01 - SAP Data Transfer Made Easy
01 - SAP Data Transfer Made Easy
01 - SAP Data Transfer Made Easy
Chapter :2
Contents
Overview.....................................................................................................................2 Getting Started...........................................................................................................3 Performing the Data Transfer for a Business Object...............................................6
Chapter 1: Doing Data Transfer Performing the Data Transfer for a Business Object
Overview
Implementing a new software system takes major effort. New implementations require moving data from the legacy system into the R/3 System. The products, components, customers, and vendors have to be available in the new system. You may also have inventory, open items, open sales orders and bills of material that need to be transferred. Initial data transfer is the process of populating your R/3 database with data from your legacy system. To prepare for the data transfer, there are certain tasks you need to perform. First, understand your R/3 System to know which data needs to be transferred. For example, you would not transfer any open sales order if you do not use the sales and distribution module. Second, you need to know the contents of the existing data in your legacy system. For example if you use the fax capabilities of the R/3 System you can transfer them from your legacy system only if they are available.
(Sequential) Flat File for Data Transfer Conversion SAP Data Transfer
Legacy System(s)
R/3 System
General Data Transfer Concepts Knowing which data is available will help you to determine how to transfer data into the R/3 System. For example, if you have 10,000 customer names and 5,000 material master items, you should perform an automatic data transfer for both the customers and the materials data. If, however, you have only five customers and 50,000 material master items, then manually enter the customers and automatically transfer the materials. This guide focuses on automatic data transfer, an effective and efficient way of transferring large amounts of data into your new system. It saves time and
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resources, but more importantly, it ensures that accurate data is transferred into R/3. After you understand the data and know how to transfer it, you can prepare for the process of putting the data into the new system. As the graphic above shows, the two steps involved in data transfer are Conversion and SAP Data Transfer: 1. Conversion Data is converted from your legacy system into the required flat file format. 2. SAP Data Transfer Data is automatically entered into the R/3 System. An SAP data transfer program reads the prepared data from the flat file and moves it into R/3.
Getting Started
Id e n t ify th e B u s in e s s O b je c ts
D e t e r m in e th e T r a n s fe r M e t h o d
O rg a n iz e th e D a ta T ra n s fe r
Chapter 1: Doing Data Transfer Performing the Data Transfer for a Business Object
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The list on this page shows the order in which your data should be transferred. Although you might not have all of the listed business objects, this list gives you an idea on how to proceed. For a more detailed list, please use the sample go-live plan in Appendix D as a template. We recommend that you first transfer the business objects that require minor changes after the final transfer. This step can be performed one to three weeks before going live. The objects that require more changes may need to be transferred during the weekend before you go live. By transferring the business objects that require less modification early, you will have time to address any unexpected issues. If you are still working with a legacy system after the data transfer, to keep R/3 current, the changes that you make in the legacy system will need to be duplicated in the R/3 System.
Chapter 1: Doing Data Transfer Performing the Data Transfer for a Business Object
Id e n t if y t h e F ie ld s
A n a ly z e th e L e g a c y D a t a
M a p t h e L e g a c y D a t a to R /3
P re p a re th e L e g a cy D a ta b a s e
T ra n s fe r th e D a ta
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Chapter 1: Doing Data Transfer Performing the Data Transfer for a Business Object
lb you need to map the legacy field to the corresponding R/3 field and convert the value 1into lb.
Data Purging
Before transferring data from your legacy system, delete all the old and obsolete data. For example, to save conversion time and disk space, you may delete all one-time customers, vendors, and all unused materials.
Data Cleansing
This process corrects data inconsistencies and ensures the integrity of the existing data during the transfer process. Mistakes must be fixed before the transfer. For example, assume your legacy system classifies your material items only for subtotal purposes in reporting. If you just transfer this classification into the R/3 material type, the results could be wrong account postings, valuation calculation, and screen display. Therefore, it is imperative that you cleanse your data and make it consistent with the way it will be used.
Data Types
There are several different data types within the R/3 System: Customizing data controls the business process. For example, customizing data determines how you can release a purchase requisition or how an availability check is done. Customizing data will not be addressed in this guide. Master data operates your business. The material master and the vendor master are examples of master data. Document /transaction data is used in interactions with business partners. Invoices, stock changes, and sales orders are examples of this type of data.
Chapter 1: Doing Data Transfer Performing the Data Transfer for a Business Object
Use SAP Information Systems. Refer to the standard documentation for details on this topic. Use alternative business objects. Think about why you want to transfer specific document /transaction data into the R/3 System. Sometimes there is alternative master data. The R/3 pricing record would be a more appropriate solution because it allows you to track the historical information.
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Start small. The first time you transfer data, begin with one record of a business object. This way, you learn how the program works. After transferring one record successfully, try transferring a larger amount of data. Make sure that you transfer each different type of data before you transfer on a larger scale. Make sure you monitor the system resource usage, such as increases in table sizes, database locks, etc., because monitoring these features prevents unexpected problems. We recommend using the Data Transfer Workbench to create a flat file with one record for the business object. You can create an initial flat file with the click of a button and easily edit the flat files to enter or correct the necessary field values.
Batch Input
The most common way to move data from the flat file into the R/3 database is with BI, which simulates data input by processing the normal screens of the corresponding online transaction. By executing all relevant checks of the online transaction, BI ensures data consistency. The program creates a BI session that contains all necessary information to move the data into the system. In a separate step, you will process the BI session to transfer the data into the R/3 database.
Direct Input
Some data transfer programs use DI, which checks the flat file before processing and updates the R/3 System. This technique is often preferred when transfer performance is critical, and there is a large amount of data to transfer. Error tracking may be time-consuming for DI, since DI does not offer something as convenient as processing a BI session in foreground. Both methods require the data to be in the flat file structure. For more information on which method is actually supported for a specific business object, see Using Data Transfer Programs. Data transfer is an iterative process. You may often feel like you are taking two steps forward and one step back. For example, after creating a flat file, the standard data transfer program may work but the created material master will not support all the functionality you need. In this case, determine the wrong information, correct your conversion program and start again. Based on experience, we recommend that you use the following steps to accomplish data transfer for a business object: 1. Convert the data from the legacy system into flat file format. 2. Run the data transfer program. 3. Check your data for errors. Is the transfer working as it was designed? 4. If necessary, adjust the data/conversion program and start again with 1. We also strongly suggest that you perform a system backup after transferring a significant amount of data. The backup allows you to secure the specific level you have reached during the data transfer. If you have any problems, you can return to this level, and you do not have to begin the process all over again.
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Chapter 1: Doing Data Transfer Performing the Data Transfer for a Business Object
For more information on batch input and direct input, please see Start a Batch Input Session and Transfer Data via Direct Input in chapter 3.
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