Item: Winshuttle
Rating: 8
Author: Verified User

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

Winshuttle is being used by just the IT department at one of my clients. They use it for master data upload most of the time. It helps them load the master data faster especially when they have to make mass changes to some PP/QM/SD/FI master data or create new master data.

Pros and Cons

Easier loading the material master.
Easier loading some transaction data like uploading stock, moving stocks between storage location, etc. in mass.
Easy to create QM Master Data like MICs etc.
Easy to use for standard BAPI's and FM's in SAP with Winshuttle Direct.

Cannot be used for custom function modules. It would be great if this feature could be added.
Winshuttle Query is a little more difficult to understand and use. It's easier to use standard SAP Query transactions.
Winshuttle transaction freezes sometimes during running the dataload and automatically closes. This results in loss of tracking of the data that has been uploaded and data that needs to be uploaded. Need a fix.
A better forum/blog to understand the needs.

Return on Investment

Improved data load time and help during plant roll-out projects
Improved response time to business to fix master data / transaction data issues
Reduced use of external consultant required to build LSMW's.

Alternatives Considered

LSMW, eCATT and eMIGALL

- Winshuttle is easy to use. Recording and Mapping of data is simple as compared to complex 14 steps of LSMWs and difficult to use eCATT from SAP.
- Winshuttle is faster and also records all the output messages coming from SAP. This helps when the output data is required to input some other data. It's a cumbersome process to download the data in LSMW.
- The best feature of Winshuttle is using Excel spreadsheets to upload data. All the data can be manipulated easily in Excel and then through Winshuttle.

Likelihood to Recommend

- Well suited for transactions that can be recorded easily. Better option than LSMW. Also well suited if there are standard BAPI's to create certain master data
- Not suited to create master data like routings, inspection plans, master recipe, maintenance routing, etc. as they can be created in more than one way. Difficult to load the data.
- Also difficult to load characteristics with more than 1 value.

Products Replaced

Yes - SAP LSMW and eCATTS.
- LSMWs and eCATTs require SAP technical knowledge before performing the data loads.
- LSMWs require all the 14 steps to be completed before performing data load which is cumbersome and requires lot of time.
- Most of the time had to hire external consultants to build the LSMWs and eCATTs for data load. This resulted in higher costs as well as slow response time to user issues.
- Output from LSMWs are very difficult to reuse as compared to Winshuttle

Key Differentiators

Price
Product Features
Product Usability
Prior Experience with the Product

Using an Excel sheet directly to upload data with ease of mapping. All the features for a very low cost. When using SAP LSMW we needed to convert the Excel to either .txt or .csv files. Sometime data was getting changed during the conversion especially with the leading zeros. Using Winshuttle I can see what data is being loaded, get output instantly, can run on single record to test easily, map any field from the Excel sheet and manipulate data before loading. Out team is competent in using Excel hence direct loading from Excel made thejob faster resulting in a quick response to user issues with data. It helped improved our delivery.

Evaluation Lessons Learned

- Ease of use
- Time required to train user with new tool
- Cost of implementing the new tool
- Data format required by the tool for uploads
- Methods with which dataloads can be performed
- Support provided by the vendor
- Information about the tool available online like review, recommendations, etc.
- Time required for implementation of the new tool
- Training materials provided by the vendor for the new tool.
- Example where the new tool can be used and where it cannot be used

Usability

- I have used Winshuttle Transaction and Direct and the interface is simple, intuitive and easy to understand.
- Not much technical knowledge of SAP is required before loading the data.
- Data can be loaded for any sheet of an Excel spreadsheet
- Output messages from Winshuttle are very clear and can be used to as an input to other data loads that use these output data.

Usability Pros and Cons

Pros	Cons
Like to use Relatively simple Easy to use Technical support not required Well integrated Consistent Quick to learn Convenient Feel confident using	None

Easy Tasks

Data mapping using Excel
Loading any number of data from any sheet in Excel
Recording transaction using Winshuttle transaction
Saving the output and reusing it for other data loads
Self explanatory design helps in easier use of the tool
Does not require much of technical SAP knowledge for using the tool

Difficult Tasks

Winshuttle Query is more complex than SAP SQVI
Cannot use Winshuttle Direct for custom function modules
Winshuttle Direct is a little complex and more documentation needs to be provided in case of BAPI's
Some transactions like C223 - Create production version are difficult to record and output message are not clear.
Cumbersome to load routings, inspection plans and master recipe.

A tool worth using for dataloads

Software Version

Modules Used

Overall Satisfaction with Winshuttle