Transporting Key-User In-App Extensions

All key user in-app extensions must be exported from the customizing tenant of the development system with the Export Software Collection app, and imported to the test and production systems with the Import Collection app.

In the Export Software Collection app, you create a software collection and add the extension items you want to release. Items with dependencies need to be exported in the same collection. For example, a custom business object with it's corresponding custom catalog extension need to be exported and imported together. Select Check to identify if there are errors or dependencies in your software collection before exporting. If there are dependencies not included in the collection already, select Add Missing Items to include them. Select Export to release a standard software collection, or Hotfix to release a collection with fixes to extensions you've already exported/imported previously.

Learn more about exporting software collections in the SAP Help Portal.

The Import Collection app is used to import all types of extensions, including key user in-app extensions, business content changes from SAP Central Business Configuration, and developer extensions done in the development tenant of the development system.

Extensions are first imported to the test system where they can be thoroughly quality tested. After an extension is finalized in test, it can be forwarded to the production system from within the Import Collection app. To make the extension usable for end-users, the Import Collection app must be used in the production system to finalize the import.

There are several import types:

• Manual, where the import was manually triggered by a person.
• Manual (forecast), where the system expects the collection will need to be manually addressed, potentially due to a failure or issue with the collection.
• Automatic, where the software collection was imported automatically. This happens between SAP Central Business Configuration and the customizing tenant of the development system with business content.
• Automatic (scheduled), where the software collection was imported based on a schedule defined in the automation settings.
• Not relevant, where collections with the status Outdated or Discarded are not relevant to import anymore. For example, if a collection is not imported prior to a release upgrade, and after the upgrade, an enhancement or extension in the collection is not supported by the latest software version.

Keep in mind, importing items can lead to business interruptions. For example, a user could be working in an app in the productive system while items are being changed in that same app with a software collection import. There is a column in the Import Collection app titled, Business Interruption, which indicates if the interruption risk is high or low for each specific import. Importing collections with high risk should be done during off-hours, when very few users are active in the system.

Learn more about importing software collections in the SAP Help Portal.