Tag: SAP Cloud ALM

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Optimization of SAP operations with alm360 Operations from blue.works

SAP landscapes are rarely purely on-premise these days. Many companies are now juggling hybrid setups – a mixture of on-premise systems, cloud applications and externally hosted solutions. This puts IT teams under increasing pressure: updates, security, performance and compliance not only have to be guaranteed, but also constantly monitored. Our Stefan Thomann has already explained this problem in more detail HERE and also presented possible solutions. But who takes care of implementing and operating these solutions when the day-to-day business already ties up more than enough resources?

This is exactly where our approach comes in: With the alm360 operations packages from blue.works, we take the pressure off your internal teams and at the same time ensure that your SAP landscape remains stable, secure and performant – regardless of whether it is hosted internally, operated via a provider or as part of RISE with SAP.

The importance of SAP Cloud ALM in modern operations

SAP Cloud ALM (Application Lifecycle Management) is a cloud-based tool that supports companies in efficiently implementing and operating their SAP solutions. It offers functions such as monitoring, troubleshooting, performance optimisation and security management, which are essential for smooth operation. By integrating SAP Cloud ALM, companies can monitor the health of their SAP landscape in real time and respond proactively to potential problems.

SAP Cloud ALM is also the official successor to SAP Solution Manager, which will be phased out of maintenance at the end of 2027. Companies that are currently still using Solution Manager should switch to SAP Cloud ALM at an early stage to ensure that they continue to have a comprehensive and future-proof ALM solution.

 Our offer: alm360 Operations – precisely tailored to your needs

With alm360 Operations, blue.works has developed a service offering that is specifically designed to support and optimise SAP environments with the help of SAP Cloud ALM. We have already described in more detail why we see this as added value HERE. Regardless of whether the systems are hosted internally, with an external hosting provider or as part of ‘Rise with SAP’, alm360 Operations ensures the stability, performance and scalability of the SAP landscape. Two packages are available: Basic and Advanced. Our Marko Laius has already described the two packages HERE and further details can be found on our website HERE.

alm360 Operations Basic

In this package, blue.works ensures that SAP Cloud ALM always runs smoothly – whether after fortnightly updates, interruptions or system copies.

The Basic package offers the essential services for maintaining and optimising the SAP landscape:

  • Configuration management: Ensuring correct configuration of SAP Cloud ALM and seamless integration of all systems.
  • Connection continuity: Ensuring a stable connection between the systems and SAP Cloud ALM, even when expanding the landscape.
  • Vulnerability monitoring: Continuous monitoring for potential security risks and proactive notification of new vulnerabilities (CVEs).
  • Expert Support: Specialist support for the elimination of identified weaknesses and general operational issues.

 alm360 Operations Advanced

The Advanced package builds on the Basic package and offers additional services:

  • blue.works Health Check: A detailed health check based on best practices that goes beyond standard monitoring and provides deep insights into the system status.
  • Extended system maintenance: Comprehensive maintenance services, including the implementation of SAP notes and validation of backups.
  • Safety audits: Quarterly audits to ensure system compliance and preparation for external audits.
  • Configuration and security analysis: Setting up and monitoring analyses to ensure compliance with security standards.
  • Synthetic User Monitoring (SUM): The implementation of Synthetic User Monitoring makes it possible to continuously monitor business-critical processes by executing simulated user actions in real time. This helps companies to identify problems in the user experience at an early stage and react quickly. blue.works takes over the setup, hosting and ongoing maintenance of the SUM scripts to ensure that the monitoring always remains up-to-date and functional.

 Advantages of the alm360 operations packages

Implementing the alm360 operations packages from blue.works offers companies numerous advantages:

  • Proactive monitoring: Continuous monitoring enables potential problems to be recognised and rectified at an early stage before they affect business operations.
  • Security management: Active monitoring and elimination of security gaps protects the integrity of systems and data.
  • Efficient system maintenance: Regular maintenance work and updates ensure optimum system performance and longevity.
  • Compliance and audit readiness: Thanks to regular audits and analyses, companies are always prepared for external audits and meet compliance requirements.

