| Key date: 31 December 2026. SAP BusinessObjects BI Platform 4.3 reaches End of Mainstream Maintenance on 31 December 2026. SAP has a clear upgrade path and the resources to support your move. |
If you are running SAP BI Platform 4.3 or lower, now is the right time to plan your upgrade to SAP BusinessObjects BI 2025 or BI 2027.
Where BI 4.3 support stands today
As of October 2026, SAP is focusing its BI 4.3 engineering on what matters most. According to KBA 3763590, from October through December 2026, High and Very-High priority product issues are being prioritised for 4.3 SP05 patches. Medium and low priority fixes are being directed into future BI 202x releases — where customers on the latest platform will benefit from them first.
On 31 December 2026, Mainstream Maintenance ends. From 1 January 2027, BI Platform 4.3 enters Customer-Specific Maintenance (CSM) — a structured, time-limited transition phase.
Where BI 4.3 support stands today
As of October 2026, SAP is focusing its BI 4.3 engineering on what matters most. According to KBA 3763590, from October through December 2026, High and Very-High priority product issues are being prioritised for 4.3 SP05 patches. Medium and low priority fixes are being directed into future BI 202x releases — where customers on the latest platform will benefit from them first.
On 31 December 2026, Mainstream Maintenance ends. From 1 January 2027, BI Platform 4.3 enters Customer-Specific Maintenance (CSM) — a structured, time-limited transition phase.
What Customer-Specific Maintenance (CSM) means in practice
CSM is not the same as Mainstream Maintenance. It is important to understand the difference — because it directly affects what you get when something goes wrong. As discussed in the KBA 3486924, here is what CSM includes:
- Security coverage — first 12 months: SAP will deliver security fixes on BI 4.3 SP05 for Very High and High severity vulnerabilities (CVSS >= 7.0) during the first 12 months of CSM. This provides a meaningful protection window — but it has a defined end.
- Support Cases — You can continue to raise support cases. However, only Known issues will be addressed with existing Knowledge Base. Any New, reproducible issues will be fixed in actively maintained versions — BI 2025 and beyond.
- After 12 months of CSM: No new Security fixes will be delivered to BI 4.3 SP05.
| CSM is a bridge, not a destination. It gives you time to move — it is not a substitute for moving. |
Products covered by this timeline
The 31 December 2026 Mainstream Maintenance end date applies to the full BI 4.3 product suite, as confirmed in KBA 3486924:
- SAP BusinessObjects BI Platform 4.3 (server, client tools, and SDK)
- SAP Crystal Server 2020
- SAP BusinessObjects Live Office 4.3
- SAP Crystal Reports 2020
- SAP Crystal Reports for Enterprise 4.3
- SAP BusinessObjects Information Platform Services 4.3 (IPS for DS)
- SAP Lumira Server & Client 2.x
If any of these are running in your landscape, this timeline applies to you.
The destination: SAP BusinessObjects BI 2025 or BI 2027
BI 2025 / BI 2027 is where SAP’s full maintenance commitment is focused — security updates, bug fixes, legal and compliance changes, technology updates, and the forward roadmap. SAP has published everything you need to get there:
- SAP BusinessObjects BI Update Guide: — step-by-step technical guidance for upgrading to a supported version
- Product Availability Matrix (PAM) : — exact maintenance dates for every product in the suite
- SAP BusinessObjects BI Platform Maintenance Strategy document
- KBA 2144559: — full SAP BusinessObjects BI Platform maintenance strategy
- KBA 3486924: — detailed CSM scope for BusinessObjects BI
- KBA 3053725: — security corrections delivered during CSM
- SAP Analytics Statement of Direction (SOD): — where BusinessObjects and SAP Analytics Cloud are headed next
The upgrade path is well-defined. The resources are ready.
Plan now vs. defer: what each path looks like
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Start your upgrade now |
Defer until later |
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The upgrade is not optional in the long run — the question is only whether you manage it proactively or reactively.
Three steps to take before 31 December 2026
- Audit your landscape — confirm which systems are running BI 4.3, Crystal Server 2020, Live Office 4.3, Crystal Reports 2020, Crystal Reports for Enterprise 4.3, or IPS 4.3 and Lumira 2.x.
- Review the upgrade resources — the BI Minor Release Update Guide and the Product Availability Matrix give you everything needed to map your path to BI 2025.
- Plan your migration Now — Start your migration.
The bottom line
SAP has published the timeline, built the upgrade path, and made the resources available. The 31 December 2026 date is confirmed in KBA 3763590.
- Customers who move to SAP BusinessObjects BI 2025 now or 2027 (when available) will do so on their own schedule — with full testing, proper planning, and SAP’s complete support behind them.
- Customers who wait will still need to upgrade eventually. The difference is how much control they have over the timing.
| The deadline is set. The path is clear. Upgrade to SAP BusinessObjects BI 2025 or plan for BI 2027 now — while the timeline is still yours to own. |
References
- KBA 3763590 — SAP BI Platform 4.3 End of Mainstream Maintenance 31 December 2026
- KBA 3486924 — Customer-Specific Maintenance Phase for SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence
- KBA 3053725 — Security Corrections in Customer Specific Maintenance (CSM)
- KBA 2144559 — SAP BusinessObjects BI Platform Maintenance Strategy & Schedule
- Product Availability Matrix
- SAP Analytics SOD: Statement of Direction for SAP BusinessObjects BI, SAC and SAP Data Services
- SAP BusinessObjects BI Update Guide (SAP Support Portal)
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