For the data transfer between ARIS and SAP® Solution Manager to run without errors the following conditions and rules must be adhered to.
ARIS provides you with optional support for creating SAP functions for a branch or a project, executables, interfaces and documents. If you enable the Open supporting dialog and Run executables with SAP® Solution Manager check boxes on the Solution Manager options page, the executable codes and assignment structure of new SAP functions will automatically be specified according to the consistently rules for SAP® Solution Manager 7.2 or SAP® Solution Manager 7.1. Documents can be transferred to SAP® Solution Manager.
To ensure that the rules were adhered to, they are automatically checked by the Run consistency check macro when saving , after the macro has been activated. This macro calls the Run consistency check report for all SAP-relevant models and functions that have a specified SAP model type or SAP function type. Before synchronization, you can simulate a synchronization without transferring data. Use the log file to resolve any errors that occurred.
The consistency check starts for all SAP-relevant:
Models of following types with a specified SAP model type:
Value-added chain diagram (VACD)
EPC
EPC (row display)
EPC (column display)
BPMN process diagram (BPMN 2.0)
BPMN collaboration diagram (BPMN 2.0)
Objects of the Function type with a specified SAP function type.
Read the following notes before you transfer data:
Recommended procedure
We recommend that the main system be defined when setting up the project or the solution. Do not attempt to work in SAP® Solution Manager while the synchronization is running. This will prevent data from being overwritten unintentionally during synchronization.
To avoid version conflicts when using BPR elements, use an SAP® Server for synchronization.
Synchronization
To verify that required attributes were not changed unintentionally after database editing, perform a consistency check.
If you transfer template projects to SAP® Solution Manager and use transports, you need to ensure that the user who runs the synchronization is assigned a maximum of one open transport for this project.
Otherwise, all transports will be ignored. If you need functions that require transport assignments, run the report Z_SOLAR_TPROJ_TADIR_CREATION in the SAP® system. This restores the missing relationships.
Transfer documents
If test and training documents were transferred to your database with a program version up to 7.2.0.551017, the project documentation symbol is used for the different types of documents. To avoid that test and training documents are entered on the Project documentation tab in SAP® Solution Manager after the transfer, you must use the relevant symbol types for information carriers.
In this case, start the synchronization for all projects and select the Transfer data to ARIS project option. This automatically assigns the document-specific symbols. Afterwards, you can transfer documents that were added in ARIS to SAP® Solution Manager.
The following table indicates which symbols are used for the different types of documents, and on which tabs the documents will be managed after their transfer to SAP® Solution Manager.
Symbol |
Symbol type |
SAP® Solution Manager |
|
General documentation (only for template projects) |
General documentation tab |
|
Project documentation |
Project documentation tab |
|
Test documentation |
Test cases tab |
|
Training documentation |
Training documentation tab |
If you synchronize with an incomplete method filter or different method configurations, unpredictable errors and loss of data may occur.
The current method filter must contain all required items defined in the method configuration of the SAP® synchronization.
For example, if you have unintentionally removed the symbol used for scenarios from the current method filter and transfer data to SAP® Solution Manager with deletion options enabled, your entire project will be deleted, since scenarios are ignored by the filter.
During the synchronization, the current method configuration of the SAP® synchronization is checked. If the method configuration has been changed in the meantime, ensure that all items of the original method configuration are also included in the current method filter.
If you are not using a user-defined method configuration, but user-defined model types, ensure that these model types are defined on the current client. Otherwise, select existing model types.
Ensure that projects are always synchronized using the same method configuration with which they were downloaded from the SAP® system.
Check a new method configuration using a previously saved SAP® Solution Manager project before you use the method configuration in a productive environment.
Changing object types and symbols for end user roles may result in errors, depending on the method filter. Since end user roles are reused from the role pool, there is a risk that the symbol, object, or connection type will no longer match. In this case, the default symbol is used. However, it must be included in the method filter.
A subsequently modified method configuration does not update any previously synchronized items. If items have already been synchronized in your database and you have subsequently changed their symbol, object, or connection types in the method configuration, they will continue to exist after another synchronization. The result is a mixture of old and new types in your database.
