These instructions assume the user has a working knowledge of SAP. |
The SAP task allows you to send commands to an SAP system and gather status information and output back from SAP. The SAP task uses Stonebranch's proprietary Universal Connector for SAP (USAP) to communicate with SAP. Universal Connector for SAP allows Universal Controller to connect to an SAP system and manage SAP background processing tasks.
To run an SAP task, you must first complete the following:
The following built-in variables can be used in an SAP task to pass data where appropriate:
Step 1 | From the Automation Center navigation pane, select Tasks > SAP Tasks. The SAP Tasks list displays a list of all currently defined SAP tasks.
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Step 2 | Enter/select Details for a new SAP task, using the field descriptions below as a guide.
To display more of the Details fields on the screen, you can either:
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Step 3 | Click the |
To open an existing record on the list, either:
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The following SAP Task Details is for an existing SAP task.
Depending on the values that you enter / select for these fields, whether or not the SAP task has ever been launched, and whether you have Enhanced View or Legacy View selected, more (or less) fields may display. See the field descriptions, below, for a description of all fields that may display in the SAP Task Details.
The following table describes the fields, buttons, and tabs that display in the SAP Task Details.
Field Name | Description | |
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General | This section contains general information about the task. | |
Name | ||
Version | ||
Description | ||
Member of Business Services | ||
Resolve Name Immediately | ||
Time Zone Preference | ||
Hold on Start | ||
Hold Reason | ||
Virtual Resource Priority | ||
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| Mutually Exclusive With Self | ||
| Simulate | ||
Agent Details | This section contains assorted detailed information about the Agent / Agent Cluster selected for this task. | |
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Utility Agent Cluster Variable | ||
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Utility Credentials Variable | ||
| This section contains assorted detailed information about an SAP Task in Enhanced View. | |
| Specifies whether to display the SAP task in Legacy View or Enhanced View. Enhanced View runs as Command Group Submit with both Start and Wait options enabled automatically.
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| SAP Job Name | User defined name of the SAP Job. | |
| SAP Job Class | Job class for the SAP Job. Options are:
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| SAP Target Server | SAP server on which the job should run. Populate the drop-down list with options retrieved from the SAP system by clicking the refresh picker icon next to its drop-down list to display a Refresh SAP Target Server Options... dialog. The fields on the Refresh SAP Target Server Options... dialog are fields from the SAP Task Details, and the values for those fields in the dialog are, by default, the same as the values for the fields in the Details. You can keep the current values or change them from their drop-down lists. | |
| Email Notification... | The Email Notification... button opens a dialog that allows you to set up email notifications.
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| Send Email | Specifies the circumstances in which to send the email notification. Options are:
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| Email Language | Specifies the language of the email. Populate the drop-down list with options retrieved from the SAP system by clicking the refresh picker icon next to its drop-down list to display a Refresh Email Language Options... dialog. The fields on the Refresh Email Language Options... dialog are fields from the SAP Task Details, and the values for those fields in the dialog are, by default, the same as the values for the fields in the Details. You can keep the current values or change them from their drop-down lists. | |
| Email Recipient | Specifies one or more email addresses. The addresses must be separated by a semicolon. | |
| Spool List Recipient... | The Spool List Recipient... button opens a dialog that allows you to set up a spool list recipient.
