SAP S/4HANA, on-premise edition 1511 FPS1: Remarks regarding Business Functions
FPS1 Update
With SAP S/4HANA, on-premise edition 1511 (initial shipment stack) I published a Blog explaining the status of dedicated Business Functions and their behavior within the system conversion: SAP S/4HANA, on-premise edition system conversion: Additional remarks regarding Business Functions
With SAP S/4HANA, on-premise edition 1511 Feature Pack Stack 1 (FPS1) there are some changes which I want to make available within this blog. More or less the text of the blog is similar to the initial blog – I´ve updated the figures with the current FPS1 state.
Kind Regards,
Frank
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Introduction
As a first step within the SAP S/4HANA, on-premise system conversion the customer will execute the Maintenance Planner. The Maintenance Planner checks the system with regards to business functions, industry solutions, and add-ons. If there is no valid path for the conversion (for example, the add-on is not released yet), the Maintenance Planner prevents the conversion.
- For more details see Conversion Guide (SAP Help) or the related SCN Blog (The System Conversion to SAP S/4HANA, on-premise edition 1511 – Technical procedure and semantic adaption tasks SCN Link).
- It is recommended to get familiar with the SAP S/4HANA system conversion basic information.
- The following SCN Blog provides specific information about the role of Business Functions within SAP S/4HANA, on-premise edition 1511 and is based on the basic understanding of the system conversion process.
Business Functions
A business function is a building block of a business function set. From a business perspective, it represents a self-contained function that you can switch on. From a technical point of view, it is a set of switches that assign repository objects to the business function. Business functions are switched on at a system level. For more details regarding Business Functions see SAP Help: Link
Business Functions Sets
The business functions are grouped in business function sets in your ABAP-based ECC system. There are two types of business functions sets:
- For most Industry Business Solutions, there is one business function set for each industry. You use this to change your clients of an ECC system over to the applications and solutions tailored for an industry. This business function set covers all industry business functions that can be used for an industry solution to be used exclusively on one system/one instance.
- In addition to the industry-specific business function sets, there is a general business function set. This contains the Enterprise business functions and the Enterprise Extensions. These contain functions for the standard applications of Accounting, Logistics, Human Capital Management, and some additional industry-specific applications.
A business function set is activated when you have activated at least one of the related business functions. We therefore recommend that you activate the business function set when you start configuring your system, since the required industry-specific view of your Implementation Guide is only created once you have activated the related business function.For more details regarding SAP ERP Business Functions and Industry Business Solutions see SAP Help:Link
Business Functions Status in SAP S/4HANA, on-premise edition 1511
Business Functions can have the following status:
- Always on,
- Customer switchable,
- Always off.
During the system conversion to SAP S/4HANA, on-premise edition 1511 the following figure gives an overview about the handling of different status of Business Functions.
|
Start Release (SAP Business Suite) |
Target Release (SAP S/4HANA, on-premise edition 1511) |
|||
|
State |
SAP S/4HANA, on-premise state |
Conversion |
New State |
Remark |
|
ON |
ALWAYS_OFF |
NO |
— |
|
|
OFF |
ALWAYS_ON |
YES |
ON |
|
|
ON |
Customer_Switchable |
YES |
ON |
|
|
OFF |
Customer_Switchable |
YES |
OFF |
|
ALWAYS OFF in SAP S/4HANA
If a business function was switched “ON” in the Business Suite start release system, but defined as “always_off” in the SAP S/4HANA, on-premise edition target release, then a system conversion is not possible with this release (for Business Functions where the status cannot be reverted on start release). See aswell SAP Note 2240359 – SAP S/4HANA, on-premise edition 1511 Feature Pack Stack 1 (FPS1): Always-Off Business Functions
Find attached the list of Business Functions which are in state ALWAYS_OFF in SAP S/4HANA, on-premise edition 1511 FPS1 (as well included in SAP note as attachment):
Note 1:
In this constellation it is not possible to convert this system and start a conversion program with the target of productive use. If the intention is a proof of concept to experience SAP S/4HANA it is possible to convert the system by applying a workaround in a non-productive testing environment.
Note 2:
The status of following Business Functions which are currently (SAP S/4HANA, on-premise edition 1511) in state “always_off” are planned to be changed. Find attached the list of Business Functions which are planned to be changed.
