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BC_SETSTRATEGY & APPLICATIONHOW TO GUIDE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

BC-Set Definition............................................................................................................................................ 2BC Set Strategy.............................................................................................................................................. 3BC Set Types.................................................................................................................................................. 3Hierarchical BC-Sets........................................................................................................................................ 4Creation and Activation of BC Sets..............................................................................................................5Creation of a BC Set....................................................................................................................................... 6How to create a BC Set via automatic recording of customizing......................................................................8Activation of BC Sets................................................................................................................................... 11Distribution of BC-Sets................................................................................................................................ 14BC Sets and Initial Download of Customizing...........................................................................................15BC Sets application – Practical Example...................................................................................................16Naming convention of the change requests....................................................................................................16Example for a BC-Set Hierarchy and User-Roles Profiles..............................................................................16E2E-Example: Creation, Assign to Hierarchy and Activation of BC-Set.........................................................16Further Information’s....................................................................................................................................... 20

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BC-Set DefinitionA Business Configuration Set (BC Set) is a set of Customizing settings, which are grouped to a unit according to logical business management criteria.

BC Sets are used for documentary, quality assurance and re-use purposes (e.g. as a “Template”). They are independent of the original Customizing tables/views and they are accessible across the system landscape (transportable). Briefly, BC Sets are snapshots of Customizing settings.

When a BC Set is created in the DEV system, values and combinations of values are copied from the original Customizing tables into the BC Set (not referenced!) and transported into the QAS and PRD systems. After import, the BC sets are activated, which means, the content is copied into in the tables, views and view clusters in the QAS and PRD system. Important: BC Sets overwrite existing data and can set an editing lock on field level of the tables, views and view cluster.

The activation of BC Sets is logged by the system, i.e. which BC Set was copied when into the system, and any errors which occurred. This information is significant for Continuous Change and Upgrade.

Both client dependent and client independent Customizing can be used in BC Sets.

BC SETS ARE SNAPSHOTS OF CUSTOMIZING TABLE SETTINGS

Table 3

Table 2

Table 1

Values in the Values in the DEV SystemDEV System

Table 4

BC Set Name

• IMG Activities• Customizing Settings• Attributes

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When a BC Set is created, the values and value combinations from the original Customizing tables are copied into the BC Set and can be copied into the tables, views and view clusters in other SAP Systems. The data import is logged in the target system, i.e. a record is made of which BC Set is imported into the system when, and whether the import was successful. This information is important during implementation, Continuous Change and Upgrade.

BC Set StrategyBC Sets are a methodological tool for customizing settings from a source system in 1-n target systems in terms of a proprietary configuration transfer. The priority is being given to all global customizing settings define the source system and then transferred to the target system via transport management as a binding target.

BC Sets were successfully used in the following scenarios:

Global Rollout based on global Template pre configuration Customizing Distribution within a business suite system landscape for configuration which needs to be

harmonized Fast Installation of Prototyping systems based on a baseline system landscape Customizing Release- and Version management Documentation of relations between IMG and business processes Upgrade Management - Independence from actual Customizing Change Management - Secure import of Customizing (by separation from actual Customizing)

Relating Protection Strategy setting of Customizing Attributes can be handled in different ways:

Standard The table field values are copied without confirmation when the BC Set is activated and can be changed

manually

Not Changeable after Activation (Attribute fix) Certain customizing must not be changed by subsidiaries This set of settings is defined by global headquarters Subsidiaries cannot change these settings in local system (repairs are possible) Fix attribute is only active in activation system

Get Values at Activation (Attribute variable) Org. units in global and local systems may differ Option to change these values during activation

Regardless of set-up strategy, the extent of customizing BC-Sets - rows, columns or just individual fields - can be variably set according to the specific requirements.

BC Set TypesBasically it needs to be distinguished among single BC Sets, Hierarchical BC Sets and BC Set from transport request.

A hierarchical BC Set comprises several BC Sets which may in turn comprise various BC Sets. This nesting is unrestricted and can help you to structure the data for complex system settings. You can delete or insert BC Sets at any time.

Single BC Sets are the most common procedure. You go to the IMG structure, where you can select the Customizing activities. Call the activities which belong to a business process consecutively, and copy all values which are relevant for the control of the process.

