When a customer implements a new R/3 System, an important part of the migration process is copying objects from the legacy system. To transfer this mass data, each business object type in the R/3 System currently has its own program for performing this initial data load with batch input, direct input, or other SAP developments (such as IS-B).

SAP developed the Data Transfer (DX) Workbench in Release 3.1 to give users a uniform startup screen for loading the different business object types, as well as simplified handling of standard files.

Starting in Release 4.6A, the DX Workbench allows BAPIs to be used for the data load in the R/3 System. The use of BAPIs is increasingly important, because the previous techniques are only of limited or no use for data transfer from Release 4.6 onwards:

• The batch input procedure cannot be used for the new Enjoy transactions because the batch input recorder does not support the controls used in these transactions. Until SAP implements a data transfer BAPI for these new transactions, SAP will continue to support the old transactions that do not yet use these controls. The disadvantage with this is that users have to deal with an additional transaction.

• The administration transaction associated with the direct input method will no longer be supported from Release 5.0 onwards (at the latest). This means that existing direct input programs can be used, but the data transfer should be converted to BAPIs in the medium term.

The target audience of this document consists of:

• BAPI developers who want to implement BAPIs capable of supporting mass data

• Potential users of mass data-capable BAPIs who would like a conceptual overview of the process flow of the mass data transfer using BAPIs

To develop or use mass data-capable BAPIs, you need: