Developer (and other SSCR) keys simplification in S/4 based systems

SAP Software Change Registration (SSCR) is s procedure of registering manual changes of SAP dictionary and source code. It includes the object registration (object key), developer registration (so called developer key). If developer (must have developer key in table DEVACCESS, this key is entered only once) wants to modify objects in the SAP system it prompts for these keys (object key for SAP source code or dictionary object, keys are stored in table ADIRACCESS). These keys are normally requested via SAP Support Portal at a link support.sap.com/en/my-support/keys.html.

However, within introduction S/4 (starting with version S/4HANA 1511, BW/4 systems including as well) based system the SSCR procedure has changed. Whether the particular system requires the SSCR keys can be controlled by system profile parameter system/usage_flavor. If it is set to value SIMPLE the registration is off. On other hand if it is set to value, STANDARD the registration is on. Notice that the parameter can only be set during system installation phase. Technically, how the developers are controlled (in case the standard registration is off) is that the developer has to have a role assigned that contains authorization objects S_TRANSPRT and S_DEVELOP.

I consider this as an activity that is a part of simplification of SAP systems. Complete “key registration” thing was just an unnecessary burden (think of registering a new ABAP developers, someone who has an access to SAP Support portal needed to do the registration) for SAP customers. That is why to me it is nice to see it’s gone. Yet there are other possibilities how to control the developments. Think of defining changeability of SAP system in t-code SE06, define client specific behavior for development in t-code SCC4. See more info regarding those options here: System change option for SAP BW systems.

 

More info:

2501703 - Frequently asked questions about SAP Software Change Registration (SSCR)

2309060 - The SSCR license key procedure is not supported in SAP S/4 HANA

SSCR registration on SAP ONE Support Launchpad

System change option for SAP BW systems

BW/4HANA Simplifications (BW4SL)

- Last update 01Nov2023

One of strengths of BW for HANA aka BW/4HANA (BW/4, B4H, BW4) is simplification. This comes as something that can’t be seen (e.g. removal of approx. more than 5 million lines of ABAP SAP BW code) and also more visible changes that need to be adapted otherwise it will break BW systems once moved to BW/4 e.g.:

- changes to official interfaces (RSNDI, RSDRI)

- deletion of old/obsolete customer exits (CMOD) and BAdI methods for exit variables that are replaced by corresponding enhancement spots

- switch to new request management for all loading processes

- SAP HANA generated views are Calculation Views only (so called OneView model)

To get an overview of all “simplifications” that BW/4 comes with there see so called BW4SL notes available on SAP support site. At the time of writing this blog there were 66 SAP Notes like that. Each of the Note is dealing with particular BW functionality that was changed/simplified. Change is described also with possibilities how to dealt with it - like how to migrate/convert/adjust particular object. Below few examples of the Notes:

2444718 - BW4SL - MultiProviders

2443489 - BW4SL – InfoCubes

2479567 - BW4SL - Transformations

Central Note has number 2421930. All changes are also described in one central PDF document called Simplification List for SAP BW/4HANA:

Simplification List for SAP BW/4HANA 1.0

Simplification List for SAP BW/4HANA 2.0

SAP offers also interactive web page that provides a description of all changes having an impact when converting from SAP BW to SAP BW/4HANA called Simplification Item Catalog (SIC).

 

More information:

Simplification Item Catalog (SIC) -> launchpad.support.sap.com/#/sic

2421930 - Simplification List for SAP BW/4HANA

BW-B4H-CNV – SAP support site component

Online docu BW/4HANA 1.0

Online docu BW/4HANA 2.0

Conversion Guide for SAP BW/4HANA1.0

Conversion Guide for SAP BW/4HANA2.0

Conversion Guide for SAP BW/4HANA2021

SAP sERP

Well, do not get me wrong but this blog post is about solution from SAP which really doesn’t exists at time of writing. It is rather research project at HPI in Potsdam, Germany. What they actually do in the project is to exploring and testing possibilities of large scale ERP systems running on SAP HANA.

The sERP is continuation of new SAP mantra called “Simple”. This was announced on last year’s conference - SAPPHIRE NOW 2014. There will be a suite of products released called as S-Innovations or sERP where S means - simplicity. What is SAP trying to do with their products is to get them simplified. This is supposed to be simplification in terms of quicker implementation, simple testing, leaner maintenance, integration and upgrades together with having a user friendly GUI/UI. For sure that a lot of things will be changed and while going down the simplification road there will be things which will be lost. These kinds of drawbacks will be there in matter of losing vast value of flexibility which is provided by customization possibilities that is built in SAP. The sERP is considered to be similar as solutions like SAP Business All in One or SAP Business ByDesing. These are ERPs which are leveraging pre-configured best practices scenarios. Other point is that as long as it is cloud based solution there are further advantages such as infrastructure and maintenance.

First product from sERP suite is already live. It is SAP simple Finance or sFIN. It was Hasso Platner's keynote in the above mentioned SAPPHIRE NOW where he shared what led to development of the sFIN. He provided example of ECC’s FI module tables which can be simplified to just few of them: BKPF and BSEG as while FI and CO modules reply on the data form these two tables. The simplification was also driven by fact that running apps on HANA there is no more necessity to have aggregates, indices and even not using of table updates just inserts. Actually some of these types of things are now becoming redundant.

What else may come in future? Well there can be more ECC modules going through simplification. We can see maybe sLOG (Logistics, or sSD, sMM, sPP, sPM), sHR or sHCM, sMfg, sQM (Quality Management) etc. Even more also components of SAP ERP can come like: sCRM, sPLM, sSCM, sSRM.. Purely speculation but ERP and ECC can even morph one day into one system even together with BI (BW) system.