Transaction SBPT brings you to the parallel background test environment:
Here you can evaluate your settings.
Real live use
Some SAP transaction use parallel execution. Example is transaction code FAGL_MM_RECON.
More on load balancing
Parallel processing is an important part of load balancing across multiple application servers. More on load balancing can be read in this dedicated blog.
In the blog on readiness check 2.0 we explained how you can perform analysis on your system as preparation for the S4HANA upgrade. This blog will explain how to run detailed analysis on your custom code as preparation for S4HANA upgrade. Pre-condition is that you have installed 7.52 netweaver system and done the configuration for remote ATC as described in this blog.
Questions that will be answered in this blog are:
What do I need to do in order to set up the remote S4HANA readiness check in ATC?
How to run the remote S4HANA readiness check?
How to handle the results of the remote S4HANA readiness check?
How to set up remote ATC for S4HANA readiness check?
To run the remote ATC for S4HANA readiness check you must install a netweaver 7.52 system and configure the remote ATC. Instructions can be found in this blog.
In the SAP code inspector (for details see this blog) you can now find the S4HANA readiness variants:
How to run the S4HANA readiness in ATC?
To run the S4HANA readiness variant create in the ATC tool (for all details see this blog) a special S4HANA readiness run series:
In this run it is important to put your analysis system object provider into the variant!
Now start the ATC run and be patient. The run might take a few hours pending on your system size and Z code base sizing.
You can monitor the progress in the ATC run monitor:
You can also see here if any tool issues were reported. If tool issues are present, click on the underlined number and see if you can solve them. Most issues are SAP bugs and you need to apply an OSS note. Before creating new message for SAP make sure you have applied all recent notes for the S4HANA readiness check (2436688 – Recommended SAP Notes for using S/4HANA custom code checks in ATC) and all the remote ATC notes as explained in the remote ATC blog.
How to handle the results?
If the ATC run is finished you can look at the results in the central system:
The results consist of a code point where a potential issue is. If you click on the code point you jump to the analyzed systems code.
There is also a note number which explains what you need to check.
Now basically 3 things can happen:
You can fix the issue directly: nice, the next run the issue is gone.
You read from the OSS note the function has changed or is no longer present in S4HANA. Read the OSS note for alternatives or check with your functional consultant on functional alternatives. Example of change is the way output and pricing is done. You know now it will be changed, but you cannot prepare in the current system. Use the list as input for project management for work estimation.
You read from the OSS note the potential issue and conclude it is not relevant for your situation. Example is material number length handling. If you use material numbers properly this is not relevant for you, but the tool will generate massive amounts of alerts. But maybe in some cases you need to intervene.
To distribute the results, apply OSS note 2499684. This enables you to download the ATC results into xls spread sheet. From here it is easier to follow up if action is needed for long list (like material number length) or not.
More important, you need to run the ATC a few times, after every main clean up round. But some notes you might have detected as not relevant and you want to exclude them.
To do this copy the SCI S4HANAREADINESS variant to your own variant. Then change the SCI variant to exclude the OSS notes you don’t want to see any more:
Now rerun the ATC with the new variant. The list you get will be smaller. Repeat this iterations as long as needed.
Don't change the originally SAP delivered SCI variants. New features and bug fixes by SAP will update this variant. If you have an updated SAP variant, simply copy it again to your Z variant and redo the exclusion of OSS notes.
S4HANA 1809 update and beyond
If you previously installed remote ATC for a 1709 check and want to run now for S4HANA 1809 or higher version, there are a few update steps to follow.
Step 2 is to update the simplification content to version 1809. You have to download the content from SAP software site and upload it in your ATC 7.52 system. For this step follow the instructions from OSS note 2241080 – SAP S/4HANA: Content for checking customer specific code.
Short summary of these steps in this note: download the most up-to-date simplification database:
In the 7.52 central ATC system use tcode SYCM to upload this file.
Now you are good to go for the S4HANA 1809 readiness check for custom code.
For S4HANA 1909, S4HANA 2020 and S4HANA 2021 the notes have different numbers:
If you set this to 1 then only people with the right privilege can log on to the system. The parameter is immediately effective. All non-privileged users will get this error when they try to log on to the system:
After the system maintenance you can set the parameter back to normal and everybody can log on again. User history is not touched.
Be aware this is a dynamically switchable parameter. If you set the value to 1 and need to restart the system during your maintenance the value after restart is back to 0, which means everybody can log on again.
How to assign the privilege to log on to basis administrators?
