Release & Deployment Management

Release and Deployment Management

This page offers an overview of all Change & Deploy management capabilities in SAP Cloud ALM. The section “Best Practices” gives guidance on how these functionalities should be used as part of a project and lists important blogs and videos on this topic.

Change and Deployment Management describes a multi-step process that involves planning, executing releases, monitoring progress, and managing deployment tasks. SAP Cloud ALM facilitates change enablement by integrating various deployment tools, enabling the orchestration of transport requests throughout the implementation landscape. It allows Deployment and Release planning features to help users stay updated on go-live activities and ensure seamless software and configuration changes. Additional features, such as deployment of transports and traceability reports, help users stay on track of changes. The final step in feature delivery is deployment confirmation in the production system, and once all features related to a requirement are confirmed, the requirement is considered complete.

For basic “How-To” instructions on how to use the tool, you should refer to the in-app help within SAP Cloud ALM or visit the -> Help Portal (link)

Functions & Features

Release and Deploy Features

Functions	Features	Feature Description
Feature Overview	List of Features with filter options	You can use search and various filter to get the right feature.
Feature Overview	Create Features	You can create new features directly in the Features app or in the Process app.
Feature Overview	Mass Deploy to Production	Choose all the features you want to deploy at once with the checkboxes for the respective features and choose the Deploy to Production button to deploy all selected features at once.
Feature Overview	Export list of Features	You can export and download all columns, rows and description of the features list to Excel.
Manage Features	Edit Feature attributes and description	You can edit the feature attribute and description by selecting respective feature and edit button.
Manage Features	Feature status switch	You can switch the feature status In Specification. (From Not Planned, In Specification, In Implementation, In Testing, successfully Tested, Ready for Production to Deployed).
Manage Features	Create related user stories or project tasks	You can create several user stories or project tasks for a feature.
Manage Features	Create transports	To create a transport in a managed system through the Features app, click the Create button and choose Transport.
Manage Features	Delete Feature	Delete a Feature in status 'Not Planned' or 'In Specification'.
Manage Features	Show history of a Feature	Click on "Show History" to keep track of all changes made on feature level.
Manage Features	Describe your Feature	Add a meaningful description to your Feature and paste screenshots for further specification.
Manage Features	Assign transports	In Edit mode you can assign CTS, CTMS or ATO transports to your Feature (transports can only be assigned to one particular Feature).
Manage Features	Unassign transports	You can unassign transports from a Feature and reassign to another Feature.
Manage Features	Create transport of Copies (for CTS transports)	By clicking the 'Copy' button on top of the transports list you can select one or several transports to create a Transport of Copies (ToC) for. All transport tasks must be released to create a ToC.
Manage Features	Release transports (for CTS transports)	By clicking the 'Release' button all transports assigned to a Feature, with transport tasks released, will be scheduled for release.
Manage Features	Deploy transports (for CTS and CTMS transports)	By clicking the 'Deploy' button all transports assigned to a Feature will be deployed to the target tenants. Modifiable transports will be ignored and transports furthest away from production will be deployed first e.g., in case of differing numbers of systems in transport tracks. Deployment to Production is only possible in Feature status 'Ready for Production'.
Manage Features	Add Transport References	In Edit mode you can add Transport References to reference transport bundles of external applications.
Manage Features	Remove Transport References	In Edit mode you can remove Transport References.
Manage Features	Assign user stories	You can assign user stories to the feature.
Manage Features	Unassign user stories	You can unassign user stories from the feature.
Manage Features	Add reference	Add a reference to an external document.
Manage Features	Delete reference	Delete a reference to an external document or source.
Manage Features	Select scope	Select a scope to categorize the Feature within a project.
Manage Features	Select workstream	Select a workstream to specify the Feature further.
Manage Features	Assign requirement	You can assign one requirement to the Feature.
Manage Features	Unassign requirement	You can unassign a requirement from a Feature.
Manage Features	Select priority	You can select the following priorities for the Feature: Low, Medium, High and Very High.
Manage Features	Select a release	You can assign the Feature to a particular release. the releases are defined in a deployment plan which can be assigned to one or several projects.
Manage Features	Select a responsible	You can select the person responsible for the Feature.
Manage Features	Add or remove tags	You can easily tag Features for further categorization.

Cloud Automation Service

Functions	Features	Feature Description
Execute CIAS scenario	Start CIAS Workflow	The Cloud Integration Automation service (CIAS) provides you with a guided workflow to integrate SAP cloud solutions to on-premise and other SAP cloud solutions. The guided workflow contains instructions for manual and automated tasks to enable an easy and quick integration configuration setup.

Cloud Transport Management

Help Portal - Cloud Transport Management Service

Functions	Features	Feature Description
Maintain Transport Landscape	Create Transport Nodes	You create your transport nodes but you need the Transport Management Operator role to perform this action
Maintain Transport Landscape	Create Transport Routes	You create your transport routes but you need the Transport Management Operator role to perform this action
Transport Logs	Check Transport Logs	You can access log information about your transports but You need the Transport Management Viewer role to access the log information

Links to Videos	Release Date
How to Setup a Release and Deployment Plan in SAP Cloud ALM	December 02, 2022
How to use System Groups in SAP Cloud ALM	November 21, 2022
ALM SUMMIT Recording: Keep control with Change management for SAP BTP and ABAP-based applications	March 03, 2023
Keeping Track of Your SAP S/4HANA Cloud Changes with SAP Cloud ALM	November 13, 2023
Support Your Hybrid Scenarios with SAP Cloud ALM Deployment Management	November 13, 2023
Webinar: Get the latest of Change Request Management in SAP Cloud ALM (54 min)	April 04, 2024

Links to Blog Posts	Author Information
How to get ready for Change & Deployment Management in SAP Cloud ALM	Moritz Gysler - October 5, 2021
Interplay of SAP Cloud ALM and SAP Cloud Transport Management Service \| SAP Blogs	Moritz Gysler - May 4, 2022
Create transport requests from Features in SAP Cloud ALM	Moritz Gysler - April 6, 2023
Using transport of copies and deploy several features to production with SAP Cloud ALM in conjunction with CTS	Moritz Gysler - July 13, 2023 (update)
SAP S/4HANA Cloud transport traceability with SAP Cloud ALM	Moritz Gysler - August 28, 2023
New Integration of SAP Cloud Transport Management and SAP Cloud ALM	Moritz Gysler - June 25, 2024

Release and Deployment Management

Functions & Features

Release and Deploy Features

Cloud Automation Service

Cloud Transport Management

Best Practices

How-To Videos

Blog Posts