Legacy System Migration

Workbench
lsm@sap.com
BY
What is

LSMW
?
 What is data migration?

– Data transfer
• source: non-SAP systems (“legacy systems”)
• target: SAP R/3

– Initial data transfer from non-SAP systems

to SAP R/3
• Move data from legacy system to SAP R/3
• Switch off legacy system

– Periodic data transfer (Interfacing)

• Exchange data between R/3 and other systems
Relevance of data migration:
Accounts for 15% - 20% of the total SAP R/3
implementation costs
Smaller implementation projects: up to 40%

Why is data migration so expensive?

In many cases
you need to develop conversion programs
you need to deal with lots of technical details and different
technologies
data volume depends on the project volume
the effort for programming does not depend on the data volume
 Data migration in 3 steps

start 1. step 2. step 3. step target

data
data fieldmapping
preparatory data import on R/3
in and
steps data
legacy rules base
system

LSMW
What is LSMW (Legacy System Migration
Workbench) ?

– LSMW is a tool based on R/3.

– LSMW supports periodic and single data
transfer from a non-SAP system to R/3.
– LSMW uses standard R/3 interfaces.
Requirements

for the use of

LSMW
Organisational
– Customizing of the R/3 applications must be finished
– Know how in LSMW (1-2 days)
– Knowledge of the source data (Which fields means what?)
– Knowledge of the R/3 application (Which fields means what?)
– technical know how
• R/3 basis (batch input processing, IDoc processing)
• ABAP

System requirements
–Current release – LSMW 4.0 ( AUG 2004).
–for LSMW 1.6 (July 1999): R/3 release 4.0x, 4.5x or 4.6x
–for LSMW 1.0 (Sept. 1998): R/3 release 3.0F or
3.1x
 What kind of data can be read?
– Data from spreadsheet-based applications
• MS Excel, MS Access, etc.
– Data from host systems on R/3 application
servers
– Fixed record length, end of record indicator
or hexadecimal length field at the
beginning
– With and without separator
 Which data can be migrated via LSMW?

 All data where an interface exists

– Standard Batch Input
– Standard Direct Input
– BAPI
– IDocs
What does

LSMW
look like?
 What LSMW can do
– organize the data migration project
• project, subproject, object
– document the data migration project
– define data conversion per object
• select object attributes
- eg: batch input,direct input ,bapi, idoc
• define source
– structure of the source data (segments, fields, file attributes
etc)
• define relations
– between source and target (SAP R/3) on record level and on
field level
• define rules
– transfer of field contents
 What LSMW can do
– read data (technical conversion)
– convert data (conversion of values)
– import data
• with a standard import technique
– batch-input
– direct input
– method for a business-object (“BAPI”)
– IDoc technique
• this means:
– LSMW does not write data into the databases of the
applications
– precondition for the use of LSMW is the availability of a data
transfer interface in the R/3 application
 What LSMW can do
– transport the data migration object
• via download and upload
• via R/3 transport system

 What LSMW cannot do

– extract data from the legacy system
– “outbound”: transfer data from SAP R/3 into
another system
 Advantages and strengths at a glance:
– Part of R/3 and therefore platform-independent
– Wide range of data conversion techniques (fixed
values, translation, ABAP coding, etc.)
– Migration customizing: no literals in rules
– Conversion program generated from conversion
rules
– User guidance: data migration in 14~20 steps
– Interface for data in spreadsheet format
– Check against R/3 Customizing before processing
the import
– Free of charge for SAP’s customers and partners
 Advantages and strengths at a glance:
– Migrated data in R/3 is consistent
– user friendly
– only basis ABAP knowledge necessary
– in most cases only few programming has
to be done
– supports data transfer for the most
important master and transaction data
 Examples of positive feedback:

– “... Just wanted to let you know us here at ... We

are very pleased with the LSM product. We are
using it for most of our conversions and have
found it to be of tremendous help and quality. ...”

– “The LSM Workbench saved the day. Without it,

we would never have been finished on time.”

– “...in our opinion, the major benefit is LSM’s

flexibility, which allows us to respond very quickly
to changing requirements...”
 Examples of positive feedback:

– “...within two and a half hours, we managed to

generate our own migration object for the material
master transfer, and successfully migrate the
material masters from the EXCEL sheet. It was a
complete success! ...”

– “...the transfer of master data on June 12, and of

the open items on June 19, 1998, meant that we
could go live the same day.”

– “...I used the LSMW to transfer customers and

creditors, and I was really impressed by how fast
and flexible it was! Fantastic! ...”
 About Data Transfer Techniques

LSMW(Legacy Systems Migration Workbench)

The Legacy Systems Migration Workbench (LSMW) is an

R/3-based tool that supports one-time and periodic transfer
of data from non-SAP systems (legacy systems) to R/3.

This easy-to-use tool supports the conversion of data from

the non-SAP system that can then be imported into the R/3
System using batch input, call transaction, direct input,
BAPIs, or IDocs.
In addition, the LSMW provides a recording function,
which you can use to generate a data migration object
from a create or change transaction.
 About Data Transfer Techniques

LSMW

The core LSMW functions are:

. Reading data files from an external system into an internal LSMW format
. Converting the data, that is, formatting and assigning the data to the required structures
. Calling the standard transfer program or BAPIs or IDocs to perform the data transfer into the
R/3 tables.
The LSMW generates two executable ABAP programs from the structure definitions
and the conversion rules –

a READ program and a CONVERSION program

 About Data Transfer Techniques

LSMW

The LSMW supports the following transfer methods:

. Standard transfer programs used with batch input, call transaction, and direct input.
. Data transfer using IDocs.
. Data transfer using BAPIs.
. Creation of a recording using the transaction recorder and generation of a batch input session.

You can only create one structure per recording for migration objects created
through a recording of a transaction as there is only one flat target structure
available per recording.
 LSMW
Supported Releases

Version1.7 of the LSM Workbench can be used in R/3

systems with 4.0A and above maintenance levels.

Basic Principles of the LSM Workbench

The LSM Workbench was developed on the basis of the

R/2-R/3 Migration Workbench.

Business objects instead of individual tables or field

contents are migrated.

The conversion rules to be defined are flexible.

Preprogrammed conversion programs are generated on the

basis of the defined rules.
 LSMW

Accelerating Data Migration: LSM Workbench

One or several
How LSM Workbench works files

Legacy data
on PC
Read data Read data
Structure Legacy data
relations on application
server

Field mapping Convert data

R/3 Standard
Batch Input
Conversion processing
rules
Converted Direct Input
data processing

IDoc inbound
processing

 SAP AG July 1999 21

 LSMW
Project, Subproject and Object

On the initial screen, you can create a new project,

corresponding subprojects and objects via Edit -> Create new
entry.

Project: An ID with a maximum of 10 characters to name

your data transfer project. If you want to transfer
data from several legacy systems, you may create
a project e.g. for every legacy system.

Subproject: An ID with a maximum of 10 characters that is

used as further structuring attribute.

Object: An ID with a maximum of 10 characters to name

the business object.
 LSMW
Advantages of the LSM Workbench

Part of the SAP system and thus independent of individual

platforms.

A variety of technical possibilities of data conversion.

Data consistency due to standard import techniques:

Batch input

Direct input

BAPIs (Business Application Programming Interfaces)

IDocs (Intermediate Documents)

The import technique to be used in an individual case

depends on the business object.

Charge-free for SAP customers and SAP partners