The added value that blue.works delivers

blue.works takes on numerous essential tasks to ensure the operation and efficiency of SAP Cloud ALM:

  • Ensuring that systems and services are added correctly in Cloud ALM.
  • Clean and clear grouping of systems and services.
  • Continuously check the connection status of all systems and services.
  • Ensuring a smooth data collection process without interruptions, including direct communication with SAP when required.
  • Checking and adjusting the system configuration after the regular fortnightly updates.
  • Restoring and ensuring the functionality of activated use cases after system copies.
  • Proactive notification of required updates (ST-PI) or notes in connection with Cloud ALM.
  • Monitoring of alerts with active contact to the customer or SAP, including direct processing.
  • Proactive support in solving recognised problems – in close cooperation with the customer, external partners or SAP.
  • Support for the operation of the entire SAP landscape that goes beyond pure cloud ALM.
  • Direct access and communication with SAP Cloud ALM product developers for the benefit of the customer.

Conclusion

With the alm360 Operations packages from blue.works, we offer a comprehensive solution for optimising your SAP operations with the help of efficient application lifecycle management. By combining SAP Cloud ALM with blue.works’ customised services, companies can make their SAP landscape efficient, secure and future-proof.

Another decisive advantage is the relief of internal teams. Instead of using valuable resources for time-consuming monitoring, internal employees can concentrate on more strategically important tasks. The implementation of alm360 Operations enables companies to deploy their IT and SAP experts specifically for innovation projects and business-relevant topics instead of reactively responding to system problems.

What sets us apart from other providers? We are not only SAP Cloud ALM experts, but are also closely involved in the further development of the tool – including a direct line to SAP product development. As a result, we often implement optimisations more quickly before they are officially published. Our packages grow flexibly with your system landscape – without rigid service boundaries. And we communicate clearly, without unnecessary escalation levels – because we know that every minute counts during operation.

For SAP departments that want to maximise the added value of their SAP investments, the alm360 Operations packages from blue.works are a worthwhile investment in the future of the company. You gain full control over your SAP landscape, reduce operational overheads and free up time for what really counts: focussing on innovation and added business value.

​​SAP Cloud ALM – What’s New in week 12

Bi-Weekly SAP Cloud ALM Update Is Here!

We’re back with the latest enhancements in SAP Cloud ALM! As SAP continues to refine and expand its capabilities, we’re here to keep you informed about the newest features designed to simplify your workflows and maximize efficiency. In this update, we’ll break down the key improvements from Week 12.

SAP Business Transformation Center

In Scoping, it is now possible to apply the time slice solution pattern to digital blueprints whose scope includes company codes that have different fiscal year start dates allowing more flexibility when using the time slice solution pattern.

Cycle and Monitoring has a new option, Health Check to validate the correct setup of the system landscape in the Manage Cycles app. The checks in the prevalidation phase are enhanced to validate certain aspects of the target system. In addition, the Health Check option allows repeated validation of the health of the target system.

Implementation

Processes have 2 new updates.

The new solution scenario, SAP Services Content for Core Retail, is now available.

Processes has also a new filter Scope State allowing to display all solution processes that are In Scope or Out of Scope. This can make other tasks more efficient, such as if the user wants to set multiple processes into scope using the mass editing feature, for instance.

Keep in mind that if choosing the Out of Scope value while viewing the list of Open Solution Processes in display mode, the list will be empty as the list view was already prefiltered to show scoped processes.

Test Plans allows now to create copies of test plans, for example, to reuse them for subsequent testing cycles.

The copy of the test plan is created in the same project and with the same attributes as the source test plan. Any existing test results associated with the source test plan aren’t copied. By default, the title of the copied test plan is Copy of <Title of the Source Test Plan> and the status is In Preparation.

Quality Gates has a new feature, allowing users to modify multiple checklist items of a quality gate at once. The following values can be modified in Edit mode:

  • Status
  • Planned Completion
  • Team
  • User Type
  • Responsible

Process Authoring has many new updates this time.

When calling up the details for a solution activity in the Solution Activities list, we can now see information about any Applications that are assigned to it.

As well as the name of the application, we can also see which application type it belongs to. Some examples of possible application types are the following standard content types, although other custom content application types are also possible:

  • SAP Fiori Application
  • Transaction
  • URL
  • Program

A new filter has been added, allowing users to filter the list of solution activities shown by Process Hierarchy Node. The filter is displayed by default.

Theres also 2 more new filters added.

