SAP Notes in different languages

There is a translation of SAP Notes content available on SAP support side for quite some time. A links to translated Notes are available usually at the very end of the note. There is a section called Available Language that lists out all the languages.

There can is an URL parameter that can be used to access the SAP Note in a specific language. Like below examples:

https://me.sap.com/notes/2000325/E      English

https://me.sap.com/notes/2000325/I       Italian

https://me.sap.com/notes/2000325/D      German

https://me.sap.com/notes/2000325/S      Spain

https://me.sap.com/notes/2000325/P      Portugal

https://me.sap.com/notes/2000325/F      French

https://me.sap.com/notes/2000325/R      Russian

https://me.sap.com/notes/2000325/J       Japan

https://me.sap.com/notes/2000325/1      Chinese

https://me.sap.com/notes/2000325/3      Korean

 

Normally except German and English languages, the translation to all other languages is just a machine translation. As with any machine translated texts there is not a guarantee of accuracy or completeness of the translation.

In addition, there can be another problem that a codes snippets, parameters names and similar things that are not supposed to be translated are sometimes translated too.

Anyhow, if someone is interested in learning the new languages this is can be also a chance :-)

SAP TCI Notes - Transport based Correction Instructions

While searching on SAP support site one may encounter type of SAP Notes having a Transport-Based Correction Instructions (TCI). Normally the SAP Notes are delivering a fix (correction) of some issues within SAP software. Software correction within SAP Note can be delivered via following channels:

·        SAP Notes automatic correction instructions

·        SAP Notes manual correction instructions

·        Support Packages (SP)

Since 2016 SAP offers one more type of the correction delivery. The TCI corrections are a new type of a channel to ship ABAP corrections with SAP Notes. On top of either manual or automatic correction instructions the TCI correction are having a set of additional attributes.

ABAP transport associated with a TCI Note has set of attributes needed for its installation like software component version, minimal SP, languages etc. TCI has its validity that restricts it to restricted to a certain SP range. Dependencies to other corrections and SPs can be defined. It is created out of correction code line and integrated into standard correction and upgrade process. The TCI is dedicated functionality affected only.

All these are enabling faster consumption of the TCI comparing to regular SAP Note with either manual or automatic correction instructions. Person who does the correction implementation does not need to have developer skills as all normally manual activities performed by the system during installation process. The TCI can be de-implement or rolled back. It supports of all transport enabled ABAP objects such as DDIC, table Content, MIME objects etc. No need for manual adjustment activities unlike during SP import and upgrade for SAP standard objects (t-codes SPAU and SPDD).

The TCI are available for NetWeaver system starting from SAP NetWeaver 7.00 SP09 and above. This type of correction is not activated in the SAP NetWeaver by default. It needs to be enabled. See SAP Note 1995550 for details on how to do it.

 

More information:

Online docu

Central Note about TCI: 2187425 - Information about SAP Note Transport based Correction Instructions (TCI)

1995550 - Enabling SNOTE for transport based correction instruction

2543372 - How to implement a Transport-based Correction Instruction

2764122 - How to check if a TCI note can be de-implemented or not

2489679 - How to identify TCI Note

Difference between SAP notes

Difference between SAP Note and KBA article

How to manually implement SAP Notes

A little while ago I wrote blog post about useful report that can be leveraged while implementing several SAP Notes. With help of the report it is possible to load multiple SAP Notes corrections into the system where the t-code SNOTE can pick them up from.

I had few inquiries from readers of my previous blog. They were interesting on topic how to actually download SAP Notes corrections from SAP Service Marketplace (SMP) before they can use the report mentioned. I’m going to elaborate it in more details in this blog post. Usually it all starts at SMP.

Once the SAP Note that has a correction that needs to be implemented is found it needs to be downloaded. Usually the Notes with correction have a Download button on the Note’s screen at the SMP – in Notes application: service.sap.com/notes.

Once someone clicks on the button a new pop-up windows is opened. It informs about adding the object into basket of SAP Download Manager application.

Normally the object can be downloaded via the Download Manager. However in case there are just few objects that are being download the download can be simply done over HTTP protocol. So someone has just click on “Download Basket” button and content of the basket is displayed. From here just a simple click is needed on the particular object and browser displays dialog to save the file locally on user’s machine.

Once all objects from SAP Notes are downloaded to local machine like one above then they need to be uncompressed (usually they are in form of ZIP files). Now the report mentioned in my previous post takes place. Simple run the ZSCWN_NOTES_UPLOAD report in e.g. t-code SE38. On its selection screen enter path where the files with the Notes corrections were stored. After report ran there is a message “Files loaded” appearing in status bar of SAP GUI.

