SAP pathfinder

SAP pathfinder is an SAP tool to give you insights into your system and let SAP tell you where they think you can improve, optimise and innovate.

Questions that will be answered in this blog are:

  • What is SAP pathfinder?
  • How do I run it?
  • Can I see a sample report of what I will get?

SAP pathfinder will most likely by succeeded by Signavio process insights. Read this blog for more information on Signavio process insights, discovery edition.

SAP pathfinder

SAP pathfinder is part of the innovation and value support part of SAP. The full background can be read on the SAP pathfinder site. This site includes video’s that explain everything.

On this site you can also find an example output report.

Background OSS notes:

How to run SAP pathfinder?

Apply 2 OSS notes: 2758146 and 2745851.

Move the OSS notes to your productive system and run program RC_VALUE_DISCOVERY_COLL_DATA:

Let the analysis run and then download the data. To do that start the program again and push the Download Analysis Data button.

You will need as well a PDF copy of your production system EWA.

If you have the files, upload them at the SAP site, confirm, and wait about 1 to 2 weeks before SAP has finished your report.

Main screen shot from the sample:

In case of issues you can read the troubleshooting guide: 2977422 – Process Discovery (evolution of SAP Business Scenario Recommendations) & SAP Pathfinder report – troubleshooting guide.

Read more in OSS note 2918818 – Usage and Performance Data Collection for Process Discovery (evolution of SAP Business Scenario Recommendations) and SAP Innovation and Optimization Pathfinder on Spotlight on the inclusion of usage and performance data.

S4HANA setup FIORI manage KPI tiles

Inside S4HANA there is a very powerful FIORI tile called the Manage KPI and Report function. This blog will explain how to setup this FIORI tile and how to make sure it is working properly.

It is assumed you have already enabled your S4HANA system for FIORI (see this blog).

Note: this blog will only explain the S4HANA 1909 and higher implementation. Previous versions of this functionality have more tiles and setup work.

Activating the Manage KPI and report function

Goto transaction STC01 and select task list SAP_FIORI_CONTENT_ACTIVATION:

In the task list select the business role SAP_BR_ANALYTICS_SPECIALIST:

Now run the task list and wait. If you have issues, please read this blog.

Assign then activated PFCG role SAP_BR_ANALYTICS_SPECIALIST to your user ID.

Checking the KPI and report FIORI tile

Start the FIORI launchpad (transaction /UI2/FLP) and check that the manage KPIs and Reports tile is now available:

Click on the tile and you come into the first screen. Top left you can choose between KPI and Reports. We will first start with inspecting the KPI. We will use Purchase Order Changes as example:

Details of the KPI:

Here you can see the Data source: CDS view C_POITEMCHANGECOUNT.

On the visualize tab you can see a preview of the tile:

Now we will inspect the report:

Here you can see it is a Generic Drilldown on the datasource C_POITEMCHANGECOUNT. Click to open the details:

You can push the button Show Preview to get a preview of the report:

In the section application details you can see the details for the tile:

Very important here is the catalog it belongs to. In PFCG assign the correct business role to your user: SAP_BR_BUYER. You can find this role in the FIORI reference library documentation for this tile.

After the role is assigned, start the FIORI app finder and search for the app:

Now this tile should work:

Background information

There is an excellent OpenSAP course on this topic: link.

More background information can be found on the FIORI reference libary for the Manage KPIs and Report app: