Monday, February 23, 2015

Input history for SAP GUI

SAP GUI stores input entered by user while using SAP GUI in a local history database. The DB is type of MS Access database. Information that is stored is related to any type of user input entered into the input fields in SAP’s transactions. It can be number of material or sales order in corresponding t-codes. Also it can be search strings while user is searching for information in the SAP transactions. The DB is secured by a password. For security reasons the password is not known to the user or neither to administrator. Security information like user password to access SAP systems is not stored into the DB.

Database file is typically stored under following path, however can be customized in settings of SAP GUI (Options -> Local Data -> Directory for Local Data):

x:\Users\\AppData\Roaming\SAP\SAP GUI\History\SAPHistory.mdb

Usage of the GUI history functionality can be also switched off. This can be done in maintaining Windows registry settings. To disable it a new registry entry of type DWORD called "DisableHistory" with value of 1 must be placed in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE or under HKEY_CURRENT_USER under location: \software\sap\SAPGUI Front\SAP Frontend Server\LocalData. For any 64 bit type if OS WIN the location is different: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\Wow6432Node\sap\SAPGUI Front\SAP Frontend Server\LocalData.

Notice that this functionality is only available in SAP GUI for Windows

Further information:
1121688 - SAP History: explaining database files, etc.
924376 - History: disable history for specific fields in registry

199527 - Input history for SAP GUI for Windows – recovering of SAP GUI history

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

It is very useful to set the "Enable input history for fields up to" 255 chars (max). In the SAP GUI options. This way longer text fields get also input history what is disabled by default. I use it all the time e.g. for transport texts.

Martin Maruskin said...

Hi there,

thanks for sharing this little trick about lengths of fields for which history is captured.

cheers!

Max said...

So what could be the password ??

Martin Maruskin said...

Hi Max,

I'd not encourage anyone in attempt to to try recover the password of the MDB file. It would be against SAP license. Also I do think that password is different on every installation of SAP GUI.

cheers

Max said...

OK but what's the purpose of the file if I can't open it ? Or I am missing something I could do with this file ??

Martin Maruskin said...

Hi Max,
my post has information character which explains background of GUI history and what DB type is used to store the data for history.
cheers,

Max said...

Great thank you.
I initially thought it could be use to trace what a user did with some transaction - to help solve an issue for example.

Martin Maruskin said...

Hi Max, maybe I should have stress this out in my post. In my eyes this functionality is only to help the users while entering data. E.g. some materials, FI accounts codes etc are hard to remember.

cheers,

Laurent said...

Hi Martin,

If I undertand you well, due to the password on the MDB file there is no way take over a ' old history ' nor a copy sent from a fellow?

Isn't?
Tx so far!
BR,

Martin Maruskin said...

hi Laurent, correct as the file is password protected no manipulation in sense that file is copied form one user to another shall be take in place. In case one would de-crypt it fo course it all shall work. However I would be strongly against such an activity.

cheers

LAurent said...

Hi Martin,
Tx for prompt answer!
In case I waanna take over a old one from my own ?
Tx!

Martin Maruskin said...

Laurent, perhaps you can try to back up your file from one computer and put it to another one - assuming your WIN account is the same, or you just reinstall GUI on the same machine and putting file that was backed up in there...). To be honest not sure either it works - I haven't tried that.