Who implements notes using SNOTE in your organization?

[former_member204746]

Hi,

We are having a small argument at my company.

We often have to implement notes using transaction SNOTE on our DEV system. Basis staff are responsible to install those notes.

Now, developpers would like to implement notes with SNOTE themselves.

In your organization, who implements notes with SNOTE?

thanks.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

In our organization developers use SNOTE in dev system. There are much more of them than basis people.

Developers involve basis, if there are tasks they can't perform themselves. But if it is about some change in ABAP coding, no need for SAP basis.

regards

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi,

Here, the Basis team checks the notes and implements the manual changes. If a code change is necessary wether manually or by SNOTE, we ask the developement team to do it in the DEV system. We then import the transport request in the quality, pre-production and production system.

We usually wait a few days between each import to have a chance to discover any problem before production.

Regards,

Olivier

[former_member204746 · Accepted solution]

thanks to all who have answered so far.

So, most notes implementation requests comes from functional and developpers teams.

But, most organizations use BASIS staff to use SNOTE.

Now comes the next question:

Why Basis should do this work and not Dev/functional staff?

Thanks!

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi,

I had a scenario recentley where I went to apply a piece of code in SNOTE, but I had to create a Z_ header....in se38

Now simple I know, but I would not like the idea of functional people doing it.....

Regards

Mark

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi Eric,

In our Company a combination of Basis and Functional teams are responsible for every note implementation, nobody can access to the SNOTE except those two groups.

> Why Basis should do this work and not Dev/functional staff?

I think it depends from the note that you need to apply.

Sometime itu2019s a functional note, and the Basis team doesnu2019t have the knowledge to understand all the implications of the note.

Anyway, I think that even if itu2019s just a functional note, the Basis team must be involved every time.

Regards,

Federico

[brian_walker · Accepted solution]

Yes, to add more to my previous post... There are 2 types of notes we usually implement, functional fixes/enhancements and technical fixes/enhancements. For the functional SAP notes, a functional person requests the note to be downloaded and applied to development (or if the note makes major changes or causes concern this is done in a sandbox first) and a project lead approves the application of the note. For the technical SAP notes, these are usually the result of the Basis team having opened an OSS message and receiving a fix from SAP and these receive approval from the technical lead.

In all cases, it is only the Basis team that applies the notes with SNOTE. We have several reasons for this:

1. There are only a handful of Basis team members, so it is quite easy to secure the system so that only these individuals have the appropriate access to use SNOTE.

2. This makes control much easier since everyone cannot download and implement SAP notes on a whim

3. Ultimately, the stability and performance of a system are the responsibility of the Basis team (at least in my organization), so it is better (in our opinion) to have the Basis team own the application of SAP notes so we are aware of any/all changes to the system. This is also why only the Basis team is responsible for installing transports in the production systems.

4. Eventually the SAP notes will be included in a support pack and the Basis team will the ones applying the maintenance, so it seems more consistent to treat SNOTE the same way

Brian

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi Erik,

Interesting topic. I have the same argument. "Why do basis need to implement SAP Note?"

During the past version, when SNOTE didn't exist, the task belong to Basis & ABAP. As we have to download the data and cofiles and import the notes correction.

However, with version 4.7 (at the correct package level), the SNOTE is there for everyone to use.

Let me know if you have found the best practice for this.

Regards,

Eida

[former_member204746 · Accepted solution]

strategy we use:

Notes implementation requests comes from functional and developpers teams (and sometimes Basis).

BASIS staff implements notes using SNOTE.

[igalleske · Accepted solution]

I disagree with your reasons.

1.) When you only have a small Basis team, I think they should focus on their own tasks and should not be distracted by the implementation of notes that does not deliver any value to their work.

2.) Any downloads and implementations can be easily tracked in the development system so there is no reason why this control has to be given to a certain team. This is prone to human errors.

3.) The snote should only be executed in development system, so any problems associated to it would be encountered in dev and qas systems before transporting the modifications into production system. It is not very likely that a snote really leads to stability and performance issues in the system, considering they are provided by SAP itself.

Besides, it's not true that the stability and performance is the responsability of the Basis team. In my experience, about 90% of the performance and stability issues are due to programming errors or inefficient code that have to be solved by development team. This is definitely a shared tasks.

4.) The implementation of support packages includes the SPAU and SPDD which are handled by the development team, so its pure logic that they also apply their own notes.

[Former Member]

Implementing part is purely done by BASIS.

But before implementing must be reviewed by functional team(if note is functional).