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| Type | Recipient type. Options are:
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| Recipient | Recipient address. | |
| Report Status by Email | For Type = External Addresses only, options are:
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Report Send Status | For Type = External Addresses only, options are:
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| Copy | If selected, recipient will receive the document as a copy. | |
| Blind Copy | If selected, recipient will receive the document as a blind copy. | |
| Express | If selected, document will be sent to the recipient as an express message. | |
| No Forwarding | If selected, recipient cannot forward the document to other users. | |
| SAP Connection | ||
SAP Connection Variable | ||
| SAP Credentials | ||
| SAP Credentials Variable | ||
| Start Immediately | Specification for whether or not to start the job immediately. | |
| Use Application RC | Specification for whether or not to use application RC. | |
| Delete SAP Job on Completion | Specification for whether or not to delete the SAP Job on completion. | |
SAP Command Options | ||
Runtime Directory | ||
Environment Variables | ||
| SAP Print Parameters | This section contains assorted information about print parameters of an SAP Task in Enhanced View. | |
| Print Job Log | Specification for whether or not to print the job log. | |
| Print Spooled Output | Specification for whether or not to print the spooled output. | |
| Print Application Log | Specification for whether or not to print the application log. | |
| Print Application RC | Specification for whether or not to print the application RC. | |
| SAP Wait Child Parameters | This section contains assorted information about wait child parameters of an SAP Task in Enhanced View. | |
| Wait Child | Specification for whether or not to monitor child jobs. | |
| Max Child Depth | Specifies the maximum depth of child processes that Universal Connector will monitor. | |
| Job Log Child | Specifies whether or not to return job logs for child jobs. Options are:
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| Spool List Child | Specification for whether or not to print the spool list for child jobs. | |
| Purge Child | Specification for whether or not to purge all child jobs from the SAP system. | |
| This section contains assorted detailed information about an SAP Task in legacy view. | |
| Specifies whether to display the SAP task in Legacy View or Enhanced View. Enhanced View runs as Command Group Submit with both Start and Wait options enabled automatically.
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SAP Connection | ||
SAP Connection Variable | ||
SAP Language | ||
SAP Credentials | ||
SAP Credentials Variable | ||
SAP Job Name | ||
SAP Job ID | ||
SAP Process Chain Log ID | ||
SAP InfoPackage Request ID | ||
Command Group | See Universal Connector Commands, below, for a description of all supported commands and their contingent fields (options). | |
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Runtime Directory | ||
Environment Variables | ||
| Result Processing Details | This section contains assorted detailed information about result processing for this task. | |
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Output File (for Exit Code Processing) | ||
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Start Line | ||
Number of Lines | ||
Scan Text | ||
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Retry Options | This section contains specifications for retrying the task. | |
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Retry Indefinitely | ||
Retry Interval (Seconds) | ||
Suppress Intermediate Failures | ||
Wait / Delay Options | This section contains specifications for waiting to start and/or delaying on start the task. | |
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Time Options | This section contains time-related specifications for the task. | |
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Critical Path Options | This section contains Critical Path-related specifications for the task. | |
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Workflow Execution Options | This section contains Execution Restriction specifications for the task if it is within a Workflow. | |
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| Self-Service Options | This section contains Self-Service specifications for the task. | |
| Enforce Variables | ||
| Lock Variables | ||
Statistics | This section contains time-related statistics for task instances of the task. | |
| First Execution | ||
Last Execution | ||
Last Instance Duration | ||
Lowest Instance Time | ||
Average Instance Time | ||
Highest Instance Time | ||
Number of Instances | ||
Metadata | This section contains Metadata information about this record. | |
UUID | Universally Unique Identifier of this record. | |
Updated By | Name of the user that last updated this record. | |
Updated | Date and time that this record was last updated. | |
Created By | Name of the user that created this record. | |
Created | Date and time that this record was created. | |
Buttons | This section identifies the buttons displayed above and below the Task Details that let you perform various actions. | |
Save | Saves a new task record in the Controller database. | |
Save & New | Saves a new record in the Controller database and redisplays empty Details so that you can create another new record. | |
Save & View | Saves a new record in the Controller database and continues to display that record. | |
New | Displays empty (except for default values) Details for creating a new task. | |
Update | ||
Launch | ||
View Parents | ||
Copy | Creates a copy of this task, which you are prompted to rename. | |
Delete |
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Refresh | Refreshes any dynamic data displayed in the Details. | |
Close | For pop-up view only; closes the pop-up view of this task. | |
Tabs | This section identifies the tabs across the top of the Task Details that provide access to additional information about the task instance. | |
| Job Steps | For Enhanced View only; Lists all Job Steps defined for this task. | |
Variables | ||
Actions | ||
Virtual Resources | ||
Mutually Exclusive | ||
| Lists all instances of the task. | |
Triggers | ||
Notes | ||
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When an SAP task is launched, the Controller creates a task instance record of that task.
