Introduction

After using now WWI as a technique to collect data and print that in a document for some years on a daily basis it is quite interesting to say: there is still some "surprise" possible in using the technique. This document is intended to collect some important topics which may help the EHS community in the future. As mentioned in http://scn.sap.com/docs/DOC-45645 it might be a challenge if you are a beginner in using WWI. Topics like "conditional output", "blank compression" (with or without alternative) etc. might not be easy to understand. Many people do have the trend wo  extend WWI layout with "complex" if then else logic but may be do not consider that sometimes by simply adapting the maintenance rules simpler WWI layouts or generation variant set up's are possible. Especially the topic of labeling is a challenge as the amount of data which need to be collected but not coming from SAP EHS is clearly higher than in comparison to a e.g. safety data sheet (and there are difference regarding set up of generation variant as well). A well the topic of generation variant, language topics, validity areas etc. are "mixed" sometimes in Label content.  If you really try to use GLM solution in EHS you will realize that it is not easy to define "goods" solutions because of the comlexity of the topic. On the top in most cases you need to print the same information in many languages as mentioned before (and it is not easy to define these languages) on a label and therefore you need additional WWI code to do so and you need to enhance the generation variant as well. And you have with the LabelView and their maintenance a "on top complexity" (especially in context of how to select the right labels to be printed in the different label printing scenarios). On the topic during label generation you have in most of the cases to take care about "Bar code" printing because of several reasons. As well you need to print Batch information on the label, data like: produced on, etc. which in most cases need to be seleced from SAP ERP.  Regarding Bar Code printing etc. SAP EHS has been enhanced with EnhPack7 as well. Out of scope of this document is e.g. WWI documents related to "Waste" or "Industrial Hygiene" etc. WWI documents related to these topics might be a challenge too.

Quite interesting is the "application object" as part of the generation variant. Here you have a lot of options to "enhance" / "use" WWI and to enhance CG54/CG50 (but cleary you need to invest in definition of function modules etc.).

Many people trend to use "output conditions" (and/or "if else endif") similar techniques in WWI as well (you will find a lot of threads in this FORUM dealing with that). Yes it is a nice feature. But the result is or can be a challenge (in my opinion) for ongoing support (most important question to take care: why is this data printed and not a different one?). Therefore: if you have the need to use these techniques and you should create a "very" good technical documentation of what you have done and you should train the users and your ongoing support ! You should ask yourself: can I achive the same by proper maintenance of data? Can I use e.g. a rule set to  populate EHS in such a way that I do not need this special WWI technique to show/print something. For those who know EHS it is "quite" tricky to analyze (e.g. via analyzing specification change documents) why this (and not a different) information is shown in the report. And we do not discuss the topic that e.g. a phrase text, code etc. has been corrected/changed or a new/changed identifier is present. A further challenge might be the use of "identification listings" in a WWI report. It can take "hours" to discuss if needed why this identifier has been printed and not a different one. If you are using change numbers or e.g. inheritance, status management on phrase level or status management on specification level etc. it can take a while to analyze the content of a WWI report.

Additional challenges in analysing WWI results is that some times you use "identification listing" to retrieve data, you would like to "hide" data (e.g. Trade Secret topic) or you need to print different material texts depending on print scenario.

Some SAP EHS Management "Issues"

If you maintain identifiers, phrases or user defined text sometimes there is the need to have more than a number of characters (132) to be maintained.If so you start a special editor (you maintain then a "long text"). Based on your general setup of SAP etc. you can use in the text e.g. "carriage return" or other special characters. In the past I was aware of the fact that it is important to use the "right" editor in maintaining the "long text" to generate no trouble in WWI etc. Now I understand "more" the issues and the reasons behind.

Refer e.g. to: abap | saphelpdeskinfo | Page 3; subtopic: "System error when you create new report bodies" or e.g. MS Word as Editor in SAPscript and Smart Forms | SAP Script ABAP Tutorials | SAP Techies

Check as well e.g. OSS Note 559066, 1064655, 990560, 1333100.

IMPORTANT NOTE: the "long text" indicator is not only used to indicate that the text is longer than 132 characters. It can be set e.g. if your text does contain e.g. a "carriage return" (refer to phrase example below). The reason of this is the internal handling of the data in the database.

