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The Sign-Off Table

Lesson 5 of 5

Roadmap

10 min

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An integration roadmap through a transformation has two jobs that pull in opposite directions: keep the business running through the conversion with as little interface change as possible, and use the transformation to move toward the target architecture. The trick is sequencing. Change what you must for the conversion, stabilize, then modernize in planned waves.

Classify before you move

Start from the catalog. For each interface, decide one of five dispositions, with an owner and a reason. The classification turns an overwhelming inventory into work packages and makes the conversion scope explicit. Contoso's 64 are its Process Orchestration integrated configurations, the same inventory SAP's Migration Assessment rates for technical readiness in course sap-int-301 (31 Ready to migrate, 21 Adjustment required, 12 Evaluation required). The assessment says how hard each move is; the disposition is the architecture decision that follows from it, so the two do not map one to one. The 7 retirements are exactly the configurations with no messages in twelve months.

DispositionMeaningContoso share (of 64)
RetireNo longer needed; replaced by standard S/4HANA function or unused7
KeepWorks unchanged after the system conversion; retest only, then migrated with the tool after stabilization31
AdaptNeeds changes for S/4HANA (data model, simplification items, endpoints), then migrated with the tool12
MoveSame function, new platform, but moved by hand because the tool cannot migrate it as is (for example, custom adapter modules)8
RebuildNew design: new style, standard API, event or one consolidated flow instead of custom6

Dispositions for Contoso's 64 Process Orchestration interfaces. Every interface not retired leaves Process Orchestration after stabilization. The same figures apply in every integration course.

Contoso's 64 PO interfaces by disposition: 7 retire, and the other 57 all leave Process Orchestration, but only after stabilization.
The Sign-Off Table · thesignofftable.com/academy/sap-int-401

In a system conversion, many IDoc and API-based interfaces keep working because the business objects carry over, but simplification items change some data models and remove some functions, and custom interfaces that read tables directly are the most exposed. Run SAP's readiness checks and the custom code analysis against the interface code, and test every "keep" interface anyway: "unchanged" is a hypothesis, not a fact.

Sequencing through the conversion

  1. Now to mock 1Inventory and strategyCatalog complete, owners named, dispositions set; retire list agreed
  2. Mock 1 to mock 2Adapt and retestAdapted interfaces built in CMD; all keep/adapt interfaces tested in CMQ
  3. Dress rehearsalCutover choreographyQueue drain, freeze, endpoint switch, first-message checks timed in the 60-hour window
  4. Go-live + 3 monthsStabilizeHypercare monitoring, reconciliation, no platform moves
  5. Go-live + 3 to 12 monthsMove and rebuild wavesProcess Orchestration flows migrated by priority; events and APIs for new needs
  6. Monterrey W2, February 2027Alternadores del NorteCompany code 1910 integrations built on the target platform from day one
Contoso's integration roadmap. Platform moves wait until after stabilization to avoid changing two things at once.
The Sign-Off Table · thesignofftable.com/academy/sap-int-401

Cutover for integrations

Integrations are often the critical path of a cutover. Luis's runbook for the 60-hour window (Friday 18:00 to Monday 06:00) includes: stop inbound channels or switch partners to queue mode; drain in-flight messages in EP1 and Process Orchestration; record counts; switch endpoints and certificates to CMP; send controlled first messages per critical interface and verify the resulting documents; then reopen channels in priority order. Every step has an owner, a time slot and a verification. Rehearse it in the dress rehearsal with real timings.

The integration lane in the 60-hour cutover window: drain and count in ramp-down, switch and verify after SUM in time for go/no-go 2, then reopen in ramp-up.
The Sign-Off Table · thesignofftable.com/academy/sap-int-401

Moving from SAP Process Orchestration

Contoso runs SAP Process Orchestration 7.5 for many ECC interfaces. SAP Integration Suite includes a Migration Assessment capability to evaluate existing Process Orchestration content for migration, and SAP positions Edge Integration Cell as a migration path where flows must run in the private landscape. Process Orchestration 7.5 follows the SAP NetWeaver 7.5 maintenance strategy: mainstream maintenance ends on December 31, 2027, and optional extended maintenance, at extra cost, runs to December 31, 2030. Confirm the dates for your contract, and plan the migration to finish well before the end of 2027, in waves by business criticality, with each wave retested like any other change. The migration tool in Cloud Integration converts integrated configurations rated Ready to migrate or Adjustment required; that is the route for Contoso's keep and adapt interfaces, while move and rebuild are manual work.

  1. Is the interface needed in the target process?No → retire · Yes → continue
  2. Does SAP standard content or a released API cover it?Yes → rebuild on standard content · No → continue
  3. Must it run inside the private landscape?Yes → move to Edge Integration Cell · No → move to Cloud Integration
  4. Is it on the conversion's critical path?Yes → keep on current platform until stabilized, then move · No → move in the next wave
Per-interface decisions for the Process Orchestration migration.
The Sign-Off Table · thesignofftable.com/academy/sap-int-401

Measuring progress

  • Share of interfaces in the catalog with complete owners and status (target: 100% before go-live).
  • Share of traffic on strategic platforms versus legacy and point-to-point.
  • Failed message rate and mean time to resolve, per critical scenario.
  • Number of clean core exceptions in integrations, with replacement dates met.
  • Share of new integrations built from standard content or released APIs.

What would you do?

The integration lead proposes migrating all Process Orchestration flows to Integration Suite during the conversion cutover weekend "to get it over with." What is the best response?

Key points
  • Classify every interface: retire, keep, adapt, move or rebuild, with owner and reason.
  • Treat "unchanged after conversion" as a hypothesis; test every kept interface.
  • Sequence: inventory and strategy, adapt and test, rehearse cutover, stabilize, then migrate platforms in waves.
  • Plan the Process Orchestration migration with Migration Assessment to finish before mainstream maintenance ends (end of 2027; extended to 2030 at extra cost).

Check your understanding · not graded

Lesson check

  1. 1. Which disposition fits an interface that works unchanged after conversion?

  2. 2. Why wait until after stabilization to migrate Process Orchestration flows?

  3. 3. Which Integration Suite capability evaluates Process Orchestration content for migration?

  4. 4. What should the cutover runbook include for each critical interface?