Maintenance and Deployment of Starterkit Data
Table of Contents
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Affected Data
- 3 Application SKVERSION
- 4 Application SKDEPLOY
- 5 Recommendations to PS, Support, and Customers
1 Introduction
From engineering's perspective the requirement was divided into the
- Maintenance of Starterkit Data
- Deployment of Starterkit Data
2 Affected Data
- Country codes (CNTCDE)
- Currency codes (FXCDE)
- Controlling dimensions (part of CNTDFN)
- Controlling flags (part of CNTDFN)
- Chart of accounts/Controlling (part of CNTDFN/COADFN)
- Controlling objects (part of CNTDFN)
- Accounts (part of COADFN)
- Facts (FCT)
- Transaction development (part of TRNDEVDFN)
- Transaction areas (part of TRNDEVDFN)
- Transaction development columns (part of TRNDEVDFN)
- Posting Key groupings (part of TRNDEVDFN)
- Posting Keys (part of TRNDEVDFN)
- Chart of positions (including Positions and account-allocations) (POSDFN)
- Column options (including column description and formulas) (REPCLDFN)
- Report definitions (including report-lines) (REPDEF)
- Report groups (REPGRP)
- Check rule groups (part of CHKRDFN)
- Check rules (part of CHKRDFN)
- Check rules/Positions (part of CHKRDFN)
- VCHPSTR
3 Application SKVERSION
Figure 1: Application SKVERSION
The application SKVERSION is a very simple application. There is only one input field for the Starterkit Version. As long as this field is not empty the database is in a kind of master mode. Any changes to existing records or any new added record in the above-mentioned applications will show this version number.
Figure 2: Example for Owner-Information
Please keep in mind that the owner information is shown together with internal columns only. These can be displayed by an option in the view menu.
When the database is copied as the initial database for a new customer, please keep in mind to take out the version number from the customer's database, so the database will be in a client mode and any changes to existing Starterkit-Data will then be shown as modified. Any new record will show no owner information (just as before this feature).
4 Application SKDEPLOY
Figure 3: The application SKDEPLOY
The application SKDEPLOY allows us to store a list of customer data (customer number, the URL of the server, the name of the database and a description – for example test or productive)
Furthermore, it is possible to connect to a stored customer's instance, when doing a right mouse click:
Figure 4: Connect to a customer's instance
In the following dialogue, the user must enter his credentials and he can also define, what kind of data should be already loaded for comparison.
Figure 5: Connect to a customer's instance
It is recommended, only to load the datatypes that need to be deployed, because there were changes made in the latest starterkit version, because this can save some time.
When the data is loaded, all existing records in the master database are compared with the records in the customer's database. A conflict is highlighted with a red background color. You might notice in the next example, that there is a conflict in the description of a group chart of accounts. The field description is highlighted in red color, although the description seems to be the same in the two databases. When there is a conflict in any language, the field is highlighted like this. Although, the conflict might not be visible in the currently selected language.
Figure 6: Compare data in the master database with the customer's database
If the customer has decided to overwrite his data with the starterkit data, you can tick the checkbox in the last column:
Figure 7: Posting Rule Wizard / Page 2
By clicking on the button the deployment starts. For security reasons, there is one further question:
Figure 8: deploying data
When deploying is finished, it is confirmed with the following message:
Figure 9: Posting Rule Wizard / Page 4
The data is refreshed again and there is no more conflict.
Figure 10
5 Recommendations to PS, Support, and customers
The application for deployment of Starterkit data (SKDEPLOY) is a powerful tool. It shows conflicts before overwriting already existing data.
Nevertheless, conflicts can be avoided in advance. Therefore, it is recommended, whenever it is possible to add individual data in a separated area. For example: An already existing P&L report shall be extended. In this case, it is recommended not just to modify the already existing report which is part of the starterkit. Furthermore, you should copy the report into a new report-id, because then, it is not part of the starterkit anymore.
Additional report-positions for this new report may be added to the already existing chart of positions and might be a conflict later. To avoid this conflict, please create a new chart of positions and add individually needed positions there.