qRFC Alert        

Purpose

You can use the qRFC Alert report to monitor the inbound and outbound queues relevant to APO-R/3 integration in both SAP APO and SAP R/3. Due to the asynchronous data transfer between SAP APO and SAP R/3, errors that occur during data transfer are not reported directly to the user. Instead, the faulty queue entries block the outbound or inbound queue. The serialization of queues means that subsequent data transfers can no longer pass through the inbound or outbound queues of the relevant system. Monitoring by the qRFC Alert determines when these queue blocks occur and a message is sent to:

●      The user responsible for causing the block, using SAPOffice Inbox mail (all initiators of queue blocks receive a message informing them that they have caused a block)

●      The administrator, using SAPOffice Inbox (one person is chosen to receive all messages)

●      The administrator, using an Internet mail address (one person is chosen to receive all messages)

Integration

Hanging qRFC entries can be displayed, activated, subjected to debugging, or deleted using the qRFC Monitor for inbound queues (transaction SMQ1) or outbound queues (SMQ2), or using the SCM Queue Manager (transaction /SAPAPO/CQ).

Prerequisites

The qRFC Alert for outbound queues is available as of SAP APO 3.0A. The function can be post-installed in SAP APO 1.1 and SAP APO 2.0A using a Support Package or SAP Note 300884.

The qRFC Alert for inbound queues is available as of SAP APO 3.1. The function can be post-installed in SAP APO 3.0A using Support Package 11 or SAP Note 392197.

If messages are to be sent to an e-mail address, the necessary settings must be made in SAPConnect.

Features

The qRFC Alert monitors outbound and inbound queues from SAP APO and connected SAP R/3 systems. It consists of two reports:

●      qRFC Alert for Outbound Queues

●      qRFC Alert for Inbound Queues

If the system identifies faulty queue entries or queue blocks, it generates a message from the status information and sends it to the relevant recipient using SAPOffice API (if this setting has been made). The system also provides a list of all faulty queue entries.

If you want the qRFC Alert to run periodically, you must schedule the report using Simple Job Selection (transaction SM37).

Activities

qRFC Alert for Outbound Queues

Start the qRFC Alert for outbound queues using the SAP Easy Access Menu, as follows: Tools → APO Administration → Integration → Monitor → qRFC Alert (Outbound Queue), or using transaction /SAPAPO/CW (report: /SAPAPO/RCIFQUEUECHECK).

Monitoring of APO Outbound (Local Outbound Queues)

...

       1.      Target Systems: Enter the logical target system; that is, the SAP R/3 system to which the outbound queue is to be sent. You can use wildcard characters (for example, SX*).

       2.      Local Queue Names: Enter the name of the RFC destinations you want to monitor. Pay attention to the following naming convention:

-         Two character prefix ‘CF’

-         Two character object abbreviation (for example, ‘IP’ for ‘in-house production’)

-         Four figure numerical value

       3.      Queue Errors Only: If you set this indicator, the system only searches for actual application errors (SYSFAIL).  If you do not set the indicator, the system also searches for temporary errors such as communication errors (CPICERR) or errors caused by temporary application locks.

       4.      NOSENDS Entries as Errors: If you set this indicator, the system also evaluates queue entries as faulty that were deliberately recorded by the user (user settings in /SAPAPO/C4 or SAP R/3 transaction CFC2) and were therefore not sent.                                                         

       5.      Allowed Age of READY Queues: You specify how old a queue with the status READY may be before an alert is triggered. You enter the age in minutes. If you do not enter a value, an alert is always triggered for READY queues.   

       6.      Only One Mail to Administrator: If you set this indicator, only one mail is sent to the administrator for each system in which at least one faulty queue entry was found.

       7.      Mail Format: Use input help to choose the format in which the mail is to be sent. If you do not specify a mail format, the mail is sent to recipient type B (SAP user) in SCR (SAPScript) and to all other recipients in ASC.

Note that the settings under points 4 to 7 also apply to remote outbound queues.

       8.      Notification: Specify the recipient of the message:

-         None: The message is not sent, it is simply displayed on your screen

-         To Initiator: The message is sent to the user who caused the block

-         To Administrator: All messages are sent to one person

-         Recipient Type: Select a recipient type The recipient type determines the message format. Note that the corresponding entries must have been made under SAP Connect if you select recipient type U (internet address).

