Your Path to a modern MES system 

SAP MII (Manufacturing Integration and Intelligence) has long been the go-to solution for connecting the shop floor to the SAP enterprise world. However, with SAP discontinuing MII, companies must take proactive steps to migrate to an alternative system. SAP Digital Manufacturing (DM), the new generation cloud MES system from SAP, is an obvious candidate. But this transition is not just a technical upgrade; it requires a well-planned migration strategy which also depends on the current MII setup. 

Why Migrate to SAP DM? 

SAP DM is designed as the next-generation Manufacturing Execution System (MES) with a clean-core approach, cloud-native architecture, and standardized APIs for data access. Companies running SAP ME (Manufacturing Execution) on top of MII will find that key concepts are still available in SAP DM, making it the logical successor.  However, since there is no automatic migration path, and not all functionality is available in the same ways, organizations must embark on a structured migration project. 

Key Migration Challenges 

Even though SAP DM follows similar concepts to ME, there is no 1:1 migration path. It is always necessary to check, verify and decide which processes can be moved to the new world and how they must be adapted. On the other hand, there may be new functionality that should be used to improve the production processes. 

Custom developments are a main challenge for such a migration project. This is especially true for MII solutions, but also SAP ME installations often benefited from the enhancement possibilities of the MII platform. SAP DM follows different architectural approaches, like the Clean Core approach found in other SAP products. This means, for example, that direct database access is no longer permitted – only API-based interactions are allowed. There are also less low-level enhancement possibilities, like adding database tables or database fields. So, most of that custom logic needs to be redeveloped with the new concepts in mind.   

While it is possible to migrate the existing functionality into the new cloud world with enough effort, another challenge is to instead rethink certain business process and align them with the new architecture to take full advantage of SAP DM’s capabilities. 

Migration Options for Different Scenarios 

Depending on the current MES solution, we identified the following scenarios and recommendations. 

1. If You Are Running SAP ME on MII

For companies using SAP ME, migrating to SAP DM is generally the recommended approach. The core execution functionalities remain intact, but adaptations are required for custom extensions and integrations. 

2. If You Are Running a Custom MES on MII

Companies with a custom MES built on SAP MII have three main options: 

• Migrate to SAP DM: Transition to a standard SAP solution, benefiting from its cloud-first strategy and integration capabilities. As this is a great paradigm shift, it’s not only a technical project but even more a business change project. 

• Implement a third-party MES: If there are very special requirements for the production system, or if a cloud solution is not possible to implement, a third-party MES system can be a good choice. While there are good best-of-breed systems available for many industries, it is still a high effort to migrate and the integration into the SAP ecosystem is generally less. This similarly applies to custom MES developments, which can be a great choice to have a tailored solution but come with their own challenges. 

• Convert MII Logic with conMC: Many businesses invested large amounts of effort into MII to create a tailored MES system for their processes. To benefit from that investment, we offer conMC, a migration framework that allows companies to convert MII logic into a modern, scalable Node.js-based application. This ensures a future-proof MES solution while maintaining existing workflows and business logic. 

How We Can Help 

We specialize in guiding companies through the complex process of migrating from SAP MII to SAP DM. Our expertise includes: 

• Migration Planning & Strategy: Assessing your current setup and defining a tailored migration roadmap. We know the functionality SAP Digital Manufacturing provides and have broad industry process know-how helping to get the best out of SAP DM. 

• Implementation: Our consultants are skilled in implementing SAP DM in all sizes and have a very good track record in many industries. 

• Custom Development Redeployment: If the standard is not enough, our development team rebuilds custom MII functionalities in SAP Digital Manufacturing using APIs and modern development frameworks or creates new features from scratch. 

• Integration Support: Ensuring seamless connectivity between shop floor systems, SAP ERP, and other business applications. Vertical integration from planning to the shopfloor is what we do. 

• Alternative Solutions with conMC: Helping customers transition to a flexible, Node.js-based MES where SAP DM may not fully meet requirements. We also build custom MES systems from scratch, mainly using our conMES template approach. 

Secure Your Manufacturing Future 

With SAP MII approaching end-of-life, now is the time to take action. A well-executed migration to SAP DM ensures continued operational excellence, improved scalability, and future-ready manufacturing processes. Contact us today to start your migration journey with confidence.