Maintaining identifiers, userdefined texts, phrases

You can maintain these objects using (if you have the correct SAP release):

• MS Word (The PC Editor (Microsoft Word as SAPscript Editor) - BC Text Processing with the SAPscript Editors - SAP Library)
• using what I call the "graphical editor" (http://help.sap.com/erp2005_ehp_07/helpdata/en/4e/0823e78117001ce10000000a42189c/content.htm?frameset=/en/4e/0825bd8117001ce10000000a42189c/frameset.htm); please check note here: with higher releases of SAP you can only use the Word version and the graphical editor is not supported)
  
• using what I call the "line" editor (The Line Editor - BC Text Processing with the SAPscript Editors - SAP Library)
  

Based on a recent issue I have learned that (that means e.g. if there is a long text available) the content of the so called "value file" is different or "not normal". Now I have learned the reason behind this is the "handling" of maintenance of these objects and how they the data is stored in the database and how they are retrieved and passed on to WWI server/client.

But what was the issue and what was the finding?

I have analyzed a WWI report and detected that a phrase is printed in a look and feel which was not normal. A different phrase was printed correct. After some analysis the reason behind that was how the phrase has been maintained in the corresponding language. As you can have the same effect with identifier or userdefined text (the effect is independent of object but related ot identifier, phrase or user defined text only) it might be of interest to get more ideas about "what is going on here". In the example in the WWI report a "carriage return" showed up in the middle of the text. Using this example of a phrase (which is related to the old EU labeling system)

I try to explain the issue. By whatever reason the phrase was maintained in the database something like this:

"Extreme risk of explosion by shock, friction,

fire or other sources of ignition"

Therefore a carriage return is part of the phrase text. And in WWI report it will be display like it is maintained and therefore in the WWI report the phrase was distributed between two lines (it took me a while to identify this !). Normally the user is not checking the content of WWI layout on that "deep" level but only checking for e.g. missing phrase translations or missing informations. But especially in the context of label printing this might be critical as you print more data  on labels (which are sometimes quite small) in comparison to SDS/MSDS.

Now after investing here a little bit: assuming now that you might use the Word Editor to maintain these objects. Here you can e.g. format the text as "left aligned", "centered", "right aligned", you can enter carriage returns etc. etc. and it is printed like that (what you maintain you will get) in the WWI report. This can be done even if the text is shorter than 132 characters. So the "longtext" indicator does not only indicate if more than 132 are used but the flag is set e.g. if you would format a text like "SAP EHS is a great tool" as right aligned (refer above).

This feature might be a "nice" one but can give a number of troubles if you deal with "Labels", "SDS/MSDS" etc. and it is not easy to detect the issue as in CG02 or CG12 it is not detectable easily.

WWI Problems (how to debug)

For analyzing of WWI problems the use of procedure as described in OSS note 959195 might help. A lot of OSS notes exists regarding SAP and use of WWI in context of Unicode especially taking into account the important topic of font selection. E.g. 733416.

If you detect WWI problems sometimes you have the feeling: there can I start with "debug" to get "ideas" as there is no "debugger" in place? One option to do so is: you need "only" to remember the WWI process (and sometimes you should reduce the data shown up and maintain only the data which gives rise to problems on test specifications). In most cases these questions does help to identify issues:

1. Is the effect only related to one specification and on different specification you gte the wished result or is it related to use a different language or a special generation variant?
2. Was there a change in layout?
3. Was there a change in generation variant defintion?
4. Was there a change in function modules related to custromer specific report symbols?
   
5. Was there a change in WWI set up (New WWI version)?
6. Was there a change in Word Version used (locally and on generation server)?
7. Is WWI version on server and locally the same?
   
8. Check if you use only SAP standard symbols or did you enhanced WWI using own symbols?
9. Check whether the effect is the same on dev, test environment etc.?
10. Is layout the same on dev, test, prod enviroment?
11. E.g. on context of GLM: is LabelView maintained the same on dev, test, prod?
    
12. Are the report symbols the same (e.g. no error fix missing etc.) on test an prod in comparison to test environment?
13. Is the effect related to user activities (therefore may be one user does not have same access rights compared to a different one)
14. The WWI version used on any gen server of dev, test and prod is the same?
15. The local client WWI version is the same as on genserver?
    
16. Etc.
    

If you use e.g. "Create report from template" a number of files are downloaded to your client (if you use a local WWI installation !). These file can be classified as:

• the value file
• the layout file
• and some control files
  

After the process is ready a new file is available (the WWI report with the data). As in the "Report from template" process you can fill in the parameter symbol data as well we can define the resulting file as the "Final Report" and not the "Raw Report". Only if you do not enter any parameter data then you generate the "Raw report" and ! in this cases in the "final" document on local client the parameter report symbols are still part of the report.

Now if you carefully execute an analysis of e.g. the value file in many cases you can learn a lot (you need a suitable "text file editor" to do so !). As well the content of the control files can give you additional hints and may be afterwards you understand "better" how the process is designed (on high level).