The symbols shown are used if you are not using a user-defined method configuration. If you have customized the method configuration for using BPMN, please find out how SAP shadow functions that deviate from the default behavior.
SAP® items are identified by the SAP ID attribute. The SAP ID is unique in SAP® Solution Manager. It is automatically specified during synchronization of data in ARIS Designer. If you create a definition copy of a synchronized SAP function with assistance, all synchronization-relevant SAP attributes, such as the SAP ID, are automatically deleted from the copy. If you create a definition copy of a synchronized SAP function without deleting these SAP attributes, synchronization would no longer be possible. This is because the SAP ID would no longer be unique and the object to be synchronized can no longer be determined. Definition copies of previously synchronized items must not be used.
Therefore, in SAP® process models with a specified SAP ID, SAP functions with an identical SAP ID must occur only once. You can recognize these SAP functions by this symbol if you have not changed the method configuration:
If you are using occurrence copies of SAP functions, they are displayed with the SAP shadow function symbol by default:
The SAP shadow function symbol excludes the object from the synchronization process. This also affects related Process interface symbols used in process models.
Shortcuts can be used multiple times in a project. Shortcuts are ignored in test scenarios. Depending on the synchronization direction, they are either created in SAP® Solution Manager, in which case a new SAP ID is assigned, or they are deleted from ARIS.
Shortcuts are represented using these symbols in event-driven process chains and value-added chains:
You can use shortcuts only in the same project in which the linked object definition is managed. Both object definition and shortcut must be included in the synchronization set.
Note that the SAP® Solution Manager 7.2 does not support shortcuts.
If you have customized the method configuration for using BPMN, please find out how shortcuts that deviate from the default behave.
During data transfer between ARIS and the SAP® system, the mandatory hierarchical structure is created as defined in the default method configuration of the project or branch. The method configuration determines how database items are displayed in ARIS after they have been downloaded from SAP® projects and branches or after SAP® synchronization. The ARIS administrator can customize the default method configuration for projects and branches. This makes it possible to use different element types, for example, BPMNTM diagrams.
Hierarchy
The hierarchical structure of SAP® Solution Manager elements is structured in ARIS by means of the defined assignment structure. Structural elements are represented by SAP functions. The hierarchical structure is handled by functions with distinct SAP function type attributes, database subgroups, and models with related SAP model type attributes. The default symbol used for functions depends on the model type selected for the assignment. The SAP function type attribute of a function must match the SAP model type attribute of the assigned model. This model must only contain function occurrences of the next lower SAP function type. You can assign several models of the same type, such as EPC or Function allocation diagram, to a function. If you use BPMN diagrams, only one assigned BPMN diagram is allowed. The SAP model type attribute must be specified only for the one model relevant to synchronization, and the assignment structure must be consistent.
In SAP® Solution Manager 7.1, the process structure below the project node is fixed on a 3-level hierarchy: Scenarios > Business Processes > Process Steps.
To objects |
models are assigned of the |
These models contain objects of the |
---|---|---|
Project |
Project |
Scenario |
Scenario |
Scenario |
Process |
Process |
Process |
Process step |
As this structure is mandatory for SAP synchronization, in ARIS new SAP functions can be created using a wizard. This allows you to create all assignments automatically (see different procedures for SAP Solution Manager 7.1 or SAP Solution Manager 7.2).
With SAP® Solution Manager 7.2, this structure below the branch node is still mandatory. By placing elements in an arbitrary nested folder structure, there can be as many levels as required. In ARIS SAP folders are handled by subgroups, functions with the Folder SAP function type attribute value, and models with the Folder SAP model type attribute value. You can use folders to structure scenarios as well as the Process Step Library (PSL) and the Interface Library. Below the Business process structure, folders can only have scenarios or folders as subordinate elements. Superior elements can either be a folder or a root node. The same rules apply for the PSL. But since scenarios or processes are not available in the PSL, Process steps folders can only have process step originals as subordinate elements.
