When setting up SAP S/4HANA Cloud, a critical task is migrating business data from legacy databases to the SAP HANA application layer. The SAP S/4HANA Migration Cockpit is the primary tool for this process, supporting data migration from both SAP and non-SAP source systems.
You access the Migration Cockpit via the Migrate Your Data app on the Fiori launchpad. Access requires specific permissions (details available here). While this app is available across all SAP S/4HANA deployment options—on-premise, private cloud, and public cloud—functionality and available migration objects may vary by environment.
The SAP S/4HANA Migration Cockpit is an embedded tool included at no additional cost. It features a comprehensive library of migration object templates with predefined fields to streamline data transfer to the SAP HANA layer. The tool automatically maps source data to the SAP S/4HANA target system and provides a guided, step-by-step workflow to validate mappings and finalize the migration.
This tool is designed for migrating large data volumes during the initial implementation of SAP S/4HANA Cloud. It is also used for ongoing business requirements, such as migrating data from a newly acquired subsidiary into the parent company's system.
Permission to Migrate Data
To perform a migration, you need authorization for the Migrate Your Data app and specific permissions for each data type. The Migration Cockpit uses the same APIs and technical validation checks as the standard functional applications.
For example, creating a single bank record is typically done in the Manage Banks - Master Data app. However, if you need to create 1,000 bank records, using the Migrate Your Data app is more efficient. Once the migration is complete, you can verify the results in the Manage Banks - Master Data app.
Consequently, you must have the business roles required for both the migration tool and the corresponding functional app. Detailed documentation for all migration objects is available on the SAP Help Portalhere. Each object's Post-Processing section identifies the app needed for validation and links to the SAP Fiori Apps Reference Library to identify the required business roles.
Note
To create individual master data records, refer to the Master Data Scripts in the SAP Best Practices for SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition under Accelerators→Implementation tab→Create your own master data.
Methods of Migration
The SAP S/4HANA Migration Cockpit supports two primary migration methods:
- Migrating Data using Staging Tables
- Migrating Data Directly from an SAP System
Migrate Data Using Staging Tables
In this method, data is populated into a migration template and transferred to a temporary "staging table" before being moved to the target SAP HANA database. There are two ways to populate these tables:
- Local SAP S/4HANA Database Schema: You download templates in XML or CSV format and enter data manually or via copy-paste. This is the standard approach but can be labor-intensive for very large datasets.
- Remote SAP HANA Database Schema: A separate SAP HANA database acts as an intermediary between the legacy system and SAP S/4HANA Cloud. This requires an integration setup and custom ETL (extract, transform, load) processes or SAP Data Services. While the initial setup is more complex, it is highly efficient for high-volume migrations.
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Migrate Data Directly from SAP System
This method uses a Remote Function Call (RFC) connection between a compatible SAP ERP source system and the target SAP S/4HANA Cloud system. Data is automatically converted to the SAP S/4HANA data model during the loading process.
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