3588725 - FAQ for migration cockpit. Migration approach: Transfer / Migrate data using staging tables (SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition)

With what Product Release is the Staging Table approach available and can be used?

What naming convention do the generated staging tables follow?

• Below is an example for a generated staging table for object Work center (SIF_WORK_CNTR) and structure S_KAZY

• Table name: /1LT/DS<sys-id><consecutive number>

  • For example: /1LT/DSQKX000928

• Table description: Z_<Alias = technical Object name without SIF_>_<Mass transfer ID>:<structure name>

  • For example: Z_WORK_CNTR_U02:S_KAZY

What kind of database tables are used for staging tables and what are the limitations?

Staging tables are tables on an SAP HANA database.

SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition:

• • For SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition, you can use the approach Migrate Data Using Staging Tables:  

• • • When creating a migration project, you specify a location for the staging tables. If you use the option Local SAP S/4HANA Database Schema, the SAP S/4HANA migration cockpit will generate the staging tables in the local ABAP schema of the SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition system. Here, you can only use XML template files to upload data to the staging tables.

• • • If you use the option Remote SAP HANA Database Schema, you specify the relevant connection to a remote SAP HANA system and the SAP S/4HANA migration cockpit will generate the staging tables there. If you want to fill the staging table with data by using your preferred tools, select the option Remote SAP HANA Database and enter a valid database connection to the staging system or choose one from the search help list. The system will generate the staging tables there. These remote schemas are created in the SAP HANA Cloud on the SAP BTP. Note that you can also use files to fill the staging tables with data if you choose the option. 

      To use the Remote SAP HANA Database schema, you need to create a database connection by creating a communication arrangement for communication scenario SAP_COM_0678 (Migration Cockpit Integration). You can do this by using the Communication Arrangements Fiori app. However, you must first deploy the SAP the SAP HANA Cloud instance on SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP). Please note that additional costs may apply. For the successful communication configuration between the SAP HANA Cloud instance and SAP S/4HANA Migration Cockpit, you need to have set up SAP HANA Cloud on the SAP BTP. For more details see:

• • • • Data Migration to SAP S/4HANA from Staging (‏2Q2‏) - test scripts, set-up instructions in the process navigator.

• • For SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition: CSV feature is available. With this new feature, you can use CSV files to populate the staging tables with data in the Migration Cockpit - Migrate Your Data app. For more details see: KBA 3210687.

How can I fill the staging tables?

SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition:

For SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition it is possible to fill the staging tables using XML template files or/and CSV template files provided for every migration object. For more details see:

• KBA 2692715 - How to correctly fill data into XML template
• KBA 3210687 - Additional Information about Transferring Data from CSV Template Files to Staging Tables for the Migration Cockpit.

Must I pay attention to something if I fill the data directly in the staging tables?

• Yes. If you fill the data directly on the SAP HANA database you have to take care about default values and the correctness of the values of some data types
  
  
• Fields that are marked as NOT NULL or with an * (Asterisk) in the data definition must contain a value. They need to be populated with data taking into consideration the leading zeros, default values, and correctness of the values of some data types (for example, DATE, DECIMAL, TIME, and so on).
• You can find more information on the SAP Help Portal: SAP HANA SQL and System Views Reference for SAP HANA Platform → SQL Reference → Data Types.
  
  

• Data types	Restriction
  A field of datatype NUMC is a character based field that only contains numerical characters including leading zeroes.	If you fill the staging table on the SAP HANA database the leading zeroes must be filled on that kind field values. For example: Work center object (SIF_WORK_CNTR) The sheet Interval of Available Capacity has a field Capacity Utilization Ratio in Percent (S_KAZY-NGRAD) that is defined in the API's target and the object's sender structure as NUMC length 3. As described above the user that fills the SAP HANA database tables has to take care that the values on the database have leading zeroes. For example, the values: 0, 3, 10, 399 must be written on the database as: 000, 003, 010, 399. The initial value for this NUMC field is 000 and must also be filled. You can normally also recognize a NUMC field by its database definition: A NUMC field is defined as database character bases data type NVARCHAR with default value having zeroes. For example, '00' or '000' or '0000' and so on. If the leading zeroes are missing the API will probably throw an error message during the import of the data.
  A field of datatype DATS, TIMS must have the initial value set correctly	Data Type DB type Default value Format DATS NVARCHAR 00000000 YYYYMMDD TIMS NVARCHAR 000000 hhmmss
  Other numerical data types must have their default values set correctly	For a time stamp the DB type DECIMAL with length 21 is used. Data Type DB type Default value INT1 SMALLINT 0 DEC DECIMAL 0 FLTP DOUBLE 0

Are there any restrictions when creating source/sender structure key fields for my own objects?

