Show TOC

Object documentationChange Cycle

 

A change cycle is a type of change transaction that defines the system landscape (change control landscape and branch) and the transport tracks for change documents. Each change cycle has a defined set of phases, depending on its type. The phases define which activities are permitted as part of change control.

There are three types of change cycle:

  • Continual cycles

  • Phase cycles

  • Release cycles

For more information about when to use which cycle, see the documentation for each cycle type.

 

A change cycle controls the following activities in change control management:

  • Requests for change and the resulting changes in the systems that are used in your solution landscape

  • Transports of changes to the follow-on systems

  • Change logistics, that is, which transports can be transported into the follow-on systems at which point in time

You use change cycles to control which change activities are permitted in which phase. The phases determine the sequence of tasks in task lists.

When the transport features of the CTS or central CTS are to be used, you have to assign a change control landscape and a branch to a change cycle. This enables SAP Solution Manager to identify the technical systems.

You can create new change cycles in the WebClient UI. Release cycles can be created from the release planning function.

Structure

By default, a change cycle contains the following assignment blocks:

  • Status overview

    Displays the phases of a change cycle. The current phase for the cycle is highlighted. You change the phases and therefore the status of the cycle by choosing Actions.

    Caution Caution

    To switch from one phase to the next, you should use only the required action in the change cycle. Do not use the task list to switch phases.

    Example: In a three-system landscape, all transport requests for urgent changes that have the “To be tested” status are in the import buffer of the production system. If you switch the phase in the task list and not in the continual cycle, the system does not issue a warning, and the urgent changes would be imported into the production system without being tested. If you switch the phases in the continual cycle, the transport requests are checked. You are therefore made aware of the situation and can act accordingly.

    End of the caution.

  • Details

    Contains general administration data for the change cycle, such as when and by whom it was created, and the current cycle phase.

  • Text

    For more information, see Texts and Text Templates.

  • Landscape

    For more information, see Landscape Assignment Block.

  • Related transactions

    Contains links to the task list and all change documents that use this cycle.

  • Downgrade protection

    For more information, see Downgrade Protection

  • Application log

    For more information, see Application Log.

Integration

Because change cycles define the system landscape and transport tracks via the change control landscape assignment, they are the basis for Change Request Management. Task lists, requests for change, and change documents must be assigned a change cycle to perform the related tasks and transports.

More Information

Task List

Phase Cycle

Continual Cycle

Release Cycle

Release Planning