Step by Step Guide on Migrating SAP BW Reports to Microsoft Fabric

In a recent IDC study, over 70% of enterprises still rely on legacy BI tools like SAP BW for operational and analytical reporting—yet, 65% of them plan to modernize their data architecture by 2025.

That shift isn’t just about technology—it's about agility, cost-efficiency, and making better decisions at scale. 

And here’s the truth: SAP BW is aging. While robust, it wasn't built for the real-time, cloud-native, AI-augmented world of today. That’s where Microsoft Fabric steps in—not as a replacement, but as a reinvention of how you handle data across your organization.

This blog is your comprehensive guide to migrating SAP BW reports to Microsoft Fabric—not just “how,” but why, and what happens next.

Let’s bridge the gap between legacy systems and next-gen analytics—strategically, not just technically.

Why Enterprises Are Moving Away from SAP BW 

SAP BW had its time—and it served that time well. But modern data demands have evolved. Here's why more businesses are leaving BW behind:

• It’s rigid. BW's centralized modeling is too structured for today’s agile data teams. Experimentation is hard, and integrations with non-SAP systems? Even harder.

• High TCO. Between licensing, infrastructure, and consultants, it’s not cheap to maintain. And with SAP moving focus to Datasphere, BW’s future is clearly limited.

• Cloud is the default. BW wasn't built for it. Microsoft Fabric is—and it natively supports real-time analytics, AI, and cross-platform data blending.

• Innovation is slow. No built-in AI, no self-service BI, no real-time intelligence. Fabric offers all three—plus Power BI, Copilot, and OneLake out of the box.

• Siloed data doesn’t work anymore. Businesses today run on Dynamics, Salesforce, and more. BW just can’t bring it all together the way Microsoft Fabric does.

If your business is still on BW, you're not just behind—you're boxed in.

Microsoft Fabric Architecture for SAP BW Migration

Migrating from SAP BW to Microsoft Fabric isn’t just a “lift and shift”—it’s a rethink. But the good news? Microsoft Fabric has been designed exactly for this kind of transformation.

Let’s break it down.

At the Core: Microsoft Fabric + OneLake

At the heart of Microsoft Fabric is OneLake—a unified data lake that acts as the single source of truth. It brings together data from multiple systems (including SAP BI data warehouse) in real-time, without the need to duplicate everything into different silos.

Think of OneLake as the “data glue” that connects your enterprise systems seamlessly.

SNP Glue: The Connector You Didn’t Know You Needed

SNP Glue is a game-changer in the SAP-to-Fabric journey. It extracts data directly from SAP BW, ECC, or S/4HANA and loads it into OneLake or Microsoft Data Lake Storage Gen2—fully automated, and without breaking existing logic.

Key Features of SNP Glue:

• Supports both full and delta loads

• Converts SAP hierarchies and structures natively

• Requires no ABAP coding or manual table mapping

• Certified for SAP and works natively with Fabric’s Lakehouse

By using SNP Glue, you essentially replicate SAP BW data into Microsoft Fabric—while preserving context, structure, and consistency.

Dataflows, Pipelines & Lakehouses in Action

Once SAP data lands in Fabric, it’s ready for transformation:

• Use Data Pipelines to orchestrate daily refreshes

• Apply Power Query or Dataflows Gen2 for shaping and cleansing

• Store modeled data in Lakehouses, then analyze it via Power BI

This gives you the power to integrate your SAP BW report into Microsoft Fabric while enabling real-time insights, AI capabilities, and user-friendly dashboards.

Step-by-Step — Migrating SAP BW Reports to Microsoft Fabric

Migrating from SAP BW to Microsoft Fabric doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With the right strategy and tools, it becomes a structured and low-risk process. Below is a practical roadmap to guide your team through the transition:

Step 1: Define What Stays and What Goes

Not every BW report needs to be migrated. Start by identifying:

• Critical reports with business impact

• Obsolete or underused reports (time to retire them)

• Custom logic that needs to be preserved or redesigned in Fabric

Pro Tip: Prioritize reports based on business value, not volume.

Step 2: Prepare the SAP BW Environment

Before extraction:

• Clean up unused queries and outdated InfoCubes

• Document dependencies (e.g., custom ABAP logic, joins, hierarchies)

• Validate your BW schema and version compatibility with SNP Glue

This will reduce surprises later.

Step 3: Extract SAP BW Data Using SNP Glue

Here’s where SNP Glue shines:

• Configure connectors from SAP BW to Fabric’s OneLake or Azure Data Lake

• Use delta extraction to minimize load time and network strain

• Map BW structures (like InfoProviders, hierarchies) into equivalent formats in Fabric

No hard coding. No complex middleware. Just plug-and-play pipelines.

Step 4: Transform & Model the Data in Fabric

Once your SAP BW data is in Microsoft Fabric, use:

• Dataflows Gen2 for shaping raw SAP data

• Lakehouse architecture to store structured outputs

• Power BI datasets to build reusable data models

This is also the stage where you can enhance reports with:

• External data sources (Dynamics 365, Salesforce, Excel, etc.)
• DAX calculations and time intelligence
• Copilot-based auto-reporting and Q&A
  

Step 5: Rebuild Reports in Power BI

BW queries can’t be copy-pasted into Power BI—but they can be reimagined:

• Use Power BI’s visual mapping tools to replicate layouts

• Leverage KPI indicators, slicers, bookmarks, and drill-downs

• Add narrative elements using Power BI Smart Narrative or Copilot

End result? Reports that are not only faster—but more useful.