First one allowing to filter the list of solution activities shown by Source. This filter helps to identify the solution activities that have been transferred into SAP Cloud ALM from a different source, such as SAP Solution Manager.

The second one allows filtering the list of solution activities shown by External Reference Name using a free-text field.

Similarly, a corresponding column has been added to the list table for both new filters. Both the filter and column are not displayed by default but can be added using the Adapt Filters button and the table settings.

Process Authoring displays now any process hierarchy nodes assigned to solution activities both in the list view and in the Object Page view. In the Object Page view, it’s possible also to maintain the process hierarchy node details for the solution activity that have been selected.

It’s possible to assign new process hierarchy nodes by choosing Assign, and unassign existing ones by selecting one or more existing entries first and then choosing Unassign.

Guided Implementation introduced 3 new updates.

It’s now possible to view flow graphs showing the predecessors and the successors of tasks with dependencies.

When users log back in to the system, they are now directed to the project or task that they previously worked on in Guided Implementation.

When users navigate to the task Setup Project in a new project that hasn’t been selected a template for, they can now change the project title and select an SAP Activate Roadmap in the Guided Implementation app.

Documents have now relations to configuration library available.  

Users can now assign or unassign relations to the configuration library elements from within the Documents app. The assigned relations are listed in the table Configurations on the object page of a document.

In Implementation area several applications have new feature available.

When users are assigned to a task, a quality gate, a requirement, or a defect as an involved party, they will now be notified by the system. Users can use the notification to navigate to the respective item in the corresponding app.

Operations

Business Process Monitoring has new KPIs available for SAP S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition, SAP S/4HANA, and SAP Business Suite 7:

  • Overdue Purchase Requisition Items Blocking PP/PM Orders
  • Production Orders Not Settled
  • Outbound Delivery Order Items Overdue for Picking

New KPIs are available from ST-PI version 7.40 SP29.

Configuration & Security Analysis allows now to monitor SAP security recommendation data for SAP Datasphere.

In Synthetic User Monitoring SAP redesigned UI of the configuration options to enhance and standardize user experiences for SAP Cloud ALM users.

This includes aligning navigation, visual elements, and status interpretations to improve user efficiency and mitigate errors. Moreover, the standardized interface helps in simplifying the technical navigation process across a variety of usage scenarios.

Real User Monitoring now supports the use of variants when creating event actions.

​​SAP Cloud ALM – What’s New in week 10​

Welcome back to our bi-weekly SAP Cloud ALM update! 

As SAP continues to enhance Cloud ALM, we’re here to bring you the latest innovations that streamline your processes and elevate your productivity. In this edition, we’re diving into the key updates from week 10 – giving you a closer look at how these new features help you work smarter and achieve more. Let’s get started! 

Implementation 

Tasks introduced search function for milestones. When linking a milestone to a date, it’s now possible to search for milestone names.

In Tasks, the item types of Project Task and User Story, the Create options are no longer restricted. These two items are always visible in the Create menu. 

In Processes, when selecting a solution activity, the documents assigned to that solution activity are now shown in a consolidated list, regardless of where the assignment was made. In other words, as well as showing documents that were assigned in scoping, this section now also shows any documents that were assigned to the solution activity in the list of solution activities within Process Authoring.

If a document has an icon in front of its title, this means that it was assigned to a solution activity in the Process Authoring app. Note that it’s not possible to unassign documents of this nature in this section. As documents always belong to a project, only documents belonging to the currently chosen project are displayed. 

To directly navigate to the respective document in the Documents app select a document’s title. 

Process Authoring introduced a new Delete button and checkboxes displayed to the left of the list of custom solution processes. Allowing now to delete multiple processes at once within the Process Authoring app. 

Note that if changing any of filter settings in the filter bar at the top of the UI, current selection disappears. Additionally, it’s also possible to clear current selection by choosing the “Clear Selection” icon to the right of the information banner. 

The Delete button only becomes active when selecting at least one solution process that is either archived or has a draft version only, as only these types of solution process can be deleted. 

Overview app has a new Defects card available showing an overview of the statuses and priorities of defects. 

Libraries allows now navigation directly to the Test Management app by using the assigned test cases of a library item. 

Documents has now relations to solution activities available. It’s now possible to assign or unassign relations to the solution activity from within the Documents app. The assigned relations are listed in the table “Solution Activities” on the object page of a document. 