Keep in mind: in most of the cases we have two steps to consider:

1. Generation of a raw report
2. Generation of the final report
   

In step 1 you will get a value file and in step 2 you will get a much smaller value file (in most of the cases). If you use CG42 and check the "tmp" directory (as explained above) you will realize that there is "temporarly" a structure file generated as well in the folder. Checking this you might be able to understand better the WW report layout process.

Generation variant

By clever use (definition/set up of generation variant) you can make sure that only the relevant data sets are pulled by the WWI process. One important topic to consider here is the "Rating". Using the Rating (and by clever data maintenace) you can avoid to use complex conditions in WWI logic. Clearly there is a "con". You need to prepare suitable additional ratings and you need may be adapt your access concept and clearly your maintenance concept need to be adapted as well but WWI logic will be simpler and in most cases "ongoing" business might be simpler (support topic of endusers). What you need ot pay attention is: the "rating" does have effect on any data of interest ! Don't forget that. In most cases you need identifies, value assignment data. Keep in mind: the validity area topic is "special". Depending on the settings used (related to the validity area) in the generation variant the data selected is / might be different.

This is not  only related to the generation variant but how you use EHS at all. Remember that you can use as the validity area (if needed) e.g. plant codes, company codes etc. (as long as the information is CHAR10 or smaller). Can be a quite useful option to use this type of validity area (e.g. plant code, company code etc.) but you need to pay attention here in your maintenance concept in CG02.

So in theory you can maintain e.g. a "color" in CG02 based on plant codes and not on validity area which are based in most cases on "countries" (you can e.g. have more than one plant per validity area). E.g. you can use other options as well. E.g. you can use the value "TEXAS"; therefore you can use "subregions" of a country etc. Keep in mind that by using the validity area you can create "regions". E.g. you could define: REG_NAFTA (containing e.g. US, MX, CA...) or similar validity areas. Keep in mind that REG_WORLD is special  ! and you should not change here standard SAP set up.

Languages in Generation variant

As you know: by clever use of "G repearing" groups and the defintion of the generation variant you can print in one WWI report data in more than one language. But keep in mind: the report it self does have always a "leading" language. This topic is explained here: Editing Ratings and Validity Areas for Generation Variants - Basic Data and Tools (EHS-BD) - SAP Library

As this type of demand is related to the "Repeating group types" should should read this chapter of SAP Help: Repeating Group Types - Basic Data and Tools (EHS-BD) - SAP Library

A goofd example f the use of a "G Group" is shown here: Example: Repeating Group of Type G - Basic Data and Tools (EHS-BD) - SAP Library but you should have read as well this: Taking Validity Areas into Account - Basic Data and Tools (EHS-BD) - SAP Library

Language topics in general

You can prepare a suitable SAP set up in such a way that different log on languages are supported as well as different e.g. phrase languages. Keep in mind: WWI report to print data using arabic, hebraw etc. are "special" language (written from right to left and not Left to Right). Here the "printing" of data might be a challegne with WWW.INI, Font selection and WWI layout definition.

Label Wizard

The topic of the use of the "Label wizard" is explained here:

Using the WWI Label Wizard - Basic Data and Tools (EHS-BD) - SAP Library

in chapter "Using the WWI Label Wizard". Therefore if you have use the Label Wizard and then check content of WWI document in CG50/CG54 the labeling tool is started. Further information about that can be found here: Using the Labeling Tool - Basic Data and Tools (EHS-BD) - SAP Library (Chapter: Using the Labeling Tool). Once again: by "clever use" of the application object you can "restrict" use of generation variants etc.

If the label Wizard has been used, the corresponding raw report in CG54/CG50 will be displayed using a different icon in the report tree.

General topics

In different threads it has been asked how to generate WWI there "nearly" no data is coming from EHS core but nearly 100% is coming from other SAP modules and how to do it. I am sorry to say:

1. Even if you do not print EHS core data you need always a specification
2. As well you need always a generation variant
3. and a WWI layout
   

A lot of options exists in EHS to support this type of demand. That means e.g. you need reports (in most cases Label reports) as part of the GLM process and you need as mnetioned above therefore one specification as without it will not work. On nice option to support this demand (and may be not well knowngood enough) is the "Reference" as part of the reportheader. By using this option you need to generate onley one released WWI report and can use the "reference" option to make this report valid for a lot of other specifications.

Further documents which might help

As an example: Refer as well to these documents:

Application Object

The application object is part of the generation variant. Normally you need not really investigate here to understand the use but in some circumstances the use of this object can help handling to detect the right report. This is shown e.g. in SAP Online help: Defining Application Objects - Basic Data and Tools (EHS-BD) - SAP Library Chapter "Defining Application Objects" Here as well you will find in chapter " Example: Using Application Objects" an example how you can use this option. By using this approach you can enlarge the selection options of CG54 and CG50 if needed (but you need a good and robust approach to do so !) but you have as well influence on WWI content (data content) if needed.