First you need to create or extend the user security policy for basis admins using transaction SECPOL. Add the policy attribute SERVER_LOGON_PRIVILEGE and set it to value 1.
Now you can add this security policy to all basis team members in SU01:
All persons with security policy ADMIN are now still allowed to log on during the maintenance when parameter login/server_logon_restriction is set to 1 in RZ11.
Other use of security policies
Security policies can also be used to enhance security of specific user groups (like basis team). See this blog for more on this feature.
This blog will explain how to get text on the SAP logon screen before users logon and on the screen after users logon.
If you want to load a picture after the logon screen, please read this blog.
Questions that will be answered are:
How to add a text to the logon screen?
How to include icons?
How to put a text after the logon screen in stead of a picture?
How to put a clickable URL in the text after the logon screen?
Setting text before logon
The text to be shown before logon is maintained via transaction SE61. Select General text and for the name select ZLOGIN_SCREEN_INFO.
Now press change:
Enter the text you want to show to the users.
If you want to show SAP icons in the text start transaction SE38 and run program RSTXICON. Run it as ABAP list. Look for the icon you want and lookup the code. Please it between 2 @ symbols.
After the logon screen you can either add a picture or a web url. But no text or text with hyperlink. To achieve this we will do a small development trick. We put the text on a web dynpro page and add the web dynpro page as URL for the start screen.
First develop the web dynpro in SE80:
We will call the web dynpro ZSTARTPAGE. In our example there is a text (caption) and a LinkToUrl. The LinkToUrl has a text and a hyperlink and will show as a clickable element to the user. Save and generate the web dynpro. Test the web dynpro and note down the URL of the web dynpro.
Start transaction SM30_SSM_CUST to maintain the customizing for logon screen and other items. In the parameter SESS_URL fill out the web dynpro URL. If the parameter SESS_URL does not yet exist, just create it.
This blog will explain how to setup SAP batch job interception.
Questions that will be answered in this blog are:
How to activate SAP batch job interception?
How does an intercepted job look like?
Activating SAP batch job interception
Before you can begin the setup of the batch job interception you must run program INITXBP2 in SE38:
Next you have to start transaction CRIT and create the profiles.
First create the default SAP profile by clicking on the SAP logo. Activate it. Next step is to create the profile in which you want to do the interception. In the screen above click on the create profile button. Now enter a criteria. For simplicity we have called it interception. In our case we intercept all except a list of authorized users. In the user list we include the basis users and the background users (in this example WF-BATCH). Save the data.
Next step is to activate this profile:
Working of interception
When a batch job is planned the interception checks if the job should be intercepted or not. As a test logon as end user and launch a job. In our case the user ENDUSER tries to launch a job from SLG2 transaction to delete application logs. This jobs is intercepted and shows like this in SM37:
The job does not start immediately, but shows in intercepted state. If user with release rights now goes to SM37 for this job, he can release the intercepted job.
This blog focuses on SAP mail sending tips and tricks.
Questions that will be answered are:
How can I add a disclosure to the mails I send form non-productive systems?
How do I restrict access to transaction SOST?
Which batch job to plan for sending mails?
How can I send encrypted or signed mails?
Is there a display only version of SCOT available?
How to send hyperlink in mail using ABAP?
Adding disclosure from to mails from development and test systems
If you want to send mails from development and test systems, but don’t want any risk that it looks like a productive mail, you can add a disclosure to the mail.
In SOST mail settings go to the disclosure function:
Or you can go directly there using the SODIS transaction.
In SODIS you key in the disclosure text:
If you want you can test for any mail address if the disclosure will be shown or not by using the Routing Test function:
When sending mails from the SAP system the receiver now gets the disclosure. The real mail is pushed as text in the attachment of the mail (see OSS note 2842085 – Email body becoming to attachment in receiver side). You need to open the attachment to see the body of the text. Hyperlinks in the body will still work.
Restricting access to SOST transaction: give SOSG access
As admin you might want to restrict access to SOST transaction. This transaction is also often used by functional consultants to see if their mail is sent or not. When having access to SOST all functions like deletion and stopping of mails is also granted. What you can do is fully restrict access to SOST and grant the functional consultants access to transaction SOSG to display the mail status. It looks same as SOST, but has additional authorization checks. See also OSS note 2351372 – User access to transactions SOST, SOSV, SOSG and SOSB.
SAP mail sending can also use mail receipts. This might be wanted, but most of the times it is not wanted. More about read receipts is explained in OSS note 2161462 – How does Read Receipt work in SAPConnect?
