SAP EWM on Business Suite to SAP EWM on SAP S/4HANA: A new concept for Data Migration

Currently almost all SAP EWM-implementations are running as AddOn to SAP NetWeaver or on the SAP SCM Server.  With the release of decentral SAP EWM on SAP S/4HANA Platform, the migration to SAP EWM on SAP S/4HANA has become a top priority for existing SAP EWM customers.

What options do customers have today in case they are using EWM on Business Suite (EWM 9.5 release or earlier versions) to use EWM on S/4HANA?

1. New implementation / Re-Implementation
   1. Standardize and simplify the existing landscape to reduce TCO and use the latest innovations
   2. Implement new warehouses with suitable template content on a new SAP S/4HANA platform
   3. Initial data load for stocks.
2. Selective Data Migration using standard SAP S/4HANA Migration Cockpit
   1. Selective data migration for only the warehouses that will continue on EWM
   2. Out-of-the-box available for SAP S/4HANA
   3. Preconfigured EWM specific migration objects and rules
   4. Step-by-step guidance through the migration process

What are the main concerns regarding the above options?

1. Transactional data from old SAP EWM system cannot be migrated to the new SAP EWM system. This forces the closing of all open documents in the old SAP EWM system before the cutover. Sometimes some of the open documents like quality inspections cannot be closed easily or differences in difference analyzer cannot be cleared before the cutover. For such cases individual procedures have to be developed. Another consequence of this is that for accessing historical data the old SAP EWM system needs to be maintained.
2. Not all objects can be migrated using SAP standard tools. Further, additional migration programs for custom data are necessary which potentially increases the migration project costs.
3. Reimplementation on SAP S/4HANA is also a high cost exercise and increases the overall duration.
4. During the transition phase (until all existing EWM warehouses are on S/4HANA), two EWM systems in parallel will be needed to be maintained which further increases the operational costs.

Why is it not possible for customers to simply migrate all the data to SAP S/4HANA?

The main issue for data migration is that SAP EWM on SAP S/4HANA now uses the standard SAP S/4HANA master data for Materials, Batches, and Classification instead of the SAP SCM Product, Versions and Classifications. Further CVI is mandatory in SAP S/4HANA which can lead to different Business Partners than in the SAP EWM on business suite.

Also in SAP S/4HANA some of the EWM specific customizing tables are no longer used, instead standard counterparts (Catch Weight, Handling Units Types, Serial Number Profiles, Delivery Priority and Shipping Conditions to name a few) are used. Hence a 1:1 migration of data will not work and can lead to various inconsistencies.

What is the “new” concept for Data Migration?

Jointly developed by SAP COE EMEA Logistics and SAP DMLT Consulting, the “new” or “alternate” migration methodology focuses on the above concerns of our existing SAP EWM customers and provides a concept wherein customers can migrate in a single step all the data from any existing SAP EWM installation to a greenfield SAP S/4HANA EWM installation. Customers need not worry about closing open documents or clearing all the differences in the SAP EWM difference analyzer. All the data will be migrated 1:1 to the target SAP EWM installation. Post migration business users can continue to work on open documents and all new deliveries will be directly communicated to the target SAP EWM installation from the connected ERP system. The old SAP EWM installation can be decommissioned thereafter. The main benefits of this concept are:

1. High performance tools for migration, ensuring downtimes to be within agreed business constraints​
2. Fastest approach to EWM on SAP S/4HANA. Done all at once for all warehouses​
3. Cost effective​
4. Historical data intact
5. Reduced effort to handle open documents and stock​ (only queues, IDOCs and other interfaces need to be processed)
6. Customer tables can be easily included​
7. No parallel productive systems​ needed

Interested in this “new” concept? Please contact us via email to SAP EWM SPW Team.