Companies implement SAP planning to consolidate or decommission their legacy systems, but business and legal compliance requirements make it necessary to ensure efficient access to this information for audit and fiduciary purposes.

System consolidation should lower the cost of IT while improving legacy data access and legal compliance. The challenge is choosing the right strategy.

Successful consolidations hinge upon the ability to retain legacy data in its original application format. This retains the business logic with a single point of access in the source SAP system while allowing for the opportunity to decommission the legacy system. The ease of use and fast access to information fosters user acceptance. Depending on the environment, SAP DocFinder, ArchiveLink, Content Management Systems and third-party applications such as PBS, can provide the necessary infrastructure for legacy system retirement.