• Key fields of the Header/Root structure must not be an SQL reserved word such as END, FROM, ORDER, SET, START, and so on
• This is because the Migration object modeler generates OPEN SQL statements into ABAP code of the function group that is used to load the data. 
• The list of reserved Words in SAP HANA see the SAP HANA SQL Reference → Reserved Words on the SAP Help Portal

Which databases are supported?

• SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition: SAP HANA DB via SAP HANA Cloud instance on SAP BTP

Other databases are not supported

Staging tables are generated in /1LT/DS namespace once a Migration Object is created in a migration project (using the SAP S/4HANA migration cockpit or Migrate your Data app) and the runtime object is generated. When you open a migration object, staging tables are automatically created for the migration objects. For each source structure of a migration object a separate staging table is created.

Yes, you can alter the data in the staging tables.

You can delete data records, filter the list of data records and reset its status.

When a staging table contains data, you can view the data records on the Staging Table Details screen and use the following functions: Filter the list of data records, Reset the status of a data record, Delete data records

For more details see: 

SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition:

• Migrate Your Data – Migration Cockpit app (Migrate Data Using Staging Tables):

• • Working with staging tables
  • Migrate Data Using Staging Tables
  • Transferring Data from Template Files to Staging Tables

Yes, you can use multiple data transfer jobs per Migration Object as of 1809 release. For more details see:

SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition:

• Migrate Your Data – Migration Cockpit app (Migrate Data Using Staging Tables) 
  • Job Management

Are there any naming conventions to follow for the database schema or Database User?

There are no dependencies regarding the name of the schema that needs to be created, so customers can specify or follow their own naming conventions.

Please note that there are also no dependencies regarding any naming convention from a Migration Cockpit perspective when creating the DB user.

For information about the naming conventions for the generated tables, refer to General Questions 2: What naming convention do the generated staging tables follow

Must I pay attention to any pre-requisites?

• If you use the Remote SAP HANA Database schema, you must first deploy the SAP HANA Cloud instance on SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP). Please note that additional costs may apply. For the successful communication configuration between the SAP HANA Cloud instance and SAP S/4HANA Migration Cockpit, you need to have set up SAP HANA Cloud on the SAP BTP. You need to set up the communication arrangement SAP_COM_0678 (Migration Cockpit Integration). Also you should take into account the IP allowed list for Integration - Data Migration to SAP S/4HANA from Staging (2Q2)

   

• Check the current Test script, the Set-up instructions in the Related Assets section of the scope item in the Process Navigator Data Migration to SAP S/4HANA from Staging (‏2Q2‏). Note that you have to log on to the Process Navigator.
  •  The Set-up instructions guide contains
    • the pre-requisites and the steps necessary to set up the Communication arrangement: SAP_COM_0678 
  • The Test script document contains
    • additional information on Manual configuration in section 4.
    • information on necessary Business Roles that needs to be assigned to your user in section 2
    • procedure steps within the migration cockpit in section 8.
    • Preliminary Steps to set up the necessary user settings for migrating your data in section 6

  • For the topic "IP allowed list for Integration - Data Migration to SAP S/4HANA from Staging (2Q2)"see KBA 3244236.

     

You can see the definition of the table in SAP HANA Studio. On the "Systems" tab, expand the folder "Catalog" and locate the relevant schema. Expand the schema and expand the folder Tables. Select the staging table and choose "Open Definition" from the context menu.

SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition

• Migrate Your Data – Migration Cockpit app (Migrate Data Using Staging Tables) 

• • For SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition, you can see the definition of the staging tables in the Migrate your Data – Migration Cockpit App on the Migration Object Tables – Structure screen. For this, you open a migration project, click a staging table of a migration object. The system displays the Migration Object Tables, Structure screen where you can find detailed information about the fields in the staging table.

• • Additionally, users can download a .txt file with metadata information for all tables of a migration object. This text file contains the structure of the tables and information such as length and data type. For more details, see the SAP Help Portal - The Migration Object Tables Screen.