AB1007 – Conversion v1.

LSMW
Legacy System Migration
Workbench
Legacy System Migration Workbench

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LSM Workbench
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What is Data migration?

• In an SAP R/3 implementation the data from legacy

system (non SAP R/3) needs to be transferred to
the SAP system

• Periodic data transfer between R/3 and other

system (interfacing) is also required

• Both of the above form a part of data migration

Significance of data migration

• Data migration comes in the end of R/3

implementation.

• To start with Data Migration first

configuration should be fully completed

• Data migration is about 20% to 40% of

the total implementation expenses.
Data migration tools

The tools for data migration are:-

• BDC (Batch Data Communication)

• LSMW (Legacy System Migration Workbench)

Difference between BDC & LSMW
• LSMW offers different technique for migrating data:
Direct input, BAPI, Idoc, Batch input recording.
While BDC basically uses batch input sessions and
CALL TRANSACTION method.

• Limit on number of records which can be uploaded

in one session of BDC (999 records). No such limit
in LSMW.

• LSMW is more to do with configuration while BDC

involves programming.
LSM Workbench
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What is LSMW?

• The LSM Workbench is an R/3-based tool that supports you when

transferring data from
- Non-SAP systems ("Legacy Systems") to R/3
- Once or Periodically.

• The tool supports conversion of data

• The data can be imported into the R/3 system via

- Batch Input
- Direct Input
- BAPI’s
- IDocs.
LSMW
The LSM Workbench is a tool that supports data transfer
from non-SAP systems to R/3. The main functions of the
LSM Workbench are:

- Import data (legacy data in spreadsheet tables and/or

sequential files)

- Convert data (from source format to target format)

- Import data (into the database of the R/3 application)

Principles of LSM Workbench

• Basic Principles of LSM workbench:-

– Most of the functions should reside in R/3. No collection of

individual programs on different platforms.

– The quality and consistence of the data imported into R/3

should be more important than speed and performance of
data migration.

– Existing knowledge and coding should be used.

– The developed ”mapping" and rules should be reusable and

thus be used repeatedly in projects.
Features of LSMW
• Features:-

Integrated in R/3 and thus independent of individual platforms

The import technique to be used in an individual case, depends on the business object as
well as on the availability of standard input programs

Data consistency due to standard import techniques:

Batch input
Direct input
BAPIs (Business Application Programming Interfaces)
IDocs (Intermediate Documents)

Structured way of working, because you have to finish every step before starting the next
step
Graphical representation
Pre-requisites for LSMW

• Make sure that SAP customizing is finished.

• Run the relevant transaction in the SAP system manually

with test data from the legacy system and see which fields
must be filled. There may be required fields that do not
correspond to data fields in the legacy system. In such a
case, one should better assign a fixed value or establish an
optional field for data transfer.

• Map the fields in advance in written form: Assign the source

fields to the target fields.

• Determine the form in which non-SAP data will be transferred

into the SAP system (e.g. via "Move" or according to a rule).
Import methods…
Preferred methods of input are described in order of preference:
1. IDOC’s

Advantages: Fast to load, easy processing, low

programming for standard IDOC’s
Disadvantages: Good knowledge of IDOC processing
required, time consuming if changes have to be made to a
created IDOC

2. BAPI’s

Advantages: Fast to load, easy processing, logical interface

for functional/end user based on the business processes
involved.
Disadvantages: Not always complete with all input fields of a
transaction
Import Methods…
3. Standard/Direct Input

Advantages: Well tested method, Fast to load, easy processing.

Disadvantages: No enjoy transactions, not always complete with all
input fields of a transaction.

