Use, for example, to copy site master data from R/3 Release 4.6C and later releases to releases prior to R/3 Release 4.6C. You export site master data from the source system and import it to the target system.

The site master consists of the following data:

• Stock-keeping level - Customizing tables for site and valuation area

• Customizing settings

You can import Customizing tables and settings by transporting the IMG or copying the client.

• Application data

• Customer master data
• Vendor master data
• Retail-specific data (for example, departments and merchandise categories)

When you export site master data, the system reads all site master data (Customizing tables and settings, and application data) that can be maintained on-line via the site master data maintenance screens.

The individual table entries are written line by line to an ASCII file in the following format:

<table name><data record>

More than one site master record can be written to an export file.

The import program of the site master can only process ASCII files generated by the export program of the site master. The import program adds the application data (customer or vendor master data, retail-specific data) to the Customizing tables and settings that are in the target system following IMG transport or client copy.

The data records are read in full and written to an internal structure corresponding to the table name. Data records with unknown table names are not processed and are listed in an error log.

The system compares the imported data records to the data records that already exist in the target system. If differences exist, the existing data records are overwritten by the imported data records.

The system checks the data records for check table entries only. Check table entries include organizational units such as the company code. This data must exist in the target system, for example, as the result of a client copy.

The site import program does not check that:

• Domain fixed values are correct

• The site master records are complete

• All the necessary site data records exist

If you have already completed the site master data by importing it to the target system, you can repeat the exporting and importing of site master data as often as required.

• Become complete site master records on receipt of application data from the export/import of site master data
• Do not become complete site master records, as they do not receive application data from the export/import of site master data

• Delete the incomplete site master record via the entity copier (transaction EC02). Do not delete site master records via the site master maintenance.
• Maintain the missing application data by exporting it from the source system and importing it into the target system
• Maintain the missing application data manually to the target system

• Do not only create the missing customer in customer master maintenance, since no reference to the site will be created in the customer master record. The site and the customer would have different address references, which would lead to an error in the application.
• Do not assign the customer to the site via transactions. You can only use the Re-assign customer and Re-assign vendor transaction properly, if the customer or vendor records are replaced by those in existing sites that contain no errors. If your previous customer or vendor does not exist, these transactions cannot re-assign the objects. The system issues a message informing you of the inconsistency. Usually, the transactions have to reset the references, for example, by creating a common address object.