A task instance contains detailed information about a single execution of that task.
You can access a task instance from:
The following SAP Task Instance Details contains information on the execution of the task shown in the SAP Task Details.
The following table describes the fields, buttons, and tabs that display in SAP Task Instance Details.
Field Name | Description | |
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General | This section contains general information about the task instance. | |
| Name of this task instance. | |
Instance Number | ||
Description | ||
Member of Business Services | ||
Task | ||
| Source Version | ||
Launch Source | ||
Source Instance | ||
Invoked by | ||
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Calendar | ||
Time Zone Preference | ||
Virtual Resource Priority | ||
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| Mutually Exclusive With Self | ||
| Simulate | ||
Status | This section contains information about the current status of the task instance. | |
Status | ||
Exit Code | ||
Status Description | ||
Operational Memo | ||
Evaluation Time | ||
Critical | ||
| Critical Endpoint | ||
Wait Until Time | ||
Queued Time | ||
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End Time | ||
Duration | ||
Process ID | ||
Agent Details | This section contains assorted detailed information about the Agent / Agent Cluster selected for this task. | |
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Utility Agent Cluster Variable | ||
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Utility Credentials Variable | ||
SAP Details (Enhanced View) | This section contains assorted detailed information about an SAP Task in Enhanced View. | |
| Specifies whether to display the SAP task in Legacy View or Enhanced View. Enhanced View runs as Command Group Submit with both Start and Wait options enabled automatically.
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| SAP Job Name | User defined name of the SAP Job. | |
| SAP Job Class | Job class for the SAP Job. Options are:
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| SAP Target Server | SAP server on which the job should run. Populate the drop-down list with options retrieved from the SAP system by clicking the refresh picker icon next to its drop-down list to display a Refresh SAP Target Server Options... dialog. The fields on the Refresh SAP Target Server Options... dialog are fields from the SAP Task Details, and the values for those fields in the dialog are, by default, the same as the values for the fields in the Details. You can keep the current values or change them from their drop-down lists. | |
| Email Notification... | The Email Notification... button opens a dialog that allows you to set up email notifications.
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| Send Email | Specifies the circumstances in which to send the email notification. Options are:
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| Email Language | Specifies the language of the email. Populate the drop-down list with options retrieved from the SAP system by clicking the refresh picker icon next to its drop-down list to display a Refresh Email Language Options... dialog. The fields on the Refresh Email Language Options... dialog are fields from the SAP Task Details, and the values for those fields in the dialog are, by default, the same as the values for the fields in the Details. You can keep the current values or change them from their drop-down lists. | |
| Email Recipient | Specifies one or more email addresses. The addresses must be separated by a semicolon. | |
| Spool List Recipient... | The Spool List Recipient... button opens a dialog that allows you to set up a spool list recipient.