Step 6: Validate, Test, and Optimize

This phase is critical. Test everything:

• Are numbers consistent with BW reports?

• Are filters, dimensions, and hierarchies behaving as expected?

• Are your SAP BI data warehouse outputs matching business logic?

Once validated, optimize load times, refresh schedules, and row-level security.

Step 7: Train & Transition Business Users

The final success factor is adoption.

• Conduct Power BI workshops for business teams

• Build Power BI dashboards that mirror legacy reports (with added enhancements)

• Set up governance policies for data access and publishing

Tip: Showcase side-by-side reports (BW vs. Fabric) to build trust.

Common Pitfalls in SAP BW to Microsoft Fabric Migration — and How to Avoid Them

Even with the right tools, migrating SAP BW to Fabric isn’t always smooth. Here are the most common traps companies fall into—and how to steer clear of them.

1. Treating It Like a Lift-and-Shift

Many teams think they can replicate BW queries one-to-one in Fabric. But Microsoft Fabric is a different beast—it’s cloud-native, schema-flexible, and built around lakehouse principles.

Avoid it by: Reimagining your reporting logic for Power BI. Rigid BW queries may need to be restructured as DAX measures or layered transformations.

2. Skipping the Cleanup Phase

Dumping all your BW data into Fabric might sound easy—but it leads to bloated datasets, poor performance, and user confusion.

Avoid it by: Auditing existing reports, deprecating unused InfoProviders, and extracting only what's truly valuable.

3. Underestimating User Training

Power BI offers self-service BI—BW didn’t. If you don’t prepare your users for this shift, they’ll get stuck or revert to old habits.

Avoid it by: Building enablement paths. Host workshops, create internal tutorials, and offer pre-built templates for quick wins.

4. Ignoring Incremental Loading

Loading your entire SAP data every night? That’s both inefficient and expensive.

Avoid it by: Using tools like SNP Glue to implement delta loading—pull only what’s changed, not everything.

5. Neglecting Governance and Security

Fabric enables access across teams, which is great—but without proper governance, it can spiral.

Avoid it by: Setting row-level security in Power BI, defining ownership roles, and tracking lineage via Fabric’s built-in tools.

Business Benefits After Migration — What Changes for You?

Once you migrate from SAP BW to Microsoft Fabric, the shift isn’t just technical—it’s transformational. Here’s what you stand to gain:

1. Speed to Insight

Old-world BW reports could take days to build or modify. With Fabric:

• Business users can create dashboards without waiting for IT

• Data refreshes happen in near real-time

• Power BI + Fabric Copilot delivers AI-powered insights on the fly

Result: Decisions aren’t delayed—they’re accelerated.

2. Unified View of All Your Data

No more silos. Whether it’s SAP, Dynamics 365, Excel, Salesforce, or third-party tools—Microsoft Fabric brings it all together using OneLake.

That means your reports pull from one consistent source of truth—not stitched-together exports.

3. Reduced Operational Costs

Let’s be real: SAP BW’s licensing, infrastructure, and support are expensive. With Fabric, you pay for what you use. Plus:

• No server maintenance

• Lower TCO

• No need for niche ABAP consultants

Savings + simplicity.

4. Improved Report Adoption

Users love Power BI. It’s modern, visual, and easy to navigate. Post-migration, you'll likely see:

• Higher report usage across departments

• More business teams building their own dashboards

• Fewer requests for static PDF exports

In other words: BI becomes embedded in daily work, not a side task.

5. Enterprise-Grade Security & Compliance

With Microsoft Fabric, security isn't an afterthought:

• Built-in data lineage tracking

• Row-level security in Power BI

• Integration with Microsoft Purview for governance

• GDPR and compliance-ready from day one

“Before vs After Migration: Metrics That Matter”

The Road Ahead — From Legacy to Leadership

You’ve seen what’s possible when you move beyond the limitations of SAP BW. This isn’t just a system migration. It’s a mindset shift—from waiting on static reports to building dynamic, AI-powered insights. From locked-down data models to open, unified analytics.

Microsoft Fabric doesn’t just replicate SAP BW—it redefines what business intelligence can be.

But here’s the catch: the success of your migration isn’t just in the technology. It’s in choosing the right partner who understands both worlds—SAP’s legacy structures and Microsoft’s modern analytics stack.

DynaTech Can Help You Lead This Shift

At DynaTech, we specialize in migrating SAP BI data warehouses to next-gen platforms like Microsoft Fabric. With certified experts, proven accelerators, and tools like SNP Glue, we don’t just move your data—we modernize your analytics culture.

Whether you need a phased rollout, data modeling support, or full-scale governance setup, we’ve done it all—and done it well.

Ready to integrate your SAP BW report into Microsoft Fabric?

Let’s start your transformation journey today.