Customizing Cross-System Viewer

PDF download from SAP Help Portal:

http://help.sap.com
Created on October 11, 2016

The documentation may have changed since you downloaded the PDF. You can always find the latest information on SAP Help
Portal.

Note
This PDF document contains the selected topic and its subtopics (max. 150) in the selected structure. Subtopics from other structures are not included.

2016 SAP SE or an SAP affiliate company. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or for any purpose
without the express permission of SAP SE. The information contained herein may be changed without prior notice. Some software products marketed by SAP
SE and its distributors contain proprietary software components of other software vendors. National product specifications may vary. These materials are
provided by SAP SE and its affiliated companies ("SAP Group") for informational purposes only, without representation or warranty of any kind, and SAP
Group shall not be liable for errors or omissions with respect to the materials. The only warranties for SAP Group products and services are those that are set
forth in the express warranty statements accompanying such products and services, if any. Nothing herein should be construed as constituting an additional
warranty. SAP and other SAP products and services mentioned herein as well as their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of SAP SE in
Germany and other countries. Please see www.sap.com/corporate-en/legal/copyright/index.epx#trademark for additional trademark information and notices.

Table of content

PUBLIC
2014 SAP SE or an SAP affiliate company. All rights reserved.

Page 1 of 9

Table of content
1 Customizing Cross-System Viewer
1.1 Compare
1.1.1 Create Object Overviews
1.2 Editing Comparisons
1.3 Deleting Comparisons
1.4 Display Comparison Overview
1.5 Cross-System Viewer Functions
1.6 Excluding Tables/Views from Comparison

PUBLIC
2014 SAP SE or an SAP affiliate company. All rights reserved.

Page 2 of 9

1 Customizing Cross-System Viewer

Use
This tool compares customizing objects in two clients in the same or different SAP systems.
To compare objects, start the Customizing Cross-System Viewer in the logon client. Log on to the comparison client.

Prerequisites
Authorizations
You need the following authorizations for the Customizing Cross-System Viewer:
Operation

Logon client

Comparison client

Object comparison

S_TABU_DIS (display authorization)

S_TABU_RFC

S_TABU_DIS (display authorization)

Object Processing

S_TABU_DIS (maintenance authorization)

S_TABU_RFC

S_TABU_DIS (display authorization)

Additional Authorization for Editing Cross-Client

Objects

S_TABU_CLI

Note
To compare objects in a system before Release 4.5A, you need authorization S_TABU_CLI and not S_TABU_RFC in the compare client.
The authorization S_TABU_RFC is in the authorization profiles S_A.SYSTEM, S_A.CUSTOMIZ, and S_CUS_CMP.
Security
The compare client security level must be:
0 (unrestricted)
1 (no overwriting)
You can set this in the client maintenance. For more information, see Maintain Clients.
You must logon to the compare client, even if it is in the same system as the logon client. You must create a Remote Function Call connection. You must
create a Remote Function Call connection. For more information, see Maintaining Remote Destinations.

Features
The Customizing Cross-System Viewer generates comparisons for selected customizing objects, which are saved as a worklist in the database.
You can make any number of comparisons with each worklist, in dialog or background. A comparison shows the differences for each object. You can also
make an individual comparison for each object.
Selection Conditions for Comparisons
The Customizing Cross-System Viewer compares customizing objects by the following criteria:
Project IMG
This option shows changes in your project.
Application Components
This option compares customizing objects in specified application areas.
Business Configuration Sets
This option compares the customizing settings in a Business Configuration Set with the corresponding customizing settings in your logon client.
Transport Requests
This option shows the objects which could be overwritten by a transport.
Manual Selection
In this option, you specify which objects are compared.
ALE Distribution Group
This option views the objects to which specific maintenance, ownership and distribution characteristics have been assigned via a specific ALE
distribution group. Comparisons monitor production processing and perform an initial data comparison analysis.
Comparison Overview Lists
For the selected set of objects, you have the following options:
Object Overview
This is a list from which you can preselect objects for comparison.
Complete comparison in dialog
Complete comparison in background
The result is an overview of the differences between the two clients compared. You can process the differences from the overview.
Status indicator
Each object compared has two status flags:
Comparison Status
Type of any differences found. Assigned automatically. Processing Status
Processing status
Distinguishes between objects which have been processed and those which have not.
You can assign the processing status manually. A subsequent comparison will change the processing status of objects with no differences from Open

PUBLIC
2014 SAP SE or an SAP affiliate company. All rights reserved.

Page 3 of 9

) to Completed (

).

The possible settings for each status indicator are listed in the following table:
Status Settings
Status

Icons

Description

Processing status

Open
Testing
Completed

Comparison Status

View/table contents are not identical

View/table contents are identical
View/table contents are identical and there are
structure differences
View/table contents are not identical
View/table contents are not identical and there are
structure differences
Cannot be compared (see below)

You can list these values in the worklist legend.

