Checklist: 10 Success Factors for Future-Proof Archiving During your S/4HANA Migration

Neu-Isenburg, August 1, 2025 – Many companies are already in the midst of transitioning to SAP S/4HANA or are preparing to do so. Rethinking archiving strategies in this context will save valuable time, costs, and resources. Our archiving experts at kgs have compiled ten key topics that will help ensure an efficient and future-proof transition to your new system landscape:

1      Assess the Current State

At the outset, the relevance and accuracy of existing data and documents should be reviewed to avoid migrating unnecessary or outdated information. A transformation is an ideal opportunity to consolidate data management and verify compliance with regulatory requirements.

2       Integrate Archiving into the Transformation

By integrating an archiving solution early on, data volumes can be reduced and the new system landscape will be streamlined. Intelligent archiving solutions like tia® help eliminate superfluous bulk from your SAP system.

3       Standardization and Simplification

The transition to SAP S/4HANA can be used to harmonize heterogeneous archiving landscapes and standardize processes – enabling greater efficiency and long-term maintainability.

4       Evaluate Data Quality and Relevance

The quality and relevance of the data to be migrated should be carefully assessed. Archiving solutions like tia® support the compliant management or elimination of obsolete data.

5       Ensure Technological Future-Readiness

As part of the migration, organizations should evaluate whether a switch from SAP ArchiveLink® to CMIS makes sense. CMIS is an open interface standard that supports modern, cloud-enabled integration scenarios and ensures future-proof connectivity with S/4HANA. In many cases, both interfaces can be used simultaneously.

6       Enable Cloud Compatibility and Scalability

Cloud-based or hybrid archiving solutions offer the flexibility and scalability needed to meet future demands – regardless of whether S/4HANA is deployed on-premise or in the cloud.

7       Guarantee Security and Compliance

To ensure data protection, secure access, and adherence to regulatory requirements, encryption technologies and role-based access controls are a must. A central archiving instance also simplifies audits and documentation obligations.

8      Reduce Costs and Increase Efficiency

Offloading archived data from the core SAP infrastructure can lower operational costs. At the same time, unburdening the S/4HANA system leads to more efficient use of available resources.

9       Optimize System Performance

An intelligent archiving strategy ensures that large volumes of data do not burden the operational system. This helps maintain peak SAP system performance – even as data volumes grow.

10     Plan and Execute the Migration

A well-thought-out archiving strategy supports a smooth migration process. It ensures that all relevant data remains accessible after the transformation – without overloading the new system.

The full transformation checklist is available here.