Solution Documentation Integration with ChaRM (2024)

In businesses that employ IT solutions in their business operations, the act of documenting the business processes carried out in the systems is a critical issue. Solution Documentation (SolDoc) is a tool provided by SAP Solution Manager for storing documentation on both SAP and non-SAP solutions. The solution is poised to document the most significant information about the modifications performed in addition to operating as a regular file server. Information regarding systems, servers, databases, installed components, and responsibilities of a specific system in the environment can be stored in the Solution Documentation. The integration of SAP Solution Manager’s Solution Documentation with other modules allows information to be sent to the tool.

Integration between ChaRM and Solution Documentation

This can be done in the SOLMAN SETUP transaction, on step 9 “Integrate Additional Functions,” in the Change Request Management-specific setup. The documentation for the productive solution is displayed in both the production branch and the designated child branches. Solution documentation in the production branch is read-only and cannot be modified. Only the maintenance and innovation (development) branches have the ability to alter solution documentation items. Remember, you can only update solution documentation components in the context of change documents if the Change Control option is activated in the branch. The modifications are then documented in the appropriate change document (change recording).

It’s worth noting that the modification papers you choose should have a specified status and a business partner must be assigned to at least one business partner function in the modification document as a precondition. In the change document, the assigned branch during the assigned change cycle specifies which branch you may edit solution documentation components and record the changes in. Changed components in a change document are presented in the Solution Documentation assignment block of the change document with the status Changed. The updated solution documentation components are enabled in the production branch if the change document is saved with the status ‘final’. Furthermore, in the Solution Documentation assignment block, the status of the corresponding solution documentation pieces is changed from changed to released.

Assignment of solution documentation components to change papers and change requests for descriptive reasons in general. The status scoped is provided in the Solution Documentation assignment block for such items. A request for change, on the other hand, cannot be used to record changes since it requires dependent change papers to manage its modifications. The SAP standard change request (transaction type SMCR) and the change documents administrative change (SMAD), general change (SMCG), normal change (SMMJ), urgent change (SMHF), and defect rectification (SMTM) are given with solution documentation integration. The integration functionality works out of the box for new/existing customers who have copied the required transaction types to the customer namespace.

Integration levels between solution documentation and change control:

1. Without transport management, use change papers

This is often used for administrative or general modifications, and it allows you to keep track of all changes in a certain time frame. The amount of information may be varied: the log can be set up for the entire project, for specific themes, or for each modification made. It is imperative to build a change cycle that is solely allocated to your maintenance branch in this situation.

2. With transportation management, use change papers

In a transport request and solution documentation log, both system and document changes are recorded. Create a task list and assign it to the change cycle to use this option.

Procedure of Life Cycle Management, Test Scenario & Results

Solution documentation is tightly connected with change management in SAP Solution Manager 7.2, so a single change document may be used for both, synchronizing the lifecycles of code (or customization) and its documentation.

• The modifications will be carried into the test system and confirmed after they have been finished
• The change document will be issued after a successful test, and the modifications will then be imported into the production system
• All updates to the solution documentation will be pushed to the production branch at the same time. This behavior ensures that solution documentation is published along with software logistics
• As a result, changes do not need to be manually gathered and released one by one. It’s now quicker and more convenient thanks to the branch idea, and integration works both ways – from change documents to solution documentation and vice versa. The referenced documentation is locked during the build phase of a project
• The documentation is automatically migrated to the production branch after the transports are imported into production and the change document status is upgraded to “Implemented.”

The SolDoc cycle aids in the upkeep of documentation, which is excellent because this component is frequently overlooked. Maintaining a single source of documentation is one of the most essential guidelines applied in the Solution Documentation: “Single Source of Truth.” Because all of the systems in the SAP environment are frequently integrated into one SAP Solution Manager system, making it an appropriate documentation base.

• ChaRM. SAP
• SAP Solution
• SAP solutions
• Solution Documentation
• Solution Documentation Integration