New data entry features with EPM-addin, PCM 10.0 SP08

[Former Member]

Hi All,

Who has already tried out the new PCMExcelService delivered with PCM10.0 SP08?

It leverages the SAP EPM-addin for MS Office as an input tool as well.

I'd like to know your experiences with this!

[former_member590304]

Hi Jef,

I installed EPM add-in several times and was able to read only data from PCM.

Now trying to get the write-back functionality working and followed all the steps on your post "How-To Install & Use the PCM 10.0 REST connection and enable write-back functionality".

My configurations are:

Server:           MS-Server 2012 IIS8. PCM 10 SP10

EPM Add-in:  SP 20_1 on Excel 2013 (running excel on the server for this test)

Using Basic PCM authentication and IIS8 (port 80 instead of 1080).

During PCM Rest connection used http://MyServer:80/PCMExcelService.

Everything worked ok to the point I have to select my models. It shows no models at all:

Windows event log just says my user were logged in PCM. No errors.

Can you help me to troubleshoot this?

Thanks a lot,

Silvio Santos

Tartan Solutions.

[Former Member]

I suggest you use fiddler to see if and how the webservice call to get the PCM models happens.

[Former Member]

Hi Silvio,

Maybe check your model security settings to see if you have the right access or if the model is disabled.

Regards,

Tony

[former_member590304]

Hi Jef and Tony,

Back in the game here. I will try fiddler to check the comm between my client/server.

I can access all my models from model builder from client on the server as well.

I will place an update and more questions here!

Thanks a lot,

Silvio

[dnurenberg]

We also have this issue when using EPM SP20 (all versions).  When we revert to SP19 SP1, the dropdown works.

Unfortunately we have another issue when we try to connect with certain users.  Some users work, others don't.  The fiddler trace on those that don't show the error message: 'Could not find currency for user'.  We've verified the PCM security is exactly the same on a user that works and one that doesn't.  There aren't that many options in PCM security.  Anyone have any ideas?

[Former Member]

Looking into it now...

Unfortunately getting authentication errors when loading the models during the connection creation process. Error occurs with both Enterprise and Default (PCM) authentication...

EPM - General Error : Wrong Authentication

The remote server returned an error (401) unauthorized.

Creating a standard PCM connection (local connection type) in the EPM works fine.

EPM SP19 Patch 1 .NET 4

PCM 10.0 SP09 Patch 4

[Former Member]

Looks to me like an IIS authentication error, I would double check inside your IIS server & PCMExcelService appool settings.

Possibly you can find more detailed error description in windows event viewer.

[Former Member]

Hey Jef,

finally found some room to dive into this.

I managed to change the DCOM settings.

On to the next error.

When the add in switches to 'loading models and environments' after entering the user credentials, it give a 500 bad request error.

windows event viewer gives following errors:

PCM Main Service : Model\Failed\Invalid ObjectID Passed to GetObject (01eb602a).

PCM Main Service : Model\Failed\Invalid ObjectID Passed to GetObject (01eb6029).

PCM Main Service : Service\Failed\Remove Object Failed.

PCM Main Service : Model\Failed\Invalid ObjectID Passed to GetObject (01eb6027).

PCM Main Service : Service\Failed\Remove Object Failed.

[Former Member]

Hi Wouter,

I have managed to configure and use EPM Add-in with PCM. The problem was with the IIS authentication.

I configured PCM Webbooks with the std IIS settings aswell as PCMExcelService at its been working well so far for my reporting and model building requirements. Also works well with my BPC models.

Thanks again for the posts and replies.

Regards,

Tony

[Former Member]

PS, not all the functions can be used as in BPC. Pity, it would be good if it could.

[Former Member]

Hello Tony (or Jef),

would you mind sharing the IIS settings that you use?

That would be very helpful.

thank you,

Wouter

[Former Member]

Wouter, check this blog post... I just added more screenshots to it including my IIS settings.

http://scn.sap.com/community/epm/profitability-and-cost-management/blog/2014/09/11/how-to-install-us...

[Former Member]

Thank you Jef, that is very useful. Except for the application pool identity all settings were identical.

Unfortunately I still get the 400 bad request error.

As a recap: I manage to create the connection fine, and all models are showing as pointed out in your latest addition to the blog post.

It is upon opening that connection that I get the 400 bad request error.

[Former Member]

Can you try to update the EPM-addin to the latest version (SP20)?

If still not working, and you followed everything from the blog post, best to create a ticket then with SAP support (on http://service.sap.com/support).

[Former Member]

I updated to SP20. Issue still stands. I will log a ticket, thanks for the support.

[Former Member]

Hi Wouter,

I have added the screen shot of my IIS settings, for the defaultapppool and pcmexcelservicepool.

I have also checked on SAP support and the error you experiencing is noted in "1917498 - The remote server returned an error: (400) Bad Request" with further reference to "SAP Note 1602853 - HTTP 400 Bad Request for extensive POST data". Hopefully this can help.

Regards,

Tony

[Former Member]

Thanks Tony.

But those two notes only relate to issues encountered in BPC NW, as they relate to Netweaver platform settings, not PCM.

[Former Member]

I managed to make the connection with SP19 patch 1.

The connection fails with SP20!

The issue has been reported to the development team.

