SAP S/4HANA - Business Partner & Customer

Vendor Integration
Chelliah Soundar
S/4HANA Product Expert
April 2021

PUBLIC
This document covers the following topics

▪ Business Partner & Customer Vendor Integration

– BP & CVI in S/4HANA – Overview
– Handling Custom Enhancements
– CVI Synchronization Process
o Preparation
o Synchronization
o Post System Conversion Activities
– Impact on Interfaces
– Lessons Learned
– CVI Synchronization Approach and Recommendation
– Additional Information

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S/4HANA - Business Partner

Harmonized architecture Strategic object model in BP Categories –

across applications SAP S/4HANA Organization, Person, Group

Relationships between BPs

(“Is Contact Person For”, Business Multiple roles such as
“Is Service Provider For” Partner customer, vendor

Time dependent addresses,

bank data, relationships General data shared across
Multiple addresses different roles

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Customer Vendor Integration (CVI)

– Business Partner is the leading object in SAP S/4HANA

– CVI synchronization must be completed in SAP ERP before starting the technical conversion of the system to
S/4HANA

– SAP supports the synchronization of existing SAP ERP Customers and Vendors to Business Partners using guided
procedures and reports prior to system conversion

– The CVI component ensures the synchronization between Customer/Vendor objects and Business Partner object in
ERP in the direction C/V -> BP

– The CVI component ensures the synchronization between the Business Partner object and the Customer/Vendor
objects in S/4HANA in the direction BP -> C/V

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S/4HANA – CVI Process

Company Code Data SAP ERP Synchronization SAP S/4HANA

Central Data Sales Area Data
(Conversion) Synchronization
CVI Complex Interface
Business Partner Customer Vendor

BP APIs
Customer / Vendor Leading Background Leading Background
Data Buffer Object Object Object Object
Get

SAVE CVI
Outbound Customer Customer
Business Business
Partner Partner
Customer APIs Vendor APIs
Vendor Vendor

Business CVI Link Customer Vendor

Partner Tables (Supplier)

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S/4HANA – Business Partner Data Model
Business Partner Data Vendor Data Address Data

Business
Central Data General Data Address
Partner

Roles Company Code

Organization Data Phone

Person Bank Details Purchasing

Org. Data Fax
Group Identification
Numbers Email
Customer Data
Tax Numbers
URL
Industry General Data
Sectors
Company Code
Relationships Data
Sales
Contact
Org. Data
Partners

Address

Address
Usages

ERP
Vendors
ERP
Customers

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 BP & CVI in S/4HANA – Business Impact

In S/4HANA the following transactions are no longer available or redirected to transaction BP

▪ Transactions that are obsolete:

– FD06, FK06, MK06, MK12, MK18, MK19, VD06, XD06, XD0, V+21, V+22, V+23, MAP21, FD0

▪ Transactions that get redirected to transaction BP:

– FD01,FD02,FD03, FK01,FK02,FK03, MAP2,MAP3, MK01, MK02, MK03, V-03,V-04,V-05,V-06,V-07,V-08,V-09,
V-11, VAP1, VAP2, VAP3, VD01, VD02,VD03, XD01, XD02, XD03, XK01, XK06, XK07, XK02, XK03

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CVI Synchronization

CVI implementation is a prerequisite for converting an SAP ERP system to an SAP S/4HANA system.
All the customers, vendors, and contact persons must be converted to business partners in ERP before starting system conversion.

SAP ERP SAP S/4HANA

Preparation Synchronization Conversion Post Conversion

Configure CVI in your SAP Create and synchronize Convert the system Configure CVI in your
ERP system for the business partners for all the SAP ERP → SAP S/4HANA system for
synchronization of existing customers and vendors SAP S/4HANA the synchronization of
customer/vendor-to-BP
C/V → BP BP → C/V

Objects in Objects in
SAP ERP SAP S/4HANA
The CVI interface ensures the synchronization between the
Customer business partner object and the customer/vendor objects in both Leading Object
ERP and SAP S/4HANA Business Partner
Vendor Roles
Customer
Vendor
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CVI Synchronization – Preparation

Preparation
Archive customer/vendor data (optional)

▪ Implement SAP Notes

Activate business functions
▪ Data Cleansing
▪ CVI Configuration
Integrate custom enhancements (if any)

Implement CVI related SAP Notes (refer to CVI Cookbook)

Data cleansing (Master data consistency check)

CVI Cockpit
Assign number ranges

Configure CVI in the direction C/V → BP

Implement customer-specific mapping (if necessary)

SAP ERP

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CVI Synchronization – Preparation
Business Function Activation

Activate Business Functions

– CA_SUPPLIER_SOA
– CA_BP_SOA
Ensure switches VENDOR_SFWS_SC1 and VENDOR_SFWS_SC2 are active and have Global Status = on
This is required for the vendor contact persons data to be synchronized with BP contact persons
SAP Note 1454441 - Development of contact person for vendors.