Comparison may not be possible for the following reasons:
Process cancelled
Table/view does not exist in logon or compare client
Table/view is too wide
The user has no display authorization in the logon or compare client
There is no extended table maintenance dialog in the compare client
Communication error (RFC)
Comparison system crash
Key structure not convertible
Field structure not convertible
The table is a system table and therefore excluded from comparison
Comparison Options
You can perform comparisons in various ways:
Individual Comparison
Shows differences between objects
Complete Comparison
In dialog or background
Utilities and Other Functions
Utilities and other functions:
Determine the overall comparison status
Determine the processing status of specified objects
Select or deselect objects for comparison
You can select or deselect all objects, some objects or a block of objects.
Go to the Implementation Guide (IMG) to access the IMG activities for specified objects
Display difference and object type statistics
Display application components in the application component hierarchy
Display comparison status, processing status and object type legend
Filter the display by processing status, comparison status and object type criteria
Exclude Objects from Comparison

1.1 Compare
Prerequisites
You want to compare a selected group of customizing objects.

Procedure
1. In customizing project processing or customizing project administration, choose
Tools
Customizing Objects
Cross-System Viewer
SAP menu.
or
or choose
Tools
Customizing
Customizing Cross-System Viewer in the SAP menu.
2. Choose one of the three comparison categories in the New Comparison Based On group box as the basis of your comparison:
Category
IMG activities

in the

Comparison based on:

Project IMG
SAP Reference IMG

Application Components

Select components
All components

PUBLIC
2014 SAP SE or an SAP affiliate company. All rights reserved.

Page 4 of 9

Further selections

Customizing Piece List/Transport

Business Configuration Set
ALE Distribution Group
Manual Selection

3. Choose Create .
4. Continue acording to your comparison:
IMG activities
For a comparison based on:

Follow the procedure below:

Project IMG

1. Enter a project.
2. Choose one of the following options:
All activities
Selecting Views
Selecting Activities
3. Choose Continue .

SAP Reference IMG

1. Choose one of the following options:

All activities
Selecting Activities
2. Choose Continue .

Application Components
For a comparison based on:

Follow the procedure below:

Select components

1. Choose component(s) from the application component hierarchy.

2. Choose Continue .

All components

Further selections
For a comparison based on:

Follow the procedure below:

Customizing Piece List/Transport

1. Enter the customizing piece list/transport.

2. Choose Continue .

Business Configuration Set

1. Enter a Business Configuration Set.

2. Choose Continue .

ALE Distribution Group

1. Enter the ALE distribution group.

2. Choose Continue .

Manual Selection

1. Specify object names and types.

2. Choose Continue .

5.
6.
7.
8.

Provide a description for the comparison.

Specify Client-Specific or Cross-Client .
Specify an RFC connection, if required.
Specify the comparison type that you want to execute:
To...
Perform complete comparison in dialog
Perform complete comparison in the background

Choose...
Complete Comparison
Complete comparison in background
Run large jobs in the background and view the results later.

Table fields with value prompt at activation in Business Configuration Sets

If table fields were given the attribute Get Value at Activation when a Business Configuration Set was created (see Create BC Set via IMG Hierarchy), a
window containing all variable table fields with their proposed values opens at the start of the comparison. You can change these values before the
comparison. You can compare Business Configuration Sets flexibly for various organizational units, for example, company codes 0000 and 0001 in this way.
If you change the value of a Business Configuration Set table field with the attribute Get Value at Activation in a comparison, the most recent value is the
proposal in the next comparison of the BC Set.

Result
The comparison shows for each object:
the total number of entries in the logon system
the number of entries only in the logon system
the number of changed entries
the number of entries only in the comparison system
Both processing status and comparison status are displayed.
If no differences were found, the processing status of objects which were Open (

) is set to Completed (

).

Business Configuration Set comparisons

The graphical display of Business Configuration Set comparisons differs from that of comparisons based on other criteria.
The comparison fields show:
the total number of entries in the Business Configuration Set
the number of changed entries (cannot be changed after activation)
The constants in a view are the values which were defined as constants in the Business Configuration Set. They cannot be changed.
the number of changed entries (proposals)
The proposals in a view are the values which were defined as proposals in the Business Configuration Set. They can be changed.

PUBLIC
2014 SAP SE or an SAP affiliate company. All rights reserved.

Page 5 of 9

the number of entries, which are only in the Business Configuration Set (and not in the logon client).

1.1.1 Create Object Overviews

Context
You want to generate a list of customizing objects for a comparison.

