If an SAP Note contains correction instructions, the implementation status indicates whether all the relevant correction instructions in the note have been implemented in the system. The system sets the implementation status automatically. It can have the following values: Not all the relevant correction instructions have been implemented, or some correction instructions have only been partly implemented. The objects that need to be corrected are inconsistent. You must therefore implement this SAP Note in your system again. SAP has corrected an SAP Note that contained errors. Implement this note in your system again. The SAP Note contains correction instructions that you can implement in your system. The corrections in the SAP Note have been implemented completely in your system. No action is required. The SAP Note does not contain any correction instructions that you can implement in your system. No action is required. After you implemented the corrections in the Note, you imported a Support Package that also contains these corrections. The errors have now been removed.
Implementation Status of SAP Note
Processing Status of SAP Note
The user who is processing an SAP Note specifies its processing status. This status indicates whether you have implemented the SAP Note. You can set the following processing statuses in the Note Assistant: You have loaded the SAP Note into your system, but have not yet processed it. A user is processing the SAP Note. You have followed the instructions in the SAP Note and implemented any corrections in your system. The processing of the SAP Note has now been completed. You have read the SAP Note and decided that it is not relevant, for example because it refers to a function that you do not user.
Split-Screen Editor
Use
This function displays in detail all the corrections that are contained in an include. If necessary, you can adjust the corrections to your modifications here.
Features
The split-screen editor is divided into two areas:
- On the left-hand side you see the state of the source code after the changes have been implemented. The changes are indicated in color. You can edit the source code that you see on the left-hand side.
- On the right-hand side you see deleted program parts, and corrections that the Note Assistant cannot automatically implement. These are displayed as context, delete, and insert blocks. (See also: Technical Details on Correction Instructions)
On the left-hand side you can do the following:
- Edit manually
- Select and cut, or copy and paste blocks
To select a colored block, position the cursor on the header and choose Select.
You can also select any lines. To do so, position the cursor on the first line of the block that you want to select and choose Select. Then position the cursor on the last line and choose Select again.
- Undo changes step by step that you made in the split-screen editor by choosing Undo.
- Restore changes that you have undone by choosing Redo
- Go to the next/previous change by using the arrow keys
- Link two lines together by choosing Concatenate.
The Undo/Redo button appears in the middle of the editor if you insert or delete a block. You can use this button to undo or redo changes one at a time. Individual delete and insert blocks are substituted.
Checking Support Packages
A Support Package contains a correction of error corrections. You can only import complete Support Packages and in a specified sequence. Each correction in a Support Package is documented in an SAP Note.
Importing a Support Package can result in the following situations:
- Correction implemented by an SAP Note and included in a Support Package (traffic light without colors)
When you import a Support Package, the system automatically checks whether you have already used SAP Notes to implement individual corrections from the Support Package in your system. In the modification adjustment function (transaction SPAU), these SAP Notes are flagged as obsolete by a gray light.
Reset the objects to their original SAP versions. You can do this in the following ways:
- Click the traffic light icon.
- Select the SAP Note number. Choose Reset to Original.
A dialog box appears. Confirm that you want to reset the correction to its original status.
If you have selected more than one correction, choose Reset All. The dialog box no longer appears.
- SAP Note implemented, but not included in Support Package (yellow traffic light icon)
The system checks whether corrections you implemented with an SAP Note have been overwritten by a Support Package that does not contain these corrections. You must implement these corrections again. In the modification adjustment function (transaction SPAU), these SAP Notes are flagged with a yellow light.
Double-click the light to implement the SAP Note again.
Your worklist also indicates that you need to implement these SAP Notes again (status inconsistent). To do this, choose Note -> Implement SAP Note.
- SAP Note implemented, although parts included in Support Package (green traffic light icon)
An SAP Note contains multiple correction instructions with different validity periods, for example. When you import the Support Package, one set of correction instructions becomes obsolete and the other remains valid. In this exception case, the SAP Note appears with a green traffic light icon.
If you click the icon, the correction instructions that are no longer relevant are reset to their original status.
- Adjustment mode for SAP Note implementation uncertain (green question mark)
After you have imported the Support Package, the adjustment modes for corrections are calculated in a background process. If this process is not started or if errors occur, a green question mark appears in front of the object in the tree display.
