Update Vs Update in Context: Alert/Status in Macros

[Former Member]

Dear Experts

What is the difference between these options wrt macro alerts ?

Action = Delete

Action = Delete in Context

What to use when ?

I cannot spot the different atleast in the foreground.

Thanks

BS

[sourabh_jain66 · Accepted solution]

Hi Borat,

Please check an old thread discussing your doubt, should be helpful.

Rgds

Sourabh

[sourabh_jain66 · Accepted solution]

Hi BS,

Check this one as well....

Rgds

Sourabh

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Thank you Sourabh

I have seen a sample macro where I also see a ROW in next level to the Action.

As in

  - Action Delete in Context: Alert... xxxx

        - Row1 abc

I was wondering what role does this Row below the action actually have. Given I do not see any syntax error with or without the Row at next level to delete in context or update in context.

Secondly this row above in one of the 3 rows1, 2 and 10 on which some operations are done to generate the alert above. So what does it even mean to append an arbitrary row1 above ?

Regards

BS

[sourabh_jain66 · Accepted solution]

Hi Borat,

The row in next level is used to display the value of that row in the alert text.

for example:

                - Alert 1:  Action Update in Context: Alert... xxxx

                        - Row1

                        - Row2

Alert 1 Text: KF1 of & rejec. by KF1 with &

Alert in Alert Monitor:

KF1 of "value of Row 1" rejec. by KF1 with "value of Row 2".

I hope this makes it a bit clear.

Rgds

Sourabh

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Thanks Sourabh,

Not really but let me check  You are saying "&" symbol is a place holder for the row name that is automatically shown in the alert monitor ? I do not have to write it fully in the alert text ?

Secondly if I can use the alert text in the action item, and there is "standard status alert" why do I need to create a new alert type for a new alert ? or must I ?

It is so confusing. No documentation as usual when I press F1.

Thanks

BS

[sourabh_jain66 · Accepted solution]

Hi Borat,

Not the Row name, it is a place holder for the value to be displayed of desired row, i.e. first '&' is for first row in next level of alert row in your macro and similarly second & is for second row, as shown below.

- Alert 1:  Action Update in Context: Alert... xxxx

                        - Row1 (used to fetch calue of first & in alert text)

                        - Row2 (used to fetch calue of second & in alert text)

Like this you can use 4 &s in alert text.

I would say that you can't maintain the row value in the alert text, which is dynamic in nature, so every time there is some exception, alert text dynamically fetch value from desired row.

[sourabh_jain66 · Accepted solution]

Sorry missed your second question;

Secondly if I can use the alert text in the action item, and there is "standard status alert" why do I need to create a new alert type for a new alert ? or must I ?

As far as my knowledge goes you don't have standard status alerts in alert object SDP - Database Macro Alerts.

Second the message format which we discussed is applicable largely for message no. 410 of message class "/SAPAPO/AMON_ALERTS" and few other messae nos., not for all.

Also option to configure new alert type as required comes handy in situations, where you want to show specific alerts to planners having different roles, this makes the alert maintenance easy and also you don't need to use multiple alert types in a single alert profile.

I agree its a bit confusing without proper documentation, but multiple readings of SAP help actually helps.

Hope i am able to clerify your doubts, do let me know for any further query.

Rgds

Sourabh

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Thanks Sourabh

I am now more confused 🙂

When I dragged the red charge icon to macro step and double clicked I see that Alert Object Type =4000 refers to SDP Database Alerts and the Alert Type 4100 within is a Standard Status Alert (and 4101 is a Standard Message Alert).

Now my Update Alert step looks like this

Update in context : Standard Status Alert [ This is the Alert Text ]

My questions were

A. Do I need to create a new Alert Object Type for EACH unique macro alerts?  System (maintain alert types for database alerts in spro SCM Basis) is allowing me to create NEW alert object types arbitrarily

if so

B. Do I need to create a new Alert Type for the UNIQUE Alert Object Type I defined above when Alert Type "Standard Status Alert" in combination with freely defined "Alert text" shown in the image above is doing the same job of generating a database alert Alert (functionally) ? The point is I do have an Alert Text that can be unique for each Alert.

E.g.

I have n macros meant for generating database alerts. 1 Alert per macro.

