Focused Insights OCC Dashboard – ITSM Data Provider: Switch to SAP CRM BOL that reliably reflects CRM WebUI Client search results

[Marco_Krapf]

Introduction

The KPI Number of Tickets For ITSM Transactions of the ITSM Data Provider suits for most of the use cases when you want to count the number of tickets. This KPI should be your No.1 choice as it combines the capabilities of many other KPIs with the name “Number of…” yet it cannot replace those which are dealing with time values (Average Processing Time etc.).

Focused Insights dashboards with IRT and MPT ticket data

 

Ooops… no data for IRT and MPT?!

In general, the ITSM Data Provider works very well. However, for IRT (Initial Response Time) and MPT (Maximum Process Time) you will encounter a mismatch between the number of tickets you get displayed in the CRM WebUI Client and the Focused Insights dashboard. While the search retrieves the correct number (in this example 9), the dashboard shows zero.

CRM WebUI Client - search for Service Requests with MPT exceeded

 

Focused Insights dashboard with no data for MPT exceeded

 

Taking a closer look, we can prove that for "common" statuses like In Process or Confirmed we get the expected results, while for MPT Exceeded (as well as for IRT and warnings) it does not work.

DP ITSM: KPI "Number of Tickets For ITSM Transactions"

 

Ticket status "In Process" and "Confirmed": data is displayed

 

Ticket status "MPT Exceeded": no data displayed

 

No data? No problem. Switch to SAP CRM BOL Query!

The good news… SAP provides a new way to get this data in Focused Insights dashboards 😊

SAP Note 3107002 - DP_ITSM filters not working for KPI - Number of Tickets for ITSM Transactions provides a “switch” to change the data source from BW Cubes to SAP CRM BOL (Business Object Layer) Query.

The very good news… you can do this even if you have dashboards created before (I had hundreds of them) without losing any data or damaging your existing dashboards.

Read and follow the instructions carefully! Although there are no manual activities mentioned in the note header, after implementing the code corrections you must run a report for adapting the settings, otherwise it takes no effect.

SAP Note 3107002

 

Execute the report /STDF/FI_SETUP_PARAMS (TCode SA38) and activate [X] the SWITCH. Furthermore, maintain the parameter DPITSM_MAX (see the note instructions for details). Execute for saving the data.

Report /STDF/FI_SETUP_PARAMS

 

Switch activation

 

Reload your Focused Insights dashboard. Now it works!

Focused Insights dashboard with data for MPT exceeded

 

Additional date selection available

Once you have switched to SAP CRM BOL Query, you will find an additional "Date" tab in the query settings. When fetching the data from BW Cubes, you always get the "creation date" displayed.

CRM WebUI Client - search for Service Requests with status "Confirmed"

 

BW Cubes: Always the creation date

 

SAP CRM BOL Query: Creation date

 

SAP CRM BOL Query: Last change date

 

To switch or not to switch?

In a nutshell:

SWITCH = [X]  >>  SAP CRM BOL Query
SWITCH = [  ]  >>  BW Cubes

It's that simple, so give it a try. I haven't had any disadvantages since I switched. In case you do, please leave a comment. In case you like the switch, feel free to like this blog post. By the way, the switch is reversible.

All screenshots were taken by me in SAP Solution Manager 7.2 SPS11 with ST-OST 200 SP06 and the latest SAP Notes implemented.

PS: The more I use the word switch, the more I like it 😉