Winshuttle does not position itself as a competitor with Data Services for a number of reasons.
The main reason being that BODS provides Data Transformation as a key part of the value proposition.
With Winshuttle Transformation is done within Excel or Access or in the WebForm, as such that means that Winshuttle provides lightweight ETL but the T part is largely done using formulae, macros or search and replace actions.
This is a completely different approach when compared with classic ETL tools where the transformation is performed as a processing stage within the logic of the ETL tool either post extract or pre-load.
Winshuttle provides three different modes of deployment, standalone, single user; centrally managed integration templates with basic approval workflows and the enterprise model which offers a broad swathe of modes of interaction with the technical objects. These three modes of deployment support data extraction and load either as single records or as mass.
A great deal of your selection criteria should focus on whether you are looking for a very technical high performance ETL solution with predefined scenarios that are likely to remain relatively static and unchanging for data integration and data migration or whether you are looking for a rapid application development (RAD) solution that cn have multiple scenarios developed iteratively in an agile and evolutionary way. (Winshuttle doesn't really offer boiler-plate integration scenarios)
Winshuttle is principally focused on being a RAD that can be leveraged by technical and non technical users alike to build simple or complex E-L scenarios, a completely different approach when compared with classic ETL or even LSMW.
Winshuttle works natively with Microsoft Office Excel and as such does not require you to use CSV, Text or Tab Delimited text files. Winshuttle also allows you to convert your E-L scenarios into Web services which can be used by ETL products and other solutions.
Further, Winshuttle uses the standard SAP authorizations model so a user can only create recordings for the transactions that they have access to. In the same way, a 'runner' user can only use a technical object like a transaction recording or Query if they have the requisite authorizations.
This is a different security model when compared with ETL tools where the tools are used and executed typically by a more technical or IT user or using a system account with god or demi-god authorizations.
If you were trying to determine disadvantages with Winshuttle it would likely be focused around throughput.
ETL tools tends to be faster but don't necessarily cover all the scenarios that a transaction recording does especially if you are leaning towards the rapidmarts.
The size of your data sets may determine whether an ETL or technical solution is a better choice.
My personal view is that ETL solutions and more technical offerings are fine if you already have them in place, if however you are starting from position zero, it will take longer to implement them than Winshuttle and it will be more complex to use them as a solution that empowers business users.
Additionally, ETL is likely to have a higher price tag and require a very much more technical skillset in order to configure and use. Winshuttle requires no particular technical skills to be used and customers are typically up and running the same day that they install the desktop software.
Bluesky
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