Upgrading SAP Commerce for Seamless Multi-Country Operations
Discover how we successfully upgraded a multi-channel retail platform to the latest SAP Commerce version, improving stability, build performance, and enabling a smooth transition to Smart Edit
Project Overview
Modernizing Platform and Content Management for a Client in Home & Lifestyle Retail
In collaboration with an IT consulting firm, we led the upgrade of a major retail platform for a client in home, clothing, and fragrance products. The main business goal was to move from legacy Hybris 6.7 to version 2205, ensure platform stability, and implement Smart Edit to streamline content management across multiple countries
Enhancing Retail Platform Capabilities
Digital Transformation
Client
Date
Completed in Q4 2023
Role
We worked with a multi-channel international retailer specializing in high-quality home, clothing, and fragrance products. The client operates across several countries and is known for timeless style, premium materials, and exceptional customer service.
The project involved a major SAP Commerce (Hybris) upgrade, moving from version 6.7 to 2205. The business goal was to ensure platform support, improve system stability, and enable the transition from the legacy CMS to Smart Edit.
As the lead developer on the upgrade, we were responsible for architecture, development, testing, and final-stage user training and demos. I collaborated directly with the client and the project manager, ensuring a smooth upgrade while maintaining custom functionality.
Challenges & Objectives
Key Challenges
Legacy Code Compatibility
Multiple customizations needed careful analysis to avoid breaking existing functionality
Custom Promotion Logic
Migrating complex promotions without losing functionality
Smart Edit Migration
Transitioning from the old CMS to Smart Edit for improved content management
Solr Reindexing Issues
Ensuring accurate and efficient product search across all markets
Objectives
SAP Commerce upgrade without breaking existing functionality
Upgrade to a supported SAP Commerce version, improve platform stability, enable multi-country support, and modernize content management.
Solution & Approach
To tackle these challenges, SAP best practices were applied. Also internal knowledge from previous upgrade projects was leveraged. Each issue—legacy code, Solr indexing, promotions, and Smart Edit migration—was addressed incrementally:
- Carefully analyzed legacy code and customizations to preserve functionality.
- Rewrote and adjusted core features to comply with new platform requirements.
- Updated promotions and Smart Edit modules to ensure seamless operation.
- Coordinated testing and validation, including regression checks, to maintain multi-country stability.
Collaboration was key: close work with QA, other developers, and the client ensured smooth communication, valid solutions. Final user demos and training were conducted at the end of this project
Technologies & Tools
SAP Commerce Cloud (Hybris)
Upgrade from 6.7 to 2205
Programming Stack
Java, Spring, Groovy, REST APIs
Database & Search
Solr, MySQL, FlexibleSearch
CMS / Content
Smart Edit, Promotions, Product Cockpit, JSP
CI/CD via GitHub workflows
Jenkins, Bitbucket, GIT, SAP Commerce Cloud, AWS
Testing & Code Quality
JUnit, SonarQube
Key Achievements
Results & Impact
Successfully upgraded to the latest SAP Commerce version, ensuring ongoing support and compatibility
Improved platform stability and faster builds, reducing development bottlenecks
Smooth adoption of Smart Edit for content management
Minimal disruption to ongoing multi-country operations
Key Learnings & Reflections
This project reinforced the importance of carefully analyzing legacy code and balancing the need to preserve functionality with adopting new platform features. Working with a multi-country setup strengthened my ability to deliver stable solutions across different regions
The upgrade process improved our approach to testing, regression checks, and automated CI/CD pipelines, ensuring reliable deployments. Close collaboration with the client and internal teams enhanced communication and coordination, allowing complex upgrades to be delivered on time with minimal disruption
Project Summary
| Role |
Lead Developer |
| Duration |
February, 2022 – October, 2023 |
| SAP Version |
SAP Commerce Cloud |
| Focus Area | Hybris upgrade, APIs, Promotions, Smart Edit, product management |
| Result | Upgraded to latest version, improved platform stability and build speed |
Client Feedback
The client expressed satisfaction with the work delivered throughout the upgrade project. Assignments were completed on time, aligned with specifications, and demonstrated a deep understanding of both SAP Commerce best practices and client-specific requirements. Our team’s active participation in demos, sprint ceremonies, and collaborative problem-solving was particularly appreciated, contributing to a smooth upgrade process
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