This blog will give technical tips & tricks on embedded search. Embedded search can run on both HANA directly or on separate TREX server. It is assumed you know how to set up search in ESH_COCKPIT and know how the end user transaction ESH_SEARCH work.
Questions that will be answered in this blog are:
How do I set HANA default connection as embedded search location?
What to do after a system copy with embedded search?
How to reset the complete embedded search to initial state?
How to reset the embedded search buffer?
How to recreate the embedded search joins?
How to influence the package size of the search extraction?
How to check backend part of search?
How to deal with full text search issues?
How to deal with authority index issues?
How to deal with high load issues on TREX?
Activating search in S4HANA
If you are running S4HANA, you can use an STC01 task list to fully setup the search function. Read this blog on technical activation and this blog for FIORI search for full instructions. The remainder of the blog below can be used in case of issues.
Setting the search connection to use HANA default database connection
If you are running HANA database for ECC you can use the HANA default primary database connection for search setup. This is easier in maintenance: no extra TREX needed, no extra secondary DB connection. Search will consume extra memory and CPU off course on the HANA database.
To set this up run program ESH_ADM_SET_TREX_DESTINATION and select the Use HANA Primary DB connection option.
When things gone really beyond repair, you can log on to client 000 and start transaction STC01 and run task list SAP_ESH_RESET.
Important: write down (or make screen shots) on the connectors and settings that were active before running this task list. It will really wipe out all connectors and settings.
With program ESH_SET_INDEXING_PACKAGESIZE you can set the package size for indexing per object. You can lower the size for large objects to avoid memory issues while indexing. Issues can be dumps on SYSTEM_NO_ROLL / LOAD_NO_ROLL / TSV_TNEW_PAGE_ALLOC_FAILED / SYSTEM_NO_SHM_MEMORY.
To check if a search issue is related to application coding or is related to search setup, you can run program ESH_TEST_SEARCH (with same transaction code ESH_TEST_SEARCH). This program gives you options to test the search independent of any programming of search front end.
If you are having issues with full text search, please check OSS note 2280372 – How to check Full Text search issues. This note is focusing on full text search issues in relation to solution manager CHARM, but the methods described can be used as well for analyzing other full text search issues.
While indexing you might get authorization indexing issues. First step is to repeat with sufficient rights attached to your user ID. Then run program ESH_ADM_RECALC_AUTHS to force the recalculation of the authorizations.
In newer versions this tool is available. Otherwise apply OSS note 2690982 – TrexViaDbsl Analysis Tool in ABAP. Then in SA38 you can launch program RHANA_TREXVIADBSL_ANALYZER for the analysis tool:
Main versions are delivered in new netweaver releases and/or support packages. There is a special blog written on the subject of last digit patching.
You can also check the main SAP UI component in the ABAP part with System/Status:
Per version you can look up upcoming ABAP UI component support pack stack information and planning at this SAP site.
Finding version of a specific standard SAP app
If you want to know the version information of a standard SAP app, you simply click on the Information button in the personalization when you in the app:
Recalculation of app indexes is needed after an upgrade or support package installation with new apps. Also when you install extra addon this is needed. Another use case is when you have deployed your own new app via transport or when you applied a large OSS note with new app code via transport. Program to run is: /UI5/APP_INDEX_CALCULATE. You can run for single app. Or after support package: run in full. It is wise to have this program run in delta mode at least daily.
If you have a custom theme created you can set it as default for everybody. For instruction see this blog. This blog also describes how to reset a users’ theme setting in case of issues a user might have after upgrade (garbled screen).
/UI2/FLP start issues
Transaction code /UI2/FLP can be used to start the FIORI launchpad. There can be issues using Internet Explorer. The best browser to develop and test issues is Chrome.
For user measurement and use of the ODATA calls, you can use the FIORI ODATA metering functions in the Netweaver Gateway component. Read more in this blog.
Configure backend system to jump to FIORI frontend server
In some use cases, you want to jump from the ABAP backend system to the FIORI frontend server. This is possible, but requires setup. The setup is described at sap help files online.
FIORI search
To activate FIORI search, please read this dedicated blog.
FIORI notifications
FIORI can sent push notifications to the end-user:
To set up these push notifications, read this dedicated blog.
FIORI app support is a powerful tool to find out what the source of issue there is for your FIORI app. It can check missing ODATA activation, missing SICF activation, authorization issues. Log files can be downloaded to SAP for further analysis. Read more on FIORI app support in this blog.