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BC Set from transport request. You can create a BC Set based on existing transports. Each changed data record in systems which must be recorded is put in a transport request which can be the basis of a BC Set. BC Sets created in this way usually require post-editing.

Hierarchical BC-SetsBC Sets from transport requests are technically simple BC Sets because the transport only serves as a selection template. A transport request containing Customizing data is a prerequisite. A Customizing request is a change request in which you can copy and transport the changed system settings in the associated tables. The data in the Customizing request is the basis for the creation of the BC Set. You can copy all data records in the Customizing request into the BC Set, or a subset of them. You can manually post-process BC Sets created from a transport request at any time.

Level 1Level 1

Level nLevel n

Level 3Level 3

Level 2Level 2

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Creation and Activation of BC SetsThe creation and activation of BC Sets are two different steps which should be explained in detail here.Creating a BC set is always done in the development system client - for example client 095. The BC set is then transported within a change request (CUBD*) to QAS/095 and PRD/095. These BC Sets contain only template relevant customizing settings.

Keep in mind, that there is also non-BC Sets capable customizing which is as well template relevant: Customizing which is generated through programs Customizing which is not editable via view maintenance (SM30) Customizing which should be deleted.

Further SAP objects which cannot be put in BC-Sets:

Master data

Master data cannot be recorded with BC Sets. Master data is not allowed in BC Sets because it could overwrite critical data

Transaction data

BC Sets are not intended to contain transaction data

Repository objects

BC Sets are not intended to contain Repository Objects. All development objects which are created with the ABAP Workbench development tools are referred to as Repository objects

Customizing Tables

Transport Request

BC Set

Editing

SAP SAP SystemSystem

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Other Exceptions

Dummy objectsBADIs

These customizing settings are recorded either in a normal change request (CUST*) or (for deletion requests) in customizing requests starting with CUBN* and later transported in the same way.The Activation of a BC Set is done in a separate client DEV/096 for Unit Testing (Tests of Customizing coming from a BC Set), it may also be necessary to transport via SCC1 some customizing which cannot be created with a BC-Set Maintenance.After activation of a BC Set in DEV/096 , 2 new transport requests are created (CUBA*) : one for client independent customizing, one for client-dependent customizing. These transport requests are later on transported to QAS/096 and PRD/096. Important: The change requests holding the BC Set definition in DEV/095 keep the logical version of a BC-Set (Template Master). The change requests holding the actual data of the activated BC Sets (DEV/096) are relevant for the Tests (Model VG).

See also the following picture:

Legend – used abbreviation (Details -> see chapter 3 “Naming Conventions” )

CUST “normal” customizing requestCUBA customizing request from BC-Set activationCUBD customizing request from BC-Set definitionCUBN non-BC-Set capable objects (e.g. deletion of customizing, ALE)DEVL development requestAUTH authorizationDATA transport of data

Creation of a BC Set

Prerequisite: User Settings for automatic recording of customizing in BC Sets

When a BC Set is created, the following definition is made: The name of the BC Set The tables, views and view clusters which are part of the BC set

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Which fields of the tables, views and view clusters are copied and whether these fields are global (not editable after activation) or local (editable after activation)

Which data rows are copied into the BC Set

As a general rule: The template relevant fields are always global. The VG specific settings are always local. The definition of this is in the responsibility of the topic owners.

There are four ways to create a BC Set: via IMG hierarchy By combining BC Sets (so called Hierarchical BC Sets) Automatically during Customizing Via a transport request

The Standard way of creating a BC Set is automatically during Customizing (option 3). To be able to do this, you have to maintain the following user settings:

Choose Tools ® Customizing ® Business Configuration Sets® Maintenance in the SAP menu, or enter the transaction code SCPR3 in the command field.

Go to: Utilities ® User Settings. A dialog window appears:

Choose tab strip: General Settings and set the flag to activate the Automatic Customizing Recording:

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The effect is that when you customize using the Implementation Guide, you are requested to save your customizing settings in a change request and in a BC set.