Double-click the question mark to restart the process. This can take a few minutes.
- Objects with your modifications and corrections from SAP Notes
If objects contain your own modifications and SAP Note corrections, you must first process the displayed corrections with the modification adjustment function (transaction SPAU), and then adjust your own modifications.
The modification adjustment in the subtree With Modification Assistant is not supported if the object is contained in corrections that have not yet been adjusted or reset to their original status.
Modifications cannot be reset to their original status with the Modification Assistant if the objects are included in corrections that have been implemented. Before you reset the modification, you must remove the correction.
The objects that are contained in the SAP Note are entered in transport requests if you adjust modifications to these objects, or if you reset them to their original status. This guarantees that they are transported into follow-up systems.
SAP Note Queue
If an SAP Note has other SAP Notes as prerequisites, the Note Assistant determines these when you implement the note and loads them into your system. The Note Assistant displays the SAP Note that you selected, and all the prerequisite SAP Notes in a dialog box: the SAP Note queue. You must implement the SAP Notes in the sequence in which they are displayed.
Before you implement the SAP Note, read the prerequisite SAP Notes carefully.
You have the following options:
- Implement multiple SAP Notes at once
If you choose this option, the system implements as many of the specified SAP Notes as possible one after the other.
The system can only implement multiple SAP Notes at once if all the corrections that are contained in the SAP Notes can be included without having to be changed. If the relevant includes contain your own modifications, the system may not be able to include certain changes.
The system always implements these SAP Notes individually so that you can adjust your modifications.
- Implement all notes individually
The system implements the specified SAP Notes individually. This means that you can see in detail which source code change belongs to which SAP Note and then modify the source code change, if necessary.
- Cancel SAP Note implementation
The system does not make changes to the source code.
Classifying SAP Notes
Use
Use this function to specify the relevance or processing status of an SAP Note.
Procedure
- Read the SAP Note carefully and decide whether its contents apply to the situation in your system.
- Proceed as follows:
- If the SAP Note is relevant for your situation, set its processing status to In process.
This informs other users that you are processing this SAP Note.
Follow the precise recommendations in the SAP Note. If the SAP Note contains correction instructions, implement them in your system.
- If you want to assign the SAP Note to another user, specify the name of the user.
Every action that you perform is recorded in a log file for the SAP Note. You can also enter comments there for another user, for example.
- If the SAP Note is not relevant for your situation, set its processing status to Not relevant.
This indicates to you and all other users that this SAP Note can be ignored.
Registering Manually Implemented SAP Notes
Use
If you implemented corrections contained in SAP Notes in your SAP System before you installed the Note Assistant, you can make this known to the Note Assistant retroactively. This is important since the Note Assistant cannot automatically recognize whether a correction was implemented manually in your system without using the Note Assistant.
Registration offers the following benefits:
- All the SAP Notes that have been implemented in your system are displayed in the Note Browser.
- If a manually implemented SAP Note is a prerequisite for an SAP Note that you want to implement using the Note Assistant, the Note Assistant recognizes that the prerequisite SAP Note has already been implemented and does not prompt you to implement it again.
- For future Support Packages or upgrades, the manually implemented SAP Notes are displayed during the modification adjustment in the category Notes. The system determines whether these SAP Notes have to be implemented again or reset to their original status.
Prerequisites
You have implemented SAP Notes manually without the Note Assistant.
Procedure
- Execute report SCWN_REGISTER_NOTES with the ABAP Editor (transaction SE38).
- On the input screen of the report, enter the numbers of the completely implemented SAP Notes that you want to register.
The report first loads the SAP Notes that you want to register into the database of your system and checks whether the SAP Notes are valid for your release and Support Package level. The system also checks whether the SAP Notes have already been registered in the Note Assistant as implemented.
The system displays the results of these checks in a list.
- Choose Execute (F8).
To register an SAP Note as implemented, the system must enter the SAP Note together with the objects that are corrected by this SAP Note in a change request. By transporting this request you also register the SAP Notes in your follow-up systems as implemented. If you cannot enter the SAP Note and its objects in a request (because some objects are locked by other requests, for example), the system terminates registration.
