Remote Code Analysis in ATC – Working with Exemptions

[OlgaDolinskaja]

This is the sixth blog of the blog series about Remote Code Analysis in ABAP Test Cockpit (ATC).

See also blogs:

Remote Code Analysis in ATC – One central check system for multiple systems on various releases

Remote Code Analysis in ATC – Technical Setup step by step

Remote Code Analysis in ATC – Working with Baseline to suppress findings in old legacy code

Remote Code Analysis in ATC for Developers

Remote Code Analysis in ATC – Scanning customer extensions

Remote Code Analysis in ATC – Working efficiently with ATC Result List

Remote Code Analysis in ATC – How to write an ATC check

Remote Code Analysis in ATC – How to check Smart Forms and Adobe Forms

Remote Code Analysis in ATC – Browse Central ATC Result in Developer Systems

Remote Code Analysis in ATC – Maintain exemptions approvers according to their responsibilities

Remote Code Analysis in ATC – FAQ

Motivation

In case an ATC finding cannot be corrected e.g. if this finding is a false-positive result or can be accepted currently from the quality perspective, you as developer can suppress it from the ATC result list with the next run by requesting an exemption from your quality expert.

Depending on the check, exemptions can be requested for the entire object or for single findings. If you request an exemption for a single finding, this exemption will be valid as long as you don’t change the coding or the relevant context of that finding. As long as you only change coding that does not affect the finding (for example you change something in line 20 of an INCLUDE and the finding marks code in line 200), the finding will be recognized as the same and thereby also the exemption stays valid.

Prerequisites

The prerequisites for managing exemptions are that central ATC check system is set up and configured in your system landscape: see Remote Code Analysis in ATC – Technical Setup Step by Step and that the ATC in the central check system is configured to enable exemptions (Setup ->Configure ATC in the ATC transaction):

Developer: Requesting Exemptions

To request an exemption in your local development system position the cursor on the ATC finding and choose Request Exemption from the context menu.


On the first page of the dialog you see the information about the finding you request an exemption for and you can choose the scope of the exemption. Click Next.


On the second page of the dialog enter an Approver and Reason and add the Justification. Additionally you can specify if and how you want to be notified about the status of your requested exemption (on rejection, on approval or on rejection, never).

Quality Expert: Approving or Denying Exemptions

To approve or deny your exemption, the quality expert needs to logon to the ATC central check system and use ATC Exemption Browser (ATC Administration->Exemption Browser in the transaction ATC) to display a list of exemptions.

Double-clicking an exemption will display its details. The quality expert can see the exemption category and justification provided by the requesting developer and can also check the object and change the settings for the scope of the exemption. See F1 help if you need information on these options.


After toggling the Edit mode (click Edit button) for the exemption, the quality expert can approve or deny the exemption:

Developer: View Exempted Findings

If you now run ATC again for this object, the finding will be marked as exempted and by default will no longer show up in the ATC Result Browser View. You can show exempted findings by selecting Include Exempted Findings in the view menu:

[POV8FE]

Hallo Olga,

we also would need a solution for this topic reported by Bärbel. For we will have several development systems connected to central ATC I would prefer also to create several technical users with Mail distribution lists as mail adress to send out the mails to the responsible approvers only.

As you mentionned above you addressed this requirement already to ATC development. Is there a solution for this ?

Thanks a lot and best regards,

Volker

[OlgaDolinskaja]

Hi Volker,

you can use an email distribution list that is attached to a "group" user, see the solution proposed by Bärbel below.

Kind Regards,

Olga.

[POV8FE]

Hallo Olga,

thanks for your fast reply. Sure I saw this comment and I set up several System users which point to a mail distribution list. But to enable them to receive mails this techical users would need to subscibe for mail notifications.

This is the point I'm struggeling with, how to switch on the "Send Notifications for New Exemptions" under "Subscribe for Approver Notifications". I think without subscribing this does not work.