[I051505]

Please do not go anything later than EPM addin SP19 P01.

There is a regression in SP20 which breaks PCM connectivity.

[Former Member]

Can you tell if if any future SP fixes this?

[I051505]

I don't know. Regarding strictly PCM side, we don't need to upgrade to the new SP20 so far.

[Former Member]

Hi Jef,

I need some help with the EPM add-in for PCM write back functionally.

I have EPM Add-in (version 10.0 SP 18 Patch 2.NET4, Build 8873) with PCM SP08 installed and I'm trying to create a connection with PCM REST Connection but its giving me an error that the SignOnInfo.svc/GetSignOnInfo could not accept message. (Please see attached image)

Not sure what the problem could be. . I'm using the default web server from PCM. Not sure if I have missed anything....

I also can't find any information relating to PCM REST or how to use the write back functionally.

Please could you help?

Thanking you in advance,

Regards,

Tony Teixeira

[Former Member]

Which sign on type did you choose when creating the PCM REST connection?
If you select 'default' it will use your standard PCM Configuration Wizard settings.

Did you copy the three files starting with "PCMExtensionConnection" from the PCM installation directory to the EPM Add-In installation directory?

[Former Member]

Thank you for your prompt response.

I don't see a sign on type option from the create the connection space. From the PCM REST Connection it only asks for a connection name and my URL, which is my default web server name. This URL works on web books.

I also check, the there files starting with "PCMExtensionConnection, where already in the EPM Addin directory, but I have replaced them with the ones in the PCM installation directory, but no luck. It still returns the same error.

Is there anything else I can check? Is there anything I need to configure in PCM its self?

[Former Member]

Hi Tony, I assembled some information and posted a blog about it.
I'll be adding some screenshots soon.

If any additional usefull info from others, please let me know!

http://scn.sap.com/community/epm/profitability-and-cost-management/blog/2014/09/11/how-to-install-us...

[Former Member]

Thanks for the document. I have tried the individual steps as in the document but still no luck.

Can I please confirm the following:

• I'm running PCM 10SP8 Patch 1----Should I be running Patch 2rather?

• EPM Add-in (version 10.0 SP 18 Patch 2.NET4, Build 8873)---Should I downgrade to SP16 Patch1?

• My Web services is the default PCM services---- Should I rather be using a IIS web server?

I trying to create a PCM REST Connection with the URL as follows,  "http://<your_pcm_server_name>/PCMExcelService/" but the error still comes up.

Using the default web server in PCM how does the PCMExcelService interact with it?

[Former Member]

First 2 points, no that should be fine. Higher version is always better.

PCM by default uses Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS), I don't understand what you mean by PCM services?
Please ask your IT system administrator to help test your connection to the PCMExcelService on IIS.

[Olj]

Hi Tony,

did you resolve your issue? I have a similar problem.

[Former Member]

Hi,

I tried but the setting for the entreprise server is not working. The add-in states that the server is not responding. The server is accessible by web without any problem. No firewall or antivirus on the servers.

I tried BOEServer, BOEServer:8080, BOEServer:6400, BOEServer:8080/BOE/CMC, and the same with http:// and http://www. .

Any idea where the problem might come from?

[Former Member]

I have it working with this: http://BOEServer:8080/

If not working, can you connect with regular PCM standard authentication (e.g. by using administrator user)?
Do you connect OK with PCM Model builder using BOE authenticaiton?

Do you use BOE4.0 ? (as 4.1 is not supported yet.)

[Former Member]

Hi Jef,

Thanks for your quick reply.

Connection is working with standard auth in the EPM add-in.

BOE auth is working for Model Builder.

I am using 4.1 SP2 (updating to SP3 as I wrote) because I'm also using FIM 10 SP10 with BODS 4.2.

Is 4.1 not supported by the EPM add-in or PCM? If that's the case, I need to downgrade to BODS 4.0 (which is not supported anymore) to have IPS 4.0.

[Former Member]

Hi Jef,

I tried using it ,but I am not able to input data.

It shows " There is no data to save"

Can anyone tell me if I am missing anything in my installation?

Already upgraded to SP08.

- Niraj

[Former Member]

Did you built a regular EPM input schedule? (not using EPMSaveData or EVSND or anything?)
What is the EPM log showing? (EPM > More > Log...)

[Former Member]

I am using a regular EPM input schedule.

Also can you tell me where do I check if all installations have been done correctly...

Is there any specific package that needs to be installed other than the EPM excel addin.

[Former Member]

What is the EPM log showing? (EPM > More > Log...)

Yes there are dependencies, check the installation guides of EPM-adding and PCM on help.sap.com

[Former Member]

Hi,

When I read the guide I can find a note

"to perform data input on Profitability and Cost Management, you must install the dedicated

extension that is not provided with the EPM add-in."

Can you please tell me which extension do we need to install.

As I am not able to find any where the name or code for the extension.

Regards,

Niraj

[Former Member]

Hello Niraj,

You need to recover the following files from the PCM install directory into the EPM addin install directory:

• PCMConnectionExtension.dll
• PCMConnectionExtension.dll.config
• PCMConnectionExtension.pdb

Regards,

Matthieu

[Former Member]

It is still giving the same error as "No data to save"

Kindly let me know if there is a guide which can be followed to resolve this issue.