getting help from sap - efficient sap message creation and escalation path

SAP Customer message handling

SAP Escalation path

Arla Foods / IBM

Joerg Mueller, SAP AG

12.11.2010

© SAP 2007, Title of Presentation / Speaker Name /

Content

SAP Service MarketPlace

General rules for logging SAP-messages

Definition of priorities

SAP Notes Searching

Other information – Tips & Tricks

Additional Attention through MaxAttention (on “Very High” messages)


Help and Support at SAP:

SAP Service MarketPlace

SAP Service MarketPlace main features:

Components and software download

Release and Upgrade Information

Best Practise for Solution Management

Software Maintenance information

Knowledge database

SAP Notes searching

Customer message handling

SAP provides general troubleshooting notes for specific areas (e.g. for PI with SAP

notes 854506, 1095476 and their „related notes‟, about how to provide traces/dumps

etc.). IBM experts can educate themselves upfront before incidents occur, to save

time during the incidents


General rules for logging SAP-messages (1/2)

Perform a Note search to insure that there are no existing customer notes which can resolve the issue.

Information needed in the message Set the correct priority – set the right expectations between Arla/IBM and the processor at SAP

Add contact details (mobile, email, basis contact in case of e.g. problems with connections) of the person that is logging/working on the problem

State business impact of the problem ("We need this to be resolved by close of business on Friday ............. due to ......... where if it is not it will lead to ....... and this could cost us (….will delay our integration test……)." This will help the processor on the SAP side to prioritize the message

Add a Step-by-Step description to replicate the problem and make sure that example data are available in the system

Include all actions already taken to resolve the issue, including any notes which you may have applied.


General rules for logging SAP-messages (2/2)

Process to get the connection opened when necessary Check process with Basis-Team to get the connection opened

Provide remote login information to the system in the secure area. Insure validity date of the User ID and Password will span the number of days required for the connection to remain open

Once Message is Submitted to SAP For messages with status Very High, SAP provides 24 x 7 problem resolution

Monitor the message on a daily basis. Do this more frequently for Very High and High Messages.

Respond quickly to all requests for supporting information.

Send the message back to SAP after the update is completed.

If a message is in Customer Status, SAP is waiting for a response. If the message remains in Customer Action for too long, it will automatically be closed.

Refer to SAP-Note 560499 when further escalation is needed.

Follow-up to confirm the note when issue is resolved


Definition of priorities

Very high A message with priority "very high" is justified when extremely serious interruptions in normal operations occur:

Tasks that should be executed immediately cannot be executed. This is caused by a complete crash of the system or by interruptions in main functions of the production SAP system. The message requires immediate processing, as the breakdown can result in significant losses

Delays to a planned production start-up or upgrade within the next 3 business days. Absolute “show-stopper”.

High: A message with priority "high" is justified when serious interruptions in normal operations occur:

Important tasks cannot be performed. This is caused by a malfunctioning or unavailable function in the SAP system that is urgently required to deal with the current situation.

The message requires quick processing, as a lasting malfunction could cause serious interruptions to all processes in the production system

Medium: A message with priority "medium" is justified when interruptions in normal operations occur. This is caused by malfunctioning

or unavailable functions in the SAP System

Low: A message with priority "low" is justified when no or only minor interruptions in normal operations occur. This is caused by

malfunctioning or unavailable functions in the SAP system that are not required on a daily basis or not used regularly


Help and Support at SAP:

SAP Notes Searching

Detailed procedure of the SAP Notes Searching:

https://websmp107.sap-ag.de/~sapidb/011000358700004858172004/

Search Tips:

search component sub-trees using wildcard „*‟ e.g. to search all areas in MM use MM*, to search all

areas in APO integration use SCM-APO-INT*

narrow your search by specifying additional criteria, application area, etc.

use extended syntax (e.g. development AND “function module” NOT se38)

use keyword “performance” and additional components XX* and XX-BO* for performance related issues

General:

Please provide information about your SAP Notes search and evaluation into the SAP message,

so our First level Support may route the message quickly further to second level support

SAP Note – software error corrections, documentation, special customizing,

tips & tricks, guidelines, additional information provided by SAP

SAP Note is NOT a synonym of Customer Message





Other information – Tips & Tricks

Business Impact When entering a Very High message, or escalating a High message, you MUST include an explanation of the

business impact: Is the problem in a productive, test or development system? When is the planned Go Live? What impact does your problem have on your business (financial, process)? Do you have a work-around? How many users are impacted?

SAP-Note 90835 describes in general how to create an SAP-message

SAP-Note 560499 contains all telephone numbers to the CIC‟s worldwide in case e.g. a message needs to get escalated to a higher priority

Tips & Tricks: for consulting issues (modification in the code required, extra functionality needed, etc.) open a message on

component XX-RC (Remote Consulting) keeping in mind this is a paid service. Or on XX-EOD (charged to the MaxAttention contingent – please inform MaxAttention TQM - [email protected])

for critical and performance related issues open a message on component SV-BO (SAP Backoffice – dedicated unit to handle such issues.)

Typical problems:

System access granted too late, message kept long time in status “customer action” no action from SAP happening, multiple questions in one message, lean problem description, lack of reproducible example, consulting question (please use EOD through MaxAttention), messages are not confirmed when issue solved – automatic confirmation, submitting a message which could be solved by existing Notes, Trouble Shooting Notes of the specific area not considered


Additional Attention through TQM

For priority “very high” messages:

Please inform your MaxAttention responsible TQM (SAP Technical Quality Manager –

currently [email protected]) – via email with message number/details (or his

substitute when mentioned in an email out-of-office reply) even though he may just be

reached directly during regular business hours. The message process “very high” and

CIC as mentioned above are available 24/7. The MaxAttention Backoffice is additionally

tracking and supporting these messages automatically 24x7.

Jörg Müller

Technical Quality Manager

SAP Active Global Support

69190 Walldorf, Germany

T +49 160 9043 2345

E [email protected]

getting help from sap - efficient sap message creation and escalation path

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