Hello ALM Community!
As you know, SAP Solution Manager 7.2 development is ongoing and SAP has relied on your collaborative innovation requests from the SAP Customer Connection program to improve the user experience.
Support Package Stack 15 is now available, so let’s review a handful of key features and how they can improve your usage of SAP Solution Manager. For a full detailed video recap, register for the August 2nd What’s New in SAP Solution Manager 7.2 SPS15 live call (SAP Learning Hub sign-up required), check out the complete Release Notes, and see the "What's New in 7.2?" presentation on the SAP Solution Manager 7.2 Home Page. In addition, SAP Note 3150425 details the recommended corrections to install with the stack.
SAP Solution Manager Customer Connection Drives Development
Last year, we again asked our customers to submit and vote on improvement requests for the focus topics of Process Management, Test Suite and Change and Release Management, including SAP Focused Build for SAP Solution Manager. We received many requests and were pleased to include some of them in earlier support packages. With SPS15, we continue the process to include these key requests to improve and streamline the user experience.
Now, let’s have a look at just a few key features!
NEW for Process Management
Generate Documents for Saved Graphics
Previously in the solution documentation, diagrams (collaboration and universal) had limited version history. A diagram could have been modified several times, but the user could not trace any previous versions, or restore to a previous version.
SPS15 now provides a “Save As” button (.png or .bpmn file type) so users can save diagrams as documents that are automatically assigned to the diagram itself. This allows for change tracking with a version history, as well as easy sharing and comparison with previous versions. In addition, a previous diagram version can be easily restored through the .bpmn file import function.
Save Diagrams Easily For Sharing or Comparison
Multi-Selection when Building a Process
Before SPS15, if a user was building a process by assigning elements in the solution documentation, only one element could be added to the process at a time. This was time-consuming and sometimes frustrating, as the user could view all of the desired elements but had to repeat the assignment over and over again.
With SPS15, users can now select multiple elements to assign via the assignment popup. This feature is supported for documents, test documents, executables, process steps, interfaces, configurations, process<links>, and development objects. Just check the boxes you want and off you go.
Select Multiple Elements to Assign
Open Executables with SAP GUI for HTML
One SAP Customer Connection request was related to "SAPGUI in Browser" transactions. Before SPS15, there was no possible executable type to assign these to the Solution Documentation, so the only workaround was to assign as a URL. However, this did not allow for variable navigation based on the Site or System Role.
Users can now choose to open executables (transactions/programs) with SAP GUI for HTML. To do this, select the Use SAP GUI for HTML (Executables) checkbox in the General Settings as shown below. Easy!
Enable SAPGUI for HTML in Global Settings
And best of all, this also applies to the Test Suite. There’s lots more, so see the Release Notes to get the detailed list.
NEW for Test Suite
Create Test Packages Directly in Test Plan Management
In the Test Suite, users create test plans for a subset of the solution documentation by selecting the test cases and executables that have been assigned to the set of solution, branch, and view on any level. Once a test plan is saved, it is broken up into test packages, which are logically related, smaller units of work for individual testers. However, users could only assign existing test packages to a test plan, they could not create a new one without having to leave the Test Plan Management application.
New with SPS15, a test package can be created directly from the Test Plan Management application by choosing Assign To Test Packages. The assignment popup offers an empty line where the user can specify the key information for the test package. The test package is then created, including the propagated test cases at the time when the test plan is saved. This saves the user valuable time.
Create Test Package from Test Plan Management
New Test Package Created
Test Plan Preparation Completeness Report
One popular SAP Customer Connection request was related to the ability to check a Test Plan or Test Package for completeness. Previously, the user had to open them manually to perform these checks.
With SPS15, a new report has been introduced in the Completeness and Gap Reports section. It provides information that will verify that the preparation looks complete by evaluating several KPIs, and displays a list of Test Plans or Test Packages where these KPIs are not obeyed:
- Test plan has test cases
- Test plan has test packages
- Test plan has attachments
- No missing test cases in test packages
- Test packages have test cases
- Test case has a tester assigned
- Test package has an attachment
NEW for Change Control Management
Logging CTS Status Switch Changes
Change and Transport System (CTS) project status switches should be closed on managed systems to avoid manual transport activities performed out of the control of the SAP Solution Manager system. Nevertheless, in special situations, the CTS project status switches might need to be opened.
Previously, the Change Control Management - Administration Cockpit featured a CTS Status Switch overview for the different landscapes, but without any change logging. A Customer Connection request asked for the required logging and history.
SPS15 now provides a detailed Application Log for CTS Status Switch Changes in the Administration Cockpit.
CTS Status Switch Changes Logging
Consistent Clean-Up of Imported Transport Requests in the STMS Import Queue
After a transport request is fully imported into the target system, it still stays in the import queue with status "Request already imported." An SAP Customer Connection request was submitted to remove these transports from the STMS import queue for both original transports and transport of copies to improve performance and reduce storage requirements.
Now, with the activation of the import feedback mechanism, fully imported transport requests (without import error and without re-import flag) are automatically removed from the import queue. Note that this feature also requires that the latest SAP Solution Tools Plug-In (ST-PI) be installed on the relevant managed systems.
Imported Requests Deleted from Import Queue
Housekeeping for Import Logs Collected via the Import Feedback Mechanism
While we are on the topic of cleaning things up, another SAP Customer Connection request was related to the import feedback mechanism and it’s feedback table /TMWFLOW/TRIMPSL. Previously, customers reported that this table could increase up to one million entries for just 4 landscapes in just a few months, and no housekeeping was available to remove old entries. This led to performance and storage issues.
With SPS15, a new job SM:TMWFLOW_CMSSYSCOL can be scheduled to run daily in SOLMAN_SETUP to remove import detail (step) logs after a retention period. The main import log stays in the system so that the customer’s change process is not affected.
Wrap-Up and More Information
In addition to the innovations delivered through the Customer Connection program, SPS15 also provides many additional features, such as Job Management improvements for external job scheduling and enhanced job documentation. Find out all of the details here:
• Join the upcoming live What’s New in SAP Solution Manager SPS15 Call on the SAP Learning Hub (sign-up required)
• Read the Release Notes on the SAP Help Portal
• And as always, check out Application Lifecycle Management on the SAP Community
But wait, there’s more!
Along with SAP Solution Manager 7.2 SPS15, SAP has also released SP10 for Focused Build and Focused Insights for SAP Solution Manager! To hear more about these offerings (included with the usage rights for SAP Solution Manager), attend our upcoming live SAP Learning Hub webinars (registration and sign-on required):
• What’s New with Focused Build SP10 for SAP Solution Manager 7.2 – Register
• What’s New with Focused Insights SP10 for SAP Solution Manager 7.2 – Register
Joerg Marenk has published a blog post detailing the SP10 features delivered for Focused Build, and Frederic OZON has released a similar post for Focused Insights.
I hope this post gave you a condensed review of some of of SPS15’s key enhancements. Thank you for your time, and as always, your comments are welcome!
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