In general: CG54 and CG50 contains some "UserExits". These are listed here: http://scn.sap.com/docs/DOC-41655. Therefore it is quite easy to enhance CGC50 and CG54 by these exists. But the use of the "application object" and anything related to that can enhance these transactions as well. The UserExit approach is more "general" and enhances CG54/CG50 on a general level. The use of application object is in many cases related to GLM topics and it enhances only some "subprocesses" in CG54/CG50. Especially in GLM the applicition object is used very extensively.

WWI structure

Long ago I planned to start a similar document based on a thread: http://scn.sap.com/thread/3431722

Here some interesting question was raised: what is a report symbol type? How can they be used to enhance WWI? And why can I (as a developper) not use all of them ? And how are those report symbols used which can not be used by the develper (there must be a reason why they exists). Up to now I still only enhanced the thread mentioned with some answers I found. But up to now I did not have had the time to investigate further. Now based on the new informations may be It is time to go on here, as this "report symbol type" is related to how WWI internally is designed (in SAP) and how you can enlarge WWI. Clearly: it is not the aim of this document to explain all (That means the whole WWI process; this would take a book to do so) but some ideads should be listed which might help you in the future.

From high perspective we can split the WWI process in two parts: one part is related to the "collection of data" (which is done within SAP) and the other part is related to the topic to show the result in a proper way (that means to create the report on WWI server with data, applying font selection etc. etc.). If a WWI report is created in the database we have to consider a third process part but this is only an SAP EHS internal "handling" as the WWI process is finished an only the result should be stored.

We need to remember in this context that e.g. in the raw report only report symbols and phrase symbols are retrieved and no parameter values. This is a very important concept as well for e.g. SDS/MSDS generation or to some extent for Labels as well. Therefore we have to differentiate between a value file of the "raw report" and the final report. Regarding this and GLM: may be refer to Logging in Global Label Management - Global Label Management (EHS-SAF-GLM) - SAP Library; chapter "Logging in Global Label Management".

On high level: the process "Create report from template" and "Create report" is the "same". That means there is "no" difference in how SAP is collecting the data but only how the WWI process is started. "Create report from template" uses in most cases a local WWI installation (with higher SAP releases you can use the WWI generation farm as well) and "Create report" uses always the WWI generation server farm. A further difference is, that the "Create report" process establish new entries in SAP tables (e.g. ESTDH) and the "Create report from template" process do not generate these entries.

Be aware of the fact that based on GLM set up GLM can behave different regarding the generation process of WWI reports. Check e.g. Label Generation - Global Label Management (EHS-SAF-GLM) - SAP Library

Chapter: Label Generation

Based on the discussion in the thread mentioned above I believe this help page of SAP is quite important as a "starter" to talk about "report symbol type".

Document Template Objects - Basic Data and Tools (EHS-BD) - SAP Library

Check Chapter: Document Template Objects

As well this SAP Help Link is important: Process Diagrams for Report Creation - Basic Data and Tools (EHS-BD) - SAP Library

Chapter "Process Diagrams for Report Creation" which is really a "must" to read to understand the WWI process (on high level).

Still some very good documents exists in this FORUM dealing with report symbol generation etc. This documents will try to go "deeper" and is related more to the content of the value file.

Use of WWI in context of e.g. Recipe Management

For those who would like to learn about WWI "more": this nice document can provide some input how to generate a WWI document with own ABAP code:

http://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/scn/go/portal/prtroot/docs/library/uuid/c0b85f25-d99f-2e10-b8a2-96e0b54cccdc?overridelayout=t…

By studying this nice ABAP example may be you can create your own code etc. (e.g. as an UserExit in CG02/CG50/CG54).

WWI basics

May be you should read cross as well these SAP Help Chapters:

Structure file

The topic of structure file is mentioned as well in SAP Online help. Refer to Process Diagrams for Report Creation - Basic Data and Tools (EHS-BD) - SAP Library. May be as a starting point check these links:

ESTLS EHS: Report Template Symbol - SAP Table - ABAP

SAP Table ESTLS - EHS: Report Template Symbol

Therefore this "structure" file topic is an important link between WWI layout and how SAP will retrieve later the data (based on definition of generation variant as well and how the data is maintained). May be check as well the "same" topic in context of import/export of report templates. Here the layout is exported/imported together with symbol definition (therefore two files are generated/processed).