How to create a BC Set via automatic recording of customizing

The following slides show the procedure of creating a BC Set via automatic recording of customizing:

Example: Customizing of Regions in the IMG (transaction SPRO):

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When saving the new customizing setting, you receive a prompt for entering a change request number. This change request is a customizing request:

When pressing the green tick (Enter), you get a second prompt for entering a BC Set in which the customizing should be recorded:

As a general rule: Every customizer is responsible for creating his own BC Sets according to the business requirements.

To create a BC set, press the button “Create”:

Then enter the BC Set name according to the naming convention.Enter a short text to describe the content of the BC Set and maintain the Software Component. Press “Enter” (green tick).

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Assign the BC Set to a Package for later transport. Enter the Package name according to the naming convention.

Press “Save”. The next prompt asks you for a workbench request to save the BC Set definition. Enter the workbench request according to the naming convention.

Press Enter.You must later check and modify your BC Set definition in transaction SCPR3, since the BC set may contain incomplete data records. This is always the case when BC Sets are created automatically when recording customizing changes:

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A detailed description of how to display and change the BC Set definition is to be found in the Online Help under:

http://help.sap.com/saphelp_erp2005/helpdata/en/90/c811c8411111d395bb00a0c930dcc1/frameset.htm

Activation of BC Sets

BC Sets can only be activated if there is non-production client in the system. It means a customizer can only activate the BC Set in DEV/096. BC Sets are client independent and therefore do not need to be transported via SCC1 from DEV/095 to DEV/096.

To Activate a BC Set, choose Tools ® Customizing ® Business Configuration Sets ® Activation in the SAP menu, or enter the transaction code SCPR20 in the command field.

Enter the name of the BC Set which you want to activate.

Choose Bus.Conf.Set ® Activate or the Activate pushbutton.

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When activating the BC Set, you are requested to enter a customizing or workbench request, depending on which customizing is kept in the BC set (client dependent customizing demands a customizing change request, client-independent customizing demands a workbench change request)

When you press “Enter”, you get a new dialog screen where you must edit the activation options:

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The following Activation Options dialog gives you information about the activation. The Activation Options dialog contains all activation-relevant information. There is no longer a Simulation function pushbutton. The simulation is implicit, i.e. any problem messages are shown in the Messages field in the Activation Options dialog.To simulate activation:  Choose a BC Set in the activation transaction (SCPR20). Choose the Activate pushbutton or the menu path BC Set -> Activate If the BC Set contains variable values, you are prompted for them. Enter the values and confirm your

entries with the Copy Values pushbutton. Choose the Cancel with Log pushbutton in the following activation option dialog. Result: The message Activation simulated appears in the status row. You can see the activation simulation log with the Activation Log pushbutton.

 

After confirming the Activation Options (press the green tick), you are prompted for the name of the BC Sets to be activated to confirm the activation:

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The changed data records are recorded in activation logs. This log shows whether the activation was successful or not. You can see the log with the Display Log pushbutton in the transaction SCPR20.

Distribution of BC-Sets

After activation of BC-Set the next step is the distribution of BC-Set from Development System (DEV/096) to Quality (QAS/096) and Productive System (PRD/096) Environment . For this at least 2 new transport requests are created (CUBA*). One for client independent customizing and one for client-dependent customizing. With these transport requests export and import to QAS/096 and PRD/096 can be preceded.

Please remind! -when a BC Set is created in the DEV system, values and combinations of values are copied from the original Customizing tables into the BC Set (not referenced !) and transported into the QAS and PRD systems. After import, the BC sets are activated, which means, the content is copied into in the tables, views and view clusters in the QAS and PRD system. Important: BC Sets overwrite existing data and can set an editing lock on field level of the tables, views and view cluster.

QAS/PRDSystem

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BC Sets download

You can download BC Sets from the SAP System to a directory in your PC or another data medium

BC Set upload

You can upload BC Sets from your PC or other data medium into the SAP SystemNote: Documentation CANNOT be uploaded or downloaded.

BC Sets and Initial Download of Customizing

BC Sets in CRM may change customizing which came down from ERP into CRM via Initial Download (= customizing relevant for data exchange via the CRM middleware).

The procedure to build up the Template later on is the following: Customizing in ERP which is relevant for CRM is also recorded in BC Sets (in ERP). The corresponding

BC Sets will be activated in ERP. The customizing will then be transferred via Initial Download from ERP to CRM.