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| Type | Recipient type. Options are:
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| Recipient | Recipient address. | |
| Report Status by Email | For Type = External Addresses only, options are:
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Report Send Status | For Type = External Addresses only, options are:
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| Copy | If selected, recipient will receive the document as a copy. | |
| Blind Copy | If selected, recipient will receive the document as a blind copy. | |
| Express | If selected, document will be sent to the recipient as an express message. | |
| No Forwarding | If selected, recipient cannot forward the document to other users. | |
| SAP Connection | ||
SAP Connection Variable | ||
| SAP Credentials | ||
| SAP Credentials Variable | ||
| Start Immediately | Specification for whether or not to start the job immediately. | |
| Use Application RC | Specification for whether or not to use application RC. | |
| Delete SAP Job on Completion | Specification for whether or not to delete the SAP Job on completion. | |
SAP Command Options | ||
Runtime Directory | ||
Environment Variables | ||
| SAP Print Parameters | This section contains assorted information about print parameters of an SAP Task in Enhanced View. | |
| Print Job Log | Specification for whether or not to print the job log. | |
| Print Spooled Output | Specification for whether or not to print the spooled output. | |
| Print Application Log | Specification for whether or not to print the application log. | |
| Print Application RC | Specification for whether or not to print the application RC. | |
| SAP Wait Child Parameters | This section contains assorted information about wait child parameters of an SAP Task in Enhanced View. | |
| Wait Child | Specification for whether or not to monitor child jobs. | |
| Max Child Depth | Specifies the maximum depth of child processes that Universal Connector will monitor. | |
| Job Log Child | Specifies whether or not to return job logs for child jobs. Options are:
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| Spool List Child | Specification for whether or not to print the spool list for child jobs. | |
| Purge Child | Specification for whether or not to purge all child jobs from the SAP system. | |
SAP Details (Legacy View) | This section contains assorted detailed information about the task instance in legacy view. | |
| Specifies whether to display the SAP task in Legacy View or Enhanced View. Enhanced View runs as Command Group Submit with both Start and Wait options enabled automatically.
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SAP Connection | ||
SAP Connection Variable | ||
SAP Language | ||
SAP Credentials | ||
SAP Credentials Variable | ||
SAP Job Name | ||
SAP Job ID | ||
SAP Process Chain Log ID | ||
SAP InfoPackage Request ID | ||
Command Group | See Universal Connector Commands, below, for a description of all supported commands and their contingent fields (options). | |
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Runtime Directory | ||
Environment Variables | ||
| Result Processing Details | This section contains assorted detailed information about result processing for this task. | |
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Output File (for Exit Code Processing) | ||
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Start Line | ||
Number of Lines | ||
Scan Text | ||
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Retry Options | This section contains specifications for retrying the task. | |
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Retry Indefinitely | ||
Retry Interval (Seconds) | ||
Current Retry Count | ||
Suppress Intermediate Failures | ||
Next Retry Time | ||
Wait / Delay Options | This section contains specifications for waiting to start and/or delaying on start the task. | |
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Time Options | This section contains time-related specifications for the task instance. | |
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Critical Path Options | This section contains Critical Path-related specifications for the task. | |
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Workflow Execution Options | This section contains Execution Restriction specifications for the task if it is within a Workflow. | |
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Statistics | This section contains time-related statistics for the task instance. | |
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Lowest Estimated End Time | ||
Average Estimated End Time | ||
Highest Estimated End Time | ||
| Projected Start Time | ||
Projected End Time | System-supplied; projected end time of the task instance, calculated by the Controller based on the projected end time of its predecessor (or the maximum projected end time of all its predecessors, if more than one path exists to that task instance) plus its estimated critical path duration. | |
Metadata | This section contains Metadata information about this record. | |
UUID | Universally Unique Identifier of this record. | |
Updated By | Name of the user that last updated this record. | |
Updated | Date and time that this record was last updated. | |
Created By | Name of the user that created this record. | |
Created | Date and time that this record was created. | |
Status History | History of all statuses that the task instance has gone through. | |
Operational Memo History | History of all Operational Memos for the task. | |
Buttons | This section identifies the buttons displayed above and below the Task Instance Details that let you perform various actions. | |
Update | ||
Force Finish | ||
Hold | ||
Skip | ||
Re-run | ||
View Parent | ||
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SAP | Displays an Action menu of SAP commands. | |
Delete | ||
Refresh | Refreshes any dynamic data displayed in the Details. | |
Close | For pop-up view only; closes the pop-up view of this task instance. | |
Tabs | This section identifies the tabs across the top of the Task Instance Details that provide access to additional information about the task instance. | |
Virtual Resources | ||
Exclusive Requests | ||
Output | ||
Notes |
An Agent processes SAP, Universal Command, and File Transfer/UDM task types differently than Windows and Linux/Unix task types. SAP, Universal Command, and File Transfer/UDM command lines are sent to the user process via standard input, so any redirection operators entered as task command input are not processed as expected.