In ARIS, folders are handled like all other SAP structure elements branch, scenario, process and process step. For folder items, you can use the new Folder, Process steps folder, Executables folder, and Interface folder SAP function types and SAP model types.
Hierarchy |
SAP model type/ |
Subordinate |
Superior |
---|---|---|---|
Branch |
Project |
Folder Process steps folder (PSL) Executable folder Interface folder |
- |
Folder |
Folder |
Folder Scenario |
Branch or folder |
Scenario |
Scenario |
Process |
Folder |
Process |
Process |
Process step PSL Occurrence* |
Scenario |
Process step |
Process step |
- |
Process |
Process steps folder (PSL) |
Process steps folder |
Process step original (PSL) |
Process steps folder (PSL) |
Process step original (PSL) |
Process steps folder |
- |
Process steps folder (PSL) |
Executable folder |
Executables folder |
Executable folder |
Executable folder |
Interface folder |
Interface folder |
Interface folder none** |
Interface folder |
*In contrast to SAP, in ARIS you can use occurrences of process step originals as subordinate elements of processes.
**In contrast to SAP, interfaces in ARIS are not mapped as structural elements, but as assignments. This example shows how this SAP solution is mapped in ARIS.
The Development branch of the DEMO_ARIS Branch solution was downloaded to the SAP database subgroup. The top structure always starts with a root function of the Project SAP function type. This root function, as well as the subgroup containing the branch's content, always has the same name as the SAP project or branch.
The subgroup stores the content in hierarchical levels.
It contains the Business Process, Process Step Library, Roles, and System landscape subgroups.
By default, the hierarchical structure is mapped without using a method configuration as follows. If you want to use BPMNTM, for example, you must customize the method configuration accordingly.
SAP Solution Manager 7.1 |
SAP Solution Manager 7.2 |
---|---|
SAP® Solution Manager projects and branches are represented in ARIS by start objects. Objects of the Function type are created automatically. You cannot change this setting. For the start objects, the Project SAP function type attribute value is selected automatically. Models of the Project SAP model type are assigned to the start objects. By default, a model of the Value-added chain diagram (VACD) type and a model of the Function allocation diagram (FAD) type are automatically assigned to start objects. The assigned application systems are listed in the FAD. The business scenarios are displayed in the VACD. Depending on the model type, the symbols representing occurrences of business scenarios change. These project models of the Project SAP model type may only contain business scenarios. By default, business scenarios are represented as objects of the Scenario SAP function type with the SAP® value-added chain symbol. You can also select other model types instead of VACD and use user-defined function allocation diagrams. |
SAP® Solution Manager branches are represented in ARIS by start objects. Objects of the Function type are created automatically. You cannot change this setting. For the start objects, the Branch SAP function type attribute value is selected automatically. Models of the Branch SAP model type are assigned to the start objects. By default, a model of the Value-added chain diagram (VACD) type and a model of the Function allocation diagram (FAD) type are automatically assigned to start objects. The assigned application systems are listed in the FAD. The business scenarios are displayed in the VACD. Depending on the model type, the symbols representing occurrences of business scenarios change. These project models of the Project SAP model type may only contain business scenarios. By default, business scenarios are represented as objects of the Scenario SAP function type with the SAP® value-added chain symbol. You can also select other model types instead of VACD and use user-defined function allocation diagrams. |
Objects of the Function type are created automatically in ARIS for SAP® Solution Manager business scenarios. You cannot change this setting. The value Scenario is selected automatically for the SAP function type attribute for business scenarios. Models of the Scenario SAP model type are assigned to the business scenarios. By default, a model of the Value-added chain diagram (VACD) type and a model of the Function allocation diagram (FAD) type are assigned automatically to business scenarios. The executables, documents, end user roles, organizational units, or master data are connected to SAP functions occurring in the FAD. The business processes are displayed in the EPC. Depending on the model type, the symbols representing occurrences of business processes change. These scenario models of the Scenario SAP model type may only contain business processes. By default, business processes are represented with functions of the Process SAP function type with the SAP function symbol. You can also select other model types instead of the EPC or use user-defined function allocation diagrams. |
