Further blogs
You can find an introduction to Business Process Monitoring in SAP Solution Manager in the SAP Business Process Monitoring within SAP Solution Manager of this blog. There, all further blogs dealing with various aspects of Business Process Monitoring are linked. The blog will be updated regularly.What are inconsistencies:
An inconsistency is present if two instances representing the same data contain different values or are missing completely in one of both systems.
Possible reasons for Data Inconsistencies:
- User Level -> Data inconsistencies due to Real world operation <> system transaction (Wrong usage of transaction) Example: User takes goods from shelf, but does not document this activity in the system
- Application Level -> Data inconsistencies within one system or between two systems due to logical inconsistencies in application integration, errors in application programs, absence of error handling Example: User Exit in SAP Standard program that posts same data as later on posted again by standard function module
- Technology Level -> Data inconsistencies due to absence of transactional security, data loss Example: Program aborts after posting without doing a rollback of that posting „³ same program is restarted; posting is executed again
Risk of inconsistencies
- Consistency is crucial for correct business operation as the data is used for further processing
- Any inconsistent state should be detected as early as possible requiring a regular consistency check of data between involved systems
Handling of inconsistencies:
The following diagram shows the recommended process for Inconsistency detection and deletion in Business Process Monitoring:
Inconsistency Monitoring should be performed regularly by running the corresponding inconsistency reports and monitoring the results by the business operation team and the first and second level application support. If an inconsistency is detected a root cause analysis should be performed. If the analysis reveals that there is a real technical inconsistency and not just a temporary one the inconsistent data should be corrected after the root cause has been eliminated.
There are a lot of application specific consistency reports/ tools partly available per notes, partly available per standard in the system.
Some of the new application specific consistency reports/tools cover the following areas:
Data Consistency Monitoring Objects
- Enterprise Resource Planning
o Sales & Services
o Warehouse Management
o Inventory Management
o Controlling
o Financials - Supply Chain Management
o liveCache-Database
o CIF-Interface
o eWM - Customer Relationship Management
o CRM-ECC
o CRM-EDB
o Marketing
o Leasing - Generic
o Intrasystem Check
o Intersystem Check
o Customer Specific Reports
A detailed display of identified inconsistencies is available for all monitoring objects!
Example:
Data Consistency Monitoring: Material master <-> Material Ledger (Report SAPRCKMU / Transaction CKMC)
Automated alerting in case of inconsistencies for selected objects, based on selected threshold values (Prerequisite: Implementation of SAP Note 1091447)
Setup Business Process Monitoring:
Select the Application Monitor and Load Application Monitors from the Satellite system.
Choose the Application Monitor Type Material Master / Material Ledger.
Choose Key Figures.
The Key Figure – Existence of a difference – describes whether there is a difference between the material master data and the material ledger data for a material checked by the specified variant.
The Key Figure – Increasing number of materials with differences – checks whether the number of materials with differences has increased between the penultimate and last runs of report SAPRCKMU for the specified variant.
The Key Figure – Age of stored analysis – ensures that report SAPRCKMU runs on a regular basis in your target system.
Using F4 help, you can select the variant of report SAPRCKMU in the target system that is to be monitored in the USED VARIANT field on the “Detailed Information” tab page.
You can configure data collection to run on the “Monitoring Schedule” tab page.
In the Business Process Monitoring Section you have the possibility to analyse the Alerts of your Business Process
Via the Button „Detail Info” you have the possibility to analyze the inconsistent data in the Satellite System
If you are further interested in how you can Setup Monitoring in the Solution Manager and the associated Satellite System please read the Best Practice Documents. More Information about Business Process Monitoring specified on the Business Process Management page in the SAP Service Marketplace.
Related Blogs
Checking data consistency within your system landscape canbe easily performed with the help of the Data Consistency Toolbox (DC Toolbox) which is available in the Business Process Operations Work Center of SAP Solution Manager. Two functionalities can be distinguished, the Data Consistency Toolbox in SAP Solution Manager - Handling DC Task List and the Data Consistency Toolbox in SAP Solution Manager - Handling DC Tool Catalogue. Please have a look at these two blogs to find more details.
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