In a series of posts following this one, I’ll go into the specifics of the entire initial load procedure from beginning to end. The table of contents is below, and I’ll update the link whenever I write about a new section.

Overview of the Initial Load

When the organization needs the data from the prior financial period(s) to be accessible in the central system, such as during any SAP Central Finance project. The reporting obligations are the main reason for this. Here’s an illustration:

  • The organization’s fiscal year is January through December, with SAP Central Finance going live in August 2020.
  • For the time being, to make the explanation clearer, the scope covers 4 SAP ECC systems. When the Go Live occurs on August 1, 2020, reporting will need to be able to use data from all fiscal years in a single system.
  • In this instance, the initial load period runs from January 1 through July 31, 2020.
  • Replication will begin in the central system on August 1. As a result, the central finance system will have data for the period of January 1 through December 31, 2020, for reporting purposes, at the end of the year.
  • You might be wondering whether we still need to conduct the Initial Load if the go live is scheduled for January 1.

Answers are YES and NO, but you’re probably wondering why given that I don’t want to include data from the previous year.

From a functional perspective, the answer is NO because you don’t need to transfer data from the previous year to the central system, but from a technical perspective, the answer is YES because the technical step of running initial load, also known as EMPTY INITIAL LOAD, is required to enable replication of data starting on January 1. This won’t transfer any data from the previous year or period to the central system, but it will assist in completing the technical requirements needed for the data replication to begin.

(The distinction between initial load and replication will be covered in more detail in the blog post that follows, initial load planning & sequencing.)

What data objects fall under the initial load category?

  • Accountancy Records
  • Alterations to accounting records CO supplementary materials
  • Costly items
  • Project System Master Data Commitment Documents for Profit Center Accounting
  • Movement Rates
  • Estimated Material Costs (settings and process of replication will be covered in the subsequent blogs as mentioned in content section)

Be cautious because there are some things that SAP Central Finance cannot replicate (this is true up until the release of SAP S/4HANA 1909 FPS1 and may no longer be true in the future)

Sample Documents Frequently Asked Questions

  • Documents for Asset Accounting are Sub Ledgers (Very important to understand the impact and while designing the overall architecture)
  • Items parked Balance Items should be carried over and a few others that, given the scope of the product, are not particularly vital
  • I hope it clarifies what initial load is in reality.

Keep reading, pay attention, and let me know if there are any topics you’d want to see added.