New Release: Asset Analytics Based on BW/HANA!

It's time for a new release of Asset Analytics! This one is an exciting one. For those of you that have not read my original blog on this topic, it’s available here.  The upcoming release in Q1/2014 is named SAP HANA Asset Analytics rapid-deployment solution. Let’s take a look at what’s new!

BW on HANA

For the most part, the business case behind this release has not changed from the previous. With this solution, SAP is still addressing the same business requirements in the enterprise asset management area by providing the same set of KPIs that reports on asset reliability, availability, maintainability, supplies, and sustainability. Just as before, the user would start with an overview dashboard and from there navigate to more granular information to analyze preconfigured relationships between KPIs, access supplemental dashboards, and branch out to ADHOC reports to narrow the root cause(s) of a performance issue to a plant, organization unit or even down a set of equipment as a way to help drive continuous improvement initiatives -- with HANA at play, you can now do all of that with greater speed and fluidity. The SAP build team in Shanghai has made this improvement possible by modifying the original BW-based EAM data model so it can run on top of HANA as a database to catapult performance. The enhanced BI-Content (data extractors, cubes, data model, and etc.) is streamlined with BI Add-on 7.4.7.

With the BW on HANA architecture, data load performance can improve by as much as 32x and query performance by a factor of up to 471x! But worry not -- We are fully aware that a segment of our customer community is still waiting for the best juncture to introduce HANA into their technical landscape. For those customers, the new release will continue to work in pure BW mode.

Asset Analytics Goes Mobile

In addition to HANA, the new solution architecture can also leverage the latest features of the SAP BI platform 4.1 to give you greater flexibility on the frontend by making other UI options possible including HTML-5 mobile dashboards.  The new mobile dashboards will allow asset managers to get immediate answers to their business questions and collaborate with stakeholders from anywhere on their iOS mobile device. Besides the benefit of mobility, having the BI Platform in the solution architecture will open the solution up to future UI possibilities such as SAP BusinessObjects Explorer or Lumira just to name a few examples! Just food for thought…

Asset Analytics Got a Makeover

Granted, the underlying ability to solve a business problem should be foremost in any business application. But, increasingly, we are also hearing from our customers and partners that the user experience is equally important and so bearing that in mind, a good part of our effort was focused on replacing the previous flash-based UI with a more contemporary Xcelsius-based user interface that extends the power of business intelligence to more users by offering visual simplicity in analysis with sleek and fluid graphics. With so many good options to choose from, a few attributes clearly set Xcelsius apart from the pack. Xcelsius is a point-and-click data visualization tool designed specifically to create interactive analytics and dashboards on secure and live connections to the data source. You can share these powerful visualizations via Microsoft Office, Adobe PDF, the Web, Crystal Reports, or the SAP BusinessObjects business intelligence (BI) portal.

Summary

If you’ve attended a recent SAP event or just tuned into any official SAP communications then it would be no surprise that HANA plays a major part in the overall SAP plan to bring value to its customers. You would have witnessed the incredible in-memory capabilities of HANA in handling vast data with great speed and precision – very few will object to that point. What is still an ongoing goal for SAP is to expand on the HANA use cases that can solve problems across lines of business and industries that can help our customers reduce time-to-value and increase ROI. SAP has clearly responded to this call with the recent wave of HANA-based applications in manufacturing, banking, healthcare, retail and much more that can deliver real-time data to support strategies and decision-making. On February 28^th, 2014, the SAP HANA Asset Analytics rapid-deployment solution will join the existing HANA solution portfolio to bring never before insight into enterprise asset management with greater ease, versatility, and speed. Please inquire more about this solution at the next meeting with your SAP sales advisor or one of our trusted partners at Fujitsu

or Vesta Partners.

For additional information:

service.sap.com/rds-eam

Two weeks ago in Austin / TX we experienced the 10th anniversary of the SAP-Centric EAM North American conference. A lot of knowledge and best practice was shared between the more than 520 attendees from asset intensive businesses across many industries. While some topics have remained equally important over the years, like user experience, asset master data, planning & scheduling, new technology drivers are now providing huge opportunities for new strategies and business models.

When selecting the right maintenance strategies, it gets more and more important to holistically address cost, risk, and performance, but also more tightly integrate IT and OT. IP-based communication, also called the internet of things, makes it easier than ever to include data from assets into the decision-making or maintenance execution processes. Navigating through vast amounts of data then leads to the need to store and analyze this data efficiently using in-memory and predictive technology (like SAP HANA), but to visualize the results in the context of the asset, asset system, or plant (SAP 3D Visual Enterprise and SAP Lumira). Information then has to be made available onsite in the format the users need (SAP Mobile Platform and Mobile Asset Management).

This being said, the challenge is twofold: First, raising the quality of information in the existing business IT systems while lowering that cost of
operation. Second, connecting OT (like SCADA, process control systems, etc.) with the business IT using M2M connectivity. In this regard, cloud will play a
major in sharing both asset master and condition as well as executing the maintenance or service related processes.

During SAP-Centric EAM we have seen stunning customer presentations on operational excellence achieved today and  visions for the future like SaskPower presenting their licensing certification process  and PG&E elaborating on integrating Linear Asset Management with GIS.

Attendees could get also a good overview about the partner ecosystem, with Meridium presenting the enhanced Endorsed Business Solution on
Reliability-Based Asset Management for SAP solutions or Utopia presenting their new developments on asset master data for
SAP Master Data Governance.

The journey to a comprehensive and mature asset management according to the new ISO 55000 series has just begun. Let's the latest technology drivers support the business for achieving operational excellence.

Check out SAP's portfolio for Asset Management using the brand-new Solution Explorer, an easy-to-use tool on our public website allowing for getting more information on our solutions for Industries, LoB, and Technology.

Looking forward to seeing you at SAP-Centric EAM 2015 March 8-11, 2015, in Huntington Beach / California.

Time is money - this is especially true for software implementation projects. For the implementation of SAP´s Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) Solution you can take the fast lane. With SAP´s offer for “Rapid-deployment solutions” you do have the possibility to bring speed and simplicity to your implementation. Visit this short video to find more information and customer quotes on the value of rapid deployment solutions or find a solution by industry or line of business.

With the availability of the “SAP Maintenance Operations rapid-deployment solution” this fast lane is now open for EAM too. This affordable package combines preconfigured software and implementation services to get you up and running, with predictable cost for a clear defined baseline scope, in 8 weeks - there are no surprises.

SAP Maintenance Operations rapid-deployment solution provides the standard maintenance processes for corrective and preventive maintenance based on SAP Enterprise Asset Management (SAP EAM) solution. This increases the transparency from process and financial perspective regarding asset utilization, helps to reduce unexpected asset downtimes and keeps track of costs of maintenance.

Given that, it provides the baseline for all enterprise asset management (EAM) rapid-deployment solution extensions. SAP Maintenance Operations rapid-deployment solution is the easy entry point for customers running SAP ERP, but not yet leveraging core functionalities of SAP EAM, allowing customers to benefit from the rich functionality SAP ERP provides with regards to managing the assets from a maintenance perspective.

Additionally, the solution serves as the basis for further expansion along the portfolio of SAP Enterprise Asset Management solutions. With the attempt “Assemble to Order” you can combine several RDS´s in one project in addition or on top of SAP Maintenance Operations rapid-deployment solution to enhance your existing live solution.

