The best Solution Manager

Solution Manager is now entering the next round with version 7.2. This version is currently being ramped up and a lot has really happened. From my point of view, the main new features for users are in the areas of solution documentation and test management.

I was particularly impressed by the new solution documentation. The old "swimlanes" have disappeared; instead, processes are now (if you want) modeled in BPMN, a real standard that is not recognized by SAP.

Just as software engineering strives to avoid redundancies, this design principle can now also be used in solution documentation.

The previous links were difficult to use in practice. Technically, they always worked perfectly. In a larger documentation project, however, it was always difficult to keep track of the various links.

With the new, graphical representation and modularization of objects and documents, this has now improved significantly. SAP itself points out that customers who prefer other documentation solutions usually have to dig deep into their pockets for license and maintenance costs for a similar range of functions.

Unfortunately, the challenge this time is not the technology, but something completely different. It is always difficult to encourage customers to take the step towards documentation. Medium-sized companies always find it difficult to take the step towards investment and start documenting their processes.

As great as SolMan is, the integration that we have had so far is now much more profound, a real application lifecycle management tool.

However, the lifecycle of a solution also begins with its requirement. As a result, IT managers - if they want to use the Solution Manager correctly - will no longer be able to avoid actually documenting their processes in SolMan in the medium term.

If the SolMan has gained in importance so far, it will do so all the more in the future. Until now, you could also use the individual functions of what I have always affectionately called the "Swiss army knife" individually.

This will no longer be possible in the future. The functions are so deeply and sensibly integrated with each other that it will not be possible to use only the file of the pocket knife and leave the rest to lie dormant.

As documentation of current processes cannot be created overnight, any day is the best time to start. Even if it may not pay off in the first step, as it is only a "documentation" and not a further development of existing functions - the big calculation is made at the end and that is when the savings effects become visible.

Customers who have previously used the solution documentation, but only as a file repository, should ideally now begin to break down this documentation into elementary units.

With the 7.2 version, solution documentation is so closely interwoven with change request management that simple file storage in conjunction with ChaRM and test management no longer makes sense and is inconceivable.

Passionate users of the Solution Manager can look forward to many new functions, but in addition to the technical upgrade, these also involve some effort at the beginning.

However, these investments will definitely pay off in the medium term. In addition to the effect of significantly more sustainable documentation, the procedures of all application lifecycle management processes (requirements, change and test management) can also be sharpened. This benefits not only the IT department, but also the users thanks to more stable production systems and greater transparency in the processes.