Definition of structured and unstructured data
Structured data in SAP is data which does have a predefined structure. This can be for example a sales order, a financial document, a purchase document or so on. The structure is always the same, no matter for which customer / supplier you are issuing the document.
Unstructured data is data which doesn’t have a predefined structure. In the SAP area this could be for example a PDF, Word, Excel or any other document which is attached to any business object (Invoice, Sales document etc.)
Different types of unstructured data
To link unstructured data to a business object, SAP offers different functions to do so. The most common functions are for example GOS, BDS, DMS, ArchiveLink etc.
In this blog we will focus only on the 3 following functions, which are mainly used by our customers:
ArchiveLink
SAP offers with the ArchiveLink functionality customers the possibility to connect external storage systems to a SAP System. ArchiveLink attachments are always stored on an external storage system, never on the database.
The Basic ArchiveLink settings have to be customized in each system
Customizing includes as example:
- Customizing of the link tables
- Customizing of the Storage location
GOS (Generic object Service) attachments
The Generic Object Services (GOS) offers functionalities which are available in a lot of differents SAP applications (e.g. SD, MM, FI). The functionality of the Generic Object Service always refers to an application object. This can be for example an invoice to which a PDF or any kind of document is attached. The GOS functions always refers to an application object in use. With this functionality it is possible to show a linked object (again the example of the PDF attached to an invoice) or the starting workflow related to the object in use.
GOS settings have been automatically set for SAP ERP Systems. GOS attachments are stored by default on the database. But there is the possibility to change the customizing settings and redirect them into an external file system.
DMS (Data Management Service) attachments
The capture and management of electronic documents is enabled with the Data Management Service. Electronic documents can be CAD models, drawings, MS-Office flies or any kind of electronic files which should be stored and controlled in a secure environment. DMS supports the possibility of integrated viewing and redlining capabilities
Typical Business Scenarios when a migration of unstructured data might be required
There are different Scenarios and reasons, why a migration of unstructured data might be required. In this blog we focus on the most common reasons.
Move to Intelligent Enterprise
When a customer decides to move to SAP S/4HANA no matter with which kind of approach (greenfield, brownfield or bluefield), it is most likely that the open business cases out of the old ECC System will be migrated into the new SAP S/4HANA environment by a database migration. In that case it is also necessary to think about the unstructured data as this will not be considered automatically by the database migration.
There are different ways of migration scenarios:
Scenario 1:
Assumption: all relevant attachments are stored on the database (no archive link attachments) and should be stored in the target system also on the database
In this scenario, the attachments, as well as the related management data will be migrated from the SAP Source system to the SAP target system.
Scenario 2:
Assumption: attachments are stored in the database and on an external file system. In the target system the attachments should be stored in the database and as well on a new external file system (e.g. cloud)
In this scenario, the source and the target storage system should be linked to the SAP Source system. The target storage system should be linked also to the SAP target system during the migration. The migration itself will be executed on the SAP source system, from where the attachments (attachments from the database and attachments from the source storage system) and the relevant management data will be migrated into the SAP target system and the target storage system. After the finalization of the migration the Target storage can be disconnected from the SAP source system and all attachments will be accessible from the target SAP system and the target storage system.
Company Carve out
When a customer is selling part of their business or has any other reason to eliminate a company code for example it is also mandatory, to take care about the unstructured data and not only the structured data.
Also here are several possible scenarios which are relevant for customers.
Scenario 1:
Assumption: all relevant attachments are stored on the database (no archive link attachments) and should be stored in the target system also on the database
In this scenario, the attachments, as well as the related management data will be migrated from the SAP Source system to the SAP target system.
The Challenge in this scenario is, to identify the relevant attachments for the migration as it is a selective attachment migration. Therefore, it is a prerequisite that the attachments do have a direct link to a business object (e.g. invoice or sales document) from where the carve out parameters (e.g. company code) could be derived. In case the customer is using the standard functionalities like GOS or DMS the direct link to the related business object is in most of the cases given automatically.
Scenario 2:
Assumption: attachments are stored in the database and on an external file system. In the target the attachments should be stored in the database and as well on a new external file system (e.g. cloud)
In this scenario, the source and the target storage system should be linked to the SAP Source system. The target storage system should be linked also to the SAP target system during the migration. The migration itself will be executed on the SAP source system, from where the attachments (attachments from the database and attachments from the source storage system) and the relevant management data will be migrated into the SAP target system and the target storage system. After the finalization of the migration the Target storage can be disconnected from the SAP source system and all attachments will be accessible from the target SAP system and the target storage system.
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