Data-Migration in S/4HANA On-Premise - LSMW ? SAP RDM Content? Migration Cockpit ? SI Tools

[MPS4HANA]

Is LSMW available / valid in SAP S/4HANA On- Premise ?

I have received this particular QUESTION a number of times and hence an attempt to answer it thru this blog.

 

Well First things first :

Q: What is LSMW & what's it's use ?

A: The Legacy System Migration Workbench (LSMW) is an SAP NetWeaver tool for data migration that was first introduced with R/2 to R/3 migrations. It uses standard interfaces like BAPIs,IDocs, Direct Input and Batch Input programs and recordings.

 

Q: Is LSMW available in S/4HANA ? Can it be used as Migration-Tool in s/4HANA On-Premise (Version 1511, 1610 and above)?

A: The LSMW (Legacy System Migration Workbench) tool (transaction code LSMW) is still available within SAP S/4HANA on-premise but not considered as the migration tool.
LSMW might propose incorrect migration interfaces that cannot be used in SAP S/4HANA anymore.

As LSMW uses standard interfaces (BAPIs, iDOCs, Direct Input and Batch Input programs and recordings), and Data-structures and screens have drastically changed / new in S/4HANA, the use of LSMW is restricted for migrations to SAP S/4HANA

For restrictions on certain Batch Input or Direct Input programs that are used by LSMW, one needs to check the application components directly.

 

Q: What about existing LSMW or if I still want to check possibility of using LSMW in S/4HANA On-Premise ?

A : The Legacy System Migration Workbench (LSMW) should only be considered as a migration tool for SAP S/4HANA for objetcs that do not have interfaces or content available after carefully testing for each and every object. The use of LSMW for data load to SAP S/4HANA is not recommended and at the customer's own risk.

When using LSMW, you have to carefully test the process so that you can ensure that it is actually working for you. It might not work for you and in any case.

 

Q: What kind of restrictions can be expected when/if using LSMW for migration in S/4HANA On-Premise ?

A: Expect restrictions around transaction recording (as this is not possible with the new SAP Fiori screens) and changed interfaces (for instance the Business Partner CVI). Standard Batch Input programs may also no longer work as transactions may have changed functionality or may be completely removed within some areas. For example, due to security reasons batch import has been limited for RCCLBI02 program. Also, transactions for customer master data (FD*/XD*) and vendor master data (FK*/XK*) cannot be used anymore due to the change to the Business Partner data model in SAP S/4HANA.

 

Q: What other Options are available for Data Migration in S/4HANA On-Premise ?

A: Following Options are available for Data Migration in S/4HANA On-Premise

Option1 :  Use SAP Rapid Data Migration with SAP Data Services.

Instead of LSMW, SAP S/4HANA data migration content called SAP Rapid Data Migration based on SAP Data Services software is offered to migrate data into SAP S/4HANA (on premise).

This content has been specifically built for the new SAP S/4HANA target system, its interfaces and data structures. The content is free of charge and can be downloaded  from SAP Service marketplace.

"Restrictions / Important points about SAP Rapid Data Migration Content"

SAP Rapid Data Migration for SAP S/4HANA, on premise edition package is built on SAP Data Services 4.2 platform with predefined business content for SAP S/4HANA.

As per SAP's NOTE : This content has been tested on SAP Best Practices for SAP S/4HANA, but it can also be used and easily extended for other countries and different deployments but some modifications might be required.

• As per my analysis, the object list covers extremly basic objects master and transactional objects.


• For Client specific requirements, most of these objects will require to be extended., unless the S/4HANA project is vanila deployment of SAP S/4HANA best-practices and using S/4HANA Best practice processess AS-IS.

Option 2: Using  SAP S/4HANA Migration Cockpit and SAP S/4HANA Migration Object Modeler 

There is a new basic tool included in SAP S/4HANA (starting with SAP S/4HANA 1610) that is called SAP S/4HANA Migration Cockpit. It helps you to transfer your master and transactional data from SAP systems and non-SAP systems to SAP S/4HANA 1610. The cockpit is included in the SAP S/4HANA license and embedded in the S/4HANA shipment.

For the data migration, the cockpit uses predefined migration content, i.e. standard migration objects such as customers, suppliers or purchase orders to identify and transfer the relevant data. Templates and mapping for each migration object facilitate the migration.

In addition, it allows you to integrate your custom data objects into the migration using the inherent SAP S/4HANA Migration Object Modeler. For example, you can adjust the predefined standard migration objects delivered with the cockpit by adding fields to them. As of Feature Package Stack 02, you can also create your own custom-specific migration objects or SAP standard objects that have not yet been included in the scope of the migration cockpit.

You can use the cockpit by calling transaction LTMC which gives you direct access to it. The role required for the usage of the cockpit is called SAP_CA_DMC_MC_USER. To access the migration object modeler you use transaction LTMOM. A prerequisite for using the modeler is that you have created a migration project in the migration cockpit and that the role SAP_CA_DMC_MC_DEVELOPER is assigned to the respective user.

"Current Restrictions of Using S/4HANA Migration cockpit" ...

1. The pre-delivered data migration objects are built for SAP S/4HANA's Best Practices content . Therefore they do not (mentioned as 'may not cover' in SAP NOTE) the complete functionality of SAP S/4HANA.


2. One can use basic migration objects as templates that can be enhanced using the SAP S/4HANA Migration Object Modeler (transaction LTMOM) functionality according to needs, However, The enhancement is limited by the capabilities of the migration object's underlying data load API and the version of Migration Object Modeler. To use Latest version of Migration Object Modeler, one will have to update the system to SAP S/4HANA 1610 FPS2 (or the point in time whenever you start the journey progress, which ever is latest version & FP of S/4HANA  On-Premise)


3. In case you need special interface types or need to make adoptions to existing objects that are currently not supported by the migration object modeler, you might check alternatives, such as: Rapid data migration for SAP S/4HANA on-premise (this takes us back to Option1 mentioned above)

 

Option 3: SI Partners like TCS and others, have S/4HANA certified tools for Data-Migration. One can enquire about such Tools from  SI Partners too.

 

Q: Projects/Clients who have or are currently in process of adopting S/4HANA OP thru New Implementation Projects, which Option methods (out of four stated above) and tools are they using and why ? 

A:  Associates working on S4HANA projects, I look forward to your comments to get this question answered 🙂

 

-----------Reference NOTES and Links for Further Reading -------------

2287723 - LSMW in SAP S/4HANA on-premise

2481235 - SAP S/4HANA Migration Cockpit (on-premise) - restrictions and extensibility of pre-delivered migration objects

2239701 - SAP Rapid Data Migration for SAP S/4HANA, on premise edition

2208321 - FAQ for legacy data transfer in SAP_FIN 720 and subsequent releases

https://blogs.sap.com/2016/06/21/how-to-migrate-to-sap-s4hana/

https://support.sap.com/content/dam/SAAP/Sol_Pack/Library/FactSheets/BH5_S4HANA1611_EN_XX.htm

https://support.sap.com/content/dam/SAAP/Sol_Pack/Library/FactSheets/BH4_S4HANA1611_EN_XX.htm