Custom Code Adaptation for Business Partner in SAP ECC to S/4HANA

In SAP ECC, customers and vendors were managed in separate master data tables. With S/4HANA, they are unified into Business Partners eliminating the distinction between them and offering significant advantages. The goal is to move from fragmented data silos to a single, centralized master record. But how can businesses merge their data in the most efficient and reliable way?

The Starting Point in SAP ECC

Master data management in SAP ECC separated customers and vendors into different table sets:

• Customers: KN* tables (e.g., KNA1, KNB1 …)
• Vendors: LF* tables (e.g., LFA1, LFB1 …)

Until now, a business partner who acted as both customer and vendor had to be created and maintained in two separate master records, leading to several issues:

• Error-prone: Changes (e.g., address or bank details) had to be maintained twice, increasing the risk of data inconsistencies.
• Inefficient: Higher maintenance effort, redundant data storage, and more complex reporting.
• Custom Code Dependencies: Custom developments accessed KN*/LF* tables directly — a model no longer used as the primary data source in S/4HANA.

The Target Model in SAP S/4HANA: The Business Partner

With S/4HANA, SAP introduces the Business Partner (BP) as the central master data object.
One master record per partner: A business partner can be a customer, a vendor, or both.

• Roles instead of duplicates: Functions are represented through roles (Customer, Supplier, etc.).
• Central maintenance: Changes to addresses, bank details, or communication data are made once and apply across all roles.
• Stability: A unified data model for SD, MM, FI, and all connected processes.

This shift ensures data consistency, transparency, and efficiency — but it also represents a major transformation for existing systems.

The Challenge: From ECC to S/4HANA

The transition may sound simple but comes with complex tasks:

1. Data Migration: Customer and vendor data from KN*/LF* tables must be transferred and, if necessary, consolidated into the BP model.
2. Custom Code Adaptation: Programs accessing KNA1 or LFA1 need to be adjusted to the BP tables (e.g., BUT000) and new role logic.
3. Effort & Risks: While many adjustments are technically straightforward (e.g., field length changes, SELECT statements), they add up to thousands of manual modifications. Without automation, this process can become extremely time-consuming, costly, and error-prone.

Our Solution: Business Partner + CCA Toolset

This is where the CCA Toolset comes in — your intelligent assistant for a smooth and efficient migration. The toolset merges separate master data tables automatically and error-free within minutes, eliminating one of the most time-consuming manual tasks.
Additional benefits of the CCA Toolset include:

• Automated Adjustments: Reviews the ATC-generated checklist and independently applies standard modifications.
• Coverage of up to 80% of Migration Tasks: Including adaptations of extended data fields (e.g., material numbers), HANA-specific SQL changes, and replacement of obsolete functions.
• 30–40% Time Savings: Significantly shortens overall project duration.
• Predictability: Estimates migration effort with only a 5% deviation — ideal for accurate budgeting and project planning.

Your Benefits

• The Business Partner serves as the central, fully migrated, and harmonized master data object.
• Reduced effort for Custom Code adaptation through automation.
• Planning reliability through accurate forecasting.
• Future readiness with a consistent, streamlined master data model in S/4HANA.

Conclusion

The transition from SAP ECC to the Business Partner model in S/4HANA is both inevitable and complex. With the CCA Toolset, you pave the way for a fast, secure, and efficient migration - ensuring clean master data, automated code adjustments, and reduced project costs.

Request a free demo of the Business Partner & CCA Toolset now.