SAP Central Finance Transaction Replication via insightsoftware

[nitin_gupta10]

Introduction

SAP Central Finance is the known solution where customers have multiple legacy systems and they can harmonize the data model and implement SAP S/4HANA. SAP has a nice and somewhat stable solution (product is still evolving) where legacy system is SAP ECC. However when I say multiple legacy systems, we can not ignore the fact that the portfolio of ERP includes Non SAP systems to a very large extent like Oracle, MS-Dynamics, BPCS, JDE and many more.

Thinking about integrating non SAP systems always comes with a complexity of different data models across ERPs. Like Oracle does not have company code, cost centre or profit Center concept while the data replication will look for mapping of “some” field from oracle to Cost centre field of SAP let’s say.

Another example is, In SAP GL account is a simple object but oracle have a Natural Account and that also comes with a string of Management unit, business unit, organizational unit etc.

In summary what I mean to say is field mapping is the most challenging part in this exercise. mow let’s assume we have done the field mapping in excel then how to load/replicate the data with error handling?

Currently I am known to few solutions in the market and one of the most prominent one which is also 100% endorsed by SAP is insightsoftware. The product licensing happens via SAP but insightsoftware is not an SAP company rather recently acquired by Insights Software.

Components of SAP Central Finance Transaction Replication by insightsoftware

• SAP Central Finance Transaction enables to continuously transfer the accounting transactions from non SAP systems to SAP S/4HANA


• SAP Central Finance Drill Down enables drill down from SAP S/4HANA to original transaction in legacy system. Its same thing as we drill back from S/4HANA to ECC via standard functionality


• SAP Central Finance SyncBack is helpful when central payment is enabled for Non SAP systems. This enables the clearing in the source system of the original invoices for which payment is processed in S/4HANA system using central Payments

Data Transfer Mechanism

Architecture view

Credit - SAP

Data Transfer from Non-SAP systems happens via SLT where SAP has provided the standard staging tables on SLT layer. Those tables needs to be filled with relevant data and then that data is pushed to SAP S/4HANA Central Finance via standard interface. All the accounting data pass by the standard AIF interface known as – Accounting document - External Interface – AC_DOC_EC/2.

This interface can be enables by installing BC Set  - FINS_CFIN_EX_AIF_DOC_POST

Below tables are added to SLT to support this data load/Replication

• /1LT/CF_E_HEADER – document header table


• /1LT/CF_E_ACCT - accounting items


• /1LT/CF_E_DEBIT - debitor items


• /1LT/CF_E_CREDIT - creditor items


• /1LT/CF_E_PRDTAX - product tax items


• /1LT/CF_E_WHTAX - withhold tax items


• /1LT/CF_E_EXTENT - customer extension

For example: A simple customer invoice with VAT would result in 4 records to be created:

• 1 CF_E_HEADER


• 1 CF_E_DEBIT


• 1 CF_E_ACCT


• 1 CF_E_PRDTAX

Predefine replication content is available within SLT and the replication table is: /1LT/CF_E_HEADER

- Amounts

All amounts need to be entered with sign, i.e. credit amounts with minus by default.

Transaction Replication via insightsoftware

insightsoftware works with the source database directly where the CDC (Change Data Capture) is enabled. Below is the high level data transfer overview

• CDC – Change Data Capture (it can be log based or trigger based)


• Staging Database – stage 1 is where raw data lands


• Staging Database – stage 2 is where the transformed data is stored

Supported systems for Transaction replication via insightsoftware are below (refer to product guide for latest updates/changes).

• Oracle E-Business Suite


• JD Edwards EnterpriseOne


• Oracle PeopleSoft


• IFS Applications


• Microsoft Dynamics AX


• Microsoft Dynamics NAV


• Microsoft Dynamics SL


• Microsoft Dynamics GP


• Epicor iScala


• Infor CloudSuite Industrial (SyteLine)


• Infor Baan


• NetSuite


• Universal flat file

(information taken from insightsoftware)

Data Reconciliation

When data is loaded its not always wise to say we are done. Business will look for data reconciliation to ensure what is posted in legacy system matches with what is replicated to S/4HANA. Reconciliation reports provide the below levels:

• Level 1 – Between Source data in legacy to the data in staging database


• Level 2 – Between Staging database (stage 1) to Staging database (stage 2) in staging database


• Level 3 – Between Staging database (stage 2) in staging database to data in SLT staging tables


• Level 4 – Between Data in SLT staging tables to data in SAP S/4HANA


• Level 5 – Between data in the staging database to data in SAP S/4HANA

Like in ECC to S/4HANA transformation via CFIN we have direct reports which fetch the data from SAP ECC via RFC but here multiple transformations are happening and database is not connected directly therefore the reconciliation is complex. However with some automation this can be simplified.

Also read, SAP Central Finance third party system FAQ Note – (S-User required)  - CLICK HERE

insightsoftware Website - CLICK HERE

Note - This blogs only refers to the functionalities and features which i have experienced first hand in the CFIN projects. In no way this should be taken as a marketing of insightsoftware. Since their are other products available too and the choice of the product is purely dependent on customer's requirement and landscape.

SAP support software component for insightsoftware is -  (XX-PART-ISW*)

If you have any questions on this, feel free to drop me a note or comment here…

Keep learning and keep sharing knowledge..