# Instance synchronisation

- Link: https://www.lorenzo-datasolutions.com/instance-synchronisation/
- Published: 2017-05-23T07:42:01+00:00
- Author: Anipe Abraham

## 󠀁[**_Instance Sync – An Impressive Evolution!!!_**](https://www.lorenzo-datasolutions.com/successfactors-employee-central-online-training/)󠁿

## The instance synchronisation is an Admin Center tool

The instance synchronisation is an Admin Center tool that enables you to move configuration
artefacts and sub-artifacts, Foundation/MDF data and settings from one SuccessFactors
company instance to another. It supports one-way and two-way synchronization, object-
level permission control, multiple targets per source, and synchronization across
different datacenters.This tool is nor designed  to migrate employee data.

I heard about Instance Synchronization tool for the first time in 2014 during an
employee central implementation for a customer when we were considering migrating
configuration from their dev to the UAT Instance and was discouraged as I was afraid
to learn a new tool and it worked only for a few objects and certain scenarios and
had very poor error reporting. Two years later, having used the tool in one of the
most complex customer setups and after testing all its capabilities, I am amazed
with the functionality it delivers. This tool will not only save you days of work
and but will also make sure all your config migrations will be error free and perfect.

To quantify time savings that can be achieved with this tool, a customer reported
reduction in time for their mock Go-Live from 2 days to 5 hours using instance sync
tool. My testing results also support reduction in time to 1/5 of actual time taken
to move any configuration manually and then you can have more time savings by using
same package to sync configuration from one instance to another.

If you are a consultant or a customer admin and haven’t looked into the fantastic
evolution of this tool, I highly recommend that you download the instance sync guide
from this [link](https://www.lorenzo-datasolutions.com) and you will be delighted
with features and functionality it delivers.

**_Highlights of the Tool_**

This tool has a lot of “Vow” factors and here are a few that stand out

**Targeted for the Business User**

Instance sync tool is presented with a guided UI which provides step by step guidance
and made recommendations which helps users to move the configuration form one instance
to another with a click of a few buttons enabling business users to do this themselves.
Users can start using this tool with very minimal training.

**Artifacts available to be synced**

The tools offers sync capability for all major configuration artifacts. The implementation
Guide list all artifacts available to be synced using Instance Sync tool and you
can read more about each of them, their pre-requisites and their dependencies by
clicking on the links in the guide.

**Ability to Create and Migrate Packages**

When you have a new configuration to sync, you can create new package that contains
all the object you need to sync for implementing your business requirement. You 
can then migrate the package from your source to multiple target instance. You also
have the option to copy package from one instance to another. A package can be edited
multiple times if you missed certain objects.

**Multi-Directional Sync**

You have the option to setup multi-directional sync between the instances. You can
also sync objects to an instance in another data center

**Ease of Setup**

The setup of tool can be done with just a few clicks and you will be on your way
to have consistent configuration across your instances.

_Note for live customers, this task will be done by your customer support representative._

**Ability to run the sync in TEST Mode**

You have the ability to run the instance sync in Test mode, which displays all errors
in an error report and allows the user to the fix all the problems in your source
instance before you run the actual sync.

**Security**

When setting up the tool in your instance, you can define which objects will be 
available to be synced between the instances. At the user level, it allows you to
go granular and define which user can migrate which part of configuration from source
to target so you can have a user who can migrate foundation data and MDF Data and
you can have another user to migrate Foundation and MDF Object Changes between the
same source and target instances.

**Audit Log**

An Audit log is created for Actual Sync as well as Test Sync and contains information
such as User ID, Timestamp, Artifact, Sub-Artifact, Operation and Error codes in
case of failures.

**Compare Capability**

As delivered in recent enhancement the tool now has capability to compare data models
and picklist and highlights the differences between Source and Target, so you can
determine what will change after the migration.

**_important Implementation Factors_**

**Define your system landscape**

This is absolutely critical that you define the migration path of your configuration.
Define where development will take, where will it be tested and what will be the
source to move this in production. Define your source and target instances and also
if you single directional or multi directional sync.

**Consider Prerequisites**

Most objects have a prerequisite and before you migrate any configuration for that
object make sure prerequisites have been take care of.

**Admin Access**

The target user selected while migrating configuration should have the ability to
create Configuration objects/ Data in the target instance.

**_Future Enhancements
 
_

**Delta Data Model Sync**

As of 1705, Data Models Changes cannot be moved in incremental way, that is you 
cannot choose to migrate only certain data model changes from source to targets.

**Workflow Groups**

As of 1705, the tool does not allow the sync of workflow groups. This will be available
in the future release of the product.

**Picklists**

As of 1705, you can sync all the values of a picklist and the tool does not allow
you to sync only a certain value of a picklist. This will be enabled in the future.

**_Product Roadmap
 
_

At SAP, we always believe in delivering the best and we have some great thing planned
for the product roadmap:

 * Comparison tools for MDF and FO Objects and Data.
 * Additional filtering and sorting capability based on Specific Users/ dates and
   Object status.
 * Sync for other objects like Homepage, Employee profile and Org Charts.

**_Conclusion_**

Instance Sync tool is available to you in your admin center and is packed with features
and functionality and is delivered to help you migrate your configuration during
or post SuccessFactors implementation . There is nothing for you to lose to use 
this tool nor there is any risk to use the tool.

Please share your experience using the tool and provide us with your feedback and
I will be happy

**Thanks & Regards,**

**Anipe Abraham,**

**Consultant Certified – SAP HCM& SF,**

**Lorenzo****-data solutions,**

**Email: lorenzodata001@gmail.com**