Deciding whether to archive data before or after your move to S/4HANA is a crucial consideration for organizations transitioning to SAP’s next-generation ERP system. Regardless of where you are in the process, Zia’s expert staff can help you understand your data management needs, craft your approach, and estimate pricing and expected ROI within the first 9 months. We are confident that Zia’s Content and SAP Archiving Solutions will improve performance and cut costs.
What Is SAP S/4HANA Archiving in Data Management?
When organizations begin planning their move to SAP S/4HANA, they’re often aiming to improve system performance. They want faster processing and more responsive SAP applications, especially as their volume of data grows. Another common goal is simplifying their SAP landscape and architecture. They want something more manageable, more scalable, and easier for teams to work with. And for many, the move is also about long-term strategy. They’re modernizing now so they can stay competitive later.
But with all this planning for the future, there’s a practical question that comes up early in the process: what happens to all the historical data stored in your current system?
That’s where the archiving process fits in.
SAP S/4HANA archiving is the process of identifying and moving older or less frequently accessed data and documents out of the live system. The archived data is not deleted; It is stored securely for when it is needed for compliance, reporting, or audits as part of your information lifecycle management strategy.
A strong data archiving concept helps support a well-balanced data lifecycle. It removes inactive and unstructured data from your SAP ERP system while keeping the crucial data accessible. That helps you improve performance while saving you money. Since nothing is deleted, it also keeps you compliant with regulatory requirements. It is all there, ready to be accessed when you need it for reporting or audits.
Advantages of Selective Data Archiving Before Migration
If you’re planning a move to S/4HANA, archiving your documents and data before you migrate can bring several benefits.
Cost Management:
Archiving helps you reduce your overall amount of data. As such, you’ll need less in-memory storage in your new HANA database. That directly lowers infrastructure costs, particularly for cloud-based deployments, where memory consumption has a significant price tag. This is especially helpful if you are moving from SAP ECC, where older data accumulates over years of operation.
Performance Improvement:
Archiving reduces table sizes and cuts down on in-memory data. This means faster load times and smoother transactions. You enjoy a more responsive SAP system overall once you’re live on S/4HANA. Removing redundant data also reduces system strain. That, in turn, improves performance across integrated applications.
Streamlined Migration:
Simplified Transition:
Get your SAP S/4HANA system up and running before you do your legacy data cleanup. That way, you don’t overload the project right from the beginning. When you archive first, you have a simpler initial setup with fewer moving parts. It sets the foundation for smarter data management down the road.
Compliance and Governance:
When data is archived according to your retention management and governance policies, you’re more likely to meet industry regulations and audit requirements. That means you will not have to retroactively apply controls later to make the data archived within the SAP environment traceable and audit-ready.
Disadvantages of Archiving Before Data Migration
Of course, no approach is without its tradeoffs — and archiving before migration does come with some additional considerations. While the primary disadvantage is the time it will take, a couple of other considerations are.
Complexity:
Archiving adds a layer to your overall migration strategy. It needs thoughtful planning to make sure no critical data is lost and everything remains accessible. That said, putting it off typically just shifts the challenge down the road.
Delays:
If not handled efficiently, archiving can delay your S/4HANA project. But in many cases, the cost savings and long-term performance improvements justify the added time.
Learn more about our SAP S/4HANA archiving strategy and how we implement it.
Considerations for Decision Making
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach, so it’s worth asking a few key questions before deciding when to archive your SAP data.
How much data are you working with?
If you’re sitting on a large volume of historical or rarely accessed records, archiving could make the migration lighter and more manageable.
What are your reporting needs?
Think about whether archived data will affect day-to-day reporting. Some business units may still need access to older information, even if it’s no longer live.
Will it affect performance?
Consider how archiving — or not archiving — will impact system performance once S/4HANA is live. Keeping everything in your HANA database isn’t always the best option.
Are there compliance requirements to meet?
Make sure your archiving strategy aligns with data retention regulations in your industry. That includes everything from financial records to user activity logs.
Do you have the resources to manage it?
Successful archiving requires time, tools, and expertise. If you’re tight on internal capacity, it might make sense to bring in a partner who knows the space.
Hybrid Approach
Some organizations opt for a hybrid approach. They start with a minimal viable migration to S/4HANA. Only the essential data is brought over first, and then additional data is gradually archived and migrated as needed to optimize your SAP HANA environment. This can balance the immediate benefits of moving to S/4HANA with the long-term advantages of a structured, optimized data archiving roadmap.
The best approach to SAP data archiving depends on your specific organizational needs, existing data landscape, and long-term business goals. Consulting with our SAP experts will provide valuable insights tailored to your situation.
Benefits of SAP S/4HANA Data Archiving with Zia
Archiving isn’t just about freeing up space — it’s about doing it in a way that fits your business, your systems, and your long-term goals. That’s where Zia comes in.
We don’t do one-size-fits-all
Every SAP environment is different. We take the time to understand how your data is structured, what your compliance needs look like, and how you plan to grow. Then we tailor your archiving strategy to fit — not force you into a rigid framework.
We bring the tools and the know-how
Zia combines deep SAP expertise with modern tools like Rocket Software, SAP ArchiveLink, and SAP ILM. Whether you’re looking to reduce your data footprint, improve performance, or simplify compliance, we have the experience and the technology to support it.
We focus on outcomes, not just implementation
Our goal isn’t just to “get archiving done.” It’s to help you see measurable value — like faster migration timelines, lower infrastructure costs, and smoother access to archived content when you need it.
We work with what you already have
Your archiving solution should integrate with your existing systems, not compete with them. Whether you’re in the cloud, on-prem, or running a hybrid environment, we meet you where you are.
We help you plan beyond go-live
Getting to S/4HANA is a milestone, but it’s not the end. Zia helps you think beyond the migration — building an archiving approach that continues to work for you as your data, users, and systems evolve.
Feel free to contact us for more information or to discuss your specific business needs.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jeremy White, Director, Managed and Cloud Services
Jeremy has over 25 years of experience working with multinational clients to drive value by aligning complex process, data, and content management problems with the appropriate technology solutions. Over the past decade, Jeremy has focused on enabling critical business processes and solutions in cloud environments, as well as developing managed services programs to meet customer needs. These critical services provide customers with solutions to rapidly realize productivity gains and improve agility, reduce staffing requirements, and improve return on investments. Jeremy is regarded as a trusted advisor.