In SAP R/3 and SAP ECC, the Legacy System Migration Workbench is a tool that supports transferring data from (non-)SAP systems ("Legacy Systems") to SAP systems once or periodically.

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Legacy System
Migration Workbench
(LSMW)

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Legacy System Migration Workbench (LSMW)
Introduction
How does LSMW work?
How to create a LSMW object?
How to import data via LSMW?
Attention points

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Introduction
• In SAP R/3 and SAP ECC, the Legacy System Migration Workbench is a
tool that supports transferring data from (non-)SAP systems ("Legacy
Systems") to SAP systems once or periodically.
• The tool supports conversion of data of the legacy system in a convenient
way.
• The data can then be imported into the SAP system via:
• Standard programs;
• Recording;
• BAPIs / IDocs.

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Introduction
• As from SAP S/4HANA the Legacy System Migration Workbench is still
available in the on-premise version, but it’s not considered as the migration
tool. LSMW might propose incorrect migration interfaces that cannot be used
in SAP S/4HANA anymore.
Other tools such as SAP Rapid Data Migration with SAP Data Services and
SAP S/4HANA migration cockpit are available.

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Useful transactions
Transaction Description
LSMW Legacy System Migration Workbench
SE11 Dictionary - Tables
SE38 Programs
BAPI BAPI Explorer
WE60 IDoc Documentation

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How does LSMW work?

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How to create a LSMW object?
Transaction: LSMW – Legacy System Migration Workbench
 Project: specify the name of the data transfer project
 Subproject: one or more subproject can be assigned to a project
 Object: name of LSMW object

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How to create a LSMW object?
Transaction: LSMW – Legacy System Migration Workbench
 Maintain Object Attributes
Define import method
 Maintain Source Structures
Define source structures with relations
 Maintain Structure Relations
Define source fields in different source structures
 Maintain Field Mapping and Conversion Rules
Assign source fields to fields in import method with or without conversions;
ABAP code can be used to perform conversions.
 Maintain Fixed Values, Translations, User-Defined Routines

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How to import data via LSMW?
The data can then be imported into the SAP system via:
 standard programs;
 Recording;
 BAPIs / IDocs.

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LSMW: standard programs
+ Standard programs
+ Maintenance afterwards
+ Easy to create
+ Processing time of loads
+ Reusability on different projects
- A lot of the direct input programs are outdated. E.g. Assets

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LSMW: standard programs
Example: creation of functional location via standard program

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LSMW: batch input recordings
+ Very simple to create a recording for simple mass changes
+ This technique can be used for practically all mass changes you want
to perform
- Recordings with different screens can be complex to create
- Processing time of loads
- Maintenance afterwards
- Limitations to reusability of recording on different projects
- Batch input recording are not release-dependant (screens can be
changed / removed, fields can be deleted from certain screens, etc.)

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LSMW: batch input recordings
Example: creation of cost center via recording

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LSMW: BAPI / IDoc
+ Standard tools
+ Maintenance afterwards
+ Last functionalities available
+ Processing time of loads
+ Reusability
- More difficult to create
- Additional setup required to use BAPI / IDoc
- There isn’t a BAPI / IDoc for every object

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LSMW: BAPI / IDoc
Example: creation of G/L Account via IDoc

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LSMW: Attention points
ALWAYS TEST MASS UPLOADS CAREFULLY !
ONE MISTAKE CAN HAVE A SEVERE IMPACT !
TRY TO AVOID RECORDINGS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE !