Mastering SPPD/SPAU/SPAU_ENH: Your Ultimate Guide to SAP Optimization

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Why There is a Need for SPDD, SPAU, and SPAU_ENH

Introduction

SAP customers running on ECC 6.0 systems often streamline their business processes by customizing, modifying, or enhancing SAP standard system objects due to the unavailability of standard functionality. These changes need to be carried forward and adjusted during the transformation to new systems.

Types of Changes to SAP Standard Systems

1. Customizing & Configuration: Setting system business parameters using special customizing transactions. Customizing is mandatory before using the SAP system in a live environment.
2. Personalization & Adaptations: Tailoring the system to meet specific user needs without altering the underlying code.
3. Enhancements Extensions & Integration: Customer changes to SAP repository objects without the need for modifications.
4. Modification: Customer-specific changes to SAP repository objects. When SAP objects are changed, the customer version has to be modified to match the new version.

Understanding SPDD and SPAU

• SPDD: Used to perform modification adjustments to certain ABAP dictionary objects such as domains, data elements, table structures, transparent tables, pooled tables, cluster tables, and table technical settings. Not performing modification adjustments for these objects could cause data loss.
• SPAU: Used to perform modification adjustments for objects where not performing the adjustment would not directly lead to data loss. These objects include all other repository objects (such as module pools, ABAP programs, function modules, menus, and screens).
• SPAU_ENH is a tool in SAP used during system upgrades to adjust enhancements made to the standard SAP system. When you upgrade your SAP system, some custom enhancements might not work correctly with the new version. SPAU_ENH helps you identify these enhancements and make the necessary adjustments so that everything continues to work smoothly. It's like a checklist that ensures all your custom tweaks are compatible with the upgraded system.

Adjusting Modified SAP Objects: SPDD, SPAU, and SPAU_ENH

When updating SAP systems, all modified standard SAP objects are displayed for adjustment in transactions SPDD, SPAU, or SPAU_ENH. Objects that SAP no longer delivers are deleted. If you want to keep these objects, you must accept the modifications in the respective transactions.

Important Considerations

• Customer Namespace Package: Ensure there is at least one package in the customer namespace (Z*) before the update. This package is necessary if you need to create objects during the modification adjustment, such as an append structure for customer fields of an SAP table. Packages cannot be created during the upgrade.
• Data Loss Prevention: If deleted ABAP Dictionary objects are not manually re-created during SPDD, data loss may occur. For example, this can happen if a structure is used as a table append.

Adopting Existing Modifications and Changes in SAP: A Step-by-Step Guide

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Review Each TAB Object in SPDD/SPAU/SPAU-ENH:
   • Go through each object listed in the SPDD, SPAU, and SPAU_ENH transactions.
2. Download Lists:
   • Download the complete SPDD, SPAU, and SPAU_ENH lists into an Excel file.
   • Prepare an action plan based on these lists.
3. Analyze and Compare Versions:
   • Based on the project guidelines, adopt the changes.
   • Analyze the changes by comparing the versions and propose actions to be taken in the Excel file.
4. Execute Actions:
   • Once the review is complete and new actions are confirmed, start executing the actions.
5. Documentation:
   • Keep track of all activities performed using proper documentation.

Options to Adopt Standard Changes

Options

1. Notes: Implementing SAP Notes to apply corrections and updates.
2. With Assistant: Using SAP tools and assistants to guide you through the process.
3. Without Assistance: Manually adopting changes without the help of automated tools.
4. Deletions, Translations, etc.: Handling deletions and translations as part of the change adoption process.

Available Actions

1. Reset - Latest Version

Purpose: Reverting to the latest version of the object provided by SAP. Use Case: When you want to discard all custom modifications and use the standard SAP version. 

Steps:

• Select the object in SPAU.
• Choose the "Reset to Original" option.
• Confirm the reset action.

1. Adjust - Mix of Latest and Old Changes

Purpose: Combining the latest changes from SAP with existing custom modifications. Use Case: When you want to retain some custom modifications while incorporating new SAP updates. 

Steps:

• Review the differences between the current version and the new SAP version.
• Manually merge the changes, ensuring both custom and new SAP changes are preserved.
• Test the adjusted object to ensure functionality.

1. Adjust with Proposal – Recommendation

Purpose: Adopting changes based on system recommendations. Use Case: When SAP provides a recommended way to adjust the object, often through automated tools. 

Steps:

• Select the object in SPAU.
• Choose the "Adjust with Proposal" option.
• Review the proposed changes and confirm the adjustments.

1. Adjust Manually – Manual

Purpose: Manually adjusting the changes as needed. Use Case: When automated proposals are not suitable, and manual intervention is required. 

Steps:

• Compare the current version with the new SAP version.
• Manually edit the object to incorporate necessary changes.
• Test the object thoroughly to ensure it works correctly.

1. Change Processing Status

Purpose: Manually changing the status of the object when required. Use Case: When you need to update the status of an object to reflect its current state (e.g., "post-processing required" or "For testing").

 Steps:

• Select the object in SPAU.
• Open the dialog to change the processing status.
• Update the status and assign processors if needed.

1. Mark for Testing

Purpose: Keeping track of objects that need to be tested. Use Case: When an object requires testing before it can be confirmed as finished. 

Steps:

• Select the object in SPAU.
• Assign tester roles to the processors.
• Reset confirmation flags to ensure the object is marked for testing.

1. Delete Modification Log

Purpose: Removing the log of modifications. Use Case: When a modified development object is deleted by the software delivery, and the modification log needs to be managed. 

Steps:

• Select the object in SPAU.
• Choose the option to delete the modification log.
• Confirm the deletion, and the object will no longer be listed after a restart.

1. Retrieve Last Version

Purpose: Restoring the last version of the object. Use Case: When you need to revert to the previous version of the object before the latest changes were applied. 

Steps:

• Select the object in SPAU.
• Choose the "Retrieve Last Version" option.
• Confirm the action to restore the previous version.

Deletion Objects

Change Processing Status

When a development object has not yet been confirmed as finished by at least one assigned processor, it remains in the status "post-processing required" or "For testing".

• Assigning Processors: If you are not already assigned, you will be added as a processor of the object. A dialog will open, allowing you to add or remove processors, change their roles, and update assessments.

Mark for Testing

If a development object has not been confirmed as finished by at least one assigned processor, it remains in the status "post-processing required".

• Assigning Tester Roles: All assigned processors will be given the role of "Tester". The confirmation flags will be reset, ensuring that the object is marked for testing.

Delete Modification Log

When a modified development object is deleted by the software delivery, the modification log needs to be managed.

• Deleting Logs: The modification log will be deleted, and SPAU will no longer list the object after a restart.

Managing SAP Translations

Adjusting a Translation

• Issue: Translations overwritten or deleted by SAP transport.
• Action: Adjust modifications first if original text isn't created by SAP. Save changes in SPAU or use SE63 if navigation fails.

Resetting Translation for a Single Language

• Issue: Translations overwritten or deleted by SAP transport.
• Action: Reset translations if no longer needed or new ones are adequate. Mark as no longer modified; existing translation remains.

Marking Translation for a Single Language as Adjusted

• Issue: Translations overwritten or deleted by SAP transport.
• Action: Adjust modifications first if original text isn't created by SAP. Add or change translations, then mark as adjusted.