With the Körber Business Case Analysis “SAP LE-TRA”, you will gain a solid foundation for making informed decisions and ensuring a successful transformation.
SAP LE-TRA through the ages – Please, don’t book horse-drawn carriages!
A mid-sized mechanical engineering company experienced a peculiar example of outdated systems: a shipment was correctly entered, the carrier assigned, and the route defined – yet the status stubbornly remained “planned.” After hours of investigation, it turned out a colleague had accidentally selected “horse-drawn carriage” instead of “truck” as the mode of transport – a leftover from old test scenarios. The system patiently waited for a horse that never came. Since then, a sign has been hanging in the logistics office: “Please don’t book horse-drawn carriages – we’ve gone digital!”
IT is evolving rapidly
This anecdote hits the nail on the head: IT evolves much faster than most other technologies. While innovation cycles in manufacturing typically span 10–15 years, IT cycles are often just 1–3 years. SAP LE-TRA has been in use for over 30 years –an eternity in IT terms, spanning 10-30 innovation cycles.
Looking at innovation cycles, one might say: When SAP LE-TRA was introduced, horse-drawn carriages were still a valid means of transport – at least in the customizing settings. Moving away from the somewhat daring comparison, we now get to the point: Anyone exploring migration options for SAP LE-TRA knows that, besides switching directly to SAP TM, there’s the possibility of using SAP LE-TRA in SAP S/4HANA in compatibility mode.
Compatibility mode is permitted until December 31, 2030, and many companies have decided to reduce migration complexity by continuing with SAP LE-TRA under SAP S/4HANA for now. In fact, more than 50% of companies still have the migration from SAP LE-TRA to SAP TM ahead of them.
Migration from SAP LE-TRA to SAP TM –better well-planned than just going along!
Migrating to SAP TM is not just a technical upgrade – it is your chance to restructure transport processes, optimize workflows, and prepare for future demands like sustainability and digitalization.
Compared to SAP LE-TRA, SAP TM offers a new data model, a broad functional scope, a new document structure, and deep integration with adjacent modules and applications.
Here is why addressing these aspects early on is crucial:
- New Data Model: SAP TM is built on an entirely new data model. Direct migration is not possible – implementing SAP TM requires a complete rebuild.
- Functional Scope: SAP TM offers extensive functionality. Many processes can be implemented using standard features. However, this requires a solid understanding of SAP TM’s structure. To actively contribute to system design, it is advisable to build expertise before the project begins. It is also true that not all processes can be replicated one-to-one. Therefore, it is important to gain early insight into which processes may need to be adjusted, and where custom adaptations might make sense.
- New Document Structure: In SAP S/4HANA, traditional transport and freight cost documents no longer exist. They are replaced by the SAP TM freight order and the SAP TM freight billing document.
- Integration: Beyond classic modules like SD, MM, and FI, SAP TM integrates with SAP EWM, SAP GTS, and EHS.
SAP TM: Basic or Advanced?
SAP TM is available in Basic and Advanced versions. As expected, SAP TM Advanced offers more functionalities and features than the Basic version. The key difference: SAP TM Basic is license-free. This distinction is crucial for budgeting your project. If you’re interested in a deeper comparison, we compiled our insights on this topic in this white paper.
Business case analysis: your roadmap to a successful migration
In line with the motto “better well-planned than just going along,” Körber has developed a business case analysis to support companies in planning their migration projects. The objective of the analysis is to design a new, future-proof logistics concept for a Transportation Management System (TMS) based on SAP TM, considering business, technical, and process-related requirements.
We analyze your transport processes end-to-end – from order creation to freight cost accounting. This includes reviewing system integration, interfaces, and communication with service providers. The analysis is based on SAP TM Basic and can be extended to SAP TM Advanced if required.
The results of the feasibility study provide a reliable foundation for budgeting, project planning, and system design. Learn more in our webinar or request your individual offer today.
