The Challenge: Moving Beyond Legacy Reporting
The customer had a multi-layered data environment with:
- SAP S/4HANA and non-SAP systems as transactional sources
- SAP BW on HANA serving as their central data warehouse
- A web of BOBJ reports and dashboards built on top of BW queries
While this architecture had served them well in the past, it no longer aligned with their cloud-first strategy. Reporting was becoming slower and harder to scale. Custom logic embedded in BW was rigid and not cloud-compatible. Maintenance overheads were rising.
What they needed was:
- A modern, cloud-native analytics platform
- Faster, more interactive reporting across business functions
- The ability to integrate and analyze real-time data from multiple systems
- A sustainable solution that reduced infrastructure dependence while enabling innovation
And they needed all this without losing the business logic, structures, and investments already built into their existing BW system.
The Landscape: Complex, Fragmented, and Ready for Change
The customer’s data ecosystem had become increasingly fragmented, with both SAP and non-SAP transactional systems feeding into a centralized BW on HANA environment. Over time, this setup created challenges in scalability, performance, and cross-platform data integration.
To address this, they knew a move to a modern, cloud-native analytics stack was essential—not just for performance, but for strategic agility.
The diagram below illustrates the pre-migration landscape:
The Solution: SAP Datasphere + SAC, Enabled by Integritty
Working closely with the customer’s IT team, Integritty led the end-to-end modernization of their analytics stack using SAP Datasphere and SAP Analytics Cloud (SAC).
Here’s how we approached it:
- Shell Conversion Approach
Rather than migrating all historical data, we used a shell conversion strategy—migrating only metadata. This allowed us to:
- Retain tight control over data modeling
- Avoid redundancy or rework in data movement
- Optimize performance and data flow from the start
- Reimagining Reporting with SAC
The legacy BOBJ reports were not simply replicated—they were re-engineered in SAC, leveraging the advanced visualization and interactive features of the platform. SAC became the single access point for all analytics, empowering users with intuitive dashboards and real-time insights.
- Leveraging BW Bridge for Continuity
One of the most powerful tools in this transition was the BW Bridge component in SAP Datasphere. It enabled us to:
- Reuse existing BW objects and logic
- Incorporate BW customizations directly into the new landscape
- Smoothly transition key assets like queries, structures, and transformations
- Modular, Phased Execution
Over a focused 18-week engagement, the team successfully migrated 35 critical reports across SD, FI (GL, AP, AR), and MM (PO, INV) modules. This included optimization of models during migration to deliver faster query performance and more agile reporting.
Overcoming Key Challenges
Every transformation brings its own set of hurdles—and this project was no exception. Some of the major challenges we navigated included:
- Custom ABAP logic that wasn’t compatible with cloud platforms
- The discontinuation of BEx queries, which had to be restructured or replaced
- Lack of support for OLAP engine features like analysis authorizations, requiring redesign of access control mechanisms
Thanks to our deep expertise in both on-premise BW and cloud-native SAP tools, we were able to architect scalable workarounds and rebuild critical logic in the new environment without compromising functionality.
Value Delivered
This migration was not just a technical uplift—it transformed the way the client engages with their data.
✅ Real-Time Data Integration
The new architecture supports real-time connectivity across SAP and non-SAP sources, enabling decision-making based on live data.
✅ Cloud-Native Deployment
With SAP Datasphere and SAC, the client now operates in a scalable, elastic cloud environment—free from hardware limitations and future-proofed for growth.
✅ Asset Reusability
By leveraging BW Bridge, we preserved the customer’s historical investments in BW objects and logic while modernizing their use.
✅ Faster, More Agile Reporting
Report response times improved, and business users gained access to visually rich, interactive dashboards built in SAC.
✅ Sustainability & Innovation
Reducing reliance on physical hardware not only cut costs but also supported the client’s sustainability goals. The new stack positions them to adopt AI, predictive analytics, and automation in the future.
A Foundation for What’s Next
This project marks a critical step forward in the customer’s digital transformation journey. What started as a migration from SAP BW on HANA has evolved into a cloud-first, innovation-ready analytics ecosystem, powered by SAP Datasphere and SAC.
With a modern, flexible platform in place, the organization is now equipped to scale insights, connect enterprise data like never before, and confidently make data-driven decisions—every day, across every function.
At Integritty, we’re proud to have partnered with them to make this vision real.