Regards,

Nick Loy

[igalleske]

In my opinion, and that's the way we handle this issue here, each team should implement its own notes because its them who really have the necessary knowledge for a succesfull implementation.

HR team should implement HR notes, FI team should implement FI notes, etc. and BC team should implement only BC notes. Some notes, even though their are lead by HR or FI team require assistance from the Basis team, then both teams have to cooperate under the lead of the development team.

Do you really want FI team to implement HR notes or MM team implement HR notes? No, I suppose.

Then why should BC team implement any note that is not BC?

[former_member204746]

well, I disagree!

an HR specialist might understand the business, but, does not have good-enough technical knowledge to understand ABAP code that SNOTE would implement.

So, in my view, Either Basis and/or ABAP should impement a note. then, once iplemented, let the HR guy test the results.

[igalleske]

Hi Eric,

In my over 15 years of SAP Basis career I haven't found any Basis guy with ABAP programming knowledge, this is not their business.,

They must know networks, operating systems, databases, Java application servers, SQL and also some SAP transactions (mainly S*). Do they also need to have knowledge in ABAP programming? Do they need to interpret the ABAP code that is related to a purchase order or a pay roll transaction? I personally don't think so. They are generally the worst paid persons in the SAP área (at least here= and have to know everything in SAP?

I think you have to segregate functions and roles. For ABAP coding there are the ABAP developers. It is their job to program and interpret ABAP and control the code modifications made by them, or by SAP via SP implementation or via SNOTE, this is not a BC responsability.

[former_member204746]

well, Basis can Know ABAP... or not.

but, you do not know to understand ABAP to be able to implement SAP notes. in most cases, everythng is automatic.

In my case, when manual steps are too "complicated" for me, I implement the nte and then ask the ABAPPER to complete the manual steps. I beleive it'S the best mix of responsibilities.

[naval_bhatt4]

Its Basis, However I think it's not a good practice .

There should be a control on Note implementation but basis should not be the one implementing the notes unless it related to Basis part of the system . Just the lack of functional knowledge can be considered enough reason for that (Which leads to a lot of time wastage and lack of accountability).

This I feel this is a rudimentary process which was practiced before the note assistant and still continue 🙂 .

-> Someone here said functional people don't know the system version etc.. Really ???

🙂 .

[former_member235924]

Hello,

in our organization OSS notes are implemented by Basis only. Adding to the reasons mentioned in other responses:

- Basis should know about all changes to SAP code so that they know where to start troubleshooting when a problem comes up.

- Functional Analysts often have problems to know current Patch Levels and different components. So Basis is asked if the note applies to our system.

- When applying Support Package stacks to the system landscape, OSS notes cannot just be moved from one system to the other while they are on different Levels. Basis is doing the Support Packages, so it makes sense that they also apply the OSS notes.

Regards,

Ingrid

[Former Member]

I work for an organisation with different SAP instances and different strategies. One only allows developers to do it, one generally uses BASIS for automatic and developers for manual corrections.

In both cases the primary team might apply a note if they think it fixes an issue, or functional can ask for a note to be applied.

In my opinion it should be the senior developers

Reasons:

1. Its mainly code - why are Basis changing code

2. Segregation of duties - Basis are team that move the change into production - contravenes SoX rules.

3. Good developers know the component and stack layers very well.

4. Its the development team that do SPAU not Basis so they have to reset the obsolete notes and re-implement some notes.

5. Basis don't really need to know about changes to SAP Code.

6. Good developers generally know some of the functional landscape, Basis do not really know too much about that usually.

Sometimes the problem with Notes is that they are farmed off to someone remote and inexperienced which is probably the biggest issue rather than Dev versus Basis.

Regards

Stephen

[Former Member]

Combination of Teams Basis and Functional teams review the requested NOTE then sandbox might get tested first.

Things to consider does this Note have many prereqs or postreqs would Support Packages be better as other changes required after Note. Have seen one note lead to 15 others due to impacts to other modules.

Then also does the installation have Z code that uses the changed object?

Maybe find more work for less benefit.

Enhancements Packages contain this change maybe we get more features if they are installed.

If SNOTE is chosen then Basis team installs and Functional team review SPAU and anything else impacted.

Edited by: FC7600 on Feb 1, 2010 10:20 PM

[brian_walker]

Basis, period. We have a very small (at least hearing from other organizations) Basis group with 3 FTE members and then a handful of off-hours help. Only the 3 FTE members would implement an SAP note with SNOTE.

There are just too many Basis specific things that could go wrong trying to implement a note. In the rare instances we need some ABAP assistance, etc. for notes with manual instructions, we engage the appropriate team members.

Brian