SAP Challenges

Find an OSS note

Different ideas for finding notes• See Note 192194 It includes SAP standard search

methods – Julius von dem Bussche Suggested this. • See Note 888889 - Proactively watch for your area

notes. Another great Julius suggestion.• Note: Search by your company’s system. Only the

notes that pertain to your system will be listed. This is a nice filter. - This was a suggestion by O. Joppe.

• Program Dump – Although there is not always a dump when there is a bug.

• Program name for search via Message debug

Different ideas for finding notes Cont.

• Find what transaction was being run. Search by the transaction.

• Do a where use on the program. • Look at the program.• Search by the error message.• Read notes that do not relate to your error.• If all else fails create a message to OSS.

Searching OSS

• Search for OSS Note – Log on to OSS – Type in a search Term usually program that is

failing• This is where I enter most of the information. Usually I

leave everything else, as is. I will limit the data if there are too many notes. BUT usually I limit it by expanding my search term instead of using the other fields.

Program Dump

• If the program has dumped, look at the dump to determine the program. (ST22) This will provide the program name for searching OSS

• Execute ST22 on the day that the error occurred.

A list is generated.

• Select the program that you are researching, and display the error message.

Find the program name

• If the program has dumped, look at the dump to determine the program. (ST22) This will provide the program name for searching.

• Double click on the error message– In this case I have a distinct error. I’ve got the

program name.

Program name for search via Message debug

• The OSS note could relate to a different program in your stack. For example in a program from a function module from an object from an include program. (Yuck.) You could step thru the code.

• A “quicker” way of finding the lower program is to set a breakpoint at message to stop at all messages. This can lead you into the function module or program to look up.

Note Example is a custom program. OSS only supports SAP programs. Used for example purpose only.

Do a where used on the program

• Search by each level higher and lower in the stack. This could take days. But sometimes finding a note can take days.

Look at the program

• There sometimes are clues in the program – in the comments

Read Notes that do not relate to your Error

• You’ve exhausted all the searches you’ve tried. As a last resort try reading the notes that didn’t sound like they would fix your problem. Look at the code in the notes. Look at the code in the SAP program. If it looks like it will fix the problem, try applying it to your Sandbox system. Sometimes that works.

Create an OSS Message

• And here is a novel idea – create your own message to OSS. I try to use this as a last resort. But maybe I should do it sooner.

Step 1: Report a problem

Pick your system and product

You will have to search for your note. If you don’t find it create the message

Be sure to enter the correct component – then it will get the right person

The short text is a quick description – the long text and stages are nicely defined by SAP

Your contact details will be filled. When done you can save for later or submit to SAP.