May 8, 2013 3 minute read

ChaRM Framework: An Overview of Existing Actions

In Change Request Manegement, the ChaRM Framework is some kind of toolset which provides actions and consistency checks which can be assigned to a user status so they get executed.

So, as customers copy the standard transaction types to the customer namespace all of the ChaRM Frameworks actions and consistency checks assigned get copied.

But what if customers want to change the process and adapt it to their need? Documentation of the ChaRM actions and consistency checks is pretty spare in IMG.

If you have read this article (http://www.computerwoche.de/software/software-infrastruktur/2504588/) about SAP Solution Manager it’s pretty clear that customers still need more information. We are aware of this and the blogs I write have already brought some feedback into the official SAP documentation.

This is the next step for bringing together an overview documentation of the ChaRM actions (and in another blog later the ChaRM consistency checks).

As this is a lot of work as you can imagine, I will start with the actions customized and assigned in the SAP standard transaction types first.

The list covers the currently assigned ChaRM actions of the standard transaction types (excluding the actions which call old SAP GUI screens, customized with inactive PPF actions)

Request for Change (SMCR)
Urgent Change (SMHF)
Normal Change (SMMJ),
Defect Correction (SMTM)
Administrative Change (SMAD)
General Change (SMCG).
Change Cycles (SMMN, SMMM, SMDM) – do not have ChaRM actions assigned in the standard process

But the goal here is to provide a complete list afte a time.

So, thank you for your feedback if you find errors and have other comments:

List builds up on ST 7.10, Support Package 8.

ChaRM action name	This action is used…	Relevant and customized for	Detail
9CREATE	Internally used to check if the creation of the document is allowed in respect of the change cycle phase. It is customized to the initial user status (exception is the Urgent Change)	SMAD, SMMJ, SMTM
AP_PROC_INI	Completely resets an approval procedure which is already approved or is in awaiting approval. The approval procedure will then have the same state as in status ‘In Validation’ as in the Request for Change	SMCR
APPR_SCOPE	to set an intenal status for scope items in the Request for Change assignment block. It sets them to ‘rejected’ or ‘approved’. As the scope can be extended and afterwards maybe rejected in the approval procedure process, it is important to save the approval status of each scope item	SMCR
CLEAR_EMPTY	Deletes empty transport tasks, meaning transport tasks without objects in it. It checks beforehand wirh the consistency check ‘NO_CHANGES’ if the object list of the transport is empty	SMHF, SMMJ, SMTM
CLOSE_TSK_LS	Closes the tasklist of the Urgent Change. Prerequisite is that no changes have been done (consistency check ‘NO_CHANGES’ is checked before)	SMHF
COPY_ALL	Creates a transport of copies (ToC) out of the transport requests of the change document and transports it into the test system	SMMJ
CREATE_HF	Creates the UC task list for the Urgent Change and links it to the Urgent Change (related documents assignment block)	SMHF
DISTRIBUTE_W	Distributes a Urgent Change	SMHF	Customized with PPF action with Implementation HF_EXECUTE_ACTION, delivered inactive http://scn.sap.com/community/it-management/alm/solution-manager/blog/2013/01/21/distribute-urgent-change-now-possible-in-crm-web-ui
EXT_SCOPE	Marks a scope of a Request for Change as extended (internally)	SMCR
IMPORT_PROD	Imports the transport of the Urgent Change into the production system	SMHF
IMPORT_TEST	Imports the original transport from the development system of the Urgent Change into the test system	SMHF
JSM_SET_STAT	Synchronizes change document status and job documentation status	SMAD	specific for job documentation
NAV_BPCA	Opens up the Business Process Change Analyzer to create a BPCA Analysis	SMCR, SMHF, SMMJ, SMTM	Customized with PPF action with Implementation HF_EXECUTE_ACTION
NAVI_SYS_WEB	Logon to the relevant system, depending on the user status	SMAD, SMHF, SMMJ, SMTM, SMMM, SMMN	(f.e. if an Urgent Change has status ‘To be Tested’, the relevant system is the quality system). See IMG activity ‘Make Settings for Change Transaction Types’ , area Specify Status Attributes which user status is assigned to which system role type Custimized with PPF action with Implementation HF_EXECUTE_ACTION
NAV_TASK_WEB	Opens a new SAP GUI mode with the opened task list	SMAD, SMHF, SMMJ, SMTM, SMDV	Customized with PPF action with Implementation HF_EXECUTE_ACTION
PRM_NEXT_IMP	Synchronize landscape of q–systems for preliminary import functionality	SMMJ	available since ST 7.10 SP 5 http://scn.sap.com/community/it-management/alm/solution-manager/blog/2012/06/19/how-to-integrate-the-preliminary-import-functionality-for-customers-with-existing-and-changed-normal-change-user-status-profile-in-solman-71–sp5 http://scn.sap.com/community/it-management/alm/solution-manager/blog/2012/06/19/updated-process-overview-for-preliminary-import
PRM_PROD_IMP	Transports a preliminary Import into the production system	SMMJ	available since ST 7.10 SP 5 http://scn.sap.com/community/it-management/alm/solution-manager/blog/2012/06/19/how-to-integrate-the-preliminary-import-functionality-for-customers-with-existing-and-changed-normal-change-user-status-profile-in-solman-71–sp5 http://scn.sap.com/community/it-management/alm/solution-manager/blog/2012/06/19/updated-process-overview-for-preliminary-import
RELEASE_ALL	Releases transport requests in the development system	SMMJ
RELEASE_REQU	Releases all transport requests in the development system	SMHF	Deletes empty requests before releasing
RETROFIT_WEB	Starts the Retrofit window in SAP GUI	SMHF, SMMJ	Customized with PPF action with Implementation HF_EXECUTE_ACTION
SAVE_PARTNER	Saves business partners in respective partner roles. Defines which partner role is filled as current processor depending on the user status	all	IMG activity ‘Make Settings for Change Transaction Types’ area ‘Specify Partner Assignment and Check’
SET_BO_LINKS	Links the change document to the project cycle (related documents assignment block)	all	IMG activity ‘Make Settings for Change Transaction Types’ area ‘Specify Partner Assignment or Check’ (old name ‘Use Partner Functions’
SET_PREDOC	Checks depending on customizing if the current document triggers a user status change for a prerequisite document. F.e. a ‘Consolidated’ user status in Normal Change sets a Request for Change to ‘Implemented’ if there is no other change document in the Request for Changes’ scope	all	IMG activity ‘Make Settings for Change Transaction Types’ area ‘Specify Status Setting for Predecessor Documents’
SYSTEM_EXIST	Triggers condition ‘SYSTEM_EXIST’ and checks if scope items specified in the scope assignment block and if the change category and iBase are filled	SMCR, (SMCT)
TR_SBOX_POP	Opens up the dialog window to create transport of copies	SMMJ	Customized with PPF action with Implementation HF_EXECUTE_ACTION