After that, the BC Sets in CRM are activated.

Transport Request

BC Set upload/download

DEV System 1

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Conflicts may occur between the downloaded customizing and the customizing in BC Sets.

During the project, the topic owner must ensure that these conflicts are handled by clearly separating the customizing of the Initial Download and the customizing of the BC Sets.

BC Sets application – Practical Example

Naming convention of the change requests

Change requests should be saved with the following encryption:<Request type>/<client>/<application>/<short description>/<owner>/<date>CUST “normal” customizing requestCUBA customizing request from BC-Set activationCUBD customizing request from BC-Set definitionCUBN non-BC-Set capable objects (e.g. deletion of customizing, ALE)DEVL development requestAUTH authorizationDATA transport of data

Example for a BC-Set Hierarchy and User-Roles Profiles

The attached Excel file contains an example of a customer project for the composition of processing roles and the building of a hierarchical BC Set architecture.

The standard BC Sets created by each customizer should contain as naming convention the full 5-level hierarchy in the BC Set name. Later on during the project, the topic owners will create hierarchical BC Sets and group the standard BC Sets following the same naming convention under their hierarchical BC Sets.

E2E-Example: Creation, Assign to Hierarchy and Activation of BC-Set

Please check the following things before you start, working with BC Sets: Make sure that your user settings are correctly maintained. Please assign yourself as additional user to the relevant customizing transports via Transaction SE09.

You can now start with your Customizing.

Change or create Customizing settings and save your data

Transport Request occurs Important: please choose Request

” D30K900127 095 TOP CUST/095/xx/CUST 095 – not released” as this is the common Transport Request for all!

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Please note: this request will not be transported – transport to other clients and systems take place via the BC Set!

Pop-Up for BC Set occurs:

You have got 2 possibilities: choose an existing BC Set or create a new one

Please decide for yourselves, if it is better to use an already existing BC Set or to create a new one. It is the same decision, like you may know from transport requests: you can use an existing transport request or create a new one. If you are not sure, please create a new one!

To find an existing BC Set uses the F4-search help.

To create a new BC Set, press the button

Create a new BC Set corresponding on the naming convention of the hierarchy:

Please choose the corresponding package Z12V_BCSET and the workbench requestD30K900152 TOP CUBD/095/BC-Set-Definition/TOP/0802200

Assign BC Set to Hierarchy:After you have done your customizing settings, go to transaction scpr3 and search for the hierarchy node, your BC Set should be assigned to.

The easiest way to find the BC Set is by searching for Attributes:

.

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Search for BC Sets last changed by user DEKERN (Service nodes) or DEVOE (sales nodes).Double click the hierarchy node and change from display mode to edit mode!

Select the buttons

to add your BC Set to the hierarchy node (select by BC Sets last changed by your user):

Save your entries.

Check BC Set

Double click on your BC Set and check, if all settings are correct.You can see the entries of the BC Set highlighted on the right side.

Check for inconsistencies and key conflicts:

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Activate BC Set in target client

Go to the target system/client and choose transaction scpr20.

Choose your BC Set and press

A prompt for the customizing request to activate the BC Set occurs. Please choose always Transport request: D30K900131 096 TOP CUBA/096/BC-Set-Activation: client 096

Within the next window, choose the entry: “Overwrite All Data”.Confirm the window. The activation will start.

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Check Log file and post-process errors

After activating the BC Set in the target client, you receive a status message:

To check the details, please see the log file:

Known errors and their solution: “entry xxxx does not exist” , while the BC Set includes exactly the creation of XXX (e.g. “Status Profile

ZSA0001 does not exist” when the BC Set includes the customizing, to create the Status Profile ZSA0001). start the activation again, but select “Default Values not Overwritten” instead of “Overwrite all Data”

“Activation of object xxx not possible because of system settings” ask the Hotline (tel. 2828) to make sure, that you have got the authorization to maintain cross client settings in the target client; respectively make sure, that the target client is open for cross client settings

Further Information’s

SAP Library: http://help.sap.com/saphelp_erp2005/helpdata/en/90/c811c8411111d395bb00a0c930dcc1/frameset.htm

Learning Map: http://service.sap.com/rkt-bcsets

Training:SMI300 – Business Configuration Sets