SDS - mark relevant changes dependent on latest released version for several generation variants

[Former Member]

Hi all,

Today we received an interesting question on version management of the SDS documents in EH&S.

Our client has a large number of generation variants.

When some data is modified in the substance, it is likely that not all relevant SDS documents will be regenerated at the same time.

let's assume the following order of events

* populate substance Z with data

* generate SDS for generation variant A (and release it - v1.0)

* do a major update (1) of data on substance Z

* generate SDS for generation varant A (and release it - v2.0) => changes should be marked

* generate SDS for generation variant B (and release it - v1.0) => as it is the first release, no changes should be marked

for as far as I know, this is pretty much standard

Now, continuing this logic....

* do a major update (2) of substance Z (mark changes from previous release as no longer relevant)

* generate SDS for generation variant B (and release it - v2.0) => new changes (update 2) should be marked

* do a major update (3) of substance Z

* generate SDS for generation variant A (and release it - v3.0) => old changes (update 1) should no longer be marked, recent changes (2 and 3) should be marked

* generate SDS for generation variant B (and release it - v3.0) => old changes (update 2) should no longer be marked, recent changes (update 3) should be marked

I have the impression the SAP logic is not soffisticated enough to handle such requirements.

did any of you meet a similar requirement (and if so, were you able to solve it?)?

Looking forward to any suggestions on how to tackle this requirement

Kind regards,

Luk

[nirajsikligar]

Hello Christoph,

Thanks for the update. I will update this thread if I find any solution.

Thanks again.

Regards,

Niraj

[nirajsikligar]

Hello Christoph,

Thank you for the update. I am wondering if this is a requirement from REACH regulation, why this is not part of standard solution from SAP? I saw this was done by one of our client but do not remember how. I am sure It is an enhancement but do now know which FM to be used. The standard solution must be using any FM to highlight the changes and not able to find that.

Thank you again for your reply.

[christoph_bergemann]

Dear Niraj

the requirement exists before REACH as well; REACH is now only complexer...

I have never identfied one company trying to "extend" this "change mark process" (why this is not part of standard solution from SAP? I saw this was done by one of our client but do not remember how.) and i have big problems to believe that somebody succeeded to do so (because of EHS Data model and WWI etc.)

Regarding: am sure It is an enhancement but do now know which FM to be used. => I am not aware of any FM which can be used to do so.

We have options regarding the "R/S" and "H/P" Story in chapter 16 but not for highlighting the changes in SDS

C.B.

[christoph_bergemann]

Dear Niraj

we have the so called "Change" mark in SAP EHS classic. There is no other option available to "explain" changes.

The "Change mark" can e.g. not support "deletion" of data

so regarding:

"wants all the relevant changes to be listed in section 16 instead of just highlighting it."

There is no EHS standard functionality to get this listed. We have only change marks; this is sufficient according daily practise

We can only hope that with S/4 HANA wil will get something better; but nobody knows

C.B.

[nirajsikligar]

Hello Christoph,

We have a similar requirement where in our product steward team wants all the relevant changes to be listed in section 16 instead of just highlighting it.

We are using ERC 1904 templates and it does not have this function.

Would you know how this can be achieved?

Thanks.

Regards,

Niraj

[christoph_bergemann]

Hello Luk

the topic you have raised is quite old existing since the beginning of EH&S. I am not sure but it might be worth to check ECC 6.0 EnhPack 3 with EH&S Business function activated. Here SAP has provided a better solution regarding the topic of change marks. If it really fulfills your demands? No idea but you will get some improvements (there is always a "con" !! you need to drill down very deep to understand why something has been marked or not (we have now a "timestamp" in place).

In any case. many companies many solutions regarding this topic/issue. Some companies try to use e.g. rulesets to generate data and then because they "trust" the data would release immediately

  any related MSDS (or other WWI document). Others try to use highly sophisticated Management of Change processes or Workflow techniques etc to avoid this situation. Frankly speaking: if we are thinking of a whole bunch of WWI documents (generation variants with activated change mark flag) this issue still exist. Now if you dig deeper things are getting worse. If a value assignment instance is "relevant" and the generation variant is taking this into account the "whole" part is "marked" in WWI even if you have only changed the characteristic e.g. "Remarks" and not the "Value"; that means the "relevance" flag or precisely the "mark line" in WWI techniques is not ! related to a subpart of the value instance.

As there is no technique available which can "compare" "values" from old released document to new one we have no other chance as to use the SAP standard and do our very best.

With best regards

C.B.

PS: Other companies try to "collect" as many changes to avoid to many regeneration of documents; other try to avoid "relevant" changes etc.

If you dig deeper in legislation it is really not "easy" to interpret it.

[christoph_bergemann]

Hello Luk

small add on. I just read once again cross the REACh regulation. It may be of interest that REACh is demanding this:

"the changes shall be brought to the attention of the recipient in Section 16 of the safety data

sheet, unless they have been indicated elsewhere."

What does that mean from SAP EH&S point of view? That could mean (this is a complete interpretation on my side) you need to collect in chapter 16 "something" (not very precise how you can do that and how precise it should be) to explain "changes" (and we are talking only about relevant changes according to REACh.

Now instead of "change" mark you could try to "collect" phrases like this in chapter 16

"Chapter 9 Subchapter Density has been updated relevant"

Or

you could use the "Remarks" characteristic (which available in most of the properties) and you could use a phrase like:

"Relevant change since last revision"

or as we are used to do it since years: we use the "Change mark" to highlight something in the WWI document. (in theory you could try print it "bold" and only write e.g. in chapter 16 a sentance like: anything written in "bold" describe a change regarding the last version)

Personally I would use the second method using the "remarks" characteristic because it is easier to maintain understand etc

PS: per country etc. the MSDS legislation might be different and how to "mark" changes (e.g. http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/legisl/msds_prep.html#_1_4)

PPS: There is no "marking" available per customer. This is a further gap in SAP technique. SAP is "thinking" that you always manage to make availabel all relevant changes in a short time to all customers. BUT If you have a new customer this customer will get the same changes highlighted as the old customer because there is no "customer" dependant "marking" available

With best regards

C.B.