The table ESTLS therefore containes the symbols as used in your WWI report.

E.G. Check:

Therefore to understand the use of the "report symbol types" etc. it is a good idea to check the content of this table for one WWI report (you need to specify the version of the WWI report layout).

In doing so you can identify if or if not report symbols of type:

1. Phrase
2. Specification
3. Parameter
4. Descriptor
5. Standard Repeating Group
6. Special Repeating Group
7. Blank Compression Group
8. Optimized Repeating Group
9. IF Repeating Group
10. Template
11. Version Information
12. Language Information
13. Language Switch
14. Generation Date
15. Control Command
16. Comments

are used in the WWI layout. By digging deeper you will identify very easily why may be a report symbol type is part of ESTLS especially if you look at the WWI report layout definition. This can really help in such a way that you understand the "WWI layouting" topic and the use of report symbol much better.

Value file

The topic of "Value file" is mentioned in SAP Online help: Examples are:

EH&S Native Language Support - Basic Data and Tools (EHS-BD) - SAP Library

Chapter: Value file

Or e.g. http://www.erphome.net/plm_concept/content/data/EH_S/FactSheets_WhitePapers/CINativeLanguageSupport.pdf

Chapter: WWI Generation Server

Attached is a list of function modules or references which might be of general interest.

General links of interest

WWI / RTF

Keep in mind: WWI is only a tool on the top of Microsoft Word. Here we deal with "RTF" code, Therefore sometimes it might help to know about "RTF". Therefore check recent version of that: Download Word 2007: Rich Text Format (RTF) Specification, version 1.9.1 from Official Microsoft Download Center

There are a lot of "online" Tutoriols available on the top in Internet as well. With higher WinWord version RTF is only available becuase of portability etc. but will not be enhanced further.

Further tips and tricks regarding "test" scenarios

If you use only "standard" options in WWI you need not to prepare "sophisticated" test cases. But if you use e.g.:

1. if else symbols, condition type symbols
2. parameter symbols
3. discrete validity areas
4. phrases with refernce to  graphics files
5. WWI code with reference to user defined texts
6. WWI code with reference to documents stored in user defined texts
7. etc.
   

it is "good practise" to prepare suitable test cases. Especially in the area of GLM this is not easy. But the same is true if we talk about an eSDS.  Here you need really to prepare very good test cases (as ore as better). Therefore you should have test cases on more than one specification to prepare. You should "play" around e.g. if you with more than one data record (using active flag), you should "change" the sequence of data records, you should check for the" if" conditions (and blank etc. compression as well). Some times only by using special data situation you will detect that you have a problem.

WWI issue: E302 RTF value in value file is corrupted

Error while proccessing print preview

Error in Report preview

Error when creating a WWI report for a particular specification .

Issue in Generating label in WWI

The "handling" of the correct WWI template on dev, test and prod environment might be an issue as well. To document WWI template content is not easy and to identify useful options (e.g. in Word, EXCEL etc.) to describe the WWI layout might not be easy but a very goode idea as it helps you to handle the "versioning" and identification if "content" differences. Keep in mind. Sometimes you are not changing the WWI layout but only execute "bug" fixing in function module to retrieve parameter symbols.

Cover Letter

Cover letter topics are not discussed often here. Somt threads are listed here only as an example:

Coverletter - Output of material data

Re: How to Create/Change Coverletter in MSDS

Parameter Symbols not appearing in Coversheet and/or Acknowledgement Receipt

How to create Cover letter

Cover letter design might be a challenge as well. One need to understand the existing parameter etc. symbols; how they retrieve the data from which infromation etc. and in CVD1 you can not see the "final" cover letter report. This is related to the expansion time of th symbols used. Only e.g. phrases are available in the report. In most cases you get the final cover letter report only in case if dispatching. Therefore is is not easy to identifa errors etc.

Important threads in this FORUM

Examples of threads dealing with "special" WWI topics (only listed those which might be of general interest) which are addressed often in this FORUM etc. I have tried to create "subtopics" so that may be you can find "easily" a suitable thread in this FORUM. I have done a "subselection" of topics discussed in this FORUM which may be help WWI Experts in their daily work. Especially regarding GLM topic (e.g. Bar Code printing) you will find a lot of more threads.

Very special WWI techniques

Because of new threads discussed here a new document has been generated which might be of interest. May be check: SAP EHS MANAGEMENT FOR EXPERTS

This list of threads is ony a "collection" of discussions going on in this FORUM. In regards of topics to discuss in WWI development area it can never be complete. Please use the "search" function in SCN to find suitable threads. In any case: Section will be udpated if possible.

Reference to some OSS notes

Open topics