Finally t-code SNOTE is used to implement the corrections of the SAP Notes.

 

Little help while implementing SAP Notes

Implementing SAP Notes is not an easy task. Although it is automated we can’t still talk about full automation of the task. There are still many tasks which need to be manually performed by someone who does the implementation. For some part I think there is no possibility to fully automate them.  However there are areas while SAP Notes processing which can be nicely automated.

Recently I read and blog post which address one of most painful parts. It is downloading the SAP Notes itself. We all know it. A bug in spotted in the system and SAP Note is found to fix it. Then someone (usually SAP Basis or ABAP programmer) is asked to do so. In case the Note is just one correction without any manual activities it is piece of cake. The Note is just simply downloaded in SNOTE (Note Assistant) tcode. Then it is implemented. Once it is tested it just needs to be confirmed in the SNOTE that implementation is okay.

However many times we are facing the SAP Notes that are having either many corrections, or they have may other SAP Notes as prerequisites or are having many manual steps. To address download of prerequisites Notes there is a tool that enables to upload multiple notes into SNOTE at one shot. You can easily download the Notes from SAP marketplace via Download Manager into local machine. Then via using this tool you can upload all the Notes form the workstation to SNOTE.

The tool is delivered via ABAP program ZSCWN_NOTES_UPLOAD - Load multiple notes files into SNOTE. More details about the tool see in blog: Report-zscwnnotesupload--load-multiple-notes-files-into-snote.

I found this tool very useful. I applaud Frank Buchholz who seems to be an author. Good job!

Difference between SAP Note and KBA article

SAP Notes are very well known since beginning of first SAP software. They are intended to help while supporting run of SAP applications. Basically the main purpose of the Notes is to fix an issue within the software. For details on the Notes and their types see here. Over the years another type of support document raised. It is SAP Knowledge Base Article (KBA).

The KBA are intended to complement the SAP Notes by depicting additional features or issues which are involved within particular SAP application. But the KBAs do not contain the code which fixes the issue. The code is solely provided by the Notes.

Both the Notes and KBAs are available via SMP at:

support.sap.com/notes or older link: service.sap.com/notes

Advanced Note Search Tool (ANST)

People working with SAP know what it takes to search for correction note of bug or an issue within SAP applications. Basically once you dealing with it you need to go through bunch a SAP Notes available at SMP. Sometimes the notes are not very well described so you may go in try-and-try loop. This of course takes time. SAP strives for better solutions of searching for the notes. This includes improvements of searching with SMP but not only that. SAP provides also tools using other approaches in this field.  One tool available is based on tracing the issue while simulating it directly in the system. There is a transaction ANST_SEARCH_TOOL which allows direct reproduction of issue. Within this TA you are guided directly into the particular functionality where issue occurs. After that you are offered with list of application components (e.g. components of BW or BOBJ components) where you choose component or components and you will get a list of applicable Notes for your issue. The listed notes are applicable to the issue and are not implemented in your system. 

If there is a custom extension involved in the SAP functionality and issue is related to this code. In such a case Advanced Note Search Tool transaction shows all the points where the custom code is involved. Custom tables are listed as well.

One more feature of the tool is Notes search capability directly from ABAP dumps transaction – ST22.

The ANST tool is available to be implemented only via Support packages. It is a part of SAP_BASIS components within following support packages: SAPKB70028 or SAPKB70113 or SAPKB70213 or SAPKB73106.

For more information see following sources:

1564850 - Automated Note Search: General Note

1778716 - Advanced Note Search Tool

1818192 - FAQ: Automated Note Search Tool

SCN blog: A new application that makes it easier to find sap correction notes  

SCN blog: Automated Note Search & Customer Code Detection II (release 2.0)

Messages within SAP Notes

There are few messages you may encounter inside SMP notes while you searching for the notes:

A)

The requested SAP Note is either in reworking or is released internally only

Means selected note is not available for viewing by audience out side SAP organization. You need to have we.g. internal SAP employee ID to access the Note. See more in my other post: Something about SAP Service Marketplace (S-user or S*user) ID.

B)

This note is in the selected version / language not up to date

Means translation into language you using to view the note is in progress. Therefore the version in chosen language is not up-do-date. You may want to check the note content in original language (use Note language field to switch it) or wait once version of the Note in language you are familiar with appears.