Regulatory Content & OCC

[Former Member]

Hello All,

Is it mandatory to have regulatory content update and Open Content connector for each and every SAP EHS system.

We are using product safety component of SAP EHS.

Thanks in Advance.

[christoph_bergemann · Accepted solution]

Dear Mihir

the question is not the "right" one. Updating regulatory data is part of the "Change management process" within a company. The company need to define how often and at which point of time they would like to get an update of regulatory content. And there should be a process in place to deal with the changes which happen with the data afterwards (e.g. update of documents like safety data sheet etc.). Each company organizes this different; therefore there is no "general" rule which can be used

In most cases at least once a year an update should be done. The data provider normally provide the data with higher frequency

Regarding your other topic: "each and every SAP EHS system." Here I don't know the system set up. Normally it is done like this:

1.) you have one central EH&S SAP system there the data is maintained

2.) this data is distributed using ALE to other SAP systems

So normally you make the update only in one EH&S system.

As you may be know: the data provider provides differen types of data; data in product safety and/or data regraindg dangeorus goods and other data as well. How the company is doing the update can be different. That means regarding product safety the data is updated twice a year and regarding Dangeprus goods may be only once a year

So coming to the last one: if you use "Open Content Connector" you need to use the tool as explained only in context of one SAP EH&S system.

Hope this helps.

C.B.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Dear Christoph,

Thanks a lot for your detailed answer.

It is really helpful.

Isn't it possible that the company/client can update the data manually whenever required, without updating it once in a year.

For example, for change in the MSDS, if they want to change some phrase texts or some composition, they can change it manually in the respective master data and same will reflect in the MSDS after the new report generation.

In this case, why do we need SAP EHS Regulatory content.

So my question is, as per your experience, do each and every client opt for regular update of SERC or other data providers.?

Thanks again.

Regards,

Mihir

[Ralph_P · Accepted solution]

Hi Mihir,

you are comparing ifferent things here. For one, the regulatory content is, as per my knowledge, updated each quarter by SAP, so the customer ought to update his data 4 times per year, not only twice. But then: The content only contains underlying data. Compositions are not affected at all as they are not included in the content. The same is true for phrases: If the customer decides that a certain phrase is more appropriate than the one currently used, this change needs to be done manually by the customer, the content will not do it for him.

However, if e.g. the classification of a certain substance changes due to a change in a regulation, then this sort of change will be reflected in the content and brought into the customer's system with the next update.

Ralph

[christoph_bergemann · Accepted solution]

Dear Mihir,

Regarding

1.) Isn't it possible that the company/client can update the data manually whenever required, without updating it once in a year.

Answer:

Clearly this is possible. Many data provider does provide access to the data using a "portal". The data shown here is normally more up to date in comparison to the "download" tool used in context with the data provider; the process is different by data provider; but clearly by using CG02 you can update any time. You need only! to understand the  "exhcange"  mechanism of the tool. Normally the tool is storing the information which data has been downloaded; so you need to pay some attention if you update this data manually because may be afterwards no "automatic" update is possible any more. Here as well: the reaction is depending on the tool which is used in context with the data provider

Regarding

"For example, for change in the MSDS, if they want to change some phrase texts or some composition, they can change it manually in the respective master data and same will reflect in the MSDS after the new report generation."

Answer

1.) Change phrase text: your term can be misinterpreted; normally using CG02 you exchange one phrase by a different one but you do not update the phrase text; but clearly it can be done manually

2.) Composition: here it depends on your set up. If you use e.g. BOM BOS then BOS (that means composition) is updated more often in comparison to manual updates; only in very rare cases you can get updates of compostions by a data provider; normally the company need to take care maintenance of compostions by itself; if you use a data provider wich delivers "rule sets" as well then after exchange/upate of compositions (ore regulatory content) you can update "secondary data" yourself (this, as mentioned, is part/can be part of the "Change managemenr process" of the company)

Regarding:

In this case, why do we need SAP EHS Regulatory content.

Answer

With out this content you will not  be able to get e.g. easily get updates regarding OEL values whcih are needed in MSDS and which are mandatory.  OEL Values are only one example of data which need to be there (or you need to have good explanation why the data is missing)

Regarding your last quesion:

So my question is, as per your experience, do each and every client opt for regular update of SERC or other data providers.?

Answer:

I have never invested time to get here an answer; yes you can learn how other companies are doing the job but at the end it is a decision of your company doing the business

C.B.