BPC Transport Whitepaper

Life Cycle Management in SAP Planning and Consolidation 10.0, version for Netweaver

© 2012 SAP AG

Whitepaper:

Life Cycle Management in SAP Planning and

Consolidation 10.0, version for Netweaver

Sheldon Edelstein

SAP Customer Solution Adoption

Applies to:

SAP Planning and Consolidation version for Netweaver 10.0

Summary:

This whitepaper covers the main aspects that should be considered while defining a transport strategy for

SAP Planning and Consolidation 10.0, version for Netweaver (PC10NW). Areas addressed include: the

transport mechanism, transport tools, and approaches for managing changes in the specific context of

PC10NW.

Version: Updated: 08/08/2012


© 2012 SAP AG

Document Change Log

07-05-2012 Original Issue

08-08-2012 Updated section 1.5 “Retention of object’s technical id“


© 2012 SAP AG

Table of Contents Document Change Log .................................................................................................................................. 2

1. Transport Concepts ................................................................................................................................... 4

1.1 SAP Planning and Consolidation version for Netweaver (PC10NW) 10.0 Architecture ..................... 4

1.2 Main Concepts .................................................................................................................................... 5

1.3 Creating a Transport .......................................................................................................................... 6

1.4 Project Management Considerations ............................................................................................... 14

1.5 Retention of object’s technical id ..................................................................................................... 15

2. File Service Objects ................................................................................................................................. 16

3. Data Manager Objects ............................................................................................................................ 18

3.1 Custom Process Types and Custom Process Chains ......................................................................... 18

3.2 Transformation and Conversion files ................................................................................................ 19

3.3 Data Manager Data Files ................................................................................................................... 20

3.4 Data Manager Selection Prompt Files .............................................................................................. 21

3.5 Data Manager Packages .................................................................................................................... 22

4 Reports, Books, Distributions, and Workbooks ....................................................................................... 23

5 Journals .................................................................................................................................................... 24

6 Administration Parameters ...................................................................................................................... 25

7. Transport tools ........................................................................................................................................ 27

7.1 Transaction Codes SE10 / SE09: ........................................................................................................ 27

7.2 UJT_CHECK_TABLE_ENTRIES ............................................................................................................. 28

7.3 UJS_ACTVIATE_CONTENT ................................................................................................................. 29

7.4 UJA_DATA_CHECKER......................................................................................................................... 30

7.5 UJT_AFTER_FAIL_PROCESS ............................................................................................................... 31

8.0 Resources and Help ............................................................................................................................... 32

8.1 Service Marketplace – Administrator’s Guide .................................................................................. 32

8.2 SAP Notes .......................................................................................................................................... 32

Copyright 2012 SAP AG ............................................................................................................................... 33


© 2012 SAP AG

1. Transport Concepts

1.1 SAP Planning and Consolidation version for Netweaver (PC10NW) 10.0

Architecture

PC10NW is a three layer application composed of a client stack, the back-end NetWeaver ABAP Application Server, and the database server.

In the PC10NW architecture, all the data and files are stored in the database. Data and files are logically grouped for storage under a specified environment. The PC10NW application can consist of one or many PC10NW environments. The configuration of these individual environments can be transported from one BW system to another (for example from Dev to QA to Prod) through the Netweaver Change and Transport System.


© 2012 SAP AG

1.2 Main Concepts The purpose of a PC10NW transport is to move the configuration of a PC10NW environment across a system landscape. The new PC10NW transports allow the selection of specific PC10NW configuration objects at a granular (i.e.: object) level. In the past, PC10NW transports required each transport to include all PC10NW environment objects. By allowing the transport of specific PC10NW objects, the transport process can be precisely controlled. Main changes from earlier Planning and Consolidation versions:

The PC10NW transport is fully integrated with the standard NW CTS (Netweaver Change and Transport System).

Normal and Delete modes of transports are supported.

Standard NW based transport transactions and debugging tools can now be used.

Important Tip:

Not all objects necessary for PC10NW are included in a PC10NW transport. Some objects that may need to be added to a transport (or manually recreated in the target system) include:

Custom Process Chains

BADIs

Some IMG settings

Released Transport

Objects are

created /

modified/

deleted

Objects are

selected for

transport

Target System Source System

Environment

Objects

Environment

Objects


© 2012 SAP AG

1.3 Creating a Transport

Logon to Source System via SAP GUI and enter transaction code RSA1 and select Transport

Connection.

