SAP OSS Notes: An Overview

SAP OSS Note

OSS stands for Online Service System and as the name implies, the service is accessible thru
internet. SAP notes are part of SAP service portal. In simple terms, it is SAP’s Knowledge Base
that specifically addresses known issues in SAP system. It is continually updated as SAP
customers report issues in SAP system and SAP releases note with detailed instructions on how
to fix / address the issue.

Most issues get fixed when SAP releases next version of the same component and hence it is
very necessary to see applicability of a note with respect to the version where an issue is being
addressed. Each note applies to a version and mostly all its predecessor version.

When to look for SAP Note

In a typical support environment, notes is the first place a consultant heads to when faced with
an issue with SAP standard behaviour. First step, when an issue is raised in SAP system, is to look
for the source where the issue is observed. If one succeeds in locating the code causing issue,
SAP notes come into picture if and only if the code where the issue is occurring is SAP code. Even
if it is SAP Code, consultant should do sufficient analysis to ensure that there is no custom code
that could be disrupting the info flow for regular SAP code like thru some user exit, BADI etc.

Once all custom code errors and data errors are ruled out, consultant can take a first level quick
search in SAP OSS notes database by keying in the symptoms.

Note: To access SAP Service place, SAP S-User ID is required. A certified consultant usually has
own S-user ID. However, when we are checking issues for a specific system which is associated to
a client, it is better to use S-User ID by getting it from BASIS team.

Many SAP Notes will be retrieved based on the symptoms sorted by relevance. Consultant has to
review notes to see if any of the notes are available for the issue faced. Once found, check for
the release versions that the note applies to and ensure that the system where issues are
observed are same or predecessors. Later versions will have the issue fixed.

If no SAP note is obtained, customer can always log an issue with SAP which will be addressed by
SAP support but these are subject to SAP support contract etc. and hence always advised to be
done after consulting BASIS support team and ensuring issues are logged with customer’s S-User
for which support is available.

Understanding an SAP Note

An SAP note is available on SAP support portal but more often downloaded by consultants as
PDF file either from SAP Portal or from SAP Transaction SNOTE. The Note has the issue details
followed by the fix to it. Further it has certain header level info provided which, though appears
trivial, is the first info that a consultant should look for before getting deep into it.

SAP Note No.

This is the SAP Note number that uniquely identifies the note in SAP OSS notes database.

Processing Status
This applies when viewing note from SNOTE. For a note that can be implemented, this gives info
whether it is completely implemented or not.

Implementation Status

This is a critical info for any note. This tells if the note contains any code corrections that needs
to be implemented in SAP system or just contains info and / or instructions to circumvent the
issue when observed. The note that has status ‘Can Be Implemented’ is the one that has code
corrections in it and applying that will resolve the issue. How to apply the corrections is
discussed in sections below.

The note that has status ‘Cannot be Implemented’ implies that there are no code level
corrections that can fix the issue. Either SAP advises to avoid / take certain practice / steps to
ensure the identified error doesn’t occur or just explains the system design and why the error
occurs. Either ways, there are no code level changes and hence no action required per the note.
Notes of this category are not discussed further in this document.

Short Text

Summary of the issue that is being addressed in the note is mentioned here.
Component

This specified SAP component that this note applies to. This is useful to rule out note usage for
certain issues – for example if the note is for specific area and the observed issue is not in that
area, this info helps to rule out any help from the note. So a note to fix IS-Oil component will not
be of use if the system is not IS-Oil.

Long Text

This section details out the symptoms, often accompanied by an example scenario, followed by
the details of the error.

Reason and Pre-requisites

This tells why the error occurs and what the conditions that cause the error are. When given an
issue and analyze if the note works for it or not, this helps to see if the conditions that cause the
error are part of the issue making it a valid scenario for note.

Solution

This outlines and then details out the solution approach. For a note that can be applied, this is a
list of codes that need to be updated followed by the code that has to be
added/deleted/changed.

