Our good old LSMW direct input days are almost over. LTMC is the new migration king.
With the release of S4/HANA 1511 of SAP, introduced us a new way to migrate our master data. Even though LSMW keeps on being available, SAP no longer takes care of its issues.
So proceed with caution using the note 2287723. As SAP says: “LSMW might propose incorrect migration interfaces that cannot be used in SAP S/4HANA anymore.”
Even though LSMW keeps on its life in an ambiguous way, LTMC provides itself as a pretty fine method to upload master data. It works in webdynpro, so we need to configure services first.
First things first
SICF tcode is our guy for services. There are 3 services we need to successfully activate.
- DMC_WDA
- DMC_WDA_GAF
- DMC_WDA_DATA_MIG
Most of the time, they are initially activated. But if you test the service and get an error like “FPM application DMC_WDA was started with an invalid or without configuration” error, you need to deactivate all three services and re-activate again. That will solve your possible error.
Let’s start migration
So, when we write tcode LTMC to code field, SAP GUI kicks up the browser with the proper LTMC action.
After you login to system with your username and password, we are good to go.
After we’ve chosen create button to create a project, a popup welcomes us.
In the popup you are expected to give the project a name (similar to LSMW projects actually). And choose a “Mass Transfer ID” which is used for uniquely marking the transfer. I usually use the button “Generate New Mass Transfer ID”. But you can assign your own ID too.
SAP Notes
In my example, I am going to use the Bill Of Materials. In my first trial of BOM; I have come across a series of notes related with BOM. You better check them out before you proceed.
- 2656725 – Material BOM template migration error in Migration Cockpit
- 2530183 – Problem during Routing Migration using Migration Cockpit
- 2727167 – Migration Cockpit: Required fields in BOM
- 2638840 – S/4HANA 1709 FPS01 – Migration – ‘Simulate Import’ step transfers data to the target system (THIS IS CRUTIAL)
If you’d like to see all notes regarding LTMC, SAP has aggregated all notes at one note link.
Choosing The Migration Object
After choosing the right object, files overview meet us. Since I haven’t uploaded anything yet, this subscreen is clean sheet at the moment. By choosing “Download Template”, SAP gives you an xml file to fullfill all your template need for the object.
By opening it on a spreadsheet software (MS Excel, Google Docs etc.) SAP gives you a bunch of tabs.
Introduction And Field List
Introduction tab gives you the details you need to know regarding the whole file. How to enter the data, formatting, mandatory fields etc.
But in second tab, we can see mandatory and optional fields exclusive to the file. This section summarises all fields for the master data and you must certainly check all sections. A field can be mandatory even if you don’t think so.
In the rest of the tabs, you enter all the master data necessary for object. Orange tabs are mandatory, nightblue tabs are optional. Also in each master data tab; mandatory columns are marked with * in case you may skip them. Just be careful with not to interfere with the default cell format in the file.
File Upload
We prepared the file, now we’ve got to upload the file. We chose the “File Upload” button, browsed our way towards the file, then chose upload. If you have multiple files and need to distinguish each file, you can make description and comment entry for each of them.
After the upload is complete, the subscreen shows the file as not activated.
I choose the line and choose activate.
Validate Data
After the activation, we are ready to “Start Transfer”.
By pressing “Start Transfer”, SAP starts the “Data Validation” process. Depending on the data amount you have, the process can get a bit longer. By validating data, SAP just checks the data integrity in the file itself.
If there are no error priority records, we can process by clicking “Next” button. The error records, may represent you format problems, missing mandatory fields etc. since you are obliged to present SAP a file in the right way. In this point you may encounter a lot of the note problems. You better check them.
Convert Values
This is probably the best part of LTMC. Because it shows each of the unrecognizable data for SAP and expects you to give a new value for that wrong value you entered. Mostly based on the customizing against the file.
Once you map the values matching with HANA system in each ID, all the ID’s must have green light at each row.
By this way, we make sure that our data we provide are relevant for SAP, if it’s not, we must provide a translation for it. For example; you forget an unrecognizable character in material code. You can make it right by telling SAP that correct way to interpret it. Only for once.
Simulate Import
We’ve clicked the “Next” button once more. Now we are at the stage that we are trying to upload. (Be careful with note 2638840 ).
When the check is done, you see the detailed cross master data errors.
After you get rid of all missing points, you are able to start uploading.
By clicking to “Next” once more, you’ll start upload your data to system.
Summary
In short; LTMC gives you a solid infrastructure to upload your data. Step by step it makes sure you provide right data in the right way. And does this in the steps below;
- Provide data format (Data Upload).
- Check uploaded data by itself (Data Validation).
- Check data against customizing (Convert Values).
- Check data against cross master data (Simulate Import).
Thank you.
Levent
PS: Don’t forget to check LTMOM post too, it helps you to create custom data migration models.