply September 2025 SAP Security Notes to SAP S/4HANA with minimal downtime, follow SAP's official procedures by accessing the SAP Support Portal, identifying critical notes, and using the Software Update Manager (SUM) with the Zero Downtime Option (ZDO).

• Access SAP Support Portal & Identify Notes
• Prepare for Implementation
• Apply with Zero Downtime Option (ZDO)
• Monitor and Validate
• Considerations for Minimal Downtime

The general process can be broken down into these core phases: 

• Discovery and planning
• Design and configuration
• Development and customization
• Data migration
• Testing and quality assurance
• Deployment and training
• Post-implementation support and maintenance "