1. Assess the Current State
At the outset, the relevance and accuracy of existing data and documents should be reviewed to avoid migrating unnecessary or outdated information. A transformation is an ideal opportunity to consolidate data management and verify compliance with regulatory requirements.
2. Integrate Archiving into the Transformation
By integrating an archiving solution early on, data volumes can be reduced and the new system landscape will be streamlined. Intelligent archiving solutions like tia® help eliminate superfluous bulk from your SAP system.
3. Standardization and Simplification
The transition to SAP S/4HANA can be used to harmonize heterogeneous archiving landscapes and standardize processes – enabling greater efficiency and long-term maintainability.
4. Evaluate Data Quality and Relevance
The quality and relevance of the data to be migrated should be carefully assessed. Archiving solutions like tia® support the compliant management or elimination of obsolete data.
5. Ensure Technological Future-Readiness
As part of the migration, organizations should evaluate whether a switch from SAP ArchiveLink® to CMIS makes sense. CMIS is an open interface standard that supports modern, cloud-enabled integration scenarios and ensures future-proof connectivity with S/4HANA. In many cases, both interfaces can be used simultaneously.
6. Enable Cloud Compatibility and Scalability
Cloud-based or hybrid archiving solutions offer the flexibility and scalability needed to meet future demands – regardless of whether S/4HANA is deployed on-premise or in the cloud.
7. Guarantee Security and Compliance
To ensure data protection, secure access, and adherence to regulatory requirements, encryption technologies and role-based access controls are a must. A central archiving instance also simplifies audits and documentation obligations.
8. Reduce Costs and Increase Efficiency
Offloading archived data from the core SAP infrastructure can lower operational costs. At the same time, unburdening the S/4HANA system leads to more efficient use of available resources.
9. Optimize System Performance
An intelligent archiving strategy ensures that large volumes of data do not burden the operational system. This helps maintain peak SAP system performance – even as data volumes grow.
10. Plan and Execute the Migration
A well-thought-out archiving strategy supports a smooth migration process. It ensures that all relevant data remains accessible after the transformation – without overloading the new system.
The full transformation checklist is available here.