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CVI Synchronization – Preparation
Check and Integrate Customer/Vendor Enhancement

Customer-specific fields (enhancements) in Customer and Vendor need to be included in transaction BP.
Integrate these custom fields to Business Partner so that maintenance of these fields is possible after moving to
S/4HANA.

SAP Notes:
2309153 - BP_CVI: Guideline Version 1.14 for customer enhancements in CVI (customer/vendor
integration) in SAP S/4HANA releases
2295823 - BP_CVI: Transfer of customer / vendor fields to the business partner – template source code
1623809 - Developer documentation for the XO framework

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CVI Synchronization – Preparation
CVI Cockpit CVI Cockpit is a comprehensive tool provided by SAP to complete the CVI Synchronization in SAP
ERP system before starting the system conversion. Transaction Code: CVI_COCKPIT

CVI Cockpit – Read Me

CVI Cockpit – Preparation

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CVI Synchronization – Preparation
CVI Cockpit – Data Cleansing

For more details please visit my blog post on CVI Cockpit – Master Data Consistency Check

Master Data Consistency Check

Master Data Consistency Check

Results

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CVI Synchronization – Preparation
Number Range

Number Range
 If Customer and Vendor number ranges are not
overlapping. → The business partner number IMG Path
Logistics - General -> Business Partner -> Customers
-> Control -> Define and Assign Customer Number
ranges could be the same as the customer and Ranges

vendor number IMG Path

Logistics - General -> Business Partner -> Vendor
-> Control -> Define Number Ranges for Vendor Master
Records

Cross-Application Components -> SAP Business

 If Customer and Vendor number ranges are IMG Path Partner -> Business Partner -> Basic Settings ->
overlapping → Maintain the business partner Number Ranges and Groupings -> Define Number
Ranges / Define Groupings and Assign Number Ranges
number range in such a way that the most
numbers from customer or vendor stay
unchanged.

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CVI Synchronization – Preparation
Number Assignment
Option 1 – Same BP number for customer/supplier

Customer 1000 BP 1000 BP 1000 Customer 1000

ERP S/4HANA

Supplier 2000 BP 2000 BP 2000 Supplier 2000

Option 2 – New BP number (Different from customer/supplier)

Customer 1000 BP 6000 BP 6000 Customer 1000
ERP S/4HANA

Supplier 2000 BP 7000 BP 7000 Supplier 2000

Option 3 – Merge customer and supplier (Sap Note 2363892)

ERP S/4HANA
Customer 1000 Customer 1000
BP 1000 BP 1000
Supplier 2000 Supplier 2000

• Maintain business partner number range in such a way that the most numbers from customer or vendor stay unchanged

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CVI Synchronization – Preparation
Number Range

Define BP Number Range for Contact Person

CVI Synchronization report MDS_LOAD_COCKPIT (Load tool from CVI Cockpit) will assign an internal BP
number to contact persons during synchronization. The internal number is from the number range identified
as the internal standard grouping . Missing this configuration could cause error – R11124 “Business partner
with GUID xxxx does not exist”.
SAP Note 2344905 - BP cannot be created from Customer due to error R11124

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CVI Synchronization – Preparation
BAdI Implementation

The following BAdIs are provided for CVI data assignment.

You can implement customer-specific mapping like Form of Address from Customer/Vendor to BP

Cross-Application Components -> Master Data Synchronization -> Customer/Vendor Integration -> BAdI Definition
IMG Path Business Partner Settings ->Business Add-Ins (BAdIs)
a. BAdI: Data Assignment BP <-> Customer/Vendor/Contact Person a. CVI_CUSTOM_MAPPER
b. BAdI: Data Assignment of Bank Details BP -> Customer/Vendor b. CVI_MAP_BANKDETAILS
c. BAdI: Data Assignment of Payment Cards BP <-> Customer c. CVI_MAP_CREDIT_CARDS
d. BAdI: Data Assignment of Form of Address from Customer/Vendor to BP d. CVI_MAP_TITLE
e. BAdI: Defaults for Creating Data from BP to Customer/Vendor e. CVI_DEFAULT_VALUES

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CVI Synchronization – Preparation
One BP for both Customer and Vendor – Optional Feature

If one legal entity is represented in the SAP ERP system as both customer and vendor,
SAP Note 2363892 enables creation of a single BP with both customer and vendor roles.This is an
optional feature available in BP. The MDS_LOAD_COCKPIT report converts such customers and the
vendors to a single BP if Note 2363892 is applied and its prerequisites are met.

