Adding External Reference Field to CHARM in Solution Manager 7.1 (No Coding Required)

The team over here at NIMBL and I have been supporting multiple Change Request Management (CHARM) deployments since the Solution Manager 7.1 release.  With the release of SP05 and then SP08 – we’ve seen even more traction in the SAP community to begin leveraging Solution Manager 7.1 CHARM to control both SAP and non-SAP changes in the landscape.  Often times we still find environments where Incidents and Problems are managed outside of the SAP landscape – but the SAP customer wants the best-in-breed workflow and control of CHARM.  Typically the decision is to move forward with CHARM and then we’ll add an external reference field for Incident/Problem numbers. 

On a recent project – we found a way to add an existing Ext Reference field in the CRM UI that is also an available column in CHARM Reporting (transaction /n/TMWFLOW/REPORTINGN)

Example

Slam Dunk – Right?  No need for custom table and no need to develop a custom report for it to work!  Beautiful.  Here’s how it works – the system we used below for screenshots was running Solution Manager 7.1 SP08

Prerequisites

1. We’re going to assume you’ve followed the CHARM configuration guide http://service.sap.com/~sapidb/011000358700001056012011E
2. And that you understand the concept of Business Roles http://www.service.sap.com/~sapidb/011000358700000087492013E
3. You’ve copied the Business Role SOLMANPRO to ZSOLMANPRO (or whatever Z name of your choice)
4. We also want to ensure you have a ‘Z’ Role Config Key referenced in your Business Role. 
   1. Business Role Config can be found in IMG > CRM > UI Framework > Business Roles > Define Business Roles
   2. Role Config Key can be found in IMG > CRM > UI Framework > Technical Role Definition > Define Role Configuration Key
5. And what about authority? Living without SAP_ALL is like living without carbs – you can do it.  Composite Role SAP_CM_ADMINISTRATOR_COMP has the CRM UI authority required.
6. Set a new Parameter in your user profile (SU01) so you can select your Business Role at login.
   1. CRM_UI_PROFILE = *

Configuration

1. Logon to Solution Manager and execute transaction SM_CRM
2. This should open IE and enable you to select your Z Business Role
3. Navigate to a new or existing Request for Change and click the ‘Show Configurable Areas’ button in the upper left.
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4. Next click in the blue highlighted area where you want to add the Ext Reference field
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5. Highlight the first line under ‘Configurations’ and click the Copy button
6. We’re going to create a new configuration under your Z configuration key created as prerequisite.
7. Input your Role Configuration Key name, and set Component Usage, Object Type, Object Subtype to ‘<DEFAULT>’
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8. Click Continue and then select your configuration in the grid
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9. Click the Show Available Fields button and a selection screen will open on the left
10. Open BTADMINH and click page forward until you see Ext Reference
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11. Click the plus sign button above the Column A to add to the left side of the screen
12. Or click the plus sign button above Column P to add to the right side of the screen
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13. We need to validate you’ve got the correct field added.  Click the field you just added – ensure it’s highlighted blue and then click the Show Field Properties
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14. Next click Show Technical Details and confirm your field matches the one below
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15. Click Save & Close up top.  Create or input a transport number
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16. Verify the field has been added – Congrats!
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You’ve added the field to the CRM UI – nice work!  Test by inputting data and saving your RFC.

CHARM Reporting

1. You’ve added the field to the CRM UI.  Now we need to confirm we can report against the field
2. In SAP GUI, run transaction /n/TMWFLOW/REPORTINGN
3. Limit your selection criteria to your Request for Change transaction type.  In my case – it’s ZMCR
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4. Click Execute (F8)
5. Click the Change Layout button on the navigation bar
6. Select the field ‘External Reference No.’ on the right and add to your ‘Displayed Columns’
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7. Save your layout and verify
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Summary

We’ve done it!  We added an External Reference field to Change Request Management in Solution Manager 7.1 SP08 without any coding or development.  And we’re able to report on the field via standard SAP reporting.  We have not had time to validate if the above Config is also used in ITSM Analytics.  Will post an update once we’ve had time to confirm.

Thank you! Please post questions!