Procedure
1. In customizing project processing or customizing project administration, choose
Tools
Customizing Objects
Cross-System Viewer
SAP menu.
or
or choose
Tools
Customizing
Customizing Cross-System Viewer in the SAP menu.
2. Choose one of the three comparison categories in the New Comparison Based On group box as the basis of your object overview:
Category
IMG activities

in the

Comparison based on:

Project IMG
SAP Reference IMG

Application Components

Select components
All components

Further selections

Customizing Piece List/Transport

Business Configuration Set
ALE Distribution Group
Manual Selection

3. Choose Create .
4. Continue acording to your object overview type:
IMG activities
For a comparison based on:

Follow the procedure below:

Project IMG

1. Enter a project.
2. Choose one of the following options:
All activities
Selecting Views
Selecting Activities
3. Choose Continue .

SAP Reference IMG

1. Choose one of the following options:

All activities
Selecting Activities
2. Choose Continue .

Application Components
For a comparison based on:

Follow the procedure below:

Select components

1. Choose component(s) from the component hierarchy.

2. Choose Continue .

All components

Further selections
For a comparison based on:

Follow the procedure below:

Customizing Piece List/Transport

1. Enter the customizing piece list/transport.

2. Choose Continue .

Business Configuration Set

1. Enter a Business Configuration Set.

2. Choose Continue .

ALE Distribution Group

1. Enter the ALE distribution group.

2. Choose Continue .

Manual Selection

Specify object names and types.

Choose Continue .

5. Enter an object overview description.

6. Specify Client-Specific or Cross-Client .
7. Choose Object Overview .

Results
The list created is a simple overview of the objects to be compared:
The processing status is Open (
), because no comparison has yet been performed.
The comparison status and all other comparison fields - the total number of entries in the logon system, the number of entries only in the logon system,

PUBLIC
2014 SAP SE or an SAP affiliate company. All rights reserved.

Page 6 of 9

the number of changed entries, the number of entries only in the comparison system - are empty.

1.2 Editing Comparisons

Context
You have already made a comparison and adjusted the Customizing objects according to the comparison results. You can now change the processing status
of the customizing objects in the existing comparison, for example from Open to In Process . You can also make a new comparison.

Procedure
1. In customizing project processing or customizing project administration, choose
Tools
Customizing Objects
Cross-System Viewer
in the
SAP menu.
or choose
Tools
Customizing
Customizing Cross-System Viewer
in the SAP menu.
2. Enter a comparison ID in the Existing Comparisons group box, or choose one from the possible entries help.
The possible entries help lists comparisons by:
User and/or client
Comparison system and/or comparison client
Processing status
Last change
3. To change a comparison, choose Edit . To see a comparison without changing it, choose Display .
The comparison displayed is one of:
Object Overview: List of objects to be compared.
The processing status is displayed in this list, the comparison status and all other comparison fields are empty.
List of compared objects: List of already compared objects.
Both the processing status and the comparison status, and the comparison result for each object are displayed in this list.
4. You can now make the following changes:
To change the processing status of a customizing object, click on the processing status symbol in front of the object.
To compare the customizing objects again choose
Edit
New Comparison
or
Edit
New Comparison in the Background .
To copy settings in the comparison client into the logon client, choose
Edit
Interactive Copy .

Caution
You can only copy customizing settings interactively for objects of type table [with text table] (S), view (V) or cluster (C), i.e. for objects which
are maintained with transactions SM30 or SM34. The comparison client table settings are copied directly into the tables of the logon client. No
checks are made. This function should only be used by experienced users.

Results
You have changed a comparison.

Caution
The system recalculates the processing status in each new comparison. The status of all objects which are found to be identical in the two logical
systems in a new comparison, is set to Completed . If you have changed the processing status manually, the system overwrites it in a new comparison.

1.3 Deleting Comparisons

Prerequisites
You want to delete an existing comparison.

Procedure
1. In customizing project processing or customizing project administration, choose
Tools
Customizing Objects
Cross-System Viewer
SAP menu.
or
or choose
Tools
Customizing
Customizing Cross-System Viewer
in the SAP menu.
2. Enter the comparison to be deleted, in the Existing Comparisons group box, or choose one from the possible entries help.
3. Choose Delete .
A deletion confirmation dialog box appears.
4. Choose Yes to confirm the deletion.

in the

Results
PUBLIC
2014 SAP SE or an SAP affiliate company. All rights reserved.

Page 7 of 9

The comparison is deleted.

1.4 Display Comparison Overview

Context
You want to see a list of existing comparisons by specified criteria.

Procedure
1. In customizing project processing or customizing project administration, choose
Tools
Customizing Objects
SAP menu.
or
or choose
Tools
Customizing
Customizing Cross-System Viewer
in the SAP menu.
2. Choose
Comparison Run
Overview .
3. Enter your selection criteria.
Possible criteria are user, logon client, comparison system, comparison client, processing status and last change.
4. Choose Continue .

Cross-System Viewer

in the

Results
The result is a list of existing comparisons by your criteria. Select a comparison for further information.