In the left column, choose SAP Transport > Object Types

In the middle column, choose More Types > Environment and double-click Select Objects (select the

Environment for which you will be creating a transport):


© 2012 SAP AG

Grouping

The object collection process can be controlled using GROUPING settings to include only those objects

desired. Options include:

For BPC transports, it is recommended that that you use the “Only Necessary Objects” setting which will

collect all objects required for the selected environment):

Collection Mode:

The system can automatically identify and add the necessary objects to the transport collection, or you

and manually select specific objects.

The recommendation is to allow the system to collect all of the objects automatically, then manually

select/deselect specific objects as required:


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Display Mode:

You can choose to display the objects in Hierarchical format or List format.

Selection of the Environment:

Use drag and drop to move the selected environment to the collection screen

Drag and Drop


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Selection of Objects to be included in the transport:

The column labeled TRANSPORT indicates if the object has been selected to be included in the

transport. Right click on a parent node and you can include/exclude all objects associated with the

selected node:

Important Tip:

Right Click on any collection node to view the context menu. The menu will provide options to assist with

object selection, documentation, and version control.


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Create the Transport:

Once all objects that are to be included in the transport are identified, click the Transport Objects button

to create the transport request:


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Upon the creation of the transport, you may view the assembled object list using transaction code SE10:

Important Tip:

Note that some of the objects are identified by a GUID (such as with the case of the SAP Environment

Info section above). These GUID identifiers can be interpreted by viewing the control table UJT_GUID:


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Deletion Transport:

All the steps are the same as with Normal Mode transports except you will select the Deletion mode

instead.

In the left column, choose SAP Transport > Object Types, in the middle column, choose More Types >

BPC Deletion and double-click > Select Objects:

Important Tip:

If a specific PC10NW object is subject to transport control, do NOT delete the PC10NW object directly from

the target system! This will cause any subsequent transports of this object to fail. Use the “BPC Delete”

transport to remove unwanted objects, this will maintain the ability for the system to find and transport

these objects at a later date.


© 2012 SAP AG

1.4 Project Management Considerations

A decision should be made early in the project to determine how change management for the PC10NW application will conducted. PC10NW was designed to allow maintenance independently from a centralized IT process. Each customer should evaluate and determine effective change control for their landscapes.

PC10NW allows two significant change control paths that may be followed:

1 - Allow the business users to make changes directly in the production environment via the PC10NW Admin interface. Changes to security and reports are two examples of configuration that may be elected to be controlled directly in the productive environment.

2 - Follow a transport controlled system, using the typical Dev>QA>Prod development landscape. In this scenario, configuration is first created in the Development system, and then the new configuration is transported in the QA system for detailed testing. Eventually the new configuration is transported into the Production system, but only when the reliability of the new configuration has been established.

The PC10NW transport process can be configured to allow either option or a combination of these options. A typical example: the PC10NW data model may be strictly controlled using option 2 (the data model is under strict transport control), while the control of reports may be less restrictive and option 1 (business users are given the ability to create/modify reports directly in Production) is desired.

Important Tip:

It is relatively easy to move from a transport dominated process control system to a system that allows

direct change.

It is a lot more difficult to move from allowing direct change into a more controlled Dev>QA>Prod

transport control process. Once the production system configuration is no longer in sync with Dev system

the transport process can become unusable.


© 2012 SAP AG

1.5 Retention of object’s technical id Section 6.6 in the SBOP Plan & Consol 10.0 NW Administrator's Guide provides guidance on the

changeability (between the source and target systems) of a technical object’s id.

DIMENSIONS

PC10NW transports do not change the technical name of the BW info object associated with a particular

PC10NW Dimension

PROPERTIES

PC10NW transports may change the technical name of the BW info object associated with a particular

PC10NW Dimension

MODEL

As per SAP Note 1689814 “Stabilize Info Cube’s technical name in the modeling process “, PC10NW

parameters (activate model level parameter ENABLE_FIXED_CUBENAME) can be specified in such a

way that transports do not change the technical name of the generated PC10NW model.

