SAP PaPM Writer function – ‘BW write type’ (Loading) – Troubleshooting

Part 3: Troubleshooting and Known issues

In this blog series on ‘BW write type’ – Loading,

Part 1 describes how to create simple writer function to check configuration of your new installation.

Part 2  describes the technical details of the object generated for ‘BW write type’ Loading

Part 3, explains how to monitor the Process chain and troubleshoot issues. Also, we discuss list of known issues and relevant SAP notes to fix these issues.

It is highly recommended that you have upgrade your system to latest SP for trouble free and low maintenance. Minimum SP09 is required in your system for proper & smooth functioning of this BW writer type.

Writer function -> RUN:

When you Run the writer function, message ‘The run for Function has been initiated’ is displayed in the SAP PaPM UI and it runs the process chain in the background. This allows you to continue work in the UI without any disruptions.

Execution of this process chain may take from few seconds to few hours depending on the number of data records and complexity of transformation defined (if any). When the execution is complete, application log shows up with details of the RUN.

Application log

In the application log, messages from the execution of the generated SQL procedure for 3 run-types: RUN_PRE, RUN, and RUN_POST are displayed followed by the success/error messages from the process chain for each process step – Load mode on, DTP, Data activation and Plan mode on.

Known issue – 1: Application log shows up before the data is loaded to ADSO

‘Execution of function is successfully completed’ appears before the data is loaded to ADSO. This can be seen more obviously when the data load runs for a longer time.

Solution: Implement the note 3004534 – FS-PER Rel 3.0 SP13: Messages from DTP execution are not propagated to the application log

Process chain monitoring

The process chain can be accessed in the Tcode RSPC1 or RSPC (it is accessible from both PaPM as well as BW client). This is also applicable for some other functions.

All the below screens are from SAP BW powered by SAP HANA (SAP BW 7.5 on HANA)

In case, you have SAP BW/4HANA these actions should be performed in SAP HANA studio -> BW modeling perspective. The screen may appear based on your SAP BW configuration and SAP BW SP level.

In the next screen, select the highlighted icon application log or from menu Goto -> Select Log view

All the application logs of the process chain are displayed based on date and time (in this example, the writer is executed twice on 20/01 and once on 22/01). It is also possible to see the application log for all the previous runs by changing the date selection.

When you right-click on the process step ’Data Transfer Proc.’ it offers different options.

1.Display variant: This displays the DTP generated between data source and ADSO.

Known issue – 2: Zero ‘0’ records loaded to Model BW

In case records exists in the generated DDIC table but ‘0’ records loaded to ADSO, you check the ‘Parameters of the Datasource’ in the Extraction tab of the DTP. When it shows Data Extraction – From PSA, implement the solution

Solution: Implement the SAP BW note 2752657 – Transfer Tool DTP & RSSM (22). After implementation of the note, create new writer function so that the DTP is generated properly with Data Extraction – Directly from source system, PSA not used.

2. Process monitor: Displays the DTP monitor which has two tabs – Header and Details. In Header tab, the details of the execution are displayed.

Filter selection on technical field FS_PER_PROC_ID_ : When the writer function is executed with process selections, selection on process id is applied. This feature available from SP10. Or implement the note 2944754 – FS-PER Rel 3.0 SP10: Write to BW with loading data selection filter.

Variable ‘l_proc_id’: This variable stores the process ID value and it is possible to use this variable in your formula.

Below simple example shows how you can populate value ‘ACTUAL’ when process ‘P0001_’ and ‘Forecast’ when process ‘P0002_’ is selected.

CASE :l_proc_id
WHEN ‘P0001_’ THEN ‘ACTUAL’
WHEN ‘P0002_’ THEN ‘FORECAST’
END

In the Details tab, the details of the request – Processing step, number of data packages, success/error messages, timestamp, duration etc. are displayed.

3. Manage Target

When ’Manage Target’ is selected, takes to manage screen of ADSO. Whenever writer function is executed, a new request is loaded to ADSO. Here date & time, number of records, request status of each data load requests can be viewed.

As per your BW authorization, you can perform certain actions here:
Display Active Data: From the menu ‘Environment’ -> Display Active Data. You can view the data as it is stored in the table(raw data)

Display Data: From the menu ‘Environment’ -> Display Data. You can view aggregated data based on the selection.

It shows Aggregated data. This is the same as Model BW -> Analyze

Delete data: As per your BW authorization, you can select particular request & delete or you can delete all data from RSA1 -> Right click on ADSO -> select ‘Delete data’

Known issue – 3: Activation of writer fails with error ‘Transformation …. for Function …. cannot be created’ when generating the transformation in case of BW ADSO (of InfoCube-template) with currency field.

Solution: Implement the note 2971610 – FS-PER Rel 3.0 SP12: Write to BW with loading, transformation with currency error

Known issue – 4: Activation of writer function fails in case model BW with fields or model BW with fields as input.

Solution: Implement the note 2962731 – FS-PER Rel 3.0 SP11: Reading and writing data to model BW doesn’t work

Conclusion:

As we reached the end of this blog series on ‘BW write type’ – Loading, hope you gained expertise on the loading writer function and troubleshoot issues.

Check out the next blog series on ‘BW write type’ – Planning

Good luck!