Infor LN Data Migration: ETL Strategies and Best Practices
Data migration into Infor LN is the highest-risk phase of any implementation or upgrade project. LN's complex table relationships, company-specific numbering schemes, and business rule validations make bulk data loading significantly more challenging than simple INSERT operations. A disciplined ETL approach using LN's Data Migration Framework combined with custom staging tables prevents the data quality issues that derail go-live timelines.
LN Data Migration Framework Overview
Infor LN includes a built-in Data Migration Framework (DMF) accessed through the ttdmf session series. DMF provides templated import sessions for master data entities including items, BOMs, customers, suppliers, chart of accounts, and open orders. Each DMF template enforces LN business rules during import, catching validation errors that raw SQL inserts would bypass and corrupt.
- DMF templates for core entities: ttdmf5100m000 (items), ttdmf5200m000 (BOMs), ttdmf5300m000 (routings)
- Built-in validation: DMF sessions execute the same business rules as manual LN data entry forms
- Error handling: DMF logs rejected records with field-level error descriptions for correction and reload
- Staging tables: DMF uses intermediate staging tables (ttdmf_* prefix) for pre-validation before commit
- Batch processing: DMF sessions support scheduled batch imports for phased migration approaches
ETL Pipeline Design for LN Migrations
The ETL pipeline for LN migrations must handle source data extraction, transformation to LN's data model, staging table loading, DMF validation, and error remediation cycles. LN's multi-company and multi-site architecture adds complexity because entities like items, warehouses, and chart of accounts may be shared or company-specific depending on configuration.
- Extract source data into a neutral staging database with consistent character encoding and date formats
- Map source fields to LN table columns using the LN Data Dictionary (session ttaad4100s000) as reference
- Transform data to match LN domain values: unit codes, currency codes, and enumerated field values from LN tables
- Load DMF staging tables via SQL bulk insert or CSV file import through DMF file-based input sessions
- Run iterative validation-correction cycles: load, validate via DMF, export errors, correct, reload until clean
Cutover Strategy and Go-Live Data Loads
The final data migration cutover requires a time-boxed execution plan that freezes source system changes, loads delta data accumulated since the last full load, and validates completeness before users access the new LN environment. Rehearsing the cutover procedure at least twice in a test environment with timed checkpoints prevents the schedule overruns that delay go-live announcements.
- Conduct minimum two full-dress cutover rehearsals in a test environment measuring elapsed time per step
- Implement a source system freeze window aligned with the cutover timeline to prevent delta data loss
- Use delta extraction queries keyed on timestamp or sequence columns to capture changes since last full load
- Validate record counts and checksum totals between source system and LN target tables post-migration
- Prepare a rollback plan with database restore points and documented procedures if cutover validation fails
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Related Resources
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