4. Batch Input

Advantages: Easy modifiable, all fields are available, easy re-

processing.
Disadvantages: Comparatively slow, to use new screens or tabs a
new recording has to be created, not easily usable for enjoy
transactions, dependant on user settings, difference in foreground
and background processing may occur.
LSM Workbench
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Getting Started
Here is an example showing the way to use the conversion tool LSMW in SAP.
It starts in the start-up screen of LSMW transaction and ends with a screen on
which the results of the conversion are displayed

If you want to create or change objects, make sure that you are working in
change mode. To activate this mode, click Change in the corresponding
processing step. Only this mode provides all functions required for changing
objects
Step 1 - Enter transaction LSMW

Enter the transaction code (LSMW) or add this transaction to your favourites (right-click
with your mouse on the Favourites map in the start menu and choose Insert transaction,
type lsmw and press enter), since LSMW is an additional transaction, it is not available in
the standard SAP menu.
Step 2 – project, subproject, objects

At the initial screen, you can create a new project, corresponding

subprojects and objects via Edit -> Create new entry. Alternatively you
can select from an existing project

• 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
Step2 contd..

- At the initial screen, ‘All Objects’ provides a list of all projects

created already.

- ‘My Objects’ displays a list of all objects you created personally

- ‘All Project Objects’ displays all objects of the selected project as

tree structure.

- ‘Project Documentation’ displays any documentation written for the

individual pop-ups and processing steps. You can print the project
documentation out, send it and save it in various file formats.

- Select ‘Documentation’ to enter your notes. After clicking, a popup

is displayed in which you can write down your personal
documentation.
Initial Screen

By clicking the button execute or pressing the F8

key on your keyboard you go to the object, you
selected.

By clicking the button create a new object for the

selected project and subproject with the name entered
in the object field is created.

By positioning the cursor on an entry and clicking

on the button documentation, you can add change or
delete comments.
Administration - list of existing projects
Project

Subproject Object

In the initial screen, you can display the administration functions

via the menu path Goto Administration. Here you can find a list of
all existing projects.

It enables you to create, process, display, delete, copy or rename

projects, subprojects, objects and reusable rules.

By double-clicking on an entry you can branch to the entry display.

Step 3 – Execute

Once the project and subproject along with

the object are determined we execute to
find the list of steps to be performed for
data transfer
Process steps
Process steps

• The number of process steps is dynamic and shall depend

on factors like input method

• By clicking the ‘User menu’ button one can select – deselect

the Process steps

• To proceed through the processing steps one needs to start

from the first one and execute each of them

• A step can be skipped by selecting the next available

processing steps’ radio button
Maintain object attributes
Choose if
the data
transfer is
once or
periodic

Choose If Batch input recording is selected one

can enter further recordings by clicking
method for at the arrow
input of data.

In the method to
input data from a
BAPI, one needs
to select the
Business Object
and the
corresponding
method.
Application Toolbar in Process steps

User Menu: Here you can make an individual selection from the displayed processing steps.
Pressing button ‘Main steps’ automatically activates all processing steps mandatory for a data
conversion.

Numbers On or Off: You can activate or deactivate the numbering of the individual processing
steps.

Double click = Display or Double click = Change: Here, you can determine whether display mode
or change mode is selected by double clicking.

Object overview: Displays all object information for the selected object.
Information includes object information, source structures, target structures, structure relations,
source fields, target fields, field mapping.

Action log: Displays a detailed overview for all processing steps already carried out. You can
reset the action log via the menu path Extras -> Reset Action Log. This action is stored with a
reference to the user and the date.
Maintain Source structures

In the step ‘Maintain Source Structures’ you define the structures of the object
with name, description and the hierarchical relationships:

Click on Change button. You can now define, change, reassign or delete
structures. All these functions are available via pushbuttons.
When you define more than one structure, a popup is displayed querying the
relations between the structures: equal/subordinate?