Supplementary RDS´s can be, e.g. “SAP Multiresource Scheduling rapid-deployment solution” to add a powerful resource planning solution  and  “SAP Work Manager rapid-deployment solution” to mobilize the SAP Maintenance Operations processes to improve the technician productivity and efficiency
or “SAP 3DVisual Enterprise Asset Management rapid-deployment solution” to help reducing maintenance and repair costs and increase technician productivity and service quality.

To get an overview on SAP´s overall portfolio for Asset Management you can use the brand-new Solution Explorer, an easy-to-use tool on our public website allowing you to get more information on our solutions for Asset Management for Industries and Lines of business.

Are you considering attending one of the most important events of the year for organizations using SAP solutions to drive Operational Excellence?

Here are some good reasons to attend the SAPinsider Conference April 1-4 in Las Vegas:

• Get an exclusive look at SAP's idea-to-performance portfolio, an integrated solution offering that enables intelligent process execution, resourceful operations, and intuitive user experiences.
• Hear firsthand how Dairy Farmers of America implemented SAP plant maintenance functionality to streamline inventory control, preventive maintenance, and repair measurements. 
• Discover how to use real-time operations monitoring, 3D visualization capabilities, and SAP HANA-powered Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) to integrate real-time plant information into business systems for a holistic view of equipment performance.
• See how an artificial intelligence (AI) methodology developed by MIT for autonomous robots has been integrated into the SAP plant maintenance (PM) module to help organizations better plan and manage risk.
• Explore often-overlooked SAP functionality that sets the direction for plant-to-plant and B2B interdependency and increases visibility across your supply chain.
• Delve into strategies for tighter integration between plant maintenance (PM) and procurement in the areas of inventory, non-inventory, and services using SAP's standard exception monitors.
• Learn how to leverage SAP Multiresource Scheduling to streamline work center management and scheduling.
• Get an overview of the latest functionality enhancements and integration capabilities delivered in SAP Enterprise Portfolio and Project Management. Attend for strategies to improve the monitoring of project ideas, schedules, resources, and workflow.

We hope that you will join us, and look forward to seeing you in Las Vegas!

Hello

I would Like share with you all below Next Plan Date Calculation Logic For Multiple Counter Plan.

It will help to understand Basics of Multiple counter Plan..

Formula for calculating the Start date of Maintenance Counter plan is based on below formula
[(Cycle Length-Current Counter Reading) / Annual Estimate x 365 Days] + Date on which the measurement reading or counter reading was taken

For example :
Annual Estimate  = 600 Hrs (A)
Cycle Length       = 100 Hrs (B)
Initial Counter Reading = 0 Hrs     (C)

Reading taken on 25.03.2013
Plan Date of Maintenance plan = (100-0)/600*365 + Date of counter reading taken   = 48 Days + 25.03.2013 = 12.05.2013
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When measurement is entered as 120 from initial reading 0, the call will generate today as it passed 100. Remaining 20 is not considered for calculation of new planned date.
Now here the starting of counter reading will be considered as 120 and next plan counter reading will be 220 as Cycle is 100.
So if we enter the counter reading as 160, in formula the difference of counter reading to be taken as 220-160=60 Hrs
Next plan date will be calculated on the basis difference of counter reading as 60 Hrs.
So from current date it will calculate the next plan date for 40 Hrs (100-60)

Br

Rakesh

During the implementation of SAP-PM years ago, one of the several questions arose in our minds was ‘Why SAP allows Technical Completion, before all Operations attain a CNF status, as whole the Order itself attains a CNF status?’.  We began to understand later that this flexibility might have been provided to facilitate several other business requirements. At the same time SAP has provided Enhancements to customize specific business needs of the end-user.

The present subject is a kind of very frequently asked requirement. So it is though a documented reference would be better serving the forum members.

Here it is about how we achieve it.

The user-exit we use for this purpose is:IWO10004 - Maintenance order: Customer check for order completion.

Put the following lines in the include ZXWO1U03 (of Function Exit EXIT_SAPLCOIH_004)

DATA: V_LINE TYPE J_STEXT.
 IF CAUFVD_IMP-AUART = 'ZM03'.
 CALL FUNCTION 'STATUS_TEXT_EDIT'
 EXPORTING
 FLG_USER_STAT = 'X'
 OBJNR         = CAUFVD_IMP-OBJNR
 ONLY_ACTIVE   = 'X'
 SPRAS         = SY-LANGU
 IMPORTING
 LINE          = V_LINE.
 IF V_LINE+5(3) <> 'CNF'.
 MESSAGE: 'Order can not be completed before reaching CNF status' TYPE 'I'.
 RAISE COMPLETION_REJECTED.
 ENDIF.
 ENDIF.

The screen-shot of the include after implementing the code.

With this code in the include, whenever user tries to Technically Complete an Order before one or many operations are not confirmed, in other words before the Order itself reaches the CNF status, he will be getting this pop-up.

(You may customize the above message as per your requirement in the line no.14 of the code)

No further activity is seen.

Once the Order reached the CNF status, it will be ready for TECO, the user-exit code does not come in the way.

Note:

Observe Line 3 of the code, this line confines this restriction to one Order type i.e., ZM03. In case of generalized use remove the Code lines 3 and 17.

In case of specific Order type usage then replace ZOM03 by your Order type.

Hope members will be benefited by this blog too.

Thank you

Jogeswara Rao K

Hello Friends,

We know that user-exit IWO10009 (PM Order: Customer Check for 'Save' Event) has been provided to specify our conditions to be fulfilled for a PM Order to get through 'Save' event. The Function-exit here namely EXIT_SAPLCOIH_009 is based on a structure CAUFVD wherein user gets many fields of Header and Operation Tabs directly to define his conditions for ‘Save’ event.

In this blog let's see the codes for simple applications first and then reach the subject matter.  All the codes discussed in this post are needed to be put in the include ZXWOCU07 provided in this Exit.)

Let's look at a simple code given below .

IF CAUFVD_IMP-AUART = 'PM03' OR  CAUFVD_IMP-AUART = 'PM02'.
 IF CAUFVD_IMP-TPLNR IS INITIAL AND CAUFVD_IMP-EQUNR IS INITIAL.
 MESSAGE: 'Please fill either F/Location or Equipment' TYPE 'E' DISPLAY LIKE 'I'.
 ENDIF.
 ENDIF.

The code above, checks (for Order types PM03, PM02) whether both the Functional Location and Equipment fields in the Reference Object screen are left blank and in such case stops the Order to be Saved / Created giving rise to the error message below

Similarly the code below forces the user to fill the Plan Section in the Location field of PM04 Order.

IF CAUFVD_IMP-AUART = 'PM04'.
 IF CAUFVD_IMP-BEBER IS INITIAL.
 MESSAGE 'Please fill Plant Section in Location Tab’ TYPE 'E' 
DISPLAY LIKE 'I'.
 ENDIF.
 ENDIF.

So what I want to say is, such are varied needs of users and these can be met with the simple syntaxes as shown above.

Now, let’s see a requirement for checks in the Components tab. The structure in the user exit (CAUFVD) does not have the fields of Components tab (RESB structure) such as MATNR (Material code), BDMNG (Quantity) etc. So we can not readily incorporate checks on Material related information in a PM Order to prevent ‘Save’ event.

This requirement has been addressed in the following syntax, as a result the code is a bit lengthier.

Case1: User wants check on the MRP Types of the components used- Means Order should accept Components of certain MRP types only.