In Analytics, addition to user types, it’s now possible to review checklists according to teams in the Quality Gates Reporting app. 

In Requirements, similarly to Tasks, the item type Requirement, the Create options are no longer restricted. The item type Requirement is always visible in the Create menu. 

In several Implementations applications it is now possible to split descriptions for items over multiple columns, allowing to maintain long descriptions for items. 

Operations 

Real User Monitoring has 2 new updates this time.  

The Real User Monitoring now supports data from SAP Analytics Cloud. It’s now allowing to see user interaction data within SAP Analytics Cloud in real-time. For instance, it can capture response times of individual stories, which are interactive reports in SAP Analytics Cloud. This feature currently focuses on the front-end components of SAP Analytics Cloud. Therefore, it can provide insights about real-time user experience on the front-end and help identify any performance issues quickly. 

Real User Monitoring has also now a new page called Change Points. A change point for a request name signifies a notable performance shift compared to the recent past, lasting for a brief period (not just single executions). Such a change point might suggest an event that warrants closer examination. Depending on the request type, different entities characterized by the request name are compared to detect change points. Now Real User Monitoring allows to monitor these change points.  

Integration & Exception Monitoring introduced us 3 new capabilities.  

The data collection for SAP Mobile Services is now orchestrated using Next Generation – Data Collection Infrastructure (NG-DCI). This simplifies the configuration process and allows for the automatic setup of services with SAP Cloud ALM. 

Integration & Exception Monitoring allows now to monitor messages for SAP Ariba Contract Price Renegotiation Add-on. Application gives a detailed status overview of the incoming and outgoing messages.  

Integration & Exception Monitoring has a new tab called Solving Tips in the exception details screen. This tab displays possible solutions to resolve the exception. These solutions are retrieved from an SAP knowledge base using the exception’s message. The proposed solutions are displayed as cards that show an extract along with the resource reference. It’s possible to choose a card and view the solution in detail in the corresponding resource, like SAP for Me. 

To refine the suggested solutions, entering more information such as program name or reporting components in the Fine-tune results with additional keywords field. After choosing Apply, the suggested solutions are then adapted based on the given keywords. 

Administration 

User Management introduced Table View to the Users page, offering a more convenient and organized way to manage large numbers of users. This view allows displaying the entire list of SAP Cloud ALM users in a grid format. 

The following user properties are available in the table columns: 

  • Name 
  • User ID 
  • Status 
  • Email 
  • Roles 

To view the user details, change a user’s role authorization, or process an approval request click on the respective row. 

Jira or SAP Cloud ALM? An exchange of blows between four test managers

Stefan: Welcome to our exchange of blows! Today, two teams meet to present their arguments in favor of their preferred test management tools. On the one side is Team Jira, on the other Team SAP Cloud ALM. Team Jira, why is your tool the best?

Team Jira: Clearly, because it is even more flexible than a Swiss army knife and not as cumbersome as your old SAP Solution Manager, which has been dubbed a pocket knife! With Jira, we can customize everything the way we need it.

Team SAP Cloud ALM: Well, but flexibility can also lead to chaos! Especially when you already have complex projects like an S/4HANA transformation, the customer wants nothing more than a solid framework and guidance. SAP Cloud ALM offers clear structures and guidance. We SAP customers pay nothing extra, and the tool is not licensed per user. The setup is simple and efficient, so even interns can easily get started. If you like, I can provide you with your own SAP Cloud ALM tenant within minutes.

Team Jira: But do you also have a wide range of variants? In Jira, for example, we have flexible dashboards. We can filter and tag everything as required by the project. And the onboarding of external testers? It’s quick and easy, as long as the company provides enough user licenses.

Team SAP Cloud ALM: Variant diversity is all well and good, but we rely on proven SAP best practice templates and use them to bring the SAP Activate Methodology to life. Have you tried mapping SAP Activate in Jira? Have fun with it…
Efficiency and structure lead us to our goal. And the development of Cloud ALM is based on user requirements. We have a strong community and SAP implements the “Influence Requests” of the community. That’s what you call customer orientation with a plan!

Team Jira: Structure is good, but innovation is better. We can expand with add-ons such as Xray or Confluence. No wish remains unfulfilled – everything just as the customer needs it.

