Automated Note Search and Customer Code Detection

[former_member17522]

New application to solve problems for ABAP transactions and reports:

This is a completely new approach to problem solving based on the process trace. I include an explanation on how it works as well as a video clip.

The application is now in "pilot phase" please follow instructions in SAP note 1564850 in case you are interested in having it to assess the effectiveness of the same. It's free!.

This application searches for SAP correction notes for a specific problem based on the issue replication in your system. Additionally you will get a list with the customer code involved.

When a problem occurs and you suspect it's an error for which a SAP Note correction could exist, go to the new SEARCH_TOOL transaction and reproduce the problem by specifying the transaction or program involved:

Note Search

E.g. for transaction OASV:

Then start the tool:  or F8:

Then replicate the issue

After pressing "Enter" you get the following error at the bottom of the screen:

Now go back (F3)

The control is transferred again to the Note Search Tool. A list of the application components involved in the execution will be displayed:

Select the component or components you think the problem belongs to and click on icon:

The tool will start searching for correction notes

After some time you get a list of notes that are not implemented in your system and that could be related to your issue:

You can click on the note link to read the note:

In our example, note 1279254 solves the issue and after implementing it, the error will disappear and the note will not be displayed anymore.

Customer Code identification

It may happen that the issue is not related to the standard code but to customer code such as Badi implementations, user-exits, field-exits or repaired standard code.

Example for transaction PA30:

Issue: There is a mistake in the Spanish Income TAX percentage calculation for an employee. You were unsuccessful in searching Notes, but there is still a chance that the issue is caused by a mistake on customer's side.

After running transaction PA30 for an employee and displaying infotype 0062 (TAX Spain), you get the list of objects involved in the trace, classified by component (Yellow folders).

Click on icon  

to identify the Customer Code involved:

Double click on the row corresponding to the object you want to display / edit:

E.g. click on the 1st row that corresponds to a user exit:

Double click now on ZXPADU01:

Note Search for Dumps

Another feature of our project is the possibility of searching notes for dumps directly from the dump or trx ST22:

By clicking on the SAP Notes icon, you will get notes related to the dump.

Watch the video in youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vK-KTtk1oeo&hd=1

[Former Member]

Hi,

I like the idea and tool concepts. This would help a lot to project teams to quickly analyze the problems and solutions. Is this released for customers?

Thanks,
Sivapratap

[ykaldirim]

This is really good program. I think this must be a part of snote. I want to add one step. If OSS notes are become related with standart message id's everything will be better. For example. We get SD message class nr 003 xxxxxx error message. SAP can relate OSS note with this message id. Then users can see all related notes. Maybe we can not find eveything related but most of them can be linked.

[TomCenens]

Hello

It's a good concept to have an automatic process to find relevant SAP notes on top of what is already available.

Some points where improvement can be made I think:

While it's good to have it already available for Abap, I would love to see a similar application for Java (where the troubleshooting and tracking down corrective notes is more difficult).

Building such application for Java could perhaps be done by using information gathered through Solution Manager Diagnostics agents which is available in BI Infocube Data in the respective SAP Solution Manager.

Another point is integration into SAP Solution Manager, SAP is doing a lot of effort to get everything centralized (system administration) in the SAP Solution Manager so it would make sense this application is also launched from the SAP Solution Manager as an entry point.

You should have your managed SAP systems maintained in SMSY thus also having the neccesary RFC connection towards those managed SAP systems.

It would be interesting to have an option for automatic detection as well, a period running job that analyzes E2E Exception Analysis data in SAP Solution Manager for example and gives a list of SAP notes as a result.

Kind regards

Tom

[Former Member]

I like your idea and the tool concept.
how can we get it? SAPLink?

[former_member17522]

Hi Tom,
Thanks a lot for your valuable comments and suggestions. We are working in the integration with solution manager but htis will come later and also thinking on extending the idea to other applications like java based, bussiness objects etc.
cheers!.
Carlos.

[former_member17522]

Hi Sivapratap,
So far, the tool is provided via "Pilot released" note. I mean it's not yet released for customer. We are performing a 1st pilot with Spanish customers and selecting customers for the 2nd pilot phase. Send me an email if you want more details.
In the end, our idea is that the tool is released for all the customer and even provided via support packages as we, at SAP Support could be benefited for it as well as the custoemrs.
with warm regards,
Carlos.

