Vitalii Potceluev
July 7, 2017

Archiving HR data with SARA to comply with GDPR

Hello, everyone.

Most of you know about archiving HR data, that there are a number of layers to backup your information system. For ERP class systems there is operating system level backup, database backup and sometimes ERP itself can do a backup.

In SAP functional consultants usually, mix backuping and data archiving. Backups stand for system copy and data copy that basis guys do regularly to prevent data loss in case of crash or incident. In my 15 years career, I’ve not met even one consultant who was about data archiving. They think it’s a basis scope of work and don’t want to dive into it. But actually archiving is not only about archiving itself, it’s more about data management, performance management, data integration. Who knows if you want to use data archiving technology to transfer data to another SAP or other system.

Let’s setup data archiving for HR change docs. Assume change docs themselves are set already and we can see data changes in S_AHR_61016380 transaction.

Everything could be setup in SARA transaction in 3 steps:

  1. Setup archive paths, logical and physical files
  2. Setup archiving programms variants
  3. Schedule archiving programms

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Vitalii Potceluev
June 29, 2017

Assign permission roles through organisation chart

Here we have a position and employee holding it. An employee has 0105 infotype record with system username. Boom, we have everything to set up automatic permission roles assignment to this user based on his position or job in the organizational chart. If that Vasya was hired to a manager role, he’ll get manager role assigned to him the same time we have 0001 infotype created. When he moves to HR Director his manager role is revoked and a new one assigned to HR Director. Once he gets terminated all permissions are revoked immediately. Information Security Officer will adore you. Here is a standard solution to assign permission roles in SAP HR.

Should we do this?

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Vitalii Potceluev
June 27, 2017

Updating SAP systems for customers

What does updating SAP systems mean? This question is being asked very frequently when I start SAP sales meeting with a customer. When it comes to implementation of such huge information system that affects almost all business processes in a company it’s a reasonable question what to do in case of software error or law and regulations changes. You can’t fix it like fueling your car or inflating tires. It just time that would cost you money and it’s better to be prepared.

I can confirm SAP AG issues updates regularly. For main functionality, I’d say monthly or every two months. So, to prevent you from quick decisions, I can say you’ll be safe with vendor service and timely updates. There are some rules to follow to make your life easier but we’ll cover this later. I’m more in SAP HCM area so could lose some details in update processes, so don’t judge me harshly.

Types of SAP updating

Updates are different. As a rule in IT we used to think of updates as a bug fixing in software, new legal requirements. It’s some sort of a package that’s being installed into the system and everything starts working smoothly as it supposed to work. It’s semi-true for SAP. One side it’s a package that fixes and updates something, another side is a complex process that usually involves a lot of people and takes months to accomplish. Business customers wait for one-click install, IT nerds demand months of testing, acceptance and rollback plan signed by the business owners. Why? Let’s figure it out.

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Vitalii Potceluev
June 19, 2017

Mass document printing in SAP

Here is a secret way how you can save thousands of dollars on print form development.

Printing Documents

Here is an issue. Customer needs to print hundreds of the same form documents for employees. Like notices, orders or whatever.

First of all we need to create basic SAP Query report. For example I’ve created this one that includes name and company. For real doc you’ll possible need many other fields like amount from infotype 0015, address from sixth and etc. All this you can extract from the system with standard fields within SAP Query or create additional fields in Customizing.

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Vitalii Potceluev
May 31, 2017

Watching SAP Query

I think you’ve read SAP courses very carefully with attention. And you know SAP Query logging abilities for sure. I didn’t know that. I’ve read some courses and have found curious things I’d like to share with you.

For example, we can log everything user runs in ad-hoc query or SAP Query. Let’s set it up.
Open SQ02, menu Extras – Set Logs.
sq02 logging

Here we add infosets and info areas (like standard and global). The first column is for the area (space for standard and G for global). Second is for Infoset or asterisk.

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Vitalii Potceluev
May 22, 2017

FAQ. What SAP learning materials to use

It’s a good question where to start when you enter SAP market. The easiest way is to go to SAP official courses at https://www.sap.com/training-certification/course-directory.html But also it’s the most expensive way. So, let me share some thoughts on my reader’s question – where to start with good SAP learning materials for free?

If you want to go for some private courses, feel free to contact me – I have something for you!

Question:

What resources would you recommend to learn SAP? I’m interested in technical architecture, testing, courses.

Response:

Personally, I learn SAP on these free resources:

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Vitalii Potceluev
May 17, 2017

Great SAP licensing news

Hello!

Have you heard that great news from SAPPHIRE? Right away SAP told they’ll allow access to your SAP data in read-only mode without additional licenses or another license which could cost less than regular named user or employee user license?

Is not it great for 3rd party developers to download data from SAP and provide a user-friendly portal solution or mobile app for employees? There are tons of customers who don’t want to pay for ESS but would like to share paystubs or leave overview for their employees through digital!

Here is the link http://news.sap.com/sappire-now-modern-pricing-modern-times/

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Vitalii Potceluev
May 16, 2017

ABAP Unit Test

And don’t tell me I’m a bore. ABAP unit test worth it!

Here how it was. Once I told you about Test Driven Development methodology, but today I decided to try it in practice how it works in SAP. I created basic OData Service and decided to test it automatically.

Now I want to test it automatically. Earlier I told about SECATT. Today let’s talk about Unit testing. It such a thing which is developed in ABAP and allows to test logic inside of a program. It does not simulate user input but verifies internal procedures, methods, functions for a supposed result. For example, it should always save correct data but never allows to save incorrect data. To implement we create two methods – positive result test and negative result test.

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Vitalii Potceluev
May 11, 2017

SAP ABAP Quality

Life throws me interesting tasks. The other day I was thinking about ABAP code quality automation. There is a tool to control ABAP quality and it’s called ATC – ABAP Test Cockpit. Guess, we can setup system to verify ABAP code for quality in ABAP Code Inspector where we set rules for naming, code blocks, conventions, etc. We can ask the system to schedule code checks before any transport request moves forward to quality or production. The system will stop any transfer in case there are mistakes in code or even variables naming.

 

Testing ABAP Code in SAP

testing ABAP code in SAP (image owner/author is unknown)

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