The primary tool for migrating data to SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition is the SAP S/4HANA Migration Cockpit. The standard approach for this edition is "Migrate Data Using Staging Tables." In this method, business users download pre-configured migration templates, which are Microsoft Excel XML files or comma-separated values (CSV) files. They populate these templates with legacy data and then upload them into the S/4HANA Cloud system via the Migration Cockpit Fiori app. This file-based approach is the designated method for new implementations in the public cloud environment.

B. With Core Data Services: Core Data Services (CDS) are used for defining and consuming semantically rich data models. They are a data modeling and access technology, not a tool for migrating legacy data.

C. With the zero downtime service: The Zero Downtime Option (ZDO) is a feature of the Software Update Manager (SUM) used for on-premise system conversions and upgrades to minimize business disruption, not for data migration to a public cloud instance.

D. With a separate SAP HANA database: This describes the "Migrate Data Directly from SAP System" (Direct Transfer) approach, which is available for on-premise or private cloud editions but is not supported for SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition.

1. SAP Help Portal

SAP S/4HANA Cloud

Data Migration. "SAP S/4HANA Migration Cockpit - Migrate Your Data to SAP S/4HANA Cloud". The documentation explicitly states the use of migration templates: "For each migration object that is relevant for your project

you can download a migration template (a Microsoft Excel XML file)." It also details the process of filling and uploading these files.

2. SAP Help Portal

SAP S/4HANA Cloud

Available Migration Approaches. "For SAP S/4HANA Cloud

you use the SAP S/4HANA migration cockpit to migrate your data. The migration approach is Migrate Data Using Staging Tables." This document confirms the staging table (file-based) approach is the standard for the public cloud and explicitly states the "Migrate Data Directly from SAP System" approach is not available.

3. SAP Learning

Course S4C01 - Introduction to SAP S/4HANA Cloud. Unit: "Data Migration". This courseware details the use of the Migration Cockpit and file-based templates as the method for loading data into SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition during implementation.