Requesting an ATC Exemption

Sometimes, you cannot correct an ATC finding. Perhaps the finding is a false positive — a finding reported for a utility or test program that cannot be corrected. Or the finding will be corrected at a later date, perhaps together with other work.

In such cases, you can request an ATC exemption to mask the finding, either temporarily or permanently.

A request for an exemption must be approved by a quality manager before it becomes effective.

Here is how to request an exemption:

1. Open the Details of a finding for which you need an exemption.

2. Click on Request Exemption to start the exemption wizard.

3. On the first screen of the wizard, set the granularity and scope of the exemption.

   Granularity tab lets you specify how widely the exemption should apply to repository objects.

   Validity tab lets you specify how widely the exemption should apply to findings from the current check.

   See the F1 help for more information on these fields.

   You should of course accept default granularity and scope. But if necessary, you can request in effect a blanket exemption that masks many findings.

   Example

   Assume that your ABAP project is not to be translated. You therefore wish to request a blanket exemption for the Extended Program Check message Text Element Missing in a Character String.

   To do this, set the granularity to Package. The exemption will mask all repository objects in the package hierarchy of the package that you name. (You may have to request that a user with ATC QM authorizations makes this setting.)

   Leave the scope set to This kind of message so that only text element messages are masked by the exemption.

   The result is that the ATC masks missing text element messages for all objects in the current package and its package hierarchy.

4. On the second wizard screen, do the following:

   • Choose an Approver from the F4 input help to review your request and approve the exemption.

   • Choose a Reason from the F4 input help to categorize your exemption request.

   • Add any explanatory text in Justification to back up your exemption request.

   You can also specify whether you want to be notified of action on your exemption request.

Note: Do you need to change an exemption request? Then just choose Request Exemption in the Details again. The ATC displays a summary screen showing the exemption and its history. Switch to edit mode to make any necessary changes and send the exemption to the approver again. You can also delete an exemption that you no longer need.