Important Note: if the ENABLE_FIXED_CUBENAME parameter is not activated then the technical name

of the model may change during transport and/or the full optimization process. In this case, it is important

not to develop configuration that is directly tied to the technical cube supporting the BPC model.

MULTIPROVIDER

PC10NW transports may change the technical name of the generated PC10NW multi info provider if SAP

Note 1689814 is not implemented and the parameter ENABLE_FIXED_CUBENAME has not been

activated.

The multi-provider technical name will not change if the parameter ENABLE_FIXED_CUBENAME is

activated.

VIRTUAL PROVIDER

The behavior of technical name of virtual provider (which may be used to establish an ODBO connection

to BPC data) acts the same as with the multi-provider, that is, the technical name is does not change if

the parameter ENABLE_FIXED_CUBENAME is enabled.

If the ENABLE_FIXED_CUBENAME is not enabled, the technical id of the virtual provider may change in

the target system.

Important Tips:

Do not change the structure or definition of Planning and Consolidation related data model objects in the

target BW system. This includes objects such as environment (InfoArea), model (Multiprovider and

InfoCube), dimensions (InfoObjects), and properties (InfoObjects). This may cause subsequent transports to

fail.

http://service.sap.com/~form/sapnet?_SHORTKEY=01100035870000735401&_SCENARIO=01100035870000000202&_OBJECT=011000358700000483512011E


© 2012 SAP AG

2. File Service Objects PC10NW needs to store various files (such as EPM10 reports & schedules, Books, Web reports, script

logic files, Data Manager load files, and various log files) that are generated by the system and/or users.

These files are stored in a BW structure called the File Service and can be accessed using transaction

UJFS:

Data Manager Load Files

Transformation Files

Reports and Schedule Files

Conversion Files


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Previous version of Planning & Consolidation used the configuration table UJT_TRANS_FIL to control

which files were to be included in the transport. This table based configuration is no longer used by

PC10NW. Instead, the objects themselves are automatically collected into the transport proposal and

the transport administration can select any, or all, of the components to be included into the transport:

Data Manager Load Files

Script Logic Files

Transformation Files

Reports and Schedule Files

Conversion Files


© 2012 SAP AG

3. Data Manager Objects

3.1 Custom Process Types and Custom Process Chains

PC10NW offers, through the data manager, a series of packages in order to execute specific operations like importing data from a flat file or an excel file into a cube. The Data Manager packages execute preconfigured BW process chains delivered with your PC10NW installation.

However, the need for more complex packages might arise. In this case, SAP offers the ability to create your own BPC specific process types (tasks) and process chains (which can be maintained through transaction RSPC).

Important Tip:

Custom developed process chains (linked into a data manager package) will not be collected for

transport via the PC10NW transport process. You must create a separate standard BW transport to

move any custom process types and/or process chains. These BW objects should be transported before

the BPC objects themselves. In this way the references to the objects will still work when transporting the

BPC objects.


© 2012 SAP AG

3.2 Transformation and Conversion files

The PC10NW transport can collect all transformation and conversion files stored in the file service. Specific file selections can be made from the collected objects under the Environment > Model > Business Unit> Team Folder> Data Manager:

Important Tips:

Deletion of transformation files is not supported with transports, and must be done manually in

each system.

Deletion of conversion files is also not supported with transports, and must be done manually in

each system.


© 2012 SAP AG

3.3 Data Manager Data Files Uploaded Data Manager data files can also be collected into a transport (this is a new feature for

PC10NW):

IMPORTANT NOTE: When collecting these objects in the transport manager, there can be a

performance hit if the objects are very large – it is always recommended to therefore only transport the

necessary Data Manager Data Files. Remember that you can unselect the files you do not wish to

transport over. In general, the fewer amounts of files and objects you transport, the faster the transport

collection and execution will run. It is therefore a good idea to inspect which objects are being

transported and perform cleanup maintenance if possible.


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3.4 Data Manager Selection Prompt Files

Data Manager package prompt selections (these are .esf files that store a particular set of prompts for a

specific data manager package so a user does not need to reenter the same pattern of prompt values

each time they run the same package) can be selected and added into transports:


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3.5 Data Manager Packages Data Manager packages can be individually selected for transport. Note: although the package can be

selected, the underlying BW process chain supporting the package is not automatically collected by the

transport. In the event that a custom process chain, or a modified delivered process chain, is used by a

Data Manager package, then that process chain will either need to be manually added to the transport or

transported in a separate transport collection prior to the import of the corresponding linked Data

Manager package. Failure to adhere to this timing may result in a consistency check failure upon import

of the Data Manager package into the target system (see Tip in section 3.1).


