How to Use the What's New Viewer for SAP IBP

The What's New Viewer lists all news and changes that come with a new release. In particular, it includes the tasks that you need to perform immediately after the upgrade to a new release, even if you do not plan to use any new features yet.

Here is an overview of all type values:

Filter Value in Types Column Task Urgency Details

Mandatory task after upgrade

Accomplish the mandatory post-upgrade tasks. Mandatory

Post-upgrade activities are sometimes required because although we try, we cannot always avoid “disruptive” changes. Post-upgrade activities may include changing configuration or other settings to make sure that the processes you were using previously are running in the same way after the upgrade. They may also require using a new app for existing business processes.

Must know

Take note of changes that require a changed approach later after the upgrade. Mandatory

In some cases, a disruptive change does not have an impact on your existing objects or running processes (like items classified with Mandatory task after upgrade). Only if you create familiar objects or start familiar processes later after the upgrade, you need to handle things differently than before the upgrade. For this reason, you need to take note of these changes immediately after the upgrade.

Prepare next release

Start preparing the next (!) release. Highly recommended
Sometimes, we plan disruptive changes for the next release. Typical examples include the following:
  • New app

    A new app introduced in the current release will replace an existing app in the next release. The old app will no longer be available in the next release. Therefore, you need to switch over to the new app by the next release.

  • Activation checks

    A warning of an activation check will be changed to an error. You need to fix the related issue by the next release to be able to activate the planning area.

We want to let you know about such changes one release ahead, so that your company can prepare for the changes before they become effective.

Changed

Take note of smaller improvements and round-offs of the user interface or features that you are already using. Recommended

This category can include, for example, rearranged user interface elements or changed user interface texts, improved checks, and more. You might want to draw your business users' attention to these items because they need to familiarize themselves with the changes. To list changed features, just filter the Types column in the What's New table by Changed. Note that this category does not include new features that enhance the functional scope of SAP IBP.

New

Identify the new features and enhancements that might be interesting for you. Optional, on demand Using the new features, you can enhance your business processes

Grouping according to the type – and business topic of course – is a little coarse-grained when it comes to planning your next activities for handling the new release. Therefore, each change comes with tags in the filter in the Impact column that help you to determine your post-upgrade activities according to various criteria. You might ask yourself: For which new features would I have to enhance and reactivate my planning areas? Which new features require the installation of the new Excel add-in? Are there any new SAP Fiori apps that can help to improve my business processes - but also require training my business users?

To deep-dive into the details for a particular change, please click the See more link.