Alternatively, the customer or the vendor could be converted to a BP first. The remaining customer or
vendor is then linked to the BP via transaction FLBPD2 or FLBPC2, see Note 954816. The transaction
can only create one BP role, e.g., FLVN00 or FLVN01.
Often the customer and vendor used for intercompany sales or plant-to-plant stock transport order
(STO) have the same number assigned.

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CVI Synchronization – Preparation
CVI Cockpit – Automated Customizing

CVI Customizing Checks for

Synchronization

Each node on this screenshot

points to a customizing
activity that needs to
executed or validated

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CVI Synchronization – Preparation
CVI Cockpit – Automated Customizing

Activate Synchronization Options

Activate PPO Request

Activate Creation of PPO

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CVI Synchronization – Preparation
CVI Cockpit – Automated Customizing

Assign roles to each customer

account group (FLCU00, FLCU01)

If different number
ranges are used this
should be unchecked

Map Account group to BP Grouping

as per customer NR design

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CVI Synchronization – Preparation
CVI Cockpit – Automated Customizing

Activate Contact Person

Missing Functions -
Select appropriate
Function (BP)

These are shown

as examples only

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CVI Synchronization – Preparation
CVI Cockpit – Automated Customizing

Assign roles to each vendor

account group (FLVN00, FLVN01)

Map Account group to BP

Grouping as per vendor NR
design Example of different
number ranges

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CVI Synchronization – Preparation
CVI Cockpit – Suppress Check

Activate Check Suppression

Using this activity, you can suppress field

checks during synchronization of
Customer/Vendor to BP.

This function is generally used in

Sandbox environment

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CVI Synchronization – Synchronization

Preparation Synchronization

▪ Implement SAP Notes CVI Cockpit

▪ Data Cleansing - CVI Load
▪ CVI Configuration - Completeness check
Load Tool
(MDS_LOAD_COCKPIT)

Completeness Check

Correct errors if any and rerun Load Tool

ERP

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CVI Synchronization – Synchronization
CVI Cockpit – CVI Load

CVI Cockpit – CVI Load

Load Tool (MDS_LOAD_COCKPIT)

is used to synchronize customers
and vendors to BP. This tool when
executed creates BPs for
customers and vendors and
associated contact persons as well

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CVI Synchronization – Synchronization
CVI Cockpit – CVI Load – Load Tool

Load Tool (Transaction MDS_LOAD_COCKPIT)

Double click on the desired synchronization Process

Customer -> Business Partner
or
Vendor -> Business Partner

To facilitate error analysis, run a small batch initially

by selecting 10 to 50 customers or vendors.

Execute the report

It creates a corresponding BP for each customer,

vendor and contact person.

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CVI Synchronization – Synchronization
CVI Cockpit – CVI Load – Load Tool

If there are errors in the load tool, the errors will be

captured and displayed under the monitor tab

Go to the monitor tab, select the error from the list and Load Tool (Transaction MDS_LOAD_COCKPIT)
click on the Call PPO icon

PPO screen shows the details of the error

You could resolve the master data errors from the PPO
screen or fix the errors outside PPO. See Synchronization
Cockpit help document for more information.

Correct all master data errors and re-run the report to

complete the synchronization of
customers/vendors/contact persons.

Important: Customers/Vendors with deletion flag will also

have to be synchronized to BP

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CVI Synchronization – Synchronization
CVI Cockpit – CVI Load – Completeness Check

Completeness check

Screenshot after completing

customer records (Shows all the
suppliers as missing link to BP
indicating that the suppliers are not
synchronized yet)

Screenshot after completing both

customer and vendor records

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CVI Synchronization – Synchronization
CVI Cockpit – Upgrade Preparation

Upgrade Preparation

After completing all the activities in

the CVI Cockpit the Overall Status
should show green (Ready)

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CVI Synchronization – System Conversion

Preparation Synchronization System Conversion

▪ Implement SAP Notes CVI Cockpit

▪ Data Cleansing - Pre-Check
- CVI Load
▪ CVI Configuration - Completeness check
- SUM Convert system from SAP ERP
to SAP S/4HANA (This activity is
done by the technical team in
the project)

No CVI-related activities during

system conversion

SUM will fail if BPs are not created for

all the customers, vendors, and contact
persons

ERP S/4 HANA

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CVI Synchronization – Post System Conversion

Post Conversion

Activate synchronization direction BP → C/V Activate

Test
BP → Cust/Vendor
Deactivate synchronization direction C/V → BP

Activate creation of PPO

Adjust number range definition (Ext/Int) for BP,

customer, and vendor

Test

Additional steps if HCM, CRM, etc. integration is involved

SAP S/4HANA
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CVI Synchronization – Post System Conversion

Activate Synchronization Options

Direction BP -> Customer / Vendor
Cross-Application Components -> Master Data Synchronization ->
IMG Synchronization Control -> Synchronization Control-> Activate
Path Synchronization Options