The Code for this:

TYPES: BEGIN OF TY_RESB,
 MATNR TYPE RESB-MATNR,
 RSPOS TYPE RESB-RSPOS,
 END OF TY_RESB.
 DATA: IT_RESB TYPE TABLE OF TY_RESB,
 WA_RESB LIKE LINE OF IT_RESB,
 LV_DISMM TYPE MARC-DISMM.
 FIELD-SYMBOLS: <FS_RESB> TYPE ANY.
 DATA: BEGIN OF I_RESB OCCURS 100.
 INCLUDE STRUCTURE RESB.
 DATA:END OF I_RESB.
 ASSIGN ('(SAPLCOBC)resb_bt[]') TO <FS_RESB>.
 I_RESB[] = <FS_RESB>.
 SELECT MATNR RSPOS FROM RESB INTO TABLE IT_RESB WHERE 
AUFNR = CAUFVD_IMP-AUFNR.
 CLEAR LV_DISMM.
 LOOP AT I_RESB.
 READ TABLE IT_RESB INTO WA_RESB WITH KEY RSPOS = I_RESB-RSPOS.
 IF SY-SUBRC = 0.
 SELECT SINGLE DISMM FROM MARC INTO LV_DISMM WHERE MATNR = WA_RESB-MATNR.
 IF LV_DISMM = 'P1' OR LV_DISMM = 'P2' OR LV_DISMM = 'P3'.
 MESSAGE: 'Please check the MRP type of the component materials used' 
TYPE 'E'.
 ENDIF.
 ENDIF.
 ENDLOOP.

The above code refuse the Order to be saved in case the MRP types of components used belong to 'P1', 'P2' or 'P3'.

Take this as a code-key to unconventional requirements. Study what extra has been used here. Yourself and/or your ABAPer will be able to solve several such requirements using this technique, where user-exit structures do not directly support the requirements.

Case2: Similar was another requirement where, changes in Material Quantities are not acceptable once the PM Order has been set to REL status

This is the code for this purpose:

TYPES: BEGIN OF TY_RESB,
 RSPOS TYPE RESB-RSPOS,
 BDMNG TYPE RESB-BDMNG,
 END OF TY_RESB.
 DATA: IT_RESB TYPE TABLE OF TY_RESB,
 WA_RESB LIKE LINE OF IT_RESB.
 DATA: V_STAT TYPE J_STEXT.
 FIELD-SYMBOLS: <FS_RESB> TYPE ANY.
 DATA: BEGIN OF I_RESB OCCURS 100.
 INCLUDE STRUCTURE RESB.
 DATA:END OF I_RESB.
 ASSIGN ('(SAPLCOBC)resb_bt[]') TO <FS_RESB>.
 I_RESB[] = <FS_RESB>.
 SELECT RSPOS BDMNG FROM RESB INTO TABLE IT_RESB WHERE 
AUFNR = CAUFVD_IMP-AUFNR.
*--------------------------------------------------
* Get Status line of the PM Order
*--------------------------------------------------
 CALL FUNCTION 'STATUS_TEXT_EDIT'
 EXPORTING
 FLG_USER_STAT = 'X'
 OBJNR         = CAUFVD_IMP-OBJNR
 ONLY_ACTIVE   = 'X'
 SPRAS         = SY-LANGU
 IMPORTING
 LINE          = V_STAT.
 *------------------------------------------------
 IF V_STAT+0(3) = 'REL'.
 LOOP AT I_RESB.
 READ TABLE IT_RESB INTO WA_RESB WITH KEY RSPOS = I_RESB-RSPOS.
 IF SY-SUBRC = 0.
 IF WA_RESB-BDMNG <> I_RESB-BDMNG.
 MESSAGE: 'Component changes not accepted after release of Order' TYPE 'E'.
 ENDIF.
 ENDIF.
 ENDLOOP.
 ENDIF.

The things usually in author’s mind while posting such information

• Create repository of ready solutions to frequently asked questions
• Let functional man become self-reliant in working with User-Exits through simple coding logics like these.

Hope this post too helps members

Thank you

Jogeswara Rao K

On June 18^th, 2014 Jason Moore with Marathon Oilpresented an ASUG EAM Community Webcast titled “Mobility, Usability or Both”.This webcast was part two of our four part webcast series recapping the SAP EAM Centric 2014

(http://www.sap-centric-eam.com) conference that was held in Austin, Texas in February. This exciting webcast really hit home with me as my company Fairfax Water, is scheduled to implement SAP Mobile in the near future.

Marathon Oil, in my opinion, has really put a lot of thought into improving the SAP user experience. SAP has never been accused of being user friendly but Marathon Oil has taken the approach not for user acceptance, which is the buzz word I have heard for six years since my company implemented SAP, but make the user happy. What an extraordinary idea. What if our users were actually happy and in training, which Marathon has greatly reduced, users said “that was easy”.

The part of the webcast that really caught my attention is that Marathon Oil not only has implemented SAP Mobile solution, but for the casual desktop user , they have GuiXT (www.GUIXT.com) to simplify the SAP experience. So many part-time users complain that SAP is not easy to use, so to implement GUIXT on a desktop platform just makes sense to me.

My company made the decision to make GuiXT our mobile solution which has been successful but not ideal. GuiXT is used to simply the overcomplicated SAP transactions that users find painful. So imagine performing a painful Service Entry Sheet in GuiXT where you can take this six to seven screen process down to a minimalistic screen that can be done with a radio button or check box just makes sense. Jason also explained that Marathon’s super users do not use GuiXT or SAP Mobile, these artisans make use of full blown SAP and they like it. I can think of a hand full of users at my company that this would exist, everyone else would “Enjoy” a simple interface.

After a proof of concept phase of mobile, Marathon decided on using SAP Mobile Work Manager (formerly Syclo) to use as their mobile solution. Coupling this with an IPad, Marathon has implemented a powerful out of the box solution with a stable iOS platform for a relatively inexpensive solution. Marathon did upgrade the IPad protective case so that a SAP user can use this in an oil field, to update their Notification, execute time confirmation and the best part of the webcasts, not only empower their users, not as a data entry clerk (which I hear daily from our maintenance staff) but as a decision makers. Giving their workers all the information they need to do their job in the palm of their hands is something I wish I had as a plant mechanic back in the 1990's.

Jason did a great job explaining how Marathon Oil is attacking the overcomplicated, not user friendly SAP platform by making it easier to use for their employees (wow earth shattering). Not only for the mobile users but for the casual users without hindering the power (super) users who find SAP not difficult mostly because they are using the system everyday.

Here is one of Jason’s keytakeaway’s that I can very much relate to from his presentation:

"Usability and Mobility mut be a unified effort that is built for the front-line by the front-line and is not just a flashy add-on to SAP."

I could not agree more!

Here is a link for ASUG Members to Jason's presentation and webcast recording:

ASUG.com - Events

Our next webcast in this series for ASUG EAM Community members will be held on July 30th 12pm-1pm EST.

This webcasts features Scott Allen with Denbury Resources. Scott will be talking about Bills of Material. Scott's presentation was the top rated presentation at SAP-Centric EAM 2014 conference.

I hope you can join this one.

ASUG.com - Events

Jeff Smith

ASUG Plant Maintenance SIG Program Chair

Please find below STD SAP Behavior for Work Order Dates Definitions.

This prepared on the basis of SDN Thread Posted on the SCN EAM Forum.

1) Basic Start- This is the date on which u want to start your work... (No calculation is involved)

2) Basic Finish Date.- This is the date on which u want to finish your work. (Priority type can influence this date. Depend on priority type. Which u have selected in order header.)

3) Schedule Start Date - this is the start date of work as per system. This date is totally depend on scheduling type..

Example - 1 in forward scheduling it remain fixed and schedule finish date & basic finish date would be varying according to the work hours in operation.