1.5 Cross-System Viewer Functions

Use
You process the comparisons created by the Cross-System Viewer in various ways:
Maintenance Functions
With these functions you can execute comparisons and adjustments.
Comparison functions
With these functions you can manage the comparison run.
Utilities and Other Functions

Procedure
You reach the following functions using the change mode of a comparison run.
Maintenance Functions
Function

Menu Path/Pushbutton

Individual Comparison

Edit
Comparison
pushbutton.

Interactive adjustment

Edit

Remarks
or choose the Comparison

Interac. Adjustment

With this function you execute a comparison of an

individual object.
Adjust the differences between clients.

Caution
See the notes in Editing Comparison Runs for this.
New dialog comparison

Edit

Neu Comparison

Compare all selected objects in dialog.

New background comparison

Edit

New Comparison in Background

Compare all selected objects in the background.

Set processing status

Edit

Set Editing Status

Sets the processing status of the selected objects.

Edit

Select

Select/Deselect objects for comparison. select/deselect

Select

Sort

followed by the required function

Choose one of:

objects for comparison You can select or deselect all

Select All Deselect All Select Deselect Select area

Select/Deselect objects for comparison.

objects, some objects or a block of objects

Edit

Sort...

or choose the Sort pushbutton.

Specify your object sort criterion in the following dialog

box, by object name, object type, object description, or
application component.
Specify whether to sort in ascending or descending
order.

Comparison functions
Function

Menu Path/Pushbutton

Remarks

Set overall status

Comparison Run

Overall Status

Toggle between change and display mode

Comparison Run

Display <-> Change

choose the symbol for Display <-> Change .

PUBLIC
2014 SAP SE or an SAP affiliate company. All rights reserved.

Set the overall status of the comparison.

or

You can toggle between display and change mode if

the comparison is not locked by another user. You can

Page 8 of 9

view the comparison even if you are running a

comparison in the background.
Refresh display

Comparison Run

Update Display

or choose

This functoin refreshes the display.

the Update Display pushbutton.

Utilities and Other Functions

Function

Menu Path/Pushbutton

Statistics

Utilities
pushbutton.

Application Component

Utilities

Remarks

Statistics

or choose the Statistics

Application Comp.

or choose the

App. Comp. pushbutton.

IMG environment

Goto

IMG Environment

A statistical overview of the differences and object type

lists.
The part of the application component hierarchy for the
selected objects.

or choose the IMG

The IMG activities for the selected objects.

Environment pushbutton.
Legend

Utilities

Legend

or choose the symbol for

Legend .
Filter

Utilities

The possible comparison and processing status

values. The legend also contains a list of object types.

Filter

or choose the symbol for Filter . Filter the object display by processing status,
comparison status, or object type.

1.6 Excluding Tables/Views from Comparison

Prerequisites
You need the authorization s_tabu_cli to edit and activate the exclusion table.
You are in the initial screen of the Customizing Cross-System Viewer or the Individual Comparison.

Context
You make comparisons with the Customizing Cross-System Viewer or individually. These comparisons contain tables, views or table/view fields which you
want to exclude from future comparisons. If you exclude a field, view or table from a comparison, this applies to all clients in your system.

Caution
You can only put customizing objects of type table, table with text table (S) and view (V) in the exclusion table. If you want to exclude view clusters or
objects of type L from comparisons, you must resolve them into their subobjects (tables, views) and put those in the exclusion table.

Procedure
1. Choose
Extras
Maintain Exclusion Table
in the menu.
The system displays the exclusion table.
2. Switch to the change mode by choosing Display/Change .
3. Choose the New Entries button.
The system puts ready for entry rows in the table.
4. Enter the name of the view or table under View Name .
5. Specify under Type whether you want to exclude a view, a table, or a table with text table from the comparison.
6. If you only want to exclude one field from the view or table from the comparison, enter the field name. You cannot exclude key fields from the
comparison, because a comparison can only be based on keys.
7. Specify an exclusion type:
Do not compare View/Table : The view or table is no longer included in the following comparisons.
Compare View at Table Level : A view is resolved into its underlying tables, and these tables are compared completely in the following
comparisons (that is, fields in the table which are not in the view are included. The selection conditions defined in the view are not applied).
Do not compare View/Table Field : The view or table field that you have specified in the Field Name column is not included in the following
comparisons.
8. Save your entries.
9. Activate the exclusion table.

Results
The views, tables and fields entered in the exclusion table are not included in the following comparisons. Tables and views which are excluded from a
comparison are flagged as excluded in the result of a comparison; fields which are excluded from a comparison do not appear in the result of a comparison.
You can now:
delete entries from the exclusion table
deactivate the exclusion table if you do not want to use it any more, and reactivate it as required.

PUBLIC
2014 SAP SE or an SAP affiliate company. All rights reserved.

Page 9 of 9