Activate Creation of Post processing Orders (PPO)

for component AP-MD
Cross-Application Components -> General Application Functions ->
IMG Postprocessing Office -> Business Processes -> Activate Creation of
Path Postprocessing Orders

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Impact on Interfaces in S/4HANA

– The API CL_MD_BP_MAINTAIN is used to create business partners in the same system
– To integrate BP/Customer/Supplier master data across different systems, IDOCs or SOA Service can be
used. (SAP Note 2417298 - Integration of Business Partner with Customer and Supplier Roles)
– The following interfaces for business partners still work in S/4HANA side-by-side implementation
▫ CIF interface for business partner, e.g., SCM-EWM, TM
▫ Middleware for BP synchronization, e.g., CRM
▫ BW report on customers and vendors (SAP Note 2500202 - S4TWL - BW Extractors in SAP S/4HANA)

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CVI Synchronization
How much time do you need?

Time required to complete CVI Synchronization depends on the following and more

− Customer/Vendor/BP number ranges complexity

− Customizing consistency between BP and Customer/Vendor including field attributes
− Customer/Vendor/Business Partner Data consistency and quality
This can be a very long process if the master data needs cleansing, e.g., updating phone numbers/email address,
tax code, etc.
− Customer/Vendor Enhancements
− Data volume
− Master Data/CVI/Pre-Check/Synchronization Knowledge

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CVI Synchronization
Lessons Learned – Customizing/Master Data issues

Customizing issues (missing or incomplete Master Data quality issues

customizing)
• Wrong format for dates, tax codes, trading
• Tax number categories partners, bank keys, bank account numbers,
postal code, bank control key
• Industries
• Missing / non existing links (e.g. customer <->
• Address forms vendor)
• Departments • Non existing TAX and VAT values, bank numbers
• Legal forms • Missing links to ADRC table

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CVI Synchronization
Lessons Learned – Master Data quality issues
Miscellaneous Master Data Errors Customer Conversion
Error Message No. Message
Root cause:
AM129 The transport zone xxxxxx is not defined for country xx
• Human error in data entry
AR102 VAT Reg.No. xxxxxxxxxxx must have length 12
AR103 VAT Reg.No. xxxxxxxxxxxxx is longer than 12 characters
How to resolve:
AR104 Bank Key AAA must contain only numbers
AR129 Tax code n is not valid
• Change master data manually or via tools AR191 ISO code XX is not correct in the VAT registration number
AR196 VAT registration number contains invalid characters
BF00211 Bank NO does not exist
FSBP_FS_ATTRIBUTES015 Company xxx does not exist
GEOCODING002 Geocoder SAP0: Country specification is incomplete (Customizing)
R1286 Business partner x already exists
R11124 Business partner with GUID xxxxxx does not exist
T5002 Telephone/fax code for country code XX is not maintained

Vendor Conversion
Error Message No. Message
AR 102 VAT Reg.No. BE448696957 must have length 12
AR 103 Tax Code 1 is longer than 16 characters

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CVI Synchronization
Approach and recommendation

Goal Recommendation
▪ Not part of the SAP S/4HANA conversion downtime ▪ Run first cycle of CVI in sandbox with a copy of production
▪ Not in the critical path of SAP S/4HANA conversion ▪ Analyze data errors and identify correction approaches
▪ No last minute surprises ▪ Correct all the data errors in production
▪ Execute CVI synchronization DEV → QAS → PROD

SAP ERP SAP S/4HANA

Continue to use customer /

vendor transactions Convert system Execute post-
Convert
CVI implementation from SAP ERP to conversion
data CVI creates/updates SAP S/4HANA activities
corresponding BPs

Customer System conversion Leading Object

XD01, XD02…
may be planned with a
XK01, XK02… Business Partner
time delay
Vendor BP
Use of transaction Roles
Contact BP is not
Person recommended Customer
Check MDS_PPO2 Vendor
and address issues, Contact Person
if any
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 CVI Synchronization
Additional Information
▪ Cookbook
– CVI Cookbook

▪ Notes
– 2713963 - FAQ: CVI - Customer Vendor Integration for system conversion to SAP S/4HANA
– 2823632 - Consulting Note for Business Partner Approach and CVI Process

▪ Blogs
– CVI Customizing – Check Report
– CVI Cockpit – Master Data Consistency Check

▪ IS Utilities: SAP Note 2344100 - S4TWL - CVI Integration for SAP ISU
▪ Credit Management: SAP Note 2270544 - S4TWL - Credit Management
▪ IS Retail: SAP Note 2310884 - SAP S/4HANA conversion for site master
▪ HCM: SAP Note 2340095 - S4TWL - Conversion of Employees to Business Partners
▪ CRM: SAP Note 2285062 - S4TWL: Business partner data exchange between SAP CRM and S/4HANA, on-premise edition

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Thank you.