If you want to direct output from an SAP task to your file system, the -uagstdio command option lets you specify the same output redirection commands that are available for Windows and Linux/Unix task types. UAG will apply the user-specified value for -uagstdio directly to the command image.
The I/O redirection commands that you can use with -uagstdio are dependent on the OS/command shell. You should be able to set up any redirection that the OS/command shell supports (just as with Windows and Unix/Linux task types).
The syntax of -uagstdio is similar to Universal Data Mover, Universal Command, and Universal Connector command line options; option followed by value.
For the SAP task type, you can specify uagstdio in the following field:
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If the -uagstdio value contains spaces, it must be enclose in double quotation marks ( " ):
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If the quoted value itself requires double quotation marks, they must be doubled ( "" ):
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The following table identifies supported Universal Connector commands, describes the actions that each command performs, and lists each command's related options, which display in the SAP Task Details when that command is selected.
Command Name | Description | Options |
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Performs the following actions:
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Performs the following actions:
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Performs the following actions:
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Defines a new SAP job. |
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Modifies an SAP job that already exists in an SAP system. A USAP job definition file is used to specify the modifications. |
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Starts a currently defined SAP job. |
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Starts the specified process chain on the SAP system. |
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Starts the specified InfoPackage on the SAP system. |
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Reconnects to a started job and monitors it through completion. |
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Waits for a Process Chain to complete. |
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Waits for an InfoPackage to complete. |
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Cancels a running SAP job. |
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Removes the specified process chain from the schedule. |
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Deletes a defined SAP job, its joblog, and all of its spoollists. This command is not available on SAP 3.1 and SAP 4.0. |
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Deletes a variant from an SAP system. |
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Raises the specified SAP background processing event. |
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| Displays the data specified in the Display Command field. The data is written to standard output. |
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Generates a USAP variant definition file based on a model SAP variant. The generated definition file is written to standard output. Requires XBP interface 2.0 or greater. |
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Generates a USAP job definition file based on a model SAP job. The generated definition file is written to standard output. |
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Creates a new Criteria Manager profile. |
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Sets the criteria for a profile. |
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Activates a criteria profile of the specified type. |
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Deactivates a criteria profile of the specified type. |
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Deletes a criteria profile from an SAP system. |
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For an SAP Task in Enhanced View, you can add one or more Job Steps for each task, and define the values for those job steps, as described below.
The Controller searches Job Step definitions based on their order in the Job Steps list; the definition at the top of the list is searched first. To change the order of the definitions in the list, drag and drop them to any location. |
Step 1 | Open the SAP task to which you want to add the parameter. |
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Step 2 | Click the Job Steps tab. The Job Steps list displays a list of all Job Steps for which values have been defined for this task. |
Step 3 | Click the |
Step 4 | Enter/select Details for a new Job Step, using the field descriptions below as a guide. Fields with the |
Step 6 | Click the |
| Field Name | Description |
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| Type | Job step type. Options are
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| Name | Name of the Job Step. |
| SAP User Name | User name in the SAP system. |
| Job Step Type = ABAP Program | This section contains assorted detailed information about an ABAP Program Job Step. |
| Variant Name | Variant to use to process the report. |
| Execution Language | Specifies the language in which the system executes and prints the output. |
| Use Temporary Variant | Specification for whether or not to use Temporary Variant. |
| Temporary Variant | If Use Temporary Variant is enabled, Allows you to enter temporary variants needed by the program to run. To add a temporary variant, click the + icon and enter a Technical Name, Type, Lower Limit/Single Value, Upper Limit, Option and Sign. To delete a variant, select in the list of variables and click the - icon. |
| Print Parameters... | The Print Parameters... button opens a dialog that allows you to set up print parameters. |
| Output Device | Specifies the printer or fax machine. |
| Number of Copies | Number of printouts. |
| Page Area | Specifies if everything should be printed or select pages. Options are:
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| Page From | If Page Area = Page, first page in the range of pages to be printed. |
| Page To | If Page Area = Page, last page in the range of pages to be printed. |
| Print Time | Specifies when the spool request will be sent to the output device. Options are:
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| Format | Page format, depending on the output device, different formats with different maximum page lengths and widths can be specified. |
| Output Contents... | The Output Contents... button opens a dialog that allows you to set up the output contents.