Note: For migration objects created via transaction recording, you may only
define one structure per recording, since only one flat target structure per
recording is available.
Maintain source fields

In the step ‘Maintain Source Fields’, fields are created and maintained for the
source structure defined in the preceding step

Use source fieldnames with the same names as the target fieldnames as much as
possible, because it allows you to use the ‘auto-field mapping’ function in step 5
‘Maintain field mapping and conversion rules’.
Maintain source fields
Different possible ways of defining and maintaining the
source fields:

Make sure that you are in change mode and the cursor is positioned on a source
structure or an existing source field

1. Create Individual source fields - By clicking on the button ‘Create source field’ you can
specify the field name, field label, field length and field type

During data read, you can specify whether date values are converted into the internal
date format (YYYYMMDD) and amount fields are converted into the calculation format
(1234.56)

‘Selection Parameter’ can be set during Read/Convert data. If you select this indicator,
the corresponding field is made available as selection parameter when reading or
converting data.

2. Maintain Source Fields in Table Form – Clicking on the ‘Table Maintenance’ button
displays the fields in a tabular format.
Maintain source structure… contd

Different possible ways of defining and maintaining the source fields:

• 3. Copy Source Fields from Other Sources : By selecting ‘Copy Source Fields’ displays
the following options:

- Upload (Text separated with Tabs) – The source field description is stored in a text file
the columns of which are separated by tabs

- Copy from Another Object – Source field can be copied from source structure of
another object

- Copy from Data Repository – Source field can be copied from a structure in SAP Data
Repository

- From Data File (Field Name in 1 Line) - Source fields can be copied from a data file
which should be stored on the PC in the form of text separated by tabs and contain the
fields in the first line.
Maintain structure relations

 In the step ‘Maintain Structure Relations’, the structural relationships between

source and target structures are defined. The possible target structures are defined
during the selection of the object type and the import technique

 To define structural relationships, position the cursor on the field target

structures. Clicking create Relationship button opens a window that displays the
existing source structures for selection

 If you want to change the relation, remove the existing relation first. In addition,
you can use Check to check the structural relationships for errors
Maintain Field mapping & conversion rules

• In the step ‘Maintain Field Mapping and Conversion Rules’, you assign source
fields to target fields and define how the field contents will be converted

• All fields of target structure, which you selected in the previous step, will be
displayed.

• For each target field the following information is displayed:

- Field description
- Assigned source fields (if any)
- Rule type (fixed value, translation etc.)
- Coding
Maintain Field mapping & conversion rules

Layout determination

 The layout of the ‘Maintain field mapping’ screen

can be determined. i.e. we can decide whether the
‘Global data’, ‘Technical fields’ should be displayed
Maintain Field mapping & conversion rules

 To assign a source field, position the cursor on a target

field in the tree structure and select Assign source field.

This displays a list of all available source fields for

selection. You can assign the fields by double-clicking on
them as well
Maintain Field mapping & conversion rules

 After assigning the source fields, you define the

conversion rules. The default rule is ‘Move’.
However, you can select various standard
techniques via pushbutton: The target field is
assigned coding
carrying out field
contents conversion
using a translation
table
This deletes the
coding assigned to
the target field. In
A ‘fixed value object’
addition, source
The target The data is (variable) named FV_<fixed
fields assigned to
field is transferred value> is assigned to the
the target fields
assigned a using target field. This fixed value
are removed as
fixed ABAP object is filled with an actual
well.
value command value in step ‘Maintain Fixed
‘Move’ Values, Translations, User-
Defined Routines’.
Maintain field mapping & conversion rules

By clicking this button, after clicking once on a target field (in blue), LSMW
displays the list of available source fields, by choosing one the standard rule ‘move’ is
used to link the 2 fields

By clicking this button, after clicking once on a target field (in blue), the source
field is deleted from the target field

By clicking this button, the display of this step can be changed. There are
possibilities to show or hide several aspects of the field mapping

By clicking this button, a syntax check is performed for the conversion program,
generated from the field mapping

These 3 buttons, which are available for every target field, display the help
function (‘I’), the possible entries (?) and the last one displays the documentation in LSMW
Maintain Fixed values, translations…

In the step ‘Maintain Fixed Values, Translations, User-Defined Routines’,

you can process the reusable rules of a project, which are defined at
project level, so they are the same for all objects

Fixed value: Here you can specify the length, type flag for
lowercase/uppercase and value in addition to the name of the field.