Result
The system registers the valid SAP Notes that have not been implemented yet as completely implemented in your system, and automatically sets the processing status to Completed. Every SAP Note has a log entry in which the time and the user who triggered the registration are recorded. Invalid SAP Notes cannot be registered as implemented. This is not necessary since these corrections have already been imported into your system in the form of a Support Package. The processing status of these SAP Notes is automatically set to not relevant.
Activating the Note Assistant
Use
If you want to download an SAP Note with RFC, you must first activate an RFC connection.
Procedure
- Create an RFC connection to SAPNet - R/3 Frontend, so that you can load SAP Notes.
a) To do this, call transaction OSS1. This creates a connection to client 000 of SAPNet – R/3 Frontend. This connection is currently called SAPOSS. You have to change the client to 001.
b) To do this, call transaction SM59.
c) Display the destination SAPOSS.
d) Change the logon data to client 001.
e) Save the destination.
For more information on RFC destinations, choose Help -> Application Help.
- Directly before you use the Note Assistant for the first time, you have to specify the software components and their release data in the system.
To do this, you also require an RFC connection.
To specify the software components, choose Extras -> Get Release Data.
- If you have already implemented SAP Notes in your system but you did not use the Note Assistant, you also have to announce to the system the SAP Notes that you implemented manually.
To do this, execute report SCWN_REGISTER_NOTES with the ABAP Editor (transaction SE38). See also: Registering Manually Implemented SAP Notes .
Loading an SAP Note
Use
You can load SAP Notes into your system from the SAP Service Marketplace or SAPNet - R/3 Frontend. You can do this using an RFC connection (upload the SAP Note) or with the file transfer method.
When you download an SAP Note, you can use the Note Assistant to load it directly into your system from SAPNet - R/3 Frontend.
If you want to upload an SAP Note, you must first download it from the SAP Service Marketplace and save it on the hard disk of your PC. You then use the Note Assistant to upload the SAP Note using a file transfer.
Prerequisites
You have created an RFC connection to SAPNet - R/3 Frontend (only for downloading SAP Notes). (See also: Activating the Note Assistant)
Procedure
Note Download
- Specify the numbers of the SAP Notes that you want to download.
Use the selection function to load one SAP Note or a list of SAP Notes.
- Confirm the selection.
The SAP Notes are loaded from the system into your database.
Note Upload
Note that you can only use this function in the SAP Service Marketplace.
- Select the correct SAP Note in the SAP Service Marketplace.
- Choose Download.
- Save this file locally on your PC.
- Use the upload function (Goto -> Upload SAP Note) to load the file into your system.
The SAP Note is downloaded as a file using the Web browser.
Result
After you have successfully downloaded or uploaded an SAP Note that did not previously exist in your system, the processing status of this SAP Note is set as new in the SAP Note overview.
SAP Notes for the Language Transport
Before starting the language import, read the following SAP Notes on the SAP Service Marketplace at service.sap.com/notes.
Required SAP Notes
Note No. | Title | Category |
73606 | Supported Languages and Codepages | Consulting |
42305 | RSCPINST (NLS Installation Tool) | Information on installation |
Recommended SAP Notes
Note No. | Title | Category |
18601 | Frequently Asked Questions on Language Import | Recommendations / additional information |
43853 | Consulting: Language Transport and Customizing Tables | Consulting |
352941 | Consulting: Languages and Support Packages | Consulting |
964731 | Customer Language ‘Z1’ in the Upgrade | Consulting |
SAP Note Processing Status
The user who is processing an SAP Note specifies its processing status. This status indicates whether a user has already processed this SAP Note, and if so, to which extent. You can set the following processing statuses in the Note Assistant: You have loaded the SAP Note into your system, but have not yet processed it. A user is processing the SAP Note. You have followed the instructions in the SAP Note and implemented any corrections in your system. The processing of the SAP Note has now been completed. You have read the SAP Note and decided that it is not relevant, for example because it refers to a function that you do not user.
SAP Note Troubleshooting
This section provides information about messages that the Note Assistant can display:
· Object cannot be locked under request
The Note Assistant makes sure that an SAP Note is implemented under one request. To do this, it enters the transport object R3TR NOTE in the request and locks the SAP Note under this request. You can then edit the SAP Note or its objects in this request only.