[Former Member]

Hi Carlos,

This looks like a very promising tool and I'm sure everybody who read your post is anxiously waiting for some news on how to get it. Let us know if you have any update, I hope we'll see it soon also in our own systems. 😉

Cheers, harald

[former_member17522]

Hi Yunus,
The idea would be to add an "implement this note" icon to the note list so that you can implement the note without having to open a new session with trx snote. Therefore we would link snote to our tool. So yes, all the solving process should in the end integrated in a single transaction. These improvements will come in the future. Another improvement: List all the customizing tables that were acessed during the issue replication, because you know that soemtines the issues are no bugs but customizing-related. Regarding the error messages e.g.  SD message class nr 003 xxxxxx error message, normally they are not "bugs" but rather a warning from the system so that the user can know that something is wronlgly customized or there is a master data mistake. In this case the error help at F1 should be well documented enough so that the customer knows what to do, otherwise, the error message text is not explicit enough. and if the error message text is not enough to solve the problem, maybe a consulting note, kba, wiki document would be needed to help. Or an exising note needs more search terms.
Regarding Automated Note Search tool, take into account that a bug does not involve necessarily an error message type  SD message class nr 003 xxxxxx error message, for example: acalculation algorithm is incorrect and you get 16 where you should get 17.
Automated Note Search tool looks into the correction instructions and not in the long text description.
Cheers!,
Carlos.

[former_member17522]

Hi Ralf,
Now we are at the begining of the second pilot phase and selecting some pilot customers. the prerrequistes are that your system runs in SAP Netweaver 700 or 701. If you are interested in piloting, please send me an email.
Viele Grüsse,
Carlos.

[former_member17522]

Hello Harald,
Thank you for your comments. If you are interesting in piloting, please send me an email.
Cheers!,
Carlos.

[Former Member]

yes I'm very interested in piloting ...
we have a Sandbox 701,

waiting now.

[former_member17522]

Hi Ralf,
I just sent you an email.
Best Regards,
Carlos.

[Former Member]

What a great tool! I'm really looking forward to seeing the final release. I would really love to pilot it, but as an independent consultant with many customers it probably wouldn't be practical would it?

When you say the tool is free, do you mean it is currently free, or that it will always be free even after the final release?

Is this something that you would consider putting on Code Exchange?

[former_member17522]

Hi David,
The tool is currently free and if the pilot phase goes well, we'll release it for free too.
The idea is to enable our customers to solve more problems on their own and faster.
As a support consultant, I'm looking forward to have the tool installed in all our customers as I would save very much time when doing my work.
Thanks a lot for your feedback.
Carlos.

[Peter_Inotai]

Hola Carlos,
We're also interested in this tool. Can you maintain your email address in your business card or share it here?
Thanks,
Peter

[Former Member]

Thanks for your reply. Please consider me also. How do I send a mail to you? Please send me a mail to sivapratap.gurijala@sitacorp.com.

Thanks,
Sivapratap

[former_member17522]

Hi Sivapratap,
I just made my e-mail address visible in my bussiness card. hope now you can access it.
BR,
Carlos.

[Peter_Inotai]

Great. Thanks. Mail already sent:)
Peter

[Former Member]

Yes. I can see it now. I sent a mail to you.

Thanks,
Sivapratap

[aromalr]

Hi,

We are implementing ECC6 -EHP 4 for a customer.This tool will be very effective in searching note during SAP implementation phase.Could you please send pilot version you the email id .
aromalr@gmail.com

[Former Member]

Concept is very good. This will increase productivity .

[former_member17522]

Hi Onkar,
Thanks for your comment!.
Regards,
Carlos.

[former_member17522]

Hello,
I have done some improvements to the blog:

1. Added a new feature to get notes directly for dumps directly from the short dump.
2. Video quality was improved.

Have a nice day!,
Carlos.

[mark_kuehler]

This tool would be very useful for our SAP support group. Thank you for the examples in the post!

[Former Member]

Dear Carlos,

Even I am interested in piloting this. Can you please reply to my mail id given in my business card (rajesh8485@gmail.com)

Best Regards,
Rajagopalan

[former_member17522]

Dear Rajagopalan,
Thank you for your comment and interest!.
I sent you an email.
Best Regards,
Carlos.

[former_member17522]

Dear Automated Note Search and Customer Code Detection Tool Fans!,

Thanks for the interest and comments.

I think I have replied to all your emails but please let me know if someone did not get any response. Unfortunately some of the external emails are dropped by the outlook into the spam box and I have to retrieve them and mark them as safe email adresses.