Translation: Here you can enter information on the source field and the
target field. If you are creating a new translation you have to save data
first before you can change it

User Defined Routines: This routine can be re-used in other objects of

the project. The system adds in ‘ur_’ to the name that you suggest to use
for this routine. It opens up an editor wherein you can enter your ABAP
code
Process Step- Specify File

In the step ‘Specify Files’, you describe all files to be used

If your legacy data is on the PC: In change mode, position the cursor on the line ‘Legacy data
On the PC (Front-end)’. Select Add entry. A popup is displayed. Specify file path, file name and
description and other properties

If your legacy data is on the R/3 server: In change mode, position the cursor on the line ‘
Legacy data On the R/3 server (application server)’. Select Add entry. A popup is displayed.
Specify file path, file name and description and other properties

File for Imported data: Here, the file name is entered with file extension ’.lsmw.read’.

File for Converted data: Here, the file name is entered with file extension ’.lsmw.conv’. This
file
will contain all your converted data after applying the conversion rules if any.
Process Step – Assign File

In the step ‘Assign Files’, you can assign the file name in step 7 declared as source file to the target
structure defined in step 2 .
If you click on the Assign File button, after clicking once on a target structure (in yellow), LSMW
displays the list of available source files.
If you click on the Delete Assignment button, after clicking once on a target structure (in yellow), the
source file is deleted from the target structure.
Process step – read data

In the step ’Read Data’, the file specified in previous step is, as linked to the target
structures in . Even though you can select a range of transaction numbers, the whole
file is being read, only the amount of transactions written is influenced. So for tests it is
easier to read all data and convert only a certain range, because in that step the
program stops after finishing the range.
Process Step – Display read data

In the step ‘Display Read Data’, you can display the read data, choosing to show all
read data or an interval as shown above. The data are shown as the source structures,
in case more source structures are being used in one transaction, the hierarchy of the
transaction is displayed by the use of a different colour legend. By clicking on one of
the lines, you proceed to the field level of the line, where you can check the read data
as shown below.
Process Step – Convert data

In the step ‘Convert Data’, works like the step ‘read data’, but uses the conversion
program instead of the read program. You can define a range of transactions to be
converted, at the end of this range the conversion program stops running.
Note: It is recommended that when you load big amount of data in production, load
the first 10 records so that you can check and change when necessary.
Process Step - Display converted data

In the step ‘Display Converted Data’, you can display the converted data, choosing
to show all converted data or an interval as shown above. The data are shown as the
target structures, in case more target structures are being used in one transaction,
the hierarchy of the transaction is displayed by the use of a different colour legend.
By clicking on one of the lines, you proceed to the field level of the line, where you
can check the converted data as shown below.
Process Step
After the step ‘Display Converted Data’ the exact content of the next steps may differ,
depending on the import technique that you have chosen in step 1. The steps displayed by
the program for the different import techniques are:

Standard batch input or recording:

Generate batch input session
Run batch input session

Standard direct input:

Start direct input session

BAPI or IDoc:
Start IDoc creation
         Start IDoc processing
Create IDoc overview
Start IDoc post-processing  
LSM Workbench
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Practical LSM Workbench
Exercise 1
Create LSMW object and upload Vendor Master data to SAP

1. Analyzing the test data (in attached XLS file)

select the appropriate upload method

2. Develop simple LSMW object - No major

conversions required
Practical LSM Workbench
Exercise 2
Create LSMW object and upload Purchase Requisition data to SAP

1. Analyzing the test data (in attached XLS file)

select the appropriate upload method

2. Develop simple LSMW object - No major

conversions required
Using Direct Input method
Using Direct Input method

• We now look at an example to change Customer

master record using the direct input method.