The entry in the address field can be changed. The current user is entered as the default value.

       9.      Execute the report (F8). The message is either sent or displayed on screen.

Monitoring of SAP R/3 Outbound (Remote Outbound Queues)

...

       1.      Remote Systems: Enter the name of the RFC destinations with outbound queues to be monitored (usually the connected SAP R/3 system). You can use wildcard characters (for example, SX*). If you do not make any entries, outbound queues will not be monitored in any connected system.

       2.      Destinations in Remote Systems: Enter the name of the destination systems addressed by the remote system (usually the SAP APO system itself). You can use wildcard characters (for example, SX*).

       3.      Remote Queue Names: Enter the name of the outbound queue to be monitored in the SAP R/3 system.

All SAP R/3 outbound queues addressed during SCM CIF integration have the prefix CF.

       4.      Queue Errors Only: If you set this indicator, the system only searches for actual application errors (SYSFAIL).  If you do not set the indicator, the system also searches for temporary errors such as communication errors (CPICERR) or errors caused by temporary application locks.

All subsequent entries are made in the same way as the entries under Local Outbound Queues.

qRFC Alert for Inbound Queues

Start the qRFC Alert for inbound queues using the SAP Easy Access Menu, as follows: Tools → APO Administration → Integration → Monitor → qRFC Alert (Inbound Queue), or using transaction /SAPAPO/CQINW (report: /SAPAPO/RCIFINQUEUECHECK). When you use inbound queues, temporary outbound queues are always created. Therefore, you should also use the qRFC Alert for outbound queues at the same time.

Monitoring of APO Inbound (Local Inbound Queues)

...

       1.      Local Queue Names: Enter the name of the RFC destinations you want to monitor. Pay attention to the following naming convention:

-         Two character prefix ‘CF’

-         Two character object abbreviation (for example, ‘IP’ for ‘in-house production’)

-         Four figure numerical value

       2.      Queue Errors Only: If you set this indicator, the system only searches for actual application errors (SYSFAIL).  If you do not set the indicator, the system also searches for temporary errors such as communication errors (CPICERR) or errors caused by temporary application locks.

       3.      NOSENDS Entries as Errors: If you set this indicator, the system also evaluates queue entries as faulty that were deliberately recorded by the user (user settings in /SAPAPO/C4 or SAP R/3 transaction CFC2) and were therefore not sent.

       4.      Allowed Age of READY Queues: You specify how old a queue with the status READY may be before an alert is triggered. You enter the age in minutes. If you do not enter a value, an alert is always triggered for READY queues.

       5.      Only One Mail to Administrator: If you set this indicator, only one mail is sent to the administrator for each system in which at least one faulty queue entry was found.

       6.      Mail Format: Use input help to choose the format in which the mail is to be sent. If you do not specify a mail format, the mail is sent to recipient type B (SAP user) in SCR (SAPScript) and to all other recipients in ASC.

Note that the settings under points 3 to 6 also apply for remote inbound queues.

       7.      Notification: Specify the recipient of the message:

-         None: The message is not sent, it is simply displayed on your screen

-         To Initiator: The message is sent to the user who caused the block

-         To Administrator: All messages are sent to one person

-         Recipient Type: Select a recipient type The recipient type determines the message format. Note that the corresponding entries must have been made under SAP Connect if you select recipient type U (internet address).

The entry in the address field can be changed. The current user is entered as the default value.

       8.      Execute the report (F8). The message is either sent or displayed on screen.

Monitoring of SAP R/3 Inbound (Remote Inbound Queues)

...

       1.      Remote Systems: Enter the name of the RFC destinations with inbound queues to be monitored (usually the connected SAP R/3 system). You can use wildcard characters (for example, SX*). If you do not make any entries, inbound queues will not be monitored in any connected system.

       2.      Remote Queue Names: Enter the name of the inbound queue to be monitored in the SAP R/3 system.

All SAP R/3 inbound queues addressed during SCM CIF integration have the prefix CF.

       3.      Queue Errors Only: If you set this indicator, the system only searches for actual application errors (SYSFAIL).  If you do not set the indicator, the system also searches for temporary errors such as communication errors (CPICERR) or errors caused by temporary application locks.

All subsequent entries are made in the same way as the entries under Local Inbound Queues.