4) Schedule Finish Date - this is the finish date determined by system as per the scheduling type.

Example-1 - if scheduling type is backward, then basic fin. And schedule finish date would be same. And schedule start date would be shifted according to the work hours in operation.

In the case of current scheduling both type (basic and schedule date) of start & finish dates remains same... as per the work hour it may overload the work center capacity or it may not

1. Call Date doesn't influence basic and schedule Dates.
2. Basic starts dates would equal to plan date of maintenance call object (because this is only the due date)
3. Again basic end dates are depend on Priority type (what we have selected in Maintenance plan) & scheduling types
4. Scheduled start/end dates depends on total work hours in task list and scheduling types.

If we have assigned maintenance packages to the task list and using strategy plan...

Then Order basic start date would be govern by Initial buffer in maintenance package

And basic end date would be govern by sub sequential buffer in maintenance package.

New basic start = Plan Date - initial buffer

New basic finish = plan date + subsequent buffer.

Reference Date & Time--> Date and time on which the system enters completed PM and CS orders and notifications in the history. This Date and time can be used as per User requirement.

The objective of this post is to bring clarity in understanding the two often confused terms viz, Availability and Reliability, by explaining in simple perspective for the purpose of understanding by a common maintenance man.

Let’s try to understand through this picture.

This is the time-line of a particular Equipment where U is Operating time (Uptime in Hrs), D is Repair time (Downtime in Hrs). A total period of 6 weeks has been taken for analysis.

Two cases have been depicted here.

Case1:

No. of Failures  = 6 (Denominator for MTTR, MTBR Calculations)

Total Uptime  = U1 + U2 +U3 + U4 + U5 + U6 + U7.  = Say 900 Hrs

Total Downtime = D1 + D2 + D3 + D4 + D5 + D6.     = Say 108 Hrs

We know that MTTR  (Mean Time to Repair in Hrs) =  ( D1 + D2 + D3 + D4 + D5 + D6 ) / 6 = 18 .

Similarly MTBR (Mean Time Between Repairs in Hrs) = ( U1 + U2 +U3 + U4 + U5 + U6 + U7 ) / 6 = 150 .

Now,

Equipment Availability (%) is: Up Time / Total Time   = (900 / 1008)  * 100  =  89.2

Another formula for Equipment Availability in practice is   [MTBR / (MTTR + MTBR)] * 100   = (150 / 168 )*100   = 89.2

Case2:

No. of Failures  = 2 (Denominator for MTTR, MTBR Calculations)

Suppose here too we get the same total values like:

Total Uptime  = U1 + U2 +U3  = Say 900 Hrs

Total Downtime = D1 + D2 =  Say 108 Hrs

MTTR (H) =  ( D1 + D2) / 2 = 54 .

MTBR (H) = ( U1 + U2 + U3) / 2 = 450 .

Equipment Availability (%) is: Uptime / Total Time   = (900 / 1008)  * 100  =  89.2

Through other formula for Equipment Availability :  [MTBR / (MTTR + MTBR)] * 100   = (450 / 504 )*100   = 89.2

We have seen the Availability, Now let’s see the Reliability. What is Reliability?

Reliability can be broadly defined as the probability that an Equipment will perform its intended functions continuously for a specified duration.

How do we measure Reliability

1. MTBR (H) value is a direct measure of Reliability. More the MTBR more is the Reliability.
2. The Failure Rate (ʎ): In simple expression this can be calculated as No of Failures / Total Time

Now Let’s tabulate the results

We have clearly seen that for the same amount of Equipment Availability, Equipment Reliability changes drastically. So our Equipment in Case2  is more reliable.

Here I want to share a screen-shot ( used in one of my previous documents ) . This has a realtime data of an Equipment with performance relevant to present discussion. See this picture.

The Equipment03 in Year 1314 has Availability of the order 99.58% but lowest Reliability (MTBR) of 95.57 Hrs. Compare this with the 2nd line: Equipment02 has lowest Availability 99.39% but good Relaiability (MTBR) around 400 Hrs

So, we understand that

A Highly Reliable Machine can be Highly Available Machine, but the converse need not be true.

Lastly, let’s try to understand the practical significance of the term Reliability. In process industries if a chain of machines run without any problem for several hours then a stage comes for the final equipment deliver the finished product. Often paper industry is quoted  as an example. If a machine breaks down like case1, the finished paper will never come-out of the paper machine.

Then, a question might arise, that 'Why Reliability can not be directly based on the No. of Failures?'  The answer could be 'Yes, it is ! But it is calculated as a function of No. of Failures per a Specified period , where this period might differ from process to process and hence the acceptability of Reliability Index'.

Hope members will like this post.

Thank you & Regards

Jogeswara Rao K

Note:

The formulae used here in this post are in their simplest form for understanding purposes. They might not exactly match with those mentioned in different contexts like OEE calculations etc.

There was a query an year ago asking help on an issue:

He was unable to create Refurbishment Order (Order type PM04) because the Equipment field was mandatory in the initial screen itself of IW81. But the Equipment number was not relevant for his Refurbishment process. He was unable to pass through the initial screen because the system was stopping there itself.

Investigation had revealed that

• The Equipment (CAUFVD-EQUNR) field was marked Req. in the OIANGeneralsettings (not through influencing Order type) which makes Equipment field mandatory for all Order types PM01, PM02, PM03, PM04 etc. 

• The setting above, in OIANGeneralsettings, checks at the initial screen of the IW31 / IW81 Tcodes .

• In order to remove the mandatory setting of a field in the initial screen for any of these Tcodes, we need to remove this Req. setting in the OIAN General screen, the effect of which will be simultaneously on all Tcodes. (All Order types)

So, first I asked him to clear this Req. setting in OIAN General screen.

OIAN setting making Equipment field mandatory in the Tcode intial screen itself for all Order types

OIAN After correction

Now his problem was solved. He was able to create the Refurbishment Order.

... But what about the Equipment Mandatory settings for other Order types. By the action above, we have sacrificed this mandatory field setting for Equipments in other Order types also (PM01, PM02, PM03). We need to restore these.

Compensating arrangement for other Order Types (to make Equipment field mandatory)

Now to compensate the above for other Order types, we opt for each Order type in the Influencing tab of OIAN and set the CAUFVD-EQUNR field Req.

Alternatively,  I suggested to give the following code in the include ZXWOCU07 of User Exit User-Exit IW010009.

IF caufvd_imp-auart = 'PM01'   OR caufvd_imp-auart = 'PM02'   OR  caufvd_imp-auart = 'PM03'.   IF caufvd_imp-tplnr IS INITIAL AND caufvd_imp-equnr IS INITIAL.     MESSAGE:  'Please fill Functional Location or Equipment' TYPE 'E' .   ENDIF.
ENDIF.

Now user gets error message at the Save event, whenever he tries to create an Order other than Refurbishment (PM04) without Equipment and/or Functional Location fields filled.

This addressed his issue in total.Felt like sharing this important observation with the forum.

Thank you

Jogeswara Rao K

One of the very common requirements in SAP-PM while configuring the Notification Type ‘M2’ is that the ‘User should not be able to get the NOCO status to the Notification, until the Malfunction End Date and Time fields (AUSBS & AUZTB) are not filled’.  SAP standard, due to some reason did not provide this, but for all such requirements some or other tool has certainly been provided. The instrument to achieve the present task is User Exit IWOC0002.

Just put the following code in the include here namely ZXWOCU10.