Team SAP Cloud ALM: Oh yeah? I think you need your own Jira project so that you don’t lose track of the costs and the add-ons!

But let’s move on to the technical topics. How does defect management work for you, for example? We have complete end-to-end traceability with transport links – nota bene without having to configure anything. Defects are transparent, everyone knows immediately which retests are pending. And now hold on tight: we even have a direct link to the transport requests. No guessing game as to which correction belongs to which defect.

Team Jira: Defects run as bugs and are flexible to handle. The developer pushes it on, and that’s it. And for reporting? We set up our dashboards individually and thus maintain an overview at all times. Sure, a mistake can happen with the tags, but that’s solved quickly.

Team SAP Cloud ALM: Oh, you bend your reports to fit the evaluation. With you, reporting is an effort every time! With us, the dashboards are available out-of-the-box – there’s no need to make any improvements.

Team Jira: And what do you think of the test phase classification? I can easily control this in Jira via release cycles.

Team SAP Cloud ALM: Release cycles that do not control transports and changes are gugus for me. Naming and tags are completely sufficient for us. We have best practices for the test scope that can be used immediately. No step is left to chance and not a penny is spent extra. We have test plans that can also be tagged for the relevant phase. And again: we can even start deployments to the next system via our release cycles. But you’ll probably have another expensive add-on for that.

Team Jira: Right, there’s an add-on for that. Flexibility has its price!

Let’s talk about transparency. With our reports, we answer the question of whether everything has been completed without any problems.

Team SAP Cloud ALM: We have transparency thanks to the process hierarchies. Everything remains traceable and what was created in the project can simply be transferred to operations. We can tell you at any time whether the processes have been tested or whether a requirement is still being tested. No wishes remain unfulfilled.

Stefan: Thank you, Team Jira and Team SAP Cloud ALM! Your exchange of blows has given us an exciting insight into the strengths and weaknesses of both tools. Do you still have a feature that you are currently missing in your tools?

Team Jira: Yes, a PowerPoint export at the touch of a button would be brilliant.

Team SAP Cloud ALM: That would be handy! I would also like to see a comprehensive mass upload function with clear sequences for test cases.

Stefan: Many thanks to Team Jira and Team SAP Cloud ALM – that was exciting! Whether you prefer the flexibility and adaptability of Jira or the structure and clear lines of SAP Cloud ALM, both tools have their specific advantages in test management. Team Jira stands for agile customization and individualization, which is particularly useful in complex and variable projects. Team SAP Cloud ALM, on the other hand, focuses on efficiency and user guidance, perfect for SAP-driven projects in which best practices can be directly integrated.

In the end, the respective project or perhaps even the overall organization and the specific requirements will probably decide which tool best meets the test management requirements.

One thing is certain: both teams love their tools and use them optimally to ensure quality and transparency in their projects.

It can therefore be said that it is not just a question of the tool, but also of the correctly set up and utilized test strategy.

Thanks for reading and see you in the next exchange of blows!

SAP Cloud ALM – What’s New in week 8

Welcome back to our bi-weekly SAP Cloud ALM update blog! As SAP continues to refine and enhance the Cloud ALM experience, we’re here to keep you informed about the latest innovations designed to boost efficiency and simplify your workflows. In this edition, we’ll walk you through the key enhancements from week 8, showcasing how SAP is helping you achieve more with every update. Let’s dive in!

SAP Business Transformation Center

This time SAP has made 4 new features available for Scoping.

In the Manage Digital Blueprints app, there is a new chart which displays the distribution of transactional data per year. The chart is visible in the Solution Patterns section for time slice. This allows visualizing the impact of a time slice-based data reduction on the scope of digital blueprint and helps to make an informed decision when selecting a year for a time slice.

In the Select Company Codes app, it’s now possible to check the fiscal year start date of each company code in the company code list view. This helps to make scoping decisions for a digital blueprint for which it’s planned to activate the time slice solution pattern.

When a system scan fails due to an incorrect setup in the backend system, SAP Business Transformation Center now displays detailed instructions on how to fix the issue. These messages are visible in the system scan´s Activity Log section in the in the Manage System Scans app.

Additionally In the Manage System Scans app, when the software component check of a system scan fails, the activity log now provides more information on the missing system requirements, including the necessary SAP Notes to install on the source system and which software components are missing the minimum version required for the system to pass the check.

