Configuration Transport Center: New way to view, download and transport configurations

[hariprasadgud]

Configuration Transport Center Product Enhancements in H2 2024

Copy an Existing Transport Bundle:

We've introduced a Copy option in the Bundle Management tab Actions menu. The Copy option appears for bundles which are created in the last 30 days, irrespective of the bundle status. Administrators are notified about any invalid or deleted configurations in the transport bundle during the transport flow.

More Configurations are support now: 

1. Picklist values.
2. Onboarding 2.0.
3. Please refer more details https://help.sap.com/docs/SAP_SUCCESSFACTORS_RELEASE_INFORMATION/8974cf00008b4e209398478ca43bcba7/f5...

Title: Exciting Configuration Transport Center   Product Enhancements in H1 2024: Elevating Your Configuration Change Management Process.

Introduction

As we step into the first half of 2024, we are thrilled to introduce a range of enhanced features and capabilities in our Configuration Transport Center product. These enhancements are designed to empower administrators, streamline configuration change management, and enhance audit compliance across various modules. Let's dive into the key features that will transform your configuration change management experience.

Improved Coverage

One of the primary enhancements in H1 2024 is the increased support for various configurations. Now, administrators can transport Compensation and Variable Pay Lookup Tables, Families and Roles, Competencies, Form Label Translations, MDF Configuration UIs, Workflow Groups, RBP Roles, Dynamic Group Filters,Off-Cycle Event Batch,Integration Center Definition,List of Picklists,Dynamic Groups for Home Page and more with ease. Our product now covers majority of the configurations in Employee Central, Talent, Performance Management, Goals, Succession, 360, Development, and People Profile, Platform providing a comprehensive solution for your configuration transport needs.

Refer link for more details.

Key New Features:

1. Search Functionality

You can now search for relevant configurations by Configuration name, Last Modified By, and Last Modified Date in Configuration Transport Center.

Refer link for more details.

2. Promote a Transport Bundle Across Multiple Target Tenants

You can now promote or move the same transport bundle across different target tenants in Configuration Transport Center.

A Promote option is available for the transport bundle in the target tenant after you've successfully imported the bundle. The Promote option doesn't appear for an expired transport bundle. You can select a target tenant, which is already paired to promote the transport bundle. For example, if a configuration bundle is created in A, you can transport the bundle to B. After the bundle is imported successfully to B, you have the option to promote the bundle from B to C and then from C to D without rebuilding the transport bundle in each tenant.

Refer link for more details.

In H1 2024, our CTC product enhancements offer a wide array of features that elevate your configuration change management experience. From increased support for various configurations to conflict prevention, audit compliance, improved traceability, and streamlined management, our goal is to make your administration tasks smoother and more efficient. These enhancements mark a significant step forward in simplifying your HR configuration change management.

Stay tuned for updates and make the most of these features to enhance your configuration change management capabilities in the second half of 2024!

Limitations of Configuration Transport Center

Here some of the current limitations within the Configuration Transport Center (CTC). While CTC continues to be a robust platform, it's important to acknowledge areas where improvements are on our radar.

1. ONB2.0 and Recruiting.

Please refer our help guide to learn more.

[former_member881]

Thank you for sharing. That´s import this blog!

[Srini_Prabhu]

Good blog, Hariprasad. Thank you for sharing this overview. Eagerly waiting on the broader support outside of EC for this.

[shyamvr]

hariprasad.gudivada Hi Hariprasad, This is a great summary of Configuration Center. Thanks! Reminds me of SAP Transport Tool! Look forward to trying it out soon!

 

btw, there a few typos and numbering errors. Please check it out when you get a chance!

[madhavihota]

Hi Hariprasad,

 

Thank you for the information. However is it possible to run this as a job hourly or daily to download the configuration . Also can this configuration center be view via ODATA API.

 

Regards,

Madhavi Hota

[hariprasadgud]

Hi shyamsundarr01, Thanks for the feedback. Errors are corrected now. Please try the tool and share your comments and suggestions.

Thanks,

Hari

[hariprasadgud]

Hi madhavi.hota , Could you please share more details? Why do you want to backup configurations Hourly and Daily? What are your use cases around having oData API?

Thanks,

Hari

[madhavihota]

Hi Hari,

 

I just wanted to know if there is any possibility to back up the configuration using  IC by using configuration center  so i have asked if it is possible to view the details for configuration center using odata API.