• Specifications:
Object : 0050 - Customer Master
Method : 0000
Program Name: RFBIDE00
Program Type :B
Using Direct Input method

• Step 1: Enter transaction LSMW

• Step 2: Enter project, subproject and object

Using Direct input method

Step 3: Enter the descriptions for Project,

Subproject and Object as prompted
Using Direct Input method
• Step 4: Click on execute. The process steps are
displayed (the process steps displayed depend on
the input method chosen)
Using Direct Input method
• Step 5 : Select the 1st Process Step “Maintain Object
Attributes” and select “Execute” and select ‘Standard Batch/
Direct input’. Enter the data as shown
Using Direct Input method

• Step 6: Save and Click at Back

• Step 7:Maintain Source Structure

Using Direct Input method

• Step 8 : Create source structure - XD02S

Using Direct Input method

• Step 9 : Maintain Source Fields

Click at the table maintenance icon, to specify the
fields.
Using Direct Input method
• Step 10: Maintain structure relations

• Step 11: Execute, structures for standard object

‘0050’ are displayed.
Using Direct Input method

• Step 12: Place cursor at the target structure and

click at create relationship icon
Using Direct Input method

• Step 13 - Maintain Field mapping and conversion

rules
- Place cursor at the field ‘TCODE’ in ‘BNK00’ and
click at ‘Rule’ - Then choose ‘Constant’
and enter ‘XD02’.
Using Direct Input method
• Step 14: Place cursor at the fields and click at the
‘Source Field’ icon to map with the respective field
in the source.
The above is applicable for BNK00, BNKVV and all
the other structures assigned ‘XD02S’ in source
relation
Using Direct input method
• Step 15 : Specify Files
Enlist files wherefrom legacy data would be extracted.

FLAT_FILE
Using Direct input method
• Step 16: Assign files
The structure XD02S is correlated with the specified
file.
Using Direct input method
• Step 17: Read data from legacy files.
Using Direct input method
• Step18: Display the read data
Using Direct input method
• Step 19: Create batch input session
Using Direct input method

• Step 20: Execute the batch input session

Using Batch Input Method
Using Batch Input Method

• The Sessions method provides more flexibility

since user can record any transaction required.

• In the following slides we observe the differences

between the Sessions and the ‘Direct Input
method’ for the same scenario – Change customer
Master data.
Using Batch Input Method
• Create Project, Subproject and Object in transaction LSMW

• Step – ‘Maintain Objects attributes’, select ‘Batch input

recording’. Enter the recording name if a recording already
exists else create a new one by clicking at the icon
‘Recording overview’

Recording
overview
key
Using Batch Input Method
• Recording..
During the recording the system calls the transaction code
XD02 and prompts you to complete the Change.

Select at
least one
area of
processing .
Using Batch Input Method

• Recording

Default values
Using Batch Input Method
• Process recording
- Replace the default values in the previous slide with Field
names.
- Double click on each of the lines to effect the change.
Using Batch Input Method

• Rest of the steps remain the same as the

‘Direct input method’ other than ‘ Maintain
Field mapping and conversion rules’
Using Batch Input Method
• Sessions method • Direct Input

The fields
specified in
the recording
Fields part of
are displayed
the structure
available with
Standard
Object 0050
Using BAPI in LSM Workbench
Using BAPI in LSM Workbench

• We now go through a step by step process of

realizing LSMW through a BAPI

• Details of BAPI used:

- Business Object: BUS2012
- Method: CreateFromData

• Details of Message Type and Basic IDoc Type:

- Message Type: PORDCR
- Basic IDoc Type: PORDCR02
Using BAPI in LSM Workbench

• Step 1 : Go to transaction LSMW

• Step 2 : Enter project, subproject and object

and click on Create
Using BAPI in LSM Workbench

Step 3: Enter the descriptions for Project,

Subproject and Object as prompted
Using BAPI in LSM Workbench

Step 4: Now select Settings  IDoc Inbound

Processing
Using BAPI in LSM Workbench

Step 5 :“IDoc Inbound Processing” screen appears. Enter

the required details as shown below:

Step 6 :Click on “Activate IDoc Inbound Processing”.

