Optimize Transport Request Management through SAP Solution Manager

I came across SAP SOLMAN when I was asked to create a new Transport Request in SAP Development box upon onboarding a new project. I was puzzled at that moment, since I was unaware of SAP SOLMAN tool. Hence, I am sharing my learnings though this blog to help people who are new to SOLMAN tool.

What is SAP SOLMAN, a.k.a., CHARM tool?

SAP Solman, Solution Manager, or CHARM is a self-help, cloud-based, in-house application, a product of SAP which helps in streamlining the transport request management from Development to Production Server, with minimal involvement of people across multiple functional and technical teams, thereby, ensuring the smooth flow of functional configurations and technical workbench requests into Quality, and Production Systems.

SOLMAN is integrated with Dev, Quality Assurance and Production system through an RFC connection. SOLMAN sends email messages on outlook for every time changes are made in the Change Document.

SAP SOLMAN helps in tracking the complete lifecycle of the transport request from inception to destination. SAP SOLMAN also helps Functional/Tech Consultants to generate Transport Requests on their own from SOLMAN tool and move those TRs to Quality and Preprod Systems. SAP BASIS team has the admin rights to move the TRs to Production System upon approval from Business Heads.

Depending on the circumstances, the Change Document number can be a Normal Change, Urgent Change or Request for Change. Often, a change request is created as 'Normal Change'. To generate a new normal change request, click Normal Change on the left panel of Home Page.

Further, you can create a TR as 'Customizing Request' for functional configurations, or Workbench Request for ABAP code developments. Functional Consultants also create a Workbench Request for exceptional scenarios, such as, Configuration of Validation (T-Code - GGB0) or Substitution rules (GGB1).

There are 10 stages in which the complete lifecycle of Transport Request is managed in SOLMAN. To move from one stage to another, click Edit and use the Actions button to choose next stage accordingly.

1. Created: This is the first stage where the Change Document is created by Functional/ABAP Consultant in the SOLMAN tool. This is merely a number at this stage and does not generate TR in the Development System. Here, you assign a name to the Change Document number (also called as CD number) as per your client's object naming conventions. The mandatory fields are Developer, Tester, Change Manager and Change Cycle / Phase. Developer and Tester can be the same person. Change Manager can be your module lead.
2. In Development: To generate a Transport Request, change the view from Display to 'Edit' mode, and Click Actions button, Select 'Set to In Development'. Scroll down to the Transport Request Screen and Click Generate Transport request. Choose TR Type, Customizing or Workbench, and create it under the SAP User Name who shall develop configurations or ABAP Code. Go to Tcode SE09 on Development client, Choose Modifiable Transports, and a new TR is created. Make changes in customizing and capture the changes on new TR. Now, release the Task under the TR under SE09 screen.
3. To Be Tested: In Edit mode, Click Actions, and Select 'Pass Normal Change to Test'. The SOLMAN tool will now import the TR in Quality System. Perform unit test and if the need arises to make few more changes in customizing, restore the CD to 'In Development' and import TR to Quality again.
4. Successfully Tested: When the testing is completed, in Edit mode, click Actions, and choose 'Confirm Successful Test'.
5. Pre-Prod Import Requested: After completing the testing in QA system, the changes must be moved to Preprod system. Most of the users do not have access to QA system. Hence, import the config changes in preprod system. To do so, in Edit mode, click Actions and choose 'Request Pre-Prod Import'. If further config changes or ABAP developments are required, the CD can be reset to 'In Development' Stage by choosing Restore to Dev option.
6. Testing for Pre-Prod Import: User can now perform UAT on the Preprod system. Preprod system is refreshed from Production system on a regular predefined interval. This makes it resemble the Prod system which contains all the required master data and transaction data for testing. After the User confirms that the test was successful, changes are presented to the Change Advisory Board. if approved, the BASIS team moves the configs/new ABAP code to the Production system. The CD will now be moved to next stage, "Tested for Production Import".
7. Tested for Production Import: Functional or Tech Consultants will move the CD to this stage and BASIS will import the TR into Production.
8. Authorized for Import: Relevant for BASIS.
9. Imported into Production: Relevant for BASIS
10. Withdrawn: Relevant for BASIS

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