ALWAYS ON in SAP S/4HANA
If a business function was switched “OFF” in the start release system, but defined as “always_on” in the target release, then the business function will be activated during the conversion. See aswell SAP Note 2240360 – SAP S/4HANA, on-premise edition 1511 Feature Pack Stack 1 (FPS1): Always-On Business Functions. Find attached the list of Business Functions which are in state ALWAYS_ON in SAP S/4HANA, on-premise edition 1511 FPS1 (as well included in SAP note as attachment):
Note 1: See SAP Help Portal: http://help.sap.com/s4hana_op_1511 –> Conversion Guide
CUSTOMER SWITCHABLE in SAP S/4HANA
If a business function is defined as “customer_switchable” in the target release (SAP S/4HANA, on-premise edition 1511), then the business function status remains unchanged from the status on start release.
Future roadmap and related Business Functions
For the following applications and industries there is a future roadmap. See additionally the following SAP S/4HANA Enterprise Management Roadmap: Link
- Commodity Management
- Additional Industries:
- Healthcare
- Retail / Fashion
- Oil & Gas
- IS-U (WASTE) – (*Roadmap still to be defined
- IS Media (*Roadmap still to be defined)
The Business Functions related to these applications and industries are accordingly as well on a roadmap to be adapted. Find attached the list of Business Functions which related to these applications and industries.
Related information sources
Guides/Documentation
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SAP S/4HANA, on-premise edition 1511 documentation |
|
|
Conversion Guide for SAP S/4HANA, on-premise edition 1511 |
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Simplification List for SAP S/4HANA, on-premise edition 1511 |
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The System Conversion to SAP S/4HANA, on-premise edition 1511 – Technical procedure and semantic adaption tasks – SCN Blog |
Related SAP Notes
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SAP S/4HANA, on-premise edition 1511: Release Information Note |
SAP Note 2189824 |
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SAP S/4HANA, on-premise edition 1511: Restriction Note |
SAP Note 2214213 |
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SAP S/4HANA, on-premise edition 1511: Compatible Add-ons |
SAP Note 2214409 |
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SAP S/4HANA, on-premise edition 1511: Always-Off Business Functions |
SAP Note 2242524 |
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SAP S/4HANA, on-premise edition 1511: Always-On Business Functions |
SAP Note 2242526 |
Hi Frank,
thanks for the blog.
Is there a reason why these two Business Functions have an additional suffix "_ALWAYS_OFF" in the listing instead of the original name?:
But the more important question is:
Any ETA on your "Note 2" for section ALWAYS_OFF? How are the chances to see e.g. LOG_SD_EACOMPLAINTS getting off the list with FPS02 in May? We have it activated and hope we get the opportunity for a system conversion ASAP.
Regards
Daniel
Hello Daniel,
let me start with the last question – I made an error in my listing. Good news is that my fault is that I listed LOG_SD_ANALYTICS_01 and LOG_SD_EACOMPLAINTS wrongly I the list of Business Functions planned to be changed. They are already changed with FPS1! Their status is customer_switchable and obsolete. So these Business Functions do not block the system conversion in case the customer does have these BF active on start release. From a scope perspective the functionality behind these Business Functions are not in scope of SAP S/4HANA. Sorry for the mistake in my list.
The Business Functions LOG_SD_ANALYTICS_01_ALWAYS_OFF and LOG_SD_EACOMPLAINTS_ALWAYS_OFF are technical vehicles to do this adaption. They do carry now the technical switches – the switches have been moved from LOG_SD_EACOMPLAINTS to LOG_SD_EACOMPLAINTS_ALWAYS_OFF. With that it was possible to change the status to customer_switchable for LOG_SD_EACOMPLAINTS.
Kind Regards,
Frank
Hi Frank,
a partner raised the question if it is possible to install S/4HANA without setting the DIMP switch. According to his understanding this is not a valid option. But he became insecure due to misleading information from various sources.
Could you please elaborate on that ?
Regards,
Marc
Hello Marc,
The DIMP solution is automatically included in SAP S/4HANA, on-premsie edition 1511. Technically this is done via setting the Business Function DIMP_SDUD to ALWAYS_ON (see aswell SAP Note 2240360).
If a business function was switched off in the start release system, but defined as always_on in the target release, then the business function will be automatically activated during the conversion.
In this sense a S/4HANA customer does have the opportunity to use the DIMP functionailty. Based on the above described mechanism it is not possible not to switch on DIMP within SAP S/4HANA, on-premsie edition 1511.
Hope that does answer your question.
Kind Reagrds,
Frank
OK,
Thanks,
Marc