SAP S/4 HANA: Simplifications in Sales & Distribution Data Models

SAP S/4 HANA is the new offering from SAP built on the high performance In-memory platform HANA with an enriching user experience using FIORI apps.This new system includes major changes and massive simplifications ranging form changes in underlying data models to new user interface through FIORI apps.

Objective:

The objective of this blog is to understand the data model simplifications in SD area through a comparative study with a non S/4 system.

Below are the major simplification points:

• Status tables VBUK and VBUP have been eliminated and the new status fields have been added to:

• VBAK and VBAP for sales order header and item
• LIKP and LIPS for delivery document header and item
• VBRK for billing document header
• No status fields are present for billing items.

• Simplification of document flow table VBFA

• Document index tables like VAKPA , VAPMA etc. have been done away with.

Comparison:

Let us understand the differences by looking at the table structures:

• VBUK and VBUP are still present in S/4 HANA but they are not filled when an order is created.
• The status fields have been added through append structure.

• If any custom fields have been added to VBUP or VBUP tables in source system, they will have to be added to respective document tables in S/4 HANA system.
• An append field to the document header status table VBUK must be added to one or several of the document header tables VBAK, LIKP, or VBRK. This decision depends on which of the document types the respective field is relevant for.
• An append field to document item status table VBUP must be added to one or more of the document item tables VBAP or LIPS.

VBAK:

VBAP:

When a sales order is created in  a non S/4 HANA system:

Sales Order: 7137:

VBAK table holds the order header details

Order status information is present in VBUK table

Sales Order in S/4 HANA system:

VBAK table contains both the header details as well as the header status

Header status fields are now added to VBAK table

Table VBUK is present but is not filled.

Reason VBUK / VBUP are still present in S/4 HANA:

Since the status tables are not being filled it can be questioned why the tables are still present and not removed from system altogether. The reason for this is to enable smooth transition for those opting for migration to S/4 HANA system.

New function modules have been written which read the document status fields from VBAK , LIKP aur VBRK tables and populate in output whose structure is similar to that of VBUK.

For example FM SD_VBUK_READ_FROM_DOC is a new FM that fills VBUK structure for one SD document out of document header tables. The data is fetched depending upon the document type.

• The output structure ES_VBUK still refers to VBUK table.
• Any custom fields added to appends like VBAK_STATUS will be read by this FM.

Advantages:

• Reduced memory footprint : Since fewer tables are involved this means reduction of redundant data and simplified document flow.
• Now if we need to query the order table on the basis of document status we can simply do so by 1 single query on VBAK table instead of join on VBAK and VBUK.

NOTES:

• OSS Note 2198647 can be referred for further information.

Acknowledgment:

• Reference taken from Simplification List for S/4 HANA 1511 0302.

Suggestions and Comments Welcomed !!

~Tanmay