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| Spool Request Maximum 255 Character Width | Specification for a line break in spool after 255 characters. |
| Text Only | Specification to print text output only. |
| Suppress Colors/Shading In Printout | Specifies if colors/shading are included in spool list. |
| Spool List With Structure Information | Specifies if structure information is inserted into the print request. |
| No Frame Characters | Specifies if no frame characters are printed. |
| Spool Request... | The Spool Request... button opens a dialog that allows you to set up the spool request.
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| Spool Request Name | The name of the spool request if not printed immediately. |
| Title | Description text for the spool request, appears on the default cover page and is displayed in the output controller instead of the value of the Spool Request Name. |
| Authorization | Authorization for the spool request. This can be used to check whether or not a user is allowed to carry out certain actions on the spool request. |
| Cover Sheets... |
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| SAP Cover Sheet | Specifies whether a cover page containing details about the print request - such as recipient, department, and format - is to be sent with the with the spool request. |
| OS Cover Sheet | Specifies whether the standard cover page of the operating system spooler is to be sent with the spool request. |
| Selection Cover Sheet | Specifies whether a cover page with the input values of the selection layout is printed. |
| Receivers | Recipient name for the SAP cover page. |
| Department | Department name for the SAP cover page. |
| Output Options... |
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| Delete After Printing | If yes, spool request is deleted immediately after printing, otherwise after the value of Spool Retention. |
| Spool Retention | This field specifies how many days a spool request stays in the spool system before it is deleted. |
| New Spool Request | Specifies whether the system creates a new spool request. |
| Print Priority | Specifies the priority to be passed on to the spool system of the operating system. A spool request with a higher priority is inserted into the spooler queue in front of a spool request with a lower priority. |
| Storage Mode | Specifies the archiving mode. |
| Object Type | If Storage Mode = Archive Only or Print And Archive, Object type of the SAP object. |
| Document Type | If Storage Mode = Archive Only or Print And Archive, Document type of the archiving object. |
| Information | If Storage Mode = Archive Only or Print And Archive, Information abbreviation for the archiving request which can contain more information beside the name. |
| Text | If Storage Mode = Archive Only or Print And Archive, Description text of the archiving request. |
| Job Step Type = External Command/ External Program | This section contains assorted detailed information about an External Command/ External Program Job Step. |
| Parameters | Parameter string to be passed to the external program or command when the step starts. |
| Target Server | Name of the host system on which you want to process a background job. |
| OS | Job Step Type = External Command, Operating system of the application server. |
| Job Waiting For External Termination | Informs SAP to wait for termination before returning. |
| Log Output | Specifies how to write the standard job output. |
| Log Errors | Specifies how to write the standard error job output. |
| Activate Trace With Trace Level | Specifies the trace level. |
Some Job Step Details fields allow you to populate their drop-down lists with options retrieved from the SAP system:
Name - ABAP Program
Name - External Command
To select the options for a field, click the refresh picker icon next to its drop-down list to display a Refresh Options... dialog. There is a different Refresh Options... dialog for each options field.
Most of the fields on a Refresh Options... dialog are fields from the SAP Task Details, and the values for those fields in the dialog are, by default, the same as the values for the fields in the Details. You can keep the current values or change them from their drop-down lists.
When you click the Submit button on the Refresh Options... dialog for an options field, the drop-down list for that field is populated with values that are determined by the values that you submitted on the Refresh Options... dialog.
To delete a single Job Step for a task, either:
You can run an SAP task:
You can monitor all system activity from the Activity Monitor and can view activity history from the History list.
button above the list to display a pop-up version of the Details.
button. The task is added to the database, and all buttons and tabs in the Task Details are enabled.
button are 