I can do the following

1. Create n NEW Alert Object Types and Alert Types for each Macro

2. Create n NEW Alert Types against the existing Alert Object type 4000 ... (I don't see how to do this in the ugly screen in spro... Define database alert types for demand planning and SNP)

3. Do nothing.. Just use unique alert text against Alert Object Type 4000 and Alert Type 4100.

C. In the Define database alert types for demand planning and SNP ugly looking screen in SPRO SCM Basis, I see two columns both with SAME labels viz. "Alert Type". The technical name of one of them is ATID and the other one is AT_ID. Which of this is Alert Object Type ? I can't seem to make out that either of that is Alert Object Type.

I hope you understand my struggle against this hideous nature of SAP design on such rubbish a thing called Alerts.. that no one will care in a a few days from now. They simply wont keep things transparent and they call this consulting knowledge!!

Appreciate your help

Regards

BS

[sourabh_jain66 · Accepted solution]

Hi Borat,

A. Do I need to create a new Alert Object Type for EACH unique macro alerts?  System (maintain alert types for database alerts in spro SCM Basis) is allowing me to create NEW alert object types arbitrarily

I don't think so, and not experienced as well. Since alert object type represents alert varients (database, dynamic etc.) of different application areas, and almost all the time you don't intend to work with whatever application areas are provided by SAP.

Seriously i didn't faced any situation where i need to create new Alert object type.

B. Do I need to create a new Alert Type for the UNIQUE Alert Object Type I defined above when Alert Type "Standard Status Alert" in combination with freely defined "Alert text" shown in the image above is doing the same job of generating a database alert Alert (functionally) ? The point is I do have an Alert Text that can be unique for each Alert.

In case you want to show only relevent alerts to your planners, you can go ahead and define custom alert types, in case that is not the case you can use standard status alert, custom alert types enables the demand planners to view only relevant DP alerts and also enables to setup a process for proper maintenance of Alerts on a periodic basis. This is particularly useful while setting up alert profiles and differentiating the alerts generated by other modules such as SNP. So based on the business requirement you can take appropriate action.

C. In the Define database alert types for demand planning and SNP ugly looking screen in SPRO SCM Basis, I see two columns both with SAME labels viz. "Alert Type". The technical name of one of them is ATID and the other one is AT_ID. Which of this is Alert Object Type ? I can't seem to make out that either of that is Alert Object Type.

In fact there are three columns, middle one is alert object type both right and left ones are alert types.

Left and Right ones have same heading, but these nos. are not visible in both Macro alert step and Alert profile, what you see is the text which is assigned aginst each row.

Field AT_ID is the actual alert type, which is the field of table /SAPAPO/ATYPES (table stores all alert type information), other field ATID is the mapping field from table /SAPAPO/ATUID (table for storing Mapping information of Unique ATID for AOT + AT_ID), its a bit confusing the way it is designed, but this is the way it is.

Hope i am able to clarify you doubts, without confusing you any more.

Rgds

Sourabh

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

It is not a bit but a lot confusing. Not by design but by purpose to keep some otherwise unemployable SAPSter's busy 🙂

But thanks for your patient reply. Much appreciate. As you can see this is not my curiosity but frustration that makes me ask such questions. This is worthless knowledge if you ask me.

I have observed another nuisance in the meanwhile. viz. specifying the ditto selection ID (in the Alert Profile) that I used for generating alerts in the background is not returning any alerts in the Alert Monitor upon clicking redetermine alerts. Removing it does. I then land into a dozen SAP notes on how to manage Alerts. The sum total of characters in the notes is more than the sum total of help documentation on Alerts.

Anyway this is all fancy stuff so I avoided further research given it does not add to any fundamental knowledge of any economic consequence to any corporation. When even basic stuff like this is not made comprehensible on the screens, it must be crooked by purpose. I wonder how end users like us stay put with this.

You see 3 columns but i see only 2 columns in "Maintain Database Alert Types for Demand

Planning and SNP". As you see both have same Labels viz. Alert Type. The bare minimum thing that one expects from a world class software is proper labels when technical names are different. I can show such is a dozen places.

I press F1 on first field and all I see is this explanation.

Do these crimes constitute for claims on account of software quality assurance that is lent to the buyers of the software ? or is the customer expected to debug the program and figure out ? I will be glad to provoke one.

Thanks

BS.