Valid Releases

This is very critical. SAP clearly mentions the component version for which the note is applicable.
The reason – SAP will fix known issues in future release and hence the issue described will only
be observed in specified versions or earlier versions. More often, consultants end up digging up
notes that are irrelevant because the notes are for older versions. This takes the issue off the
focus as we tend to assume it is SAP Code issue than to look for real cause. Hence this has to be
carefully checked before working on the note details.

a. e.g.:
Implementing Notes

In simple terms, SAP notes are correction instructions from SAP for known issues in SAP system.
The corrections can be mainly categorized into two categories – Implementable and Non-
Implementable. A note’s header section clearly mentions out if the note can be implemented or
not.

If it is an implementable note, first, go to transaction SNOTE.

Click search button on top and enter the note number. If the note is already downloaded, system
will point to it. Else, there is one additional step to download it.

If note is already available, ensure it is latest by clicking on ‘Download Latest version’ from menu
as shown below.

A. To download a note, go to menu option Go To à Download SAP Note.

Enter the note number and execute to download.

Once downloaded, search for note again and then double click note number to navigate to note
details screen.

It is easy to notice various icons next to note numbers. They visually indicate implementation
status for each note. The grey diamond indicates that note cannot be implemented. A play
button indicates note can be implemented.

Notes that can be implemented, the best way to implement is thru SNOTE.

Thru SNOTE, we can check the implementation status of each SAP note. If the note says ‘Can be
implemented’, then after ensuring that the note is required and can fix the issue, click execute
button on top. System applies the note and updates the status whether the note was
successfully implemented or not.

The code correction technical details can be obtained from the info tree on left. Select folder
‘Corrections’ and expand it. It lists the code corrections that will be done to fix the issue. Each
correction mentions a code section from system followed by code changes in terms of insertion
of code, commenting (deleting) the code or both.

Some notes need manual intervention and the note mentions how it has to be done – step by
step. For e.g. if system requires to add a new data element or some entry in data dictionary
followed by code changes then the note explains the same.
Note: When code changes are to be done manually, an access key is required to make changes
to SAP code. This needs help from BASIS team as the object ID for the code being altered (e.g.
include name) needs to be updated in SAP service place and then the key is generated. This key
has to be entered in order to edit SAP code.

The purpose of doing this – each SAP installation is registered with SAP and hence SAP keeps
track of which SAP code was altered and this comes handy during an upgrade or during a
support request to SAP.

IMPORTANT: Since these are SAP code corrections, Transport Request will be requested while
system applies the code changes. Be prepared to create/provide TRs – mostly workbench
requests.

Uninstalling a Note

When a note is applied thru SNOTE by clicking execute, system allows to uninstall it as well.
Technically it revert the code to original state. To uninstall a note, select ‘Reset SAP
Implementation Note’ from menu as shown below.

This doesn’t apply if codes are changed manually by a developer and hence it is advised to keep
a copy of code being altered either in system or as document in a safe place. Reverting note
changes in this case is to again edit the code and put back old version, preferable from a system
where the code is not altered or from a backup system.

Troubleshooting

Things can go wrong when implementing SAP Note. There are many ways to trouble shoot.
Please note that the best way is to uninstall, if allowed, and apply again.

Other way is to perform a code comparison and see which sections of the code were changed.
Now pull up the advised code changes from SAP Note – corrections folder and see what’s gone
wrong and apply the changes manually.

Best practices while implementing an SAP Note

As we all know SAP clearly identifies SAP’s own code and customer’s code and treats them
totally different. The SAP code was developed by SAP AG and is hence maintained by only SAP.
When a code correction is applied per a note, the code that is affected is considered as altered.

Applying is SAP note is an easy task but there are certain best practices that can keep you safe
and revert system in case the note doesn’t work or issues occur.

• Ensure note applies to the current version of system

• Prefer SNOTE application than manual application

• Create a backup copy of the code before applying note

 • When applying manual note changes, clearly document the code changes so that it can
be reverted if issues occur

• Never attempt to add any code other than what is in note when applying note manually.

• Never attempt to alter code / write code in own naming convention etc. than what is
mentioned in note.

• When applying note automatically, ensure that the TRs (Transport Requests) are ready or
the ID thru which note is being applied has sufficient rights to create TRs.

Notes are to fix issues but are still CODE CHANGES. Hence the functionalities need to be
thoroughly tested after note application no matter how trivial the change is.