AutomationTool

General

(formerly: SyncTool)
When the Performer Suite is installed, the AutomationTool can be installed, which enables the following functions:

Automated export of Scenarios in the background
Automated synchronization of the SAP-Systems in the background

The AutomationTool automates these two relevant functions so that you no longer need to perform them manually in the Performer Suite. At the same time, the tool ensures that both the synchronization status and the exported documents are up to date.

We recommend that you perform these automated actions overnight.

If you are using SQL Server as DB, please make sure to use SQL Authorization (instead of Windows Authorization).
Reason: Win-Auth. would only work, if the user is logged in.

The idea behind the AutomationTool is to run it with a service in the background (e.g. overnight) without a Windows user being logged in.

The AutomationTool does not necessarily have to be installed on the same server as the SQL-Server DB.
A continuously running central file server (or VM) should be sufficient.
Admin rights are required to install the Windows-services of the AutomationTool.
The AutomationTool uses a Windows service that synchronizes your SAP-system with the Performer Suite DB in the background without a logged-in Windows user.
As soon as the AutomationTool can establish a connection to your SAP-system and the SQL-Server DB, the SAP-synchronization should also be successful.

Installation of the AutomationTool

The AutomationTool can be installed with the Performer Suite at the same time:

Automation Tool in the Performer Suite Install Wizard

Please note that the SyncService must be stopped and uninstalled during the update or installation of the AutomationTool.

Afterwards, the AutomationTool can be started in the relevant installation directory:

Automation Tool in the directory it was installed too

Overview of the User Interface

The UI of the AutomationTool is shown in the image below. The general UI functions and settings are explained in this article further below.

General Configuration

The used database can be changed via "Change connection"
The "Display License Info" button can be used to display information of the current license information

Applying one schedule to all systems

Choose Schedule and Apply to all systems
Or Sync now all SAP Systems you have enabled the "Sync."-checkbox for

Services Configuration

A scheduled SAP-Sync and the Scenario export are carried out in the background with the following Windows-Services:

Automated SAP-Sync → PerformerSuite sync
Automated export of Scenarios → PerformerSuite scenario generation
Admin-rights are needed to install and start the needed Windows-Services:

Service configuration with services not started and uninstalled

Green check marks () indicate that the needed Windows-Services are installed and running:

Installing and Starting Performer Suite services

You can find the installed PerformerSuite Services in the Windows-Services overview:

Performer Suite services in the Windows service window

The Services can be started as a specific Windows-Users with appropriate permissions.

A tooltip shows the detailed status of the services if you hover your cursor over "Installed?" and "Started?".

Detail tooltip informing that Sync- and Scenario Generation Services are installed

Connecting with your SAP-System

Like the Performer Suite, the AutomationTool also establishes a connection to your SAP system.

We recommend you create a new SAP-User - dedicated to the AutomationTool (please do not to use a real SAP-User (with SSO)).
E.g. "PerformerSuiteSAPSync", where the PW does not change, otherwise the SAP-User will fail to connect to your SAP-System.

Please keep in mind to give this new dedicated SAP-User enough authorizations to be able to export documentations of Scenarios.
A list of the needed rights can be found here.

Credentials

Insert "User name" and "Password" for your SAP-systems
"Check and Save" runs a check, if the SAP-User and PW is correct and saves the entered credentials (green = connection successful / red = connection failed)

User name and password entered for systems

Please double-check, if the connection parameters for your BO-System have been entered inside the Performer Suite first.

The connection could fail because the SAP credentials are incorrect or there are general connection issues to your SAP-System.

Please check the PerformerSuite.log and the PerformerSuiteServices.log for the reason of the failed connection:

Warning, that the connection to a system failed

Systems that are highlighted