IF I_VIQMEL-QMART = 'M2' .
 IF  I_VRGNG = 'PMM4' AND ( I_VIQMEL-AUSBS IS INITIAL OR I_VIQMEL-AUZTB IS INITIAL ).
 MESSAGE 'Fill The Malfunction End Date & Time before Completing the Notification' TYPE 'I'.
 RAISE NO_STATUS_CHANGE.
 ENDIF.
ENDIF.

This code brings you the following pop-up and prevents from NOCO, when you click on the flag.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Alternatively,

Alternatively we can achieve this, also through User Exit QQMA0014. For this, put the following code in the include here namely ZXQQMU20.

IF I_VIQMEL-QMART = 'M2'.
 IF E_VIQMEL-PHASE = '4' AND ( I_VIQMEL-AUSBS IS INITIAL OR I_VIQMEL-AUZTB IS INITIAL ).
 MESSAGE 'Filling Malfunction End Date/Time is mandatory for completing Notification' TYPE 'I'.
 RAISE EXIT_FROM_SAVE.
 ENDIF.
ENDIF. 

The difference in this case is, after clicking on  NOCO flag ,  the Reference Date/Time pop-up appears (see below).

When continued, the NOCO preventing pop-up (see below) appears  and user will not be able to complete the Notification.

Note:

In both the codes, it is assumed that this requirement is for Notification type M2. So make changes in the first line of the codes accordingly as per the Notification type/s relevant to you.

Like another such common requirement by SAP-PM people which was discussed in this post, the present one is also found to be very frequently required. Hence this post. Hope members would find this too useful.

Thank you & Regards

Jogeswara Rao K

In the very early stages of implementation, several years ago, standard reports and processes were not satisfying the needs of customers. To fulfill the process needs, I started exploring use of User Exits ( as mentioned in several blogs ). Like-wise for missing fields in standard reports, I opted for Queries and begun to learn this. One of such very early custom reports has been discussed here where I had to make a Z version of IW28.

The Specifics of the need

The need arose, when management wanted to compare the Preventive maintenance hours spent on a critical machine with the Breakdown Hrs for certain period of operation. We have in IW28 the Breakdown Hrs only , field AUSZT (usually M2 notifications), but not any field giving this duration for M3 Notifications i.e., Preventive Hours. I remember this triggered my Technical journey.

The Action

Built a Query based on Infoset using tables VIQMEL and CRHD as shown below (CRHD table is required in case we want Main Work Center in the output, otherwise VIQMEL alone is sufficient.

An o field MntHr (Prevetive maint Hrs) was created in Extras and the following code was given in the code section.

You might have understood that we maintained the Start/end Details of M3 Notifications in the Required Start/End Date/time fields ans we wanted the duration of these time stanps.

And, we designed this report with the field we computed Mnt(Hr) and the standard field BDn(Hr) adjacent to each.

So this task has been fulfilled. The Tcode given was ZIW28,

Then after sometime, we taught customers, how to use the Create Notification menu in the Action Box of a Notification, which in return given rise to another such report requirement. User wanted a report where both Extended Notification (QMNUM) and the Reference (Parent) Notifications (QWRNUM) are available. Though these two fields are part of VIQMEL table, the standard IW28 is not having this Reference Notification number (QWRNUM) field.

So with a similar Infoset as that of first case, I created a report required which as under. (In this case there is no need of Additional fields & calculations). Here is the report.

The first report was very significant for analysis of maintenance functions and so it is very much called (hyper linked) by several other custom reports.

This post is just to share about another common SAP situation, where Infoset queries came to rescue. Forgot to tell you that I named the 2^nd report (Tcode) as ZIW28A.

Thank you.

Jogeswara Rao K

A Number range is a Group of numbers to which the unique-Id created for an SAP Object belongs. In each module we have masterdata having SAP objects such as Equipment, Notification, Order, Measuring Point, Maintenance Plans etc in PM, Material number, Material Document, Purchase Requisition, Purchase Order in MM, Sales Order etc in SD, Production Order in PP, Inspection lots in QM and the list is long. This document is intended to give basic concepts of Number Ranges we need to create during the Configuration of various modules in the implementation time and after. In this document we try to understand these things through a Plant Maintenance object, namely the Equipment.

Before starting our job related to Equipment, let’s understand few generic things about Number Ranges.

Types of Number Ranges

There are 2 categories of number ranges:

Internal numbers:  These are purely numbers. System generates the number (within the range you’ve specified) next to the immediate previous allotted number.

External numbers: This is where the person creating the SAP object (e.g., Equipment) is required to enter his choice of number. This will be as per the alpha-numeric pattern he has already declared while creating the number range.

Tcodes

There are configuration paths in each module for respective objects to Define respective number ranges. Also many objects have Tcodes. Here we see the Tcodes forDefining number ranges in PM module.

Let’s first see the Internal Number Range

We know that there are different categories for each SAP object.

Few examples:

In the number ranges configuration-screen you get these Categories, where you need to assign this category/type to a particular number range group. Where from these Groups come? These Groups are nothing but the Number ranges we need to create. One Number range group for one or more Categories of SAP Object, (i.e., Equipment in present case). See this picture:

Here Groups are Test, Standard Number range, Mechanical Equipment, Electrical Equipment, Instrumentation.  Under each group different categories of Equipments are seen.

Now let’s start how to create a new internal number range for an Equipment and assign few categories to it.

Tcode OIEN

Click on the Groups icon. to arrive at the picture referred in the beginning.  Here you use the menu GoTo --> Insert OR

hit F6 function key to get this pop-up

Now, Give a title to the Group (Say Demo), give some number range say 000000000010000000  to   000000000019999999  to the Group and upon clicking the Add icon, system might give you the following error messages, telling that this range is interfering with some other Group already existing. i.e., some overlap between.

(In case no such overlap is there, then the Group will be created)

Assuming that overlapping is there, identify the overlapping Group, tick-in the checkbox and go to the maintain screen like below.

See here upper range 000000000019999999  has been modifiedas 000000000014999999.

Means we have freed numbers from 000000000015000000 to  000000000019999999. Now again GoTo  --> Insert and repeat the New Group (Demo) creation. Now it will be accepted.

Thus,we have created a Group named Demo. See this is visible in the list of Groups.

Now we will try to assign one Equipment category to our new Group.Let’s suppose, we want to shift Category G Equipments to this new Number Range.  For this follow this procedure.

    1.Mouse click on the Category G in the present position where it is.

    2.Tick the check box of the target Group, here it is Demo like this

    3. Then click on these icons in these sequence (first 1 and then 2)

Now your Category G is there in the Group Demo.

Everything has been done. Now the Category G Equipments when created through IE01 will be given the numbers specified here.

Let's learn about Few clicking sequences for Assigning and Not Assigning the Categories to Groups.

Case1: Unassigning a Category from any Group.

Let’s suppose I want to unassign Category H . Means I want to bring it to the Not assigned list at the bottom. Follow this mouse click sequence.

Means

    1.Click on letter H (Remember the checkbox of this Group should not be ticked-in)

    2.Then click on the icon at the top.

    3. Then on Not Assigned at the bottom

   4. Then on icon at the top.

You’ll find the letter H is in the Not Assigned list like this.

Case2: Assigning a Category from 'Not Assigned' to any Group.

Let’s suppose we want to assign Category T to Group Demo .

Follow this Mouse click sequence shown here.

Means

     1.Click on the letter T in the Not Assigned list

     2.Then click on the icon

     3.Then Tick the Checkbox of group Demo

     4.Then finally on at the top.

You’ll find the Category T has been assigned to group Demo.

Now let see the External number Range.

