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• Future-proof billing: AEP.EnerS4 combines an intelligent SAP S/4HANA utilities master system with individual design freedom for energy suppliers, network operators, and metering point operators.
• The master system reduces the workload of specialist departments, reduces complexity, and creates economies of scale—without the need for client templates.

The imminent discontinuation of SAP IS-U support is putting the energy industry under considerable pressure to transform. With AEP.EnerS4, Arvato Systems is now launching a new billing platform that addresses precisely this challenge: a solution based on SAP S/4HANA Utilities that consistently combines standardization and individuality.

By the end of 2027 at the latest, all energy suppliers still using SAP IS-U will have to switch to SAP S/4HANA Utilities. At the same time, project, operational, and specialist resources are severely limited at both utilities and IT service providers. The consequence of this situation is that individual projects can hardly be realized economically and on schedule under these conditions.

The AEP.EnerS4 billing solution, which is based on a client system, offers a solution to this problem. The new platform from Arvato Systems is based on a central master system that is aligned with the SAP strategy and the RISE approach. At its core is SAP S/4HANA Utilities, supplemented by defined, optional service shells for operations, process support, further development, and BPO services.

Benedict Kock, Business Owner for AEP.EnerS4, summarizes the key difference between this and traditional template or client solutions: "The solution is not a static project artifact, but a multi-layered platform. At its core is a master system based on SAP RISE-MSP, around which various shells can be placed as services." Regulatory requirements, technical innovations, and automations are implemented centrally and are available to all users. This creates sustainable synergies throughout the entire lifecycle.

At the same time, the necessary flexibility is retained. Utility companies vary greatly in size, business model, and process landscape – from small municipal utilities to large multi-utility providers. “The AEP.EnerS4 platform concept works like a model house with degrees of freedom,” explains Cora Koch, responsible for specialist sales at Arvato Systems. “The closer a customer moves to the standard, the greater the efficiency and economies of scale. Where individuality is required, it can be mapped in a targeted and controlled manner – without jeopardizing the future viability of the overall system. The result is a future-proof billing platform that not only impresses today, but also provides sustainable support for the digital transformation of the energy and utilities industry.”

In addition to technical migration, AEP.EnerS4 also addresses the industry’s technical challenges: increasing regulatory requirements, high manual effort, accumulated workarounds, and growing dependence on a small number of specialists. With standardized, automated end-to-end processes, the platform reduces the workload on IT departments and improves quality in day-to-day operations.

As a SaaS solution from the cloud, AEP.EnerS4 is fully aligned with SAP’s strategy and provides access to state-of-the-art AI, cloud, and data services. The operating model is 100 percent in line with SAP’s vision, offering long-term security and new perspectives for digitalization, integration, and automation.

With the launch of AEP.EnerS4, Arvato Systems is positioning itself as a long-term platform partner for distribution network and metering point operators as well as suppliers – and creating a resilient foundation for today’s billing and tomorrow’s digitalization.

At E-world energy & water, which will take place in Essen from February 10 to 12, 2026, experts from Arvato Systems will provide insights into possible migration scenarios. Interested trade visitors will have the opportunity to find out more about the platform and the technical and organizational framework conditions at booth 3C115.