Just a couple of comments:

1. The tool in its pilot version is available for SAP Netweaver 7.00 and 7.01.
2. The tool was developed in customer namespace. All the delivered objects begin with ZANST*. You can checck at table TADIR (SE16) whether you have any conlficts with this.

I will come back to you in the next days with more info as to the next steps for the piloting.
Bets Regards,
Carlos.

[Former Member]

HI Carlos,

It looks very helpful, it can save a lot of time, but how to get this transaction code so that its functionalties can be checkecd.

Regards
sandeep

[Former Member]

Hi Carlos,
This is really informative and looks very promising. Can you send me the pilot version please?
Good job!!

Regards,
Sanjiv Janardhanan

[former_member17522]

Hi Sanjiv,
Please send me an email with the customer number / installation / systems you would like implement the tool.
Best,
Carlos.

[former_member17522]

Hi Sandeep,
You'll get the transaction via Pilot note / SAP message. Just email me and I will guide you on further steps.
Cheers!,
Carlos.

[viswanatha_reddy]

I am interested in piloting. Can you please reply to my mail id given in my business card (viswanathareddy.singamala@hotmail.com

Regards,
Viswa

[Former Member]

ADRNR for one time customer in BSEC

[former_member17522]

Hi Shirisha,
I didn't catch your comment.
"ADRNR for one time customer in BSEC".
Could you please explain?.
Cheers!,
Carlos.

[former_member17522]

Dear All,
So far the tool is delivered in both English and Spanish but we are preparing the German version and others will come.
Best Regards,
Carlos.

[arcellcom]

Hi Carlos,

I get impressed with this marvellous tool, How can I get the applications?

[former_member17522]

Hi Alvaro,
Thanks for your comments!.
Please email me and I'll give you further details.
Saludos cordiales,
Carlos.

[Former Member]

Hi Carlos

I am interested to implement this feature in my landscape. please provide me your email id.

Thanks,
Ranjith.

[Former Member]

Excellent blog. please send me the the guide how to configure it. I want to use it in all systems. please mail to ranjith.jacob@scotts.com

Thanks,
Ranjith.

[Former Member]

carlos, we would be very interested in this tool, as our sister company has been making hundreds of changes to badis, user exist, etc, even modifications, and we will need a way to identify these before they go into production.

thanks

[former_member17522]

Hi David,
Thank you for comment. As you are specially interested in the customer code identification part, your suggestions regarding the same will be valuable. We have carefully tested our tool before delivering, but even so, piloting phases always help identifying points of improvement.
Best,
Carlos Martinez Escribano.

[Former Member]

Dear Carlos,

     This is a very awesome and Fabulous tool which i could never expected in this way it helps a lot

     Could you please let me know how to implement this i would be very thankful to you.Please find my Email ID crazydude2u@rediffmail.com

Thanks a Lot

[former_member17522]

Hi Raju,
Thank you for your nice comments.
I sent you an email.
Cheers!,
Carlos.

[former_member209217]

Hi Carlos,

Weuse a lot of exits and enhancements in our system.And recently our system got upgraded to ECC6 from 4.6C.I come across a lot of standard issues which are finally solved using a suitable SAP Note.I feel out tool will be good asset and it will reduce the overload and time for searching notes over the web.
I would like to use this tool.

Thanks,
Lakshman

[former_member209217]

Hi Carlos,

Is there anyway that i an get this tool?

Cheers

[former_member17522]

Hi Dave,
I sent you an email.
Best Regards,
Carlos.

[former_member17522]

Hi Lakshman,
Please email me at my email address showed in my bussiness card or drop your email here and I will email you. Your email address is not showed in your bussiness card.
Thanks a lot for your comments and best regards,
Carlos.

[Former Member]

Hi Carlos,
We have your application already installed in our Systems and we are really satisfied on how efficiently the tool finds updates for specific processes.
It’s really helpful too the Customer code icon. I discovered some custom enhancements that didn’t know.
So far, when we had an error, we did a “traditional” note search at the marketplace that was frequently unsuccessful, because the results I got depended very much on the search terms used and also on the description of the problem that is done in the note. Sometimes the symptoms we experience do not match with the symptoms described in the note that solves our issues, but the Automated Note Search always finds the Notes because the note search is language independent.
Have a nice Christmas Eve!,
David Sanchez Isaac.

[Former Member]

Very cool! Very very cool idea!

I am working on something similar of analyzing authorization errors and generating proposals from them.

When I have a working model, perhaps you want to integrate it to make it even cooler 😉

Cheers,
Julius

[Former Member]

... self adapted-/learning ABAP ... looks promising ...

All the best,

Guido