The process is almost same except for you’ll be providing Character format for number range.  A typical External number range format can be AAAAAAAAAAAA – ZZZZZZZZZZZZ. Here even you use numbers they are treated as characters. In case you need have Alpha Numeric then you can have ranges like 01AAAAAAAAAA – 99ZZZZZZZZZZ. Here first 2 places will be having numeric features. You can make use of characters like / also.

Important:

For alphanumeric external number ranges in Equipments you need to have the following setting in the SPRO of Equipment Categorisation.

Path:

Setting

See,  for Alpha numeric number Ranges the Checkbox under column a should not be ticked-in.

Note:

Though concepts were explained with Equipment number as example, there is an identical dealing with all other number ranges, irrespective of which module does it belong to.

Also few members might be thinking of Tcode SNRO.  Well, that is a different subject. SNRO creates a Number Range which can be used in fields like Order Text, Notification text etc.  through a FM known as 'NUMBER_GET_NEXT' , during the situations of auto-numer generating.

So friends, that’s about the Number Ranges from my side. Hope members find this post too useful

Thank you

KJogeswaraRao

For many of the Functional people longtexts is a sort of complicated thing for the fact that there are no straight tables which store these lines. So, whenever we think of making some report displaying long texts, we generally stuck at the very initial stage of finding the source of this information. This document is aimed at clearing these concepts.

We know the longtexts are very widely used within all SAP objects. For example in PM module, Longtexts associated with Notification Header, Order Header etc, also the Long texts associated with Catalog-Codes in Notifications, Operations in Orders, Measuring document related

In this post, we try to understand these concepts, through the longtexts of PM Order operations.

So, let’s try and see how we reach the Long text lines of an Order operation.

Essence of this document is centered at using a Function Module named READ_TEXT. First let’s have a look at what this FM gives? For this, run Tcode SE37.

Give FM name in the Function Module field and Hit function key F8 or Click on Execute button shown above.

Now, here in the above screen, when we

1. Enter the values for the fields marked Green
2. Press Execute button

We get the long text lines into the table named LINES at the bottom (marked Red).

Now what are these fields we need to fill and where we will find these? The answer comes from the Order operation longtext page. In our example we have taken operation 0020 of an Order as shown below.

Here, we enter into the long text page upon clicking on the Longtext icon above. Now in the Longtext page click on GoTo --> Header  in the menubar.

Now we get the pop-up below, showing these field values required for SE37.

Let’s see the relation between the SE37 screen and the Order Longtext screen fields through the following picture. (The value in ‘Client’ field of SE37 need not be filled. System identifies and fills it).

Here, we understand all the field values except for one i.e. the TEXTNAME. The understood fields are namely:

What we need to understand is the value of TEXTNAME i.e., 400100140302700000002. Let’s see how this comes. Let's see this number this way.

400100140302700000002

First 3 characters (400) is the client number of the SAP (on which you are working)

Next 10 characters (1001403027) form the AUFPL field value of the operation

Next 8 characters (00000002) indicate the Operation number APLZL

Client number we always are aware of. Other two field values we should take from table (view) VIAUF_AFVC by inputting the Order number. Means, run Tcode SE16, give value VIAUF_AFVC and hit function key F7 .

Enter the Order number and Execute (F8).

We get this results screen.

Here as per the operations tab of the Order we see 3 records one for each operation.  Our operation in question is no.2. Let’s pick-up the corresponding values of AUFPL and APLZL from here.

So what I want to say is, the ABAPer passes the values of Orders from the Selection screen (of the ZTcode he develops) and extracts these values from the table and concatenates (joins) all the 3 vlaues together into TEXTNAME and executes the Function Module alongwith other values (Language, TextId, TextObject) to get the Longtext lines through the Table LINES of the Function Module.

Now let’s execute the FM READ_TEXT by filling these values.

See what we got

The FM READ_TEXT has given us all the 4 lines present in the Operation2 text . Now our ABAPer would use this info in his code for long text report.

Hope things are clear.

Further:

The values of TextId, TextObject vary as to which SAP object the Longtext belongs, so as the constituents of TextName field value also. Here I am attempting to tabulate few such examples  of SAP-PM area for the benefit of members.

*The QMNUM, AUFNR values should be preceded by the leading zero's (like 004300093626)

Easy retrieving of Longtexts in Smartforms

The information so far is more relevant to ALV reporting (though it works for smartforms also). In Smartforms, there is a convenient way of retrieving long texts, i.e., through include text. We declare the text type as Include text which gives us the provision of filling the TEXTNAME, LANGUAGE, TEXTID, TEXTOBJECT etc. As the the loop runs the TEXTNAME changes according to the SAP object number the respective longtext is retrieved. In the picture below an example for Notification Longtext in smartforms is given.

Related technical info

There is a table named STXH which stores the Text Header details. Here you get the number of text lines in the long text upon inputting the field values such as TDID, TDOBJECT, TDNAME etc. The following Selection screen (SE16) and the output are self explanatory.

So, that's everything on this subject, which I had been thinking of documenting for the benefit of the forum, since sometime. Hope members find it useful.

Thank you

KJogeswaraRao

PS: Members mght now have understood that though PM Objects have been illustrated here, this post applies to Longtexts of other module objects also.

The LSMW (Legacy System Migration Workbench) is a tool based on SAP software that supports single or periodic data transfer from non-SAP to SAP systems (and with restriction from SAP to SAP system). Its core functions are:

• Importing legacy data from PC spreadsheet tables or sequential files.
• Converting data from its original (legacy system) format to the target (SAP) format
• Importing the data using the standard interfaces of SAP (IDoc inbound processing, Batch Input, Direct Input).

(This blog only explains how to create/ change Master data in SAP by using Standard Programs or recordings. I have not covered BAPI and IDoc method to make it simple and easy)

Generally, people have questions in mind as how to create an LSMW project, which method should be used to upload the master data and how to use and what all master data can be uploaded through LSMW.

LSMW – Legacy Data Migration Workbench

I am dividing the whole process of creating a Project, Subproject & Object for uploading the Master Data and its upload procedure in different steps as explained below:

Step 1 – Creating Project, Subproject and Object:

For using LSMW tool, first step you need to do is Create Project, Sub Project and Object as shown in the screen below:

Here, Project can have multiple Subprojects and in turn Subprojects can have multiple Objects as explained below:

Create Project

Give the desired name of data migration Project (For ex: Module name as I have taken “ZPM” for Plant Maintenance Module)

Create Subproject

Give the desired name of data migration Subproject (For ex: Master’s name as I have taken “EQUIP” for Equipment Master)

Create Object

Give the desired name of data migration Object (For ex: Master’s name as I have taken “CREATE” for Creating Equipment Master)

Step 2 – Selecting Menu Items:

Once Project, Subproject and Objects are created, pressing enter would generate the screen which includes all the menu items for both Master upload as well as IDoc updation which we might not require. Let us select the menu items which are required only for Master uploads.

Selecting Menu Items

First of all, pressing the User Menu button would guide you through selecting and de-selecting the Menu items.

Please tick the required Items as shown in the screen below:

Now, the screen would display only the selected Menu Items which we require for building and executing our LSMW program as shown below:

Click the button “Double Click = Display” which would make it to “Double Click=Change” which means it will allow all the Menu Items to open in Change mode on double clicking else every item is in display mode by default.

Henceforth, we will see each Menu Item in detail as an individual step.

