Migrating Data to SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition with Local Templates

To migrate data, you first create a migration project and assign one or more migration objects. The SAP S/4HANA Migration Cockpit then generates a staging table (temporary table) within SAP S/4HANA Cloud for each migration object. When the table for an object has been filled and you finalize the migration project, the data from the staging table is moved to the database of the SAP S/4HANA Cloud system.

The migration objects visible in the SAP S/4HANA Migration Cockpit are based on the active business processes in your SAP S/4HANA Cloud system. This means that additional business processes activated in SAP Central Business Configuration (for example, after a release upgrade) will likely result in additional migration objects becoming visible. The general rule of thumb is to migrate data for all migrations objects you see, because each one supports one or more business processes.

You may choose to assign each migration object to its own separate project, or group several related migration objects together within a project. What's most important is that you have the necessary permission assigned and the requirements of migrating data for any predecessor objects have been satisfied. Consultants may choose the split up the migration tasks by focusing on migration objects relevant to their line of business area, or simply divide the migration objects equally among the team.

Watch this video on how to migrate data using staging tables with the SAP S/4HANA Migration Cockpit.

The steps to migrate data are:

1. Create Migration Project
2. Select Migration Object(s)

   Check migration object documentation (post-processing section) to see which app is required to validate data has been successfully migrated, and you have assigned yourself the business role to access this app.

3. Download migration object template in XML or CSV format and open in Microsoft Excel
   • The Migration Cockpit will only accept a maximum size of 100MB for a single file or .zip compressed file. You can typically compress a 160MB excel spreadsheet down to 100MB.
   • If you have not used the Migration Cockpit before, download the template in XML format and review the first two tabs of the spreadsheet, which include helpful information about how to avoid common errors and issues new consultants may experience.
   • If you are experienced with the Migration Cockpit and prefer working with CSV files, download the template in CSV format. This version does not include the informational tabs of the spreadsheet which allows you to enter more data before reaching the 100MB maximum. A video explaining how to work with CSV files in the Migration Cockpit is available in the SAP Help Portal here.
4. Fill data in the template(s)
   Note

   When copy-pasting, always paste VALUES ONLY or TEXT to make sure all formatting has been stripped. If there is any formatting copied into the migration object template from somewhere else, it will corrupt the file and the Migration Cockpit will not accept it.
5. Upload the completed template(s) to the SAP S/4HANA Migration Cockpit in your SAP S/4HANA Cloud system.
6. Prepare the staging tables

   The staging tables are generated for each migration object so they can be used to transfer data to SAP S/4HANA Cloud.

7. Process mapping tasks

   Depending on the migration object, you may need to confirm mapping tasks. Value mapping tasks are where you specify target values (in the SAP HANA database) for the corresponding values (from the source file). Fixed value tasks are where you set default values for target fields (in the SAP HANA database).

8. Optional: Simulate the migration
   Note

   You can cancel the migration in both the Simulate and Migrate steps.
9. Migrate the data
   • The default number of migration jobs allowed is set to 8 to ensure data migration activities do not affect other users working in the system. You may choose to increase or decrease this number in the Job Management area, if necessary.
   • After data is migrated, you can check the Migration Results through the link that is displayed. The results links open the relevant app where you can access the data record.
10. Optional: Create a correction file

    This may be necessary if errors have been identified in the Simulate or Migrate steps and you need to edit the file and re-upload to correct them.

11. Close the project

    If you have migrated all necessary data for the object, you can now close the migration project. At this time, you also have the option to set a data retention period for the data that was migrated.

Walk through the steps of migrating data in an SAP S/4HANA Cloud system with the SAP S/4HANA Migration Cockpit in this tutorial: