Upgrade from 4.6C to ECC 6.0 with Unicode and Adobe Document Services

We are in the process of upgrading from 4.6C to ECC 6.0, and have no need for Unicode. We did successfully upgrade our system in a test environment, but realized during functional testing that we needed Adobe Document Service (ADS) for W-2 processing. One of the modules that we use is USA payroll. I’ve seen messages about a work around to still use SAPscript for W-2’s, but we don’t want to do that. It is our understanding that we will need to install a Java stack to take advantage of ADS, and that in order to install the Java stack (which needs to be Unicode), we will need to migrate our ABAP stack to Unicode as well.

What I’m trying to find out is the best way to do this. It is my understanding that we can’t convert our 4.6C system to Unicode before upgrading; rather it needs to be done at the same time. I’ve also read that SAP does not recommend doing a Unicode conversion and an upgrade at the same time. I will mention that we are totally USA, so we don’t need multiple languages.

I’ve spent a lot of time searching for documents that will help, but I’m still confused on how to proceed. I’m specifically interested in the best sequence to use, with the consideration of minimizing downtime. I would appreciate any input that you can provide.

Thank you,

Leeanna Travis