If the objects are already locked in other requests, you must release them. You can then edit the object again.
· Note is inconsistent
An SAP Note can include corrections to multiple objects. Transporting individual objects may cause an SAP Note to be implemented incompletely. In this case, the status of the SAP Note is displayed as inconsistent. You should then check the implementation status of the SAP Note and implement it again if necessary.
· Note not in worklist after download
The SAP Note may have already been downloaded and processed. Search in the Note Browser to find all SAP Notes that are available in the system.
Other Problems with the Note Assistant
If the system cannot implement an SAP Note automatically, and there are no modifications in your system, try to use the split-screen editor to implement the SAP Note. If automatic implementation fails, it is usually due to small differences in the source code.
If implementation still fails, create a problem message in SAPNet – R/3 Frontend and assign it to the component of the SAP Note. The component is in the note header (for example, FI-AR-CR).
If you experience any other problems with the Note Assistant, create a problem message and assign it to the component BC-UPG-NA.
Checking Support Packages
A Support Package contains a collection of error corrections. You can only import complete Support Packages and in a specified sequence. Each correction in a Support Package is documented in an SAP Note.
After you have imported a Support Package, you must perform the Modification Adjustment using transaction SPAU. The following cases exist:
- Correction implemented by an SAP Note and included in a Support Package (traffic light without colors)
When you import a Support Package, the system automatically checks whether you have already used SAP Notes to implement individual corrections from the Support Package in your system. In the modification adjustment function (transaction SPAU), these SAP Notes are flagged as obsolete by a gray light.
Reset the objects to their original SAP versions. You can do this in the following ways:
- Click the traffic light icon.
- Select the SAP Note number. Choose Reset to Original.
A dialog box appears. Confirm that you want to reset the correction to its original status.
If you have selected more than one correction, you can choose Reset All. The dialog box no longer appears.
- SAP Note implemented, but not included in Support Package (yellow traffic light icon)
The system checks whether corrections you implemented with an SAP Note have been overwritten by a Support Package that does not contain these corrections. You must implement these corrections again. In the modification adjustment function (transaction SPAU), these SAP Notes are flagged with a yellow light.
Double-click the light to implement the SAP Note again.
Your worklist also indicates that you need to implement these SAP Notes again (status inconsistent). To do this, choose Implement SAP Note.
- Correction implemented by an SAP Note and included in a Support Package, however SAP Note version is different (yellow traffic light)
The system checks whether you have already used SAP Notes to implement individual corrections from the Support Package in your system. If the version of the SAP Note included in the Support Package is a later version than that of the SAP Note that was implemented using the Note Assistant, then the modification adjustment is unable to reset the objects included in the SAP Note to their original status. The system displays this SAP Note with a yellow traffic light.
In this instance, proceed as follows:
- Call the Note Assistant.
- Download the current SAP Note version for all SAP Notes.
- In the modification adjustment, calculate the adjustment modes again. Choose Goto ® Determine Adjustment Mode.
If the SAP Note was not changed by SAP, a traffic light without colors is displayed. You can reset it to its original status, as described under the section Correction implemented by an SAP Note and included in a Support Package (traffic light without colors).
If the SAP Note was changed by SAP, a yellow traffic light is displayed. Proceed as described under the section SAP Note implemented, but not included in Support Package (yellow traffic light icon).
- SAP Note implemented, although parts included in Support Package (green traffic light icon)
An SAP Note contains multiple correction instructions with different validity periods, for example. When you import the Support Package, one set of correction instructions becomes obsolete and the other remains valid. In this exception case, the SAP Note appears with a green traffic light icon.
If you click the icon, the correction instructions that are no longer relevant are reset to their original status.
- Adjustment mode for SAP Note implementation undetermined (green question mark)
After you have imported the Support Package, the adjustment modes for corrections are calculated in a background process. If this process is not started or if errors occur, a green question mark appears in front of the object in the tree display.
Double-click the question mark to restart the process. This can take a few minutes.
- Objects with your modifications and corrections from SAP Notes
If objects contain your own modifications and SAP Note corrections, you must first process the displayed SAP Note corrections with the modification adjustment function (transaction SPAU), and then adjust your own modifications.