Implementation

Test Preparation has 2 new features.

To prevent accidental loss of test results, the deletion of test cases with existing test runs is now restricted to users with the role Project Administrator or Project Lead. Users with the Project Member role can still delete test cases that haven’t been executed yet.

It’s now possible to assign application library elements to test cases. This helps to ensure the application’s test coverage and improve overall traceability throughout the implementation project. It also allows to track the statuses of related test cases from the Libraries app.

The assignment itself takes place in the new Relations tab, which now also contains process hierarchy nodes.

Test Plans introduced Role-based restrictions on deleting and unassigning. To prevent accidental loss of test results, the following actions are now restricted to users with the role Project Administrator or Project Lead:

  • Deleting test plans that contain test cases with existing test runs
  • Unassigning test cases with existing test runs from test plans

Users with the Project Member role can still delete test plans and unassign test cases that haven’t been executed yet.

Processes allows now to display configurations for a solution process or solution activity.

When calling up the details for a solution process or solution activity in the Solution Process Viewer, we see information about any configurations that are assigned to them. As well as the name of any assigned configurations, we can also see their respective IDs and a icon, representing the Process Authoring app as the origin of where these configuration library types were created.

The Configurations section is currently only shown if corresponding assignments exist.

Process Authoring allows now to call up a history of actions from the icon located at the top of the list of custom solution processes. This history tracks every action that has been performed on custom solution process, along with the user who performed the action and the date and time. By default, we see the actions in chronological order with the latest action at the top, but it’s also possible to switch the order to show the oldest first.

In addition, we can also use the search or filter by a specific time range or action type, as listed below:

  • Created
  • Restored
  • Published
  • Created Draft
  • Edited
  • Archived
  • Deleted

Where appropriate, it’s also possible to open the corresponding custom solution process from the link within history.

Libraries now displays test cases that were assigned to applications.

Analytics allows now to see both direct and indirect assignments in the Solution Process Traceability app.

By clicking a bar chart in the Defects column, we can now view defects that are directly assigned to a solution process in the popup. If we also want to see indirect assignments, it’s necessary to enable them by using the Indirect Assignments button.

In several applications new test preparation owner and priority filter functionalities were introduced.

In the Solution Process Traceability, Requirement Traceability, and User Story Traceability apps, we can now find the test case owner in the popup that appears when clicking on a bar chart in the Test Preparation column.

In the Cross-Project Analysis app, by employing the test case owner and Priority filters, the Test Preparation and Test Execution charts are filtered accordingly, and clicking on the bars of the Test Preparation bar chart reveals the test case owner’s user name in a popover.

In the Project Overview app, the Test Preparation card responds to filters Assigned to: Me and Assigned to: All and features new display options By Status and By Priority. Additionally, it features a classification between automated and manual test cases, while the Test Execution card introduces a new By Priority dropdown filter.

In the Implementation area there is a new application called Deployment.

With the Deployment app, we can schedule and automate transport deployments of several features of a deployment plan throughout the system landscape. The central entity of the Deployment app is the deployment plan. For the deployment, all or only a subset of TMS managed transport requests assigned to the deployment plan are selected.

As a deployment manager it’s possible to use the app for:

  • Creating deployment schedules to deploy changes to quality, pre-production or production systems (this is not possible for ATO).
  • Creating feature status and/or release dependent, and recurring deployment schedules for features within the same project.
  • Editing and deleting deployment schedules.
  • Viewing scheduled deployments (target tenant only for TMS, not for ATO and CTMS).

Services

Issues and Actions Management has 2 new features available.

It’s now possible to create follow-up tasks of Type Requirement for the desired Project and Project Phase helping to organize and maintain tasks efficiently.

Issues and Actions Management now also synchronizes follow-up task status to actions meaning that change in the Status of the task in SAP Cloud ALM Tasks are now synchronized to actions in SAP Cloud ALM. Additionally, for tasks of Type Requirement, the Requirement Status in SAP Cloud ALM Tasks is synchronized to actions in SAP Cloud ALM.

If the Status of the action is Done and there is a change in the Status of the task in SAP Cloud ALM Tasks, the system does not overwrite the Status of the action in SAP Cloud ALM.