© 2012 SAP AG

4 Reports, Books, Distributions, and Workbooks Books, Distributions, and Workbooks (generated by the EPM10 Add In) are collected for transport in the

Business Unit section and all items can be selectively added into a transport:

Web Reports may also be transported, but their location in the transport collection tree is under the

Library node:


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5 Journals The Journal Template may be located under the Journal parent node and selected for transport:

Transporting any data model changes (i.e.: deleting a dimension) that impacts dimensionality will cause

all journal entries in the target system to be deleted.

Important Tip:

It is a best practice to back up all journal entries in the target system prior to transporting any application

changes that may have impacts to journal configuration using the Data Manager Journal Export/Import

packages.


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6 Administration Parameters

Administration parameters are used to set a variety of actions within PC10NW. Some parameters are set

by clicking on a selection box in configuration (i.e.: enable Comments for a model):

and some parameters are set directly within the IMG:


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The Administration Parameters are captured by the transport creation process and can be included into

the transport by item selection:


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7. Transport tools

7.1 Transaction Codes SE10 / SE09:

After creation, you can then view/modify/release the transport request using standard TMS transaction codes such as SE10, or SE09:

Important Tip:

During the transport process the system checks multiple times for object dependencies. For example,

you cannot transport a Model unless you have already transported the dimensions of the model or have

included the dimension definition in the same transport containing the model definition. Timing of

transports to ensure all dependencies are satisfied can therefore become an important project

management consideration.


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7.2 UJT_CHECK_TABLE_ENTRIES Program (accessed via transaction code SE38) UJT_CHECK_TABLE_ENTRIES can be used to check how many records exist in the UJ* database tables for a particular Environment. This is useful after deleting an Environment to make sure that all data has been removed.


© 2012 SAP AG

7.3 UJS_ACTVIATE_CONTENT Program UJS_ACTVIATE_CONTENT (accessed via transaction code SE38) is typically used to activate an EnviromentShell installation, but can also be used to delete most entries in the UJ* database tables for a particular Environment. After entering the environment to be deleted, check the CLEAN the Environment selection box and execute.


© 2012 SAP AG

7.4 UJA_DATA_CHECKER Program UJA_DATA_CHECKER (accessed via transaction code SE38) can be used to check (and

potentially fix) the consistency of master and meta data within a specified environment:

Example Output (Message Type: W=Warning, E= Error, I= Information):


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7.5 UJT_AFTER_FAIL_PROCESS The program UJT_CHECK_TABLE_ENTRIES (accessed via transaction code SE38) can be used to

correct the environment in the target system after a failed transport import. This program will “roll back”

the failed objects to the last consistent state. This program should only be used by expert level users,

and may be employed by SAP Global Support during troubleshooting sessions.


© 2012 SAP AG

8.0 Resources and Help

8.1 Service Marketplace – Administrator’s Guide

Detailed information on how specific PC10NW objects are transported can be found in Service

Marketplace at:

SBOP Plan & Consol 10.0 NW Administrator's Guide (sections 5 and 6.7)

8.2 SAP Notes

Check for SAP Notes under component: EPM-PC10NW-NW-TRA

A few selected notes:

SAP Note 1667160 - Consulting Note on BPC10 NW Granular Transport

This note summarizes the solutions and best practices to overcome common known issues during

Planning and Consolidation 10.0 transports and will be continuously updated.

SAP Note 1724817 – Timeout when releasing transport request

This note drastically improves the performance of releasing transport requests. It will also reduce the DB

Log consumption during a large transport. It should be applied to every BPC 10 system before

performing a transport.

SAP Note 1689814 – Stabilize Info Cube’s technical name in the modeling process

This note allows the customer to turn on a setting which keeps the Info Cube’s technical name stable

throughout the landscape. This can be of great value when using the Technical Name in customized

BPC activities (such as loading to a BPC Cube with a DTP).

https://websmp106.sap-ag.de/~sapidb/011000358700000483512011E/SBOP_PC_10_NW_Admin.pdf


© 2012 SAP AG

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