Business Configuration Sets (BC Sets) and their use

What are Business Configuration Sets (BC Sets)

BC Set is a management tool that allows user to record, save and share customization settings. BC sets are snapshot of customization settings that can be used later as template or customization backup. BC sets can also be used in group rollouts where the customization settings can be compiled for pilot and passed on in a structured way to other rollout locations. SAP also provides pre packaged BC sets for selected industry sectors.
When BC Set is created, values from original customizing tables are copied into BC Set. When you activate this BC set in other system the values stored in BC sets are copied to corresponding customizing tables of the system. The settings in the BC set can be compared with system data to check the consistency of data

Benefits of BC sets

1. Store customization settings backup

2. Useful in Template Rollouts

3. Efficient Change Management

Types of BC Sets 

There are two types of BC sets e.g. Simple BC Set and Hierarchical BC Set

1. Simple BC Set - BC set contains data from customizing table rows and columns. There is no limitation on the size of BC Set. BC set can contain data from one or more IMG activities 
2.       Hierarchical BC Set - Hierarchical BC set consists of other BC sets which can be simple BC Sets or Hierarchical BC Sets. They represent hierarchy of BC sets. 

Example - Creating and Activating BC Set

Create BC Set
1.       From SAP Easy Access Menu, Tools -> Customizing -> Business Configuration Sets -> Display and Maintain BC Sets (Transaction Code SCPR3)

2.       From Menu, BC Set -> Create

3.       Enter Name and Text For BC Set

4.       Select option 'IMG Hierarchy' in Create BC Set From section to create simple BC Set and continue 
Other options e.g. Set of BC sets creates hierarchical BC Set and you can also create BC Set from Transport Request

5.       Choose the IMG Node for which you want to copy the table values in BC Set

The tables are shown in the Tables and Views for Selected Customizing Object.

6.   Select the data which you want to copy from Data Records tab 

7.   Go to Field Select Attributes and assign one of the attribute to the field.
The possible attributes are Standard, Not Changeable after activation and Get Values at activation

 

8.   Repeat the above steps for IMG Table Data you want to store in BC Set and then Save from Menu, BC Set -> Save.

Specify package under attributes

Exporting BC Set
You can download the BC set for usage in another system by following steps

1.  From SAP Easy Access Menu, Tools -> Customizing -> Business Configuration Sets -> Display and Maintain BC Sets (Transaction Code SCPR3)

2.  Select Download BC Set from BC Set -> Download

Importing BC Set
You can upload the BC set for usage by following steps

1.  From SAP Easy Access Menu, Tools -> Customizing -> Business Configuration Sets -> Display and Maintain BC Sets (Transaction Code SCPR3)

2.  Select Upload BC Set from BC Set -> Upload

Activate BC Set
After activating BC Sets, the values in the BC set are available in the system. The new or Changed data is available into a change request which can be used to transport in production system.

Before activation, following standard functionalities are available

-       Display

-       Consistency Check

-       Key Conflict Check

-       Compare with Customizing Tables

-       BC Set/ BC Set Comparison

It is a good practice to do the checks to avoid errors in customizing tables. BC sets can be activated if there is no production client in system

1.  From SAP Easy Access Menu, Tools -> Customizing -> Business Configuration Sets -> Activation of BC Sets (Transaction Code SCPR20)

2.  Enter the name of the BC Set and select Activate from Menu

3.  Provide Customizing Request 

The following message is displayed

'Caution You have started the BC Set activation If you continue, new data records will be created and/or existing ones overwritten' 
4.  Various activation options are available, choose appropriate and to proceed with the activation, choose Continue.

5.  BC Set is active and BC set data is stored in customization tables