 

Thanks & Regards,

Madhavi Hota

[hariprasadgud]

We don't yet support back up of configurations.

Thanks,

Hari

[Norbert]

How can I upload a configuration, which I had downloaded before ?

[hariprasadgud]

Hi norbert.stieber , The download is provided for you to share it SAP cloud support or with partner to troubleshoot any issues caused by configuration or have it as a backup for later reference. For now we are not providing any upload capability.

Thanks,

Hari

[timmybecker]

Thank you for the blog, good overview.

What is not covered is the transport routes. As of now it seems a bundle can only be transported only to one instance. When you want to move those changes first to preview and then to PROD you have create a second bundle. Depending on the amount of objects this can be some effort.

 

Have not found a way to reuse a bundle and move it a second time to another instance.

Do you know any workaround?

Thanks.

Regards,

Timmy

[hariprasadgud]

For now there is no workaround available. Unfortunately have to wait it Transport Routes are supported.

[Dagmar]

Hello,

 

is it possible to sync users (user profile, position attributes, etc.) between two instances?

 

Thank you

BR
Dagmar

 

[timmybecker]

Hi Dagmar,

I don't think so. Configuration has some limitations and as per my understanding it supports to move object definitions but not objects. E.g. when you add a field to cost center object this config can be moved. But a cost center itself that you have created in SF not.

So user profile should not be supported. If you add a field to the position object definition you can move it.

Please find below the URL for the limitations of configuration center.

Limitations and Important Notes While Using Configuration Center - SAP Help Portal

Regards,

Timmy

[Norbert]

Hi Timmy,

as usual:  your link is not working after update of release documentation 😞

can you please update the link.

Thanks and best regards

Norbert

 

[timmybecker]

Hi Norbert,

 

thanks for the remark. I've updated the link using latest version.

 

Regards,

Timmy

[CarlaOLI4]

Hi Hariprasad .

Any chance Transport routes are supported by now ?

[aartidevikar]

Hello Dagmar, users fall under data. Configuration Transport Center does not support sync of data but only focuses on configurations. Hence user data sync is not support.

Thanks, Aarti

[RoosReijers]

Hello,

We have been testing the detailed behavior of CTC on transporting Business Rules. In the basis we are happy with the result and continue testing with Time Objects.

However, there is an existing system limitation on the business rules feature itself: it holds no history on who edited the rule and when; it simply gets overwritten with every change. As a work around, we insert records on every update on a rule which gives us insight in the editor and when it was updated.

To overcome this, we have created an influence request for the business rules feature to have a history log.

This shortcoming in business rules gets more visible when transporting business rules using CTC: all these records get overwritten with the same editor and time stamp.

Mentioning this here because the outcome of our influence request might be of value for other CTC users. For us it is currently a reason not to use ...

Should the request lead to an actual enhancement of the business rules feature, I'm curious to see how CTC handles the transport.

Thanks!
Roos

https://influence.sap.com/sap/ino/#/idea/296168/?section=sectionDetails

[RoosReijers]

Hello,

We have been testing the detailed behavior of CTC on transporting Business Rules. In the basis we are happy with the result and continue testing with Time Objects.

However, there is an existing system limitation on the business rules feature itself: it holds no history on who edited the rule and when; it simply gets overwritten with every change. As a work around, we insert records on every update on a rule which gives us insight in the editor and when it was updated.

To overcome this, we have created an influence request for the business rules feature to have a history log.

This shortcoming in business rules gets more visible when transporting business rules using CTC: all these records get overwritten with the same editor and time stamp.

Mentioning this here because the outcome of our influence request might be of value for other CTC users. For us it is currently a reason not to use CTC on business rules. 

Should the request lead to an actual enhancement of the business rules feature, I'm curious to see how CTC handles the transport.

Thanks!
Roos

https://influence.sap.com/sap/ino/#/idea/296168/?section=sectionDetails

[SF_ONB]

Hi Community,

I currently faced a problem with transferring configurations for ONB2.0. I noticed that ONB2.0 is not supported when the tool is launched. Just wonder if the tool now supports ONB2.0 as I still don't find the option to transfer ONB2.0 MDF object and data in the tool.

[hariprasadgud]

Hi @SF_ONB , ONB2.0 is not supported yet but stay tuned it will be coming soon.

Thanks,

Hari

[CameliaL]

Hi @hariprasadgud , 

Thank you for the confirmation that ONB2.0 is not yet supported. Is there a roadmap date for it?