FIORI apps impacted by an S4HANA upgrade
FIORI apps can change between versions. Older apps are replaced by new ones. You might need to act on this if the apps are used by the business. To get a list of SAP FIORI app differences, follow the instructions from this SAP blog.
Testing FIORI tiles for slow network or high latency
FIORI tiles and web developments might be slow with users further away from the server. If the application has many round trips built in the increase network latency will definitely kill the end user performance.
Read more in this blog on how you can simulate a distant user in Chrome to analyze the issue.
Manage KPI tiles
SAP FIORI comes with a powerful tool to setup KPI tiles based on embedded HANA views. Read more about the manage KPI tiles in this blog.
A system refresh of a netweaver gateway hub system is not needed in most cases. In case of embedded gateway: if the system is refreshed (for example from productive system towards acceptance system), running the cache refresh and UI5 app indexing is sufficient. See OSS note 3111069 – Task list clarification post System copy/System Refresh in Embedded deployment.
Monitoring FIORI gateway system
You can monitor FIORI gateway system using SAP Focused Run. Read this dedicated blog on monitoring Gateway systems.
ODATA V2 versus ODATA V4
SAP is moving from ODATA V2 towards ODATA V4. Read more on ODATA V4 activation in this blog.
FIORI 3D visualization demo
For a demo on 3D visualization using FIORI element goto SAP web page and load the attached file: SAP Pocket Knife (unzip before use):
The advantage of using the FIORI element to show 3D visualization is that you don’t need to install the fat client for 3D viewer on your laptop or desktop.
This blog explains how to mass stop and mass start batch jobs as admin. This especially useful putting the SAP system in maintenance mode. Maintenance mode can be needed for upgrade, support package patching or data conversion.
Questions that will be answered are:
How to mass stop batch jobs?
Can I plan new jobs I need during the suspend mode?
Downloading and implementing new versions of OSS notes
SAP regularly updates its own OSS notes. To check in your system if there are new updates for OSS notes relevant to you go to transaction SNOTE. Then choose “Goto -> SAP Note Browser ->Execute (F8)”, and then choose “Download Latest Version of SAP Notes” in the application toolbar. This will download all the latest versions. Check for the status “Obsolete version implemented” in the implementation state column.
Issues with OSS note downloads
In rare cases OSS note download and extractions might fail.
Activation of inactive objects after implementing OSS note
In rare cases after implementing an OSS note some of the ABAP objects are in an inactive state. To activate them, select the menu SAP note and then Activate SAP note manually.
Or you can run program SCWB_NOTE_ACTIVATE to activate the coding of the note:
Transport based correction instructions contain notes that are larger than normal OSS notes. This tool leverages the SPAM transaction to apply these large packages.
Start with reading the PDF document attached to OSS note 2187425: TCI for customer. This contains the exact instructions to enable TCI based correction instructions.
The TCI only recently has a rollback function. Please check if you can update/patch to the version where the rollback works. See the PDF document in OSS note 2187425 on the undo function.
Applying TCI note
There are 2 ways to upload TCI note.
Basis way: you will need SPAM access rights and 000 actions are involved. Upload the TCI file in SPAM in client 000. Then apply the note via SNOTE in main client. The note tool will ask you to confirm to use the TCI mechanism.
ABAP way: you will need SPAM access rights. In transaction SNOTE use menu option Goto / Upload TCI. After uploading the file, choose Decompress. Now apply the note via SNOTE. The note tool will ask you to confirm to use the TCI mechanism.
During the implementation, it can be that you are forced to delete all BI queues.
Transporting obsolete TCI packages
When you upgraded earlier to S4HANA or other recent version, some of the TCI notes might be obsolete. There is an issue moving this through the landscape. Read and apply the solution from OSS note 3116396 – How to Adjust Obsolete TCI Notes in Downstream Systems for the fix.
For digitally signed oss notes see the special blog.
KBA notes
Some notes don’t contain coding updates, but are KBA’s: Knowledge Base Articles. You have to read the note which contains manual instructions or explanation in detail.
In newer netweaver versions SNOTE is revamped. You can apply this version earlier if you want to use it. Read more on the SNOTE revamp in this blog.
Applying notes in shadow during upgrade
In rare cases you might need to apply and OSS note in the shadow system during a system upgrade. Basis team will usually use the SUM tool. Applying notes to shadow during upgrade can be needed to solve upgrade stopping bugs.
Always handle with care. If you are not experienced with upgrades, let a senior handle it.