The modification adjustment in the subtree With Modification Assistant is not supported if the object is contained in SAP Note corrections that have not yet been adjusted or reset to their original status.
The objects that are contained in the SAP Note are entered in transport requests if you adjust modifications to these objects, or if you reset them to their original status. This guarantees that they are transported into follow-on systems.
Updating an SAP Note
You use this function to compare the version of the SAP Notes that are in your system with the latest version of the SAP Notes in SAPNet - R/3 Frontend. In this way you can check at any time whether the SAP Notes in your system have the latest version. The system downloads the latest version when necessary. You have the following options: SAP Notes can only be updated automatically if you have created an RFC connection to the SAPNet - R/3 Frontend. Prerequisites
You have created an RFC connection to the SAPNet – R/3 Frontend.
Procedure
- Choose Download Latest SAP Note Version.
- To download the latest version of these SAP Notes, confirm the dialog box.
The system checks whether the latest version of the SAP Notes that are listed on the screen are available in your system.
The SAP Notes that were changed by SAP since you last downloaded them are displayed in a dialog box.
Result
If an SAP Note was changed and had to be reimplemented, the Note Assistant displays this SAP Note in your worklist under the category inconsistent. Implement this note in your system again.
Otherwise, no action is required.
Searching for an SAP Note
You can use the Note Browser to find any SAP Note that is available in the system. The Note Browser also displays SAP Notes that are assigned to another user, and SAP Notes that have already been implemented.
Prerequisites
You can load SAP Notes into your system from SAPNet - R/3 Frontend or the SAP Service Marketplace.
Procedure
...
1. Select one of the following criteria for the SAP Note:
- Note Number
- Application component
- Processing status
- Implementation Status
- Processor
2. Choose whether you want to
- Limit the selection to certain software components and their releases
- Sort the SAP Notes according to their number or to their corresponding application component
3. Confirm the selection.
Result
The SAP Notes are listed together with their number, short text, component, processing status, implementation status, and user. You can also implement the SAP Notes from the Note Browser.
Loading an SAP Note
Use
You can load SAP Notes into your system from the SAP Service Marketplace or SAPNet - R/3 Frontend. You can do this using an RFC connection (SAP Note download) or with the file transfer method (SAP Note upload).
The SAP Note download has the following advantages:
· When you download an SAP Note, you can use the Note Assistant to load it directly into your system from SAPNet - R/3 Frontend.
· If other SAP Notes are entered as prerequisites in an SAP Note, the Note Assistant automatically downloads the prerequisite SAP Notes during the implementation (Implementing Correction Instructions).
· You can download updated versions of SAP Notes at the press of a button (Updating an SAP Note).
To download an SAP Note, you must create an RFC connection to the SAPNet – R/3 Frontend.
Uploading an SAP Note does not require a permanent RFC connection to the SAPNet – R/3 Frontend. To upload the note, you first download the required SAP Note from the SAP Service Marketplace and save it locally on your front-end PC. You then use the Note Assistant to upload the SAP Note.
Prerequisites
· Note download: You have created an RFC connection to the SAPNet – R/3 Frontend. (See also: Activating the Note Assistant)
· Note upload: You have installed the SAP Download Manager, which enables you to load SAP Notes from the SAP Service Marketplace. You can find the SAP Download Manager in the SAP Service Marketplace, under service.sap.com/download-basket ® Get Download Manager.
Procedure
SAP Note Download
...
1. In the Note Assistant, choose SAP Note Download.
2. Specify the numbers of the SAP Notes that you want to download.
Use the selection function to load one SAP Note or a list of SAP Notes.
3. Confirm your selection.
The system loads the SAP Notes from SAPNet – R/3 Frontend into your database.
SAP Note Upload
...
1. Select the correct SAP Note in the SAP Service Marketplace under service.sap.com/notes.
2. Choose Download.
The SAP Note is added to your download basket. You can repeat this action for as many SAP Notes as you require.
3. To save the SAP Notes locally on your PC, start the SAP Download Manager. Choose Download.
The SAP Notes are loaded as files into the directory you have specified.