and (optional) Objects of the Function type are created automatically in ARIS for SAP® Solution Manager business scenarios. You cannot change this setting. The value Scenario is selected automatically for the SAP function type attribute for business scenarios. Models of the Scenario SAP model type are assigned to the business scenarios. By default, a model of the Value-added chain diagram (VACD) type and a model of the Function allocation diagram (FAD) type are assigned automatically to business scenarios. The executables, documents, end user roles, organizational units, or master data are connected to SAP functions occurring in the FAD. The business processes are displayed in the EPC. Depending on the model type, the symbols representing occurrences of business processes change. These scenario models of the Scenario SAP model type may only contain business processes. By default, business processes are represented with functions of the Process SAP function type with the SAP function symbol. You can also select other model types instead of the EPC or use user-defined function allocation diagrams. By placing elements in an arbitrary nested folder structure, there can be as many levels as required. In ARIS SAP folders are handled by subgroups, functions with the Folder SAP function type attribute value, and models with the Folder SAP model type attribute value. You can use folders to structure scenarios as well as the Process Step Library (PSL) and the Interface Library. Below the Business process structure, folders can only have scenarios or folders as subordinate elements. Superior elements can either be a folder or a root node. The same rules apply for the PSL. But since scenarios or processes are not available in the PSL, Process steps folders can only have process step originals as subordinate elements. |
Objects of the Function type are created automatically in ARIS for SAP® Solution Manager business processes. You cannot change this setting. The value Process is selected automatically for the SAP function type attribute for business processes. Models of the Process SAP model type are assigned to the business processes. By default, a model of the Event-driven process chain (EPC) type and a model of the Function allocation diagram (FAD) type are assigned automatically to business processes. The executables, documents, end user roles, organizational units, or master data are assigned to SAP functions occurring in the FAD. The process steps are displayed in the EPC. You can also select other model types instead of the EPC or use user-defined function allocation diagrams. Depending on the model type, the symbols representing occurrences of process steps change. These process models of the Process SAP model type may only contain process steps. By default, process steps are represented with functions of the Process step SAP function type with the SAP function symbol. |
Objects of the Function type are created automatically in ARIS for SAP® Solution Manager business processes. You cannot change this setting. The value Process is selected automatically for the SAP function type attribute for business processes. Models of the Process SAP model type are assigned to the business processes. By default, a model of the Event-driven process chain (EPC) type and a model of the Function allocation diagram (FAD) type are assigned automatically to business processes. The executables, documents, end user roles, organizational units, or master data are assigned to SAP functions occurring in the FAD. The process steps are displayed in the EPC. You can also select other model types instead of the EPC or use user-defined function allocation diagrams. Depending on the model type, the symbols representing occurrences of process steps change. These process models of the Process SAP model type may only contain process steps. By default, process steps are represented with functions of the Process step SAP function type with the SAP function symbol. |
Objects of the Function type are created automatically in ARIS for SAP® Solution Manager process steps. You cannot change this setting. The value Process step is selected automatically for the SAP function type attribute for process steps. Process steps represent the lowest hierarchy level and may have occurrences only in process models. By default, process steps are represented with functions of the Process step SAP function type with the SAP function symbol. |
Objects of the Function type are created automatically in ARIS for SAP® Solution Manager process steps. You cannot change this setting. The value Process step is selected automatically for the SAP function type attribute for process steps. Process steps represent the lowest hierarchy level and may have occurrences only in process models. By default, process steps are represented with functions of the Process step SAP function type with the SAP function symbol. |
The PSL has a similar structure but uses different element types. |
Assignments will be included if the SAP ID, SAP function types, and SAP model types match between object definitions and assignments that have already been synchronized.
Assignments are also included if no SAP ID exists (that is, object definitions have not yet been synchronized), and if SAP function types and SAP model types match between object definitions and assignments. All assignments without an SAP function type or SAP ID will not be included.
If you have customized the method configuration for using BPMNTM, find out about the assignment structure that deviates from the default.