Step 3 – Maintain Object Attributes:

This Menu Item defines the procedure we adopt for our program which could be:

1. Standard Batch/ Direct Input
2. Batch Recording
3. Business Object Method (BAPI)
4. IDoc (Intermediate Document)

For defining the procedure, double click on the First option “Maintain Object Attributes”. The screen below shows how to select the method:

As mentioned earlier, this blog covers explanation of only first two methods to make it simple and easy.

(Believe me most of the Masters gets covered in this two methods.)

Method 1 – Standard Batch/ Direct Input

In this method, we are simply selecting the standard program defined by SAP for different Masters (most of the Masters are listed here):

Click on Object to select the program then click on Method to select the method (For ex: Create/ Change) as shown in screen below:

Once selected, save this method.

Method 2 – Batch Input Recording

This method, involves creating a recording for a specific Master transaction Creation/ Change.

We would select this method when we require only specific fields to be created/ changed inside the Master screen.

Creating a recording is explained below:

Click onbutton and then click on(Recordings: Overview) button which would guide to the Recording screen. Here press Create button which will show the screen as below:

Fill in the desired Recording Name and description as shown and press Enter and input the Transaction code as shown in the next screen:

On pressing Enter, system will start the transaction screen as shown below:

Perform the recording for the transaction (i.e., input all the fields you require to be taken into account for batch input).

Remember to save the transaction to complete the recording procedure as saving is also getting recorded.

On pressing save, you will see all the fields recorded as shown below:

Here press "Default All" button to populate the fields to be made available for batch input.

This will show the exact field names against each field as shown in the screen below:

Saving this screen would guide user to the list of recordings. Here press back and select the recording in the Recording field as shown below and save:

This ends the Step 1 for creating the method for specific Master creation/ change.

Step 4 – Object Overview and Field List:

Before moving to the second Menu Item “Maintain Source Structures”, we would go for listing the fields and viewing the structuring of the fields by pressing thebutton in the Menu List Screen and then “List” button which would show the screen as below (for easiness I have used Method-1 i.e., Standard Batch/ Direct Input but list will be similar in both the cases only the fields would differ):

Here in the “Target Fields” section you will find all the fields (captured by Method-1 or Method-2).

Please copy all the fields (except field TCODE and RECORDNAME which we don’t require to change while running our batch) and arrange the same in excel file as shown below:

By this you will be able to capture all the required fields in your excel file which ends the Step 4.

Step 5 – Maintain Source Structures:

Source Structure will have all the Source fields which are recorded or captured during Method definition.

Double click on “Maintain Source Structures” to which will guide to screen of Source Structure creation

Here press the create button which will ask for Source Structure Name and Description as shown below:

After entering the desired Source Structure name and Description, press enter and press Save.

Step 6 – Maintain Source Fields:

Source fields are the same which we have listed in Step 4.

Before moving to this step, back to your excel sheet, change all field Types as below:

(This is to be done because the types defined in LSMW are different then field types in program or recording)

Now, double click ”Maintain Source Fields” in the Menu List screen, which will guide you to the screen as shown below:

Press the(Table Maintenance) button after selecting the Structure which will generate the field definition screen. Copy paste all the excel fields to the screen as shown below:

Press Save and Back and it will display the fields attached to the Source Structure as shown below:

Again press save button to save this Structure field relation.

Step 7 – Maintain Structure Relations:

This Step is for maintaining relation between Structure and Recording/ Standard Program.

Double click “Maintain Structure Relations” in the Menu List screen, which will guide you to the screen as shown below:

Select the first Structure and pressand the structure you have created will be automatically be selected as you have created only one structure. This will create the relationship between program and Structure as shown below:

Press Save and Back.

Step 8 – Maintain Field Mapping and Conversion Rules:

We have created the Structure to Program Relationship, now we need to create the mapping (Relationship) between Fields from Structure and Fields from Program/ Recording.

Double click “Maintain Field Mapping and Conversion Rules” in the Menu List screen, which will guide you to the screen as shown below:

As we have copied the fields from the Program/ Recording itself as in Step 4, it will be easy to perform the field mapping in a simple step.

Go to Extras à Auto Field mapping which will pop-up a dialog box as shown below:

Perform the selection exactly as shown in the screen above and press Enter.

If you have any Date fields in your Field List, it will ask for your confirmation for every individual Fields as shown below and make selection as per your requirement (This is how system will interpret Date further throughout the program):

Press Enter for all the Date Fields and you will find the field mapping for all your Source Fields to Program/ Recording Fields as shown below:

Confirm all the Fields are mapped correctly and press Save and Back.

Due to certain restrictions of blogs, this document covers the steps uptil "Maintain Field mapping and Conversion Rules" below steps,

1. Specify Files

2. Assign Files

3. Read Data

4. Display Read Data

5. Convert Data

6. Display Convert Data

7. Create Batch Input Session

8. Run Batch Input Session

are convered in Part-2 of this document which can be found in the link below:

LSMW for Master Data upload Simple Explanation (Part - 2)

This blog is in continuation to my previous blog "LSMW for Master Data upload Simple Explanation (Part - 1)" - LSMW for Master Data upload Simple Explanation (Part - 1)

We will continue here with Step 9 - Specify Files

Step 9 – Specify Files:

Before performing this Step, you need to create your File format with exact field sequence.

For creating the Format, simply transpose your Excel File fields from column to Row as shown below:

(Here I have mentioned only Single line for data you should have all the data which you wish to create in one time as in screen shot below)

Select only the Data from excel sheet and copy it to notepad file as shown below and Save:

Now in SAP, double click “Specify Files” in the Menu List screen which will guide you to the screen as shown below:

Double click on “Legacy Data - On the PC (Frontend)” which will pop-up the dialog box as shown below:

In File field select the Notepad File created, in the Name Field assign any desired name and make other selections exactly as shown in the screen and Press Enter, Save and Back.

Step 10 – Assign Files:

Double click “Assign Files” in the Menu List screen, which will guide you to the screen as shown below:

As we have single Structure and Single File, it is auto assigned to Structure. Just Press Save and Back

Step 11 – Read Data:

Double click “Read Data” in the Menu List screen, which will guide you to the screen as shown below:

Without making any changes to this screen, press execute button which will show the screen as below:

This will Show the exact number of total records/ Masters which you have mentioned in your notepad file. If this does not match the exact value, check your notepad and excel file for data. Once Confirmed, Press back twice

Step 12 – Display Read Data:

Double click “Display Read Data” in the Menu List screen, will pop-up a dialog box as shown below:

Without making any changes to this screen press enter, which will show the screen as below:

This screen is displaying all the Master Data Records which are read from your notepad file. Double Clicking any record will show Field-wise Data where you can check the correctness of your data (this step is not mandatory).

Once confirmed press back twice.

Step 13 – Convert Data:

Double click “Convert Data” in the Menu List screen, which will guide you to the screen as shown below:

Without making any changes to this screen, press execute button which will show the screen as below:

This will Show the exact number of total records/ Masters which are converted from your notepad file to Structure. If this does not match the exact value, check your notepad and excel file for data. Once Confirmed, Press back twice

Step 12 – Display Convert Data:

Double click “Display Convert Data” in the Menu List screen, will pop-up a dialog box as shown below:

Without making any changes to this screen press enter, which will show the screen as below:

This screen is displaying all the Master Data Records which are read from your notepad file. Double Clicking any record will show Field-wise Data where you can check the correctness of your data (this step is not mandatory).

Once confirmed press back twice.

Step 13 – Create Batch Input Session:

Double click “Create Batch Input Session” in the Menu List screen, which will guide you to the screen as shown below:

Make the selections as per shown in the screen above and press execute. This will guide you to screen as shown below:

This will display the number of transactions saved for execution. This all fields should be in green. If any record is in red, please check your entries again. If all records are green, press back twice.

