Product Lifecycle Management Blogs by Members
Get insider knowledge about product lifecycle management software from SAP. Tap into insights and real-world experiences with community member blog posts.
cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 
christoph_bergemann
Active Contributor

Introduction

In context of SAP EHS Management (classic) changes in the software are delivered by SAP using either a:

  • Support Package
  • or Enhancement Package

The strategy of SAP is "easy" but sometimes misinterpreted.

A support package combines simply:

  • a list of error fixes
  • and can contain new software based on legal demand (e.g. REACh...)


An Enhancement Package contains "add on software" which enhances the functionality but is not legal driven.

By experience:

SAP is roughly providing two support packages per year. Regarding new "Enhancement Package": roughly once a year a new EnhancementPpackage is available but this neednot always enhance EHS (e.g. no extension happened in Enhancement Package 1 and 4 regarding EHS).

The test approach regarding the delivery of a "Support Package" and an "Enhancement Package" is different. Regarding an Enhancement Package a more intensive test of the new software is done and a ramp up phase is used.

In context of SAP EHS Management new features are delivered with:

  • Enhancement Package 3
  • Enhancement Package 5
  • Enhancement Package 6
  • Enhancement Package 7

If you check SAP marketplace you will see that per "Package" a different maointenance startegy is used (that means support packages are deliverd for the packages at different times). Therefore to get "state of the art" software (including legal changes) you need "only" download the recent combination of Enhancement Package / Support Package.


There is only one important "but":

To make use of the new features, you must activate via customizing the corresponding Business Function. After doing that you can get updates in customizing; delivered are sometimes "default" implementations of the new features but not in all cases. Only within a project you can make sure which of the new features should be used and how etc. If you are planning to use one of the new feature you need to have a "plan" to analyse what is new, how to use the new feature; then to develop test etc. the new stuff.

Now what are the reasons to use the functionality (in theory you can use SAP ECC 6.0 with out any ! Enhancement Package and you can still fulfill all legal requirements):

Main drivers are the new features. If you use them properly you can gain new benefits and save money.

If you check: http://help.sap.com/erp2005_ehp_06/helpdata/en/bf/57cec7cb1343f4877cb762029876ce/content.htm?framese...

Chapter "Environment, Health and Safety" and subchapters you will realize that there are these business functions available:

Business FucntionRelated Enhancement PackageImportant new fetaures
LOG_EHS_GLM_CI_4Enhancement Package 7Improvements in the area of GLM
LOG_EHS_PS_CI_3Enhancement Package 6

Improvements in the area of GLM

Improvements in the area of CG02

Improvements in the area of SVT

LOG_EHS_DG_CI_3Enhancement Package 6Improvements in the area of DG
LOG_EHS_CI_2Enhancement Package 5

Improvement in area of SVT

Improvement in area of OH

OPS_EHS_CI_1Enhancement Package 3

Improvement performance Expert Server

Improvement in area of OCC

Improvement in area of WWI

Improvement in area of DG

New flexible hazardous substance check

Improvement in CG02/CG02BD

Improvement in inheritance

Improvement in area of SVT

Improvement in area of GLM

Especially the improvements in the area of GLM, SVT and CG02/CG02BD but DG as well are reasons why a company should check if there is a benefit in installing the software and activating the business function.

At the end you need a project to select the right function to be used and to describe how it should be used etc.

I am not aware of any kind of depedency between the business functions. You can acticvate them independent from each other.

Component Extension

Regarding enhancement options here: please check: http://scn.sap.com/docs/DOC-45836#comment-386163

GLM Extension

There is a new document in place referring to the changes in GLM as mentioned above. It is really worth to read it:

http://scn.sap.com/community/ehs-management/blog/2013/09/27/new-changes-for-glm-in-ehp70-and-erp-60


2 Comments