If you move items in the ARIS database or in SAP® Solution Manager, these items are included in the synchronization only:
If you are starting the synchronization for a superior scenario or the project. If you move items within a scenario, start synchronization for this scenario. If you move items to a different scenario, start synchronization for the superior project.
If you enable the Transfer new items check box on the Synchronization Wizard: Transfer structural elements page.
Synchronized ARIS items have an SAP ID. The corresponding items must also exist in SAP® Solution Manager. If an item that still exists in ARIS has been deleted in SAP® Solution Manager, this causes an error while transferring data to SAP® Solution Manager. If you delete items from SAP® Solution Manager, you must subsequently transfer the changes to ARIS.
The order of items in the Business Blueprint must not contain any gaps or double entries.
A logical component that is defined in the system landscape of the SAP® project must be assigned to process steps. Logical components are specified in the SAP Solutions attribute SAP component. Process steps are functions with the Process step SAP function type. The SAP function type attribute is located in the SAP Solutions attributes attribute type group.
Attributes that are appropriate for the type of an executable must be specified for the Screen object representing the executable. The SAP component must be defined in your SAP® project (system landscape).
The attributes Transaction code and SAP component must be unique. For example, if you want to run the executable VA02 and use different SAP® systems, you must assign the executing SAP® system.
Please ensure that the spelling is identical. In ARIS, the system landscape is located in the function allocation diagram assigned to the project node.
Non-URL executables must be assigned to logical components (SAP component attribute type).
For executables (screens) that are assigned to process steps, the SAP component attribute of the Screen object and of the process step must be identical.
If you create executables using the wizard, all attributes are automatically specified correctly. If necessary, enable the Open supporting dialog and check boxes on the SAP® options > Solution Manager options page.
If you run executables from SAP® Solution Manager, only executables that comply with the modeling conventions are included during SAP® synchronization.
You can create executables so that they can be started in SAP® Solution Manager. Therefore, you must place objects of the Screen type into models of type Function allocation diagram (FAD). The FAD must be assigned to the related SAP function. The Transaction code attribute can be specified by one code only. Entering multiple codes is not allowed. Therefore, an object of the Screen type must be created for each executable.
On the SAP® options > Solution Manager options page, you can enable the Open supporting dialog check box to specify that you want to be supported when creating new SAP functions, executables, and documents. This ensures that the data is automatically specified consistently when created and can be synchronized between ARIS and SAP® Solution Manager.
If you have enabled the check box, you can specify executables only via screens. The Executables dialog enables you to manage executables only if the call was started for an SAP function with an assigned function allocation diagram. If this is not the case, the specified functionality is not available. If the attribute is specified on other elements, the executable is ignored.
If you disable the check box, executables can still be specified on the Transaction code attribute of models and objects. These executables cannot be started in SAP® Solution Manager and are not included in the SAP® synchronization.
Ensure that you use the entry in the Keyword column even if the value specified in the Description box is displayed in the project. The value under Keyword is used as an identifier, which allows for multiple keywords with the same description.
You can specify multiple keywords by using semicolons to separate values for the Keywords attribute type.
Use Test Designer to create and edit test projects.
An end user role must be assigned to an object only once.
End user roles must exist in the SAP® Solution Manager project.
If test and training documents were transferred to your database with a program version up to 7.2.0.551017, the project documentation symbol is used for the different types of documents. To avoid that test and training documents are entered on the Project documentation tab in SAP® Solution Manager after the transfer, you must use the relevant symbol types for information carriers.
In this case, start the synchronization for all projects and select the Transfer data to ARIS project option. This automatically assigns the document-specific symbols. Afterwards, you can transfer documents that were added in ARIS to SAP® Solution Manager.
The following table indicates which symbols are used for the different types of documents, and on which tabs the documents will be managed after their transfer to SAP® Solution Manager.
Symbol |
Symbol type |
SAP® Solution Manager |
|
General documentation (only for template projects) |
General documentation tab |
|
Project documentation |
Project documentation tab |
|
Test documentation |
Test cases tab |
|
Training documentation |
Training documentation tab |