4. Use the upload function in the Note Assistant (Goto -> Upload SAP Note) to load the SAP Note files into your system.
Result
After you have successfully downloaded or uploaded an SAP Note that did not previously exist in your system, the processing status of this SAP Note is set as new in the SAP Note overview.
When is a good time to start using the Note Assistant?
In principle, you can start using the Note Assistant at any time. We recommend that you start using it as soon as possible. There are no technical restrictions concerning the start time.
If you implemented corrections contained in SAP Notes manually before using the Note Assistant, you must make them known to the Note Assistant. This helps to administer the SAP Notes in your system. It is also necessary for implementing SAP Notes using the Note Assistant. If you use the Note Assistant to implement an SAP Note that has corrections from SAP Notes as a prerequisite, the Note Assistant must "know" that these corrections were already implemented. Otherwise, the Note Assistant will implement the corrections again.
Procedure
1.Load the Note Assistant add-on for your SAP R/3 Release from the SAP Service Marketplace and install it using the SAP Add-On Installation Tool.- To register the SAP Notes with the Note Assistant, execute program SCWN_REGISTER_NOTES.
For future Support Package imports or upgrades, the corrections from the SAP Notes are displayed in the category SAP Note corrections in the modification adjustment function. The system determines automatically whether these SAP Notes have to be implemented again or reset to their original status.
Note: These corrections are also displayed under the category With Modification Assistant or Without Modification Assistant. This is necessary since you may have further modified these objects. You have to decide whether the objects can be reset to their original status or whether you want to keep your modifications.
After a Support Package Import/ Upgrade
For practical reasons, we recommend that you start using the Note Assistant after you have imported Support Packages or after an upgrade. This has the advantage that there are fewer or no SAP Notes in your system that you need to register with the Note Assistant. If you upgrade from a release below 4.5B, which theNote Assistant does not support, to a release 4.5B or higher, you should install the Note Assistant before you perform the modification adjustment.
Procedure
- Load the Note Assistant add-on for your SAP R/3 Release from the SAP Service Marketplace and install it using the SAP Add-On Installation Tool
- Reset the correction from the SAP Note to its original status using the modification adjustment function (transaction SPAU). If you have further modified the objects and you want to keep the modifications, make sure to re-insert them afterwards.
- Load the corresponding SAP Note into the Note Assistant and implement it.
- If you have inserted your own modifications to the source code, re-insert them now.
- Repeat these steps for all corrections from SAP Notes and complete the modification adjustment
- Register the remaining SAP Notes using the program SCWN_REGISTER_NOTES.
Note: Make sure you do not execute the program before completing the modification adjustment. The program only checks that the validities of the registered SAP Note are true. It cannot check the content.
How should I implement an SAP Note using the Note Assistant?
Prerequisites are that you already know the number of the SAP Note that corrects the error and that the SAP Note contains correction instructions.
- Start the Note Assistant (transaction SNOTE).
- Download the SAP Note from SAPNet - R/3 Frontend. To do this, choose "SAP Note Download" (Ctrl + F8) and enter the relevant SAP Note number. The downloaded SAP Note appears in your worklist under the category New.
- Read the SAP Note!>/li>
- Check whether the SAP Note entails manual activities. (See also answers to questions concerning ABAP Dictionary objects, function module interfaces and messages.)·
- If this is the case, first perform the manual activities.
- Implement the SAP Note. To do this, choose Implement SAP Note. During implementation, the Note Assistant may download prerequisite SAP Notes that must be implemented before.
- Also read and check the prerequisite notes! This is necessary, since they may also contain manual activities. If you don´t do this, the syntax check can bring up an error of the relevant field of the function module, for example.
How can I load SAP Notes?
To load SAP Notes, you need to create an RFC connection to SAPNet - R/3 Frontend. For more information, see the Note Assistant documentation under "Installing the Note Assistant". Currently, it is not possible to download SAP Notes from the SAP Service Marketplace
What happens if a Support Package overwrites corrections that I have implemented with an SAP Note?
The system checks whether corrections you implemented with an SAP Note have been overwritten by a Support Package that does not contain these corrections (yellow traffic light in the Modification adjustment function). In this case, you must implement these corrections again. To do this, double-click the yellow traffic light.