Note: For some masters or for recording method Step 13 would show a simple screen where you need to tick “Keep Batch Input Session” and execute.

Step 13 – Create Batch Input Session:

Double click “Run Batch Input Session” in the Menu List screen, which will guide you to the screen as shown below:

This screen can also be executed through SM35.

Here select the record you want to process and presswhich will pop-up a dialog box as shown below:

Processing Mode:

First Option “Process/ foreground” will guide you to each field of each screen of your Master records.

Second option “Display errors only” will process your program in Background but will stop at Errors in any Field of any Screen which you can change.

Third Option “Background” will process your program completely in background and will update the errors at last.

(Recommended to use “Display errors only” option)

Additional Functions

Select the “Extended Log”, “Expert Mode” and “Dynpro Standard Size” options.

Once made the above selections, press process.

Once all the data are uploaded will pop-up a dialog box as shown below:

Pressing “Session overview” will show the session details and “Exit Batch input” will exit the transaction.

Here it completes the Legacy Data Migration Workbench (LSMW) process.

Hope I have clarified the process very clearly.

(This is the First time I have written a blog. Request you to please post your honorable comments).

During PM implementations the masterdata is collected from various Plants / Plant Sections of the client, arranged in excel sheets and uploaded by the Core-Team through BDC  programs usually. This masterdata consists of the Asset Structure (IH01), Catalogs & Codes,  Maintenance Plans, Measuring Points etc. In large industries where the Asset structure runs into 100s of 1000s of equipments, we managed the uploading by giving authorizations to end-users selectively by creating and assigning suitable roles. The BOMs namely Bill of Materials is one such Masterdata, the author arranged for uploading by the respective end-users. For this purpose I developed one-stop Tcode through which user will be able to upload/update easily all sorts of BOMs namely:

• Functional Location BOM (IB11,IB12)
• Equipment BOM (IB01, IB02)
• Material BOM (CS01, CS02).

Let’s see the Tcode screen

The above selection screen is self explanatory.  However, let me do it for you.

There are 3 parts:

1. GOS toolbar where all the excel templates are kept as attachments.
2. The Upload new BOM section having 3 radio buttons for IB01, IB11 and CS01
3. The Update existing BOM section having 3 radio button for IB02, IB12 and CS02.

This screen is a simple radio button Call Transaction program. What we understand is this screen calls 6 programs one at a time (Radio button) as per the user’s choice. So the real BDC programs are those called programs. Let’s have individual screen-shots of these programs. (For IB01 and IB02)

IB01

IB02

Rest of the screens (for IB11, IB12 and CS01, CS02) are similar.

Here Mode of uploading there are 2 options

       A - All screen Mode

N - No Screen Mode (Background) just like usual BDC programs.

Though it is not related to the theme of the post, I am sharing the screen-shots of Excel templates of my program

IB01, IB02

IB11, IB12

CS01, CS02

As you have seen, the Templates for Uploading and Updating a particular BOM is same. In fact very small modifications in the Upload programs created Update BOMs programs. In each BOM template I have given provision for 18 components. (These can be as many as per requirement) Also these templates are very specific to my programs. You will have your own templates depending upon the coding of your own batch program.

The main all-in-one screen program  is a very simple report program (though looks like a dialog program). This has been another very useful idea to develop such user-friendly screen, so thought of sharing with the forum.

Thank you

KJogeswaraRao

Time is money

This is true for the implementation of a sandbox- or test systems too. To check the capabilities of the SAP Enterprise Asset Managment solution in advance of or during implementation projects causes effort in form of time and resources.

To test new EAM functionality or new EAM processes in a sandbox you need to implement up-to-date Enterprise Asset Management functionality, efficient resource and demand planning (like SAP Multiresource Scheduling)  and a mobile app for order and timesheet management for your maintenance processes (like SAP Work Manager). Then you need to create the necessary master data to validate or test the envisaged processes. To establish all this you need a system, time and the resources with the necessary knowledge in EAM.

SAP now delivers a vehicle to make this process much faster and easier for customers and/or partners. Using the SAP Cloud Appliance Library (CAL) you will get a predefined sandbox in a very easy way. The SAP Cloud Appliance Library is an on-demand SAP HANA Cloud solution. It is hosted on SAP Cloud to deliver SAP Enterprise Asset Management content as a software appliances directly into the Amazon cloud accounts of existing customers.

Going this way, test drive Enterprise Asset Management in the cloud offers the opportunity to you, to spend your time on the evaluation and innovation and not worry about the hassle of setting up and configuring your SAP solution.

That means:

• What you see is what you get: Test drive the solution in the cloud before it is implemented in your system
• Clean demo system with configuration and sample data
• Jump start your evaluation project (e.g. a PoC) with a ready-to-use demo system

What‘s included?

• Fully activated virtual appliance of a configured SAP ERP system with sample data
• End-to-end business process integrating plant maintenance in SAP ERP with SAP Multiresource Scheduling and SAP Work Manager
• Customizable to your requirements
• Ready-to-use for your Proof-of-Concept or system demo

Where to acccess?

• Get your subscription package here: SAP Store
• Activate the appliance here: SAP Cloud Appliance Library
• Find all documentations here: SAP Service Marketplace

Want to learn more?

• For SAP Customers and Partners
  • SAP Cloud Appliance Library Community
• For SAP Partners only: SAP Partner Edge courses
  • Replay: Your Demoing Options Explained
  • Replay: Deep Dive – SAP Private Partner Demo Showroom

Enterprise Information Management (EIM) solutions helps business better manage big data, ensure accurate analytics, and improve governance, with timely, consistent, and trustworthy information at every level of the enterprise. With Information Steward, and EIM technology solution, business can understand and analyze the trustworthiness of the enterprise information, get continuous insight into the quality of the vast amount of data, and facilitate informed decision making and streamline business processes. It can also help model the information architecture to visualize business needs, and ensure correct and consistent data.

Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) is a industry domain focused software helping business manage physical assets, increase operational efficiencies, and better manage capital expenditures throughout the asset lifecycle. Asset is an important piece of enterprise data.

How to make Information Steward work with Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) to manage the asset data? How to make the EIM core technology works with the industry solution? You may already know that Information Steward can manage the Customer, Material, and Supplier data domains. The SAP Information Steward rapid-deployment solution provides predefined contents for that. What about the Asset data domain? You can use the SAP Asset Data Quality rapid-deployment solution!

The SAP Asset Data Quality rapid-deployment solution gives customers the ability to assess, validate and continuously monitor the quality of their asset master data, with information visualization and governance capability. With SAP's industry-leading data quality management tool Information Steward, and predefined content, this solution lays a solid foundation for a comprehensive Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) solution.

Now The SAP Asset Data Quality rapid-deployment solution can work with Information Steward 4.2 version. The note 1733333 for the RDS has been updated for IS 4.2 support, and three updated documents are attached to this note.

Access SAP Asset Date Quality rapid-deployment solution from Service Market Place. Download from the Download Center, following the path as below:

-->software downloads

-->sap software download center

-->Installations and Upgrades

-->Browse our Download Catalog

-->SAP Rapid Deployment solutions

-->SAP Asset Data Quality rapid deployment solution

-->SAP RDS IS CONTENT V2

      --># OS independent

     -->ISCONTENT02_0-10012110.ZIP

  -->SAP RDS DS CONTENT V3

     --># OS independent

     -->SAPRDSDSCONTENT06_0-10012109.ZIP