Overview: Why the move away from LE-TRA is no longer optional and how we work with you to find the right steps
With the introduction of SAP S/4HANA, every SAP-oriented company is facing a major change. This is also the case in transportation management: the widely used LE-TRA module is being replaced by SAP S/4HANA Transportation Management (SAP TM). Although LE-TRA will also be available under S/4HANA for the time being, the rights to use it will expire on December 31, 2030 – and maintenance of SAP ECC 6.0 will already be discontinued on December 31, 2027.
Exploring options early
The challenge in the changeover lies in particular in the high complexity of the processes in transportation, which many companies have mapped in a wide variety of ways and individually in their ERP system. Due to the different data structures, there is no fixed migration path from LE-TRA to SAP TM, so companies should address the issue early on.
What are the options for switching from LE-TRA to SAP TM?
What initially appears to be a simple re-implementation of processes in a different system, in reality always involves a new implementation. Whether greenfield, brownfield or hybrid, only an analysis of your requirements can answer what is the right path for you. There is no “one-size-fits-all” solution. A TM implementation should not only be seen as a cost and effort factor, but above all as an opportunity to improve your logistics:
TM enables holistic corporate logistics! Logistics within a company is often highly regional. A central logistics control offers transparency, controllability, operational improvements and enables massive cost savings.
Transportation Cockpit: one interface for all dispatcher tasks (Advanced)
- Planning from any location
- Quick decisions
- All information at a glance
- Independence from individual resources
Total freedom in planning: In the past, complex transports across several transport branches were always very time-consuming. With TM, this can be done in one click.
- Multi-stage transports across all modes of transport.
- Combined inbound and outbound transports
- VSR optimizer for the best possible transport planning
Rising freight costs as a business-critical factor:
- Freight cost calculation based on agreed freight rates
- Tendering procedure with one click
- Connection to freight exchanges
SAP LE-TRA vs. SAP S/4HANA TM
LE-TRA is the transportation solution (TRA) within the logistics component Logistics Execution (LE). Some people still know this SAP solution by its old name: “SD-Transport”.
The new alternative SAP S/4HANA TM is offered in two versions:
- SAP S/4HANA TM Basic (formerly called “Basic Shipping”) covers the essential functions that LE-TRA also offered – from manual planning and monitoring, carrier selection, freight costing and settlement to dangerous goods management.
- SAP S/4HANA TM Advanced includes extended functionalities, e.g., optimizer-supported transportation and freight space planning or functionalities that logistics service providers specifically require for their business. The advanced functionalities are subject to separate licensing in the S/4HANA environment.
So while LE-TRA and TM Basic basically offer very similar functional solutions, key differences between LE-TRA and TM are in the data structure. TM is programmed in an object-oriented manner. Some “documents” or objects are similar, e.g. the “transport (document)” in LE-TRA and the “freight order” in TM. However, in TM there are additional objects, e.g. the “freight unit”.
Moreover, master data is structured completely different in TM: In the field of freight costs, for example, agreements regarding freight prices are mapped in a much more intuitive way than in LE-TRA with the condition technique of SAP ECC. An analysis report for LE-TRA usage that SAP has made available is not exactly self-explanatory at the moment and can therefore at best be a starting point. In order to interpret the results and ask the right questions, in-depth knowledge of both SAP ERP LE-TRA and TM is required.
We are here for You!
In addition, we would be happy to clarify your individual changeover and decision-making options in a personal discussion, based on your ideas and starting points. Please feel free to contact us at blog@leogistics.com.
Kevin Hayes
Business Development Manager SAP TM
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