Thanks a lot and best regards,

Volker

[DinoPhilips]

Hi Olga,

Perhaps off-topic here, not sure, but couldn't find it anywhere else: exemption process in case of approver resignation

We are using the ATC exemption process productively for some time now. Recently we discovered a lot of open exemption requests. These were due to the respective approver having resigned his function. Unfortunately, the open exemptions were not handed over to the new approver, nor has the substitue approver functionality been used.

Can you assist us on how to best assign all open exemptions to the new approver?

Kind regards,

Dino

[OlgaDolinskaja]

Hi Dino,

the assignment of an approver is only of organizational nature, the main purpose is automatic notification. The exemption is not blocked for the registered approver, it can also be edited by any other approver in the Exemption Browser in the ATC transaction. The person who in the end approves/rejects exemption will be entered as approver. Theoretically, you can also adjust the approver, simply open the exemption in the Exemption Browser and change the name in the approver field. Normally, however, a developer is not authorized to use the Exemption Browser, the quality manager must do this.

Kind Regards,

Olga.

[scj1234]

Hi Olga,

We have enhanced AFRU table by adding custom fields in CI_AFRU include. Due to usage of AFRU table ATC readiness check throws below P1 observation  against note 2326769.

We are seeking the Exemption approval for this issue, which is not getting approved. Getting error message "Requested Operation is not allowed for this exemption".

What could be issue here?

 

Thank You

Saurabh

 

[OlgaDolinskaja]

Hi Saurabh,

please open the OSS message to the component BC-DWB-TOO-ATF.

Kind Regards,

Olga.

[rajesh_iyer4]

Thanks for the informative blog. Question.. If I have say 3 different findings for one program, as a developer, do I need to request 3 exemptions for each of these findings OR can I select all 3 findings & just have one exemption for all the findings?

[OlgaDolinskaja]

Hi Rajesh,

you need to request an exemption for each ATC finding separately.

Kind Regards,

Olga.

[kasithunuguntla]

Hi Olga,

I am prototyping a scenario for "Maintain exemptions approvers according to their responsibilities" and used Checked system which is on 750 (SP20) and Central Check system on S4HANA 2021. however when I tried raising an exemption from Check system using developer scenario I am getting below error as soon as I choose approver from the drop down list.  Can I check if this is something I should work with SAP by raising OSS message or if I am missing anything obvious.  I have copied exact roles for RFC id's from our existing systems which are working fine. Appreciate your response.

Not authorized to access object_provider
An exception with the type CX_SCA_DS_NO_AUTHORITY was raised, but was not handled locally or declared in a RAISING clause.

Regards

Kasi

[niba1]

Hello Kasi,

please look for the object provider (for your 750 system) in your central check system (transaction ATC => Object Providers) and make sure that the user assigned to the RFC connection has one of the following authorizations:

Either:
S_DEVELOP: ACTVT = 03 (display)
or
S_Q_ADM: ACTVT = 16 (execute), ATC_OBJTYP = 01 (check run).

In case this does not resolve the issue please open a ticket on component BC-DWB-TOO-ATF and we will analyze it further.

Regards,
Nils

[kasithunuguntla]

Thanks so much Nils. I already have S_DEVELOP for activity 03 but it worked after I added the role which has authority object S_Q_ADM: ACTVT = 16 (execute), ATC_OBJTYP = 01 (check run).

Appreciate your timely response.

Regards

Kasi

[DinoPhilips]

With the help of authorization object S_Q_GOVERN you could hide the option 'This Package' in the exemption request pop-up .....

Before

After

[itmfru01]

Good Morning Olga,

I am facing an issue with the adt exemption view in eclipse:

The exemptions are configured in ATC and exemptions can also be executed. However, the view does not display any exemptions.
System ist S/4 2023 FPS01 OnPrem.

Is there anything else to be set here? Authorization is SAP_ALL.
Unfortunately, I haven't found anything about this on SAPMe or in the forums.

Many thanks in advance
Norbert

[OlgaDolinskaja]

Hi Norbert,

it is not possible to use "ATC Exemptions" view for on-premise systems, you need still to use SAP GUI Exemption Browser to approve/reject exemptions. 

Best regards,
Olga.