Using BAPI in LSM Workbench

• Step 7 : Click on “Yes” when prompted for “Activate IDoc Inbound?”

• Step 8 : Hit on “Back” to return to the main screen

Using BAPI in LSM Workbench

• Step 9: Click on Continue (F8). Following Screen appears

Using BAPI in LSM Workbench

Step 10: Select the Step 1 “Maintain Object Attributes” and

select “Execute”
Using BAPI in LSM Workbench

Step 11 : Select the radio button “Business Object

Method” and enter the following details:

Business Object: BUS2012

Method: CreateFromData
Using BAPI in LSM Workbench

Step 12: Save and click on BACK button. Following

information message is displayed

Step 13: Maintain Source Structure

Using BAPI in LSM Workbench

Step 14:Create source structure ‘HEADERDATA’

and a lower level structure ‘ITEMDATA’

Save and go back to main screen

Using BAPI in LSM Workbench

• Step 15 : Maintain source fields

Enter the fields as shown below:
Using BAPI in LSM Workbench
Step 16:Maintain Structure Relations
Using BAPI in LSM Workbench

Maintain structure relations:

- Select ‘E1PORDCR’ in previous fig. and click on CREATE
Relationship. Following screen appears:

- Select HEADERDATA and hit ENTER. Do the same for other

structures
Using BAPI in LSM Workbench

• Step 17 :Maintain Field mapping and conversion

rules. Maintain field mapping as shown:-
Using BAPI in LSM Workbench

Step 18 : Specify File

Provide the link for the test file. Maintain the same
structure of the test file as defined before
Using BAPI in LSM Workbench

Step 19: Select ‘Assign Files’ & execute

Step 20: Read Data

Step 21: Display read data

Using BAPI in LSM Workbench

Step 22: Return to main screen and select ‘Convert

Data’ followed by ‘Display Convert Data’
Using BAPI in LSM Workbench

Step 23: Return to main screen and select “Start

IDoc generation”
Using BAPI in LSM Workbench

Step 24 : Process Idoc through the step ‘Start Idoc

Processing’ on main screen
Using BAPI in LSM Workbench

Step 25: Click on ‘Create Idoc Overview’ on the

main screen. Here the data record and status
record of the Idoc can be viewed
LSM Workbench
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HelpMe
Object Overview
Complete overview of Data Migration object can be obtained from the Menu:
Extras  Object Overview

• Overview in List format

• Overview in Table format
HelpMe
Object Overview cont…
• Overview in List format
HelpMe
Object Overview cont…
• Overview in Table format
HelpMe
Settings for IDoc inbound processing
This can be obtained from the initial LSMW screen Menu: Settings  Idoc
Inbound Processing
Specify the following:
• File/tRFC port
• Partner Type
• Partner Number

These can be maintained by clicking on the respective buttons on the right.

Click on the Activate IDoc Inbound Processing button after entering all the
details above.
HelpMe
To transport data migration objects
This can be done in 2 ways:
• By generating a change request or
• By import/export of a project from one system to another

From the initial LSMW screen Menu: Extras 

See screen print below
Help Me
Problems Solutions
Recording Check to see whether the field names
Fields cannot be seen in the field have been maintained correctly in the
mapping after a recording has been recording process.
created. From the list of steps, choose
Maintain source fields.
Check the names of the source fields.
If they are missing, double-click on
the corresponding field to branch to
the Change source field dialog box.
Fill in the corresponding fields.
Confirm by choosing Continue.
Repeat the recording process.
Help Me
Problems Solutions
The source file contains data in one In step Maintain field mapping and
data record out of which to records are conversion rules, choose the transfer
to be created after conversion. record function.

Error message during/after import See the object attributes to determine

which import program was used, and
search for documentation and notes on
this import method directly.