We are currently leveraging the Instance Sync and we would like to know if we should plan to do cutovers manually once Instance Sync is deprecated. 

Best,

Camélia

[RoosReijers]

Hello @hariprasadgud ,

We are currently exploring the Configuration Transport Center and are generally very pleased with its capabilities 😀.

To use CTC in our configuration change process, we are trying to figure out the best way to incorporate CTC.
We know that CTC is not covering 100% of the features, but what would you advise? In the end state, should we still be able to manually change in production or should that ideally only be done in a development environment? Maybe 1 or 2 Super Admins with edit access? What is SAP's best practice, process wise?

Looking forward to your reply!
Roos🌹

[hariprasadgud]

Hi @RoosReijers , Our recommendation is not to do any configuration change in production directly. We do have very good coverage on EC, Talent- PM, GM etc, Platform. Other module you need to keep using the manual process where you can have one or two admins making the change in prod tenant once those are certified in lower environments.

Please share where you still see gaps in CTC.

Thanks,

Hari

[RoosReijers]

Hello @hariprasadgud ,

We are still in the process of determining what the best process is for us exactly.

We want to follow your recommendation to not do any configuration change in production directly. So, I am looking for options to block that particular access for System Admins. To prevent making changes by mistake.

Do you have any best practices on role based permissions? For Manage Business Configuration I can easily change the access from Edit to View only. But for other parts like Company System and Logo Settings it is all or nothing. Ideally I would like to have that option for all manage and feature permissions. Do you have an example of a System Admin role who who should not make any changes but can view the relevant settings and configuration?

Or should we just tell everyone not to make changes and run change audit reports to keep on top of accidental changes and revert them so systems stay aligned?

Anything on this subject would help in our exploration so looking forward to your reply.

Thank you,
Roos🌹

[hariprasadgud]

Hi @RoosReijers , It's bit complex due to the nature of individual configuration types. The only possibility is go with 'should we just tell everyone not to make changes and run change audit reports to keep on top of accidental changes and revert them so systems stay aligned'.

But if you need guidance and better possibility then please share the list of configurations where your need more support.

Thanks,

Hari

[RoosReijers]

Hi @hariprasadgud ,

Thank you for your reply on my earlier question on System Admin access. I suppose it is what it is for now. I raised an influence request for the same https://influence.sap.com/sap/ino/#/idea/335455/?section=sectionVotes.

But to continue on this topic, RBP, would it be possible to split permissions between creating and updating a bundle and the actual transport of a bundle? Our idea on the process is that we want it to be possible for all Super Admins to work on bundles, but only 1 person to actually be charge of the transport to another instances. The idea behind it is to keep in control of what is transported and in what shape.

I have tried different combinations of settings but so far, I did not manage to separate the permission to transport from the permission to add to a bundle. Should it be possible yet?

Looking forward to your reply,
Roos🌹

[RoosReijers]

Hello @hariprasadgud ,

I have a question about promoting a bundle. I know it is expected behavior that promoting a bundle can only be done when the status of the transport bundle is Import Completed.

But there are scenarios where we would still want to promote the bundle, even with status Import Completed with Errors. We have an example where the ConfigUIMeta errorred on transport (why is unclear because all dependencies are transported along with it) so we had to update it manually. But the rest of the import was still useful to promote to other instances. 

Any chance it will be possible in the future that also import bundles with error status allow to promote, maybe with an extra confirmation step?

Thanks,
Roos🌹

[hariprasadgud]

Hi @RoosReijers , We did limit to allowing promote only to bundle which is imported completely to make sure only bundles which are tested completely are moved to production... But I do get your concern will evaluate and see if we can bring in the support.

Thanks,

Hari

[RoosReijers]

Hi @hariprasadgud 

Thanks again for your reply, this time on my question on promoting a bundle.

I have raised a second question on that same day so maybe it was overlooked. Hence I raise it again: 

Would it be possible to split permissions between creating and updating a bundle and the actual transport of a bundle? Our idea on the process is that we want it to be possible for all Super Admins to work on bundles, but only 1 person to actually be charge of the transport to another instances. The idea behind it is to keep in control of what is transported and in what shape.

I have tried different combinations of settings but so far, I did not manage to separate the permission to transport from the permission to add to a bundle. Should it be possible yet?

If not possible, I'd like to raise an enhancement request. Can you please confirm?

Thank you,
Roos🌹