How does the switch to S/4HANA affect the dab:AnalyticSuite?

Are we paying for the switch to the latest generation of SAP ERP with problems in data analysis? Following SAP's announcement to discontinue support for older ERP systems from 2025, more and more of our customers are switching to S/4HANA. Since the system is based on a changed data model, we regularly encounter the question of whether there will be problems with the dab:AnalyticSuite. A look at the most important changes shows what effects can be expected with a changeover.

New master data category: Business Partner

In the previous SAP ERP systems, customer and supplier master data are stored in separate tables. The data model is based on the assumption that a business partner can be either a customer or a supplier. However, this is far removed from the reality of the company. SAP has also recognised this and introduced the category of business partner with S/4HANA.  

Whereas master data previously had to be maintained twice if a business partner was both a customer and a vendor, in S/4HANA it is sufficient to enter master data once for a business partner. If a customer also appears as a vendor, the corresponding partner function is added to their master data record.  

The transactions XD03 (display of customer master data) and XK03 (display of vendor master data) are no longer available in S/4HANA. The business partner master data is now displayed in transaction BP. 

The most important SAP tables in which the business partner master data is stored are called BUT000 (general data), BUT020 (address numbers for business partners), ADRC (addresses for address numbers), BUT0BK (bank details). Since the "old" master data tables (e.g. LFA1, LFB1, KNA1, KNB1) continue to be filled redundantly, the new data model has no effect on dab:AnalyticSuite. 

Changed storage systematics of financial documents

To optimise access time in S/4HANA, FI documents are stored in the SAP table ACDOCA. It replaces the previous tables for line item documents from FI, FI-AA and CO and includes both header and item data of an FI document.  However, the tables BSEG and BKPF continue to be filled redundantly, so that adjustments to dab:AnalyticSuite are not necessary.

Although supplier and customer lines are no longer stored in the tables BSAK, BSIK, BSAD, BSID in S/4HANA, they still exist as CDS database views and can thus be exported by using the SAP Connector. Again: The new FI data model has no impact on dab:AnalyticSuite. '

Merging data on material stocks and movements

Until now, information on material and material movements was stored in several tables. In order to simplify more comprehensive analyses, various tables in S/4HANA are merged in the MATDOC table - the header and document data are now also stored here. 

However, the MKPF and MSEG tables continue to be filled redundantly so that no adjustment is necessary in the dab:AnalyticSuite.

New storage location for conditions in SD documents

The final price of orders is made up of various payment conditions, for example list price, discount, freight costs.
These conditions were previously stored in the KONV table in SAP ERP systems. In S/4HANA, the table still exists, but is no longer used. Instead, conditions are now stored in the PRCD_ELEMENTS table. 

Adjustments in the dab:AnalyticSuite were necessary: If the PRCD_ELEMENTS table exists, it is now read automatically instead of the KONV table.

More options in sales documents 

With S/4HANA, SAP is expanding the information for sales and distribution documents. The status of SD documents was previously stored in the tables VBUK and VBUP in SAP ECC. In S/4HANA, the tables continue to exist but are no longer operated. Instead, the status is integrated as a status field in other SD tables.

Some examples are listed below:
- Table VBAK has been extended by the fields LFSTK, LFGSK, FKSAK, ABSTK, GBSTK, CMGST.
- Table VBAP was extended by the fields LFSTA, LFGSA.
- Table LIPS was extended by the field WBSTA. 

We have adapted the scripts of dab:AnalyticSuite so that the new tables are used after a single download.

Conclusion: Benefit from release security with dab:AnalyticSuite 

Companies that perform their data analyses with dab:AnalyticSuite do not have to worry that they will face difficulties after a change of operating system. Neither do they have to make adjustments themselves nor do they have to fear that certain evaluations are now no longer possible. 

Many changes in the data model per se have no effect on the tables used by dab:AnalyticSuite. Where this is the case, we have already done whatever is necessary and stored the corresponding changes in the scripts. 

As a user, you can lean back and continue your analyses as usual. Because with dab:AnalyticSuite you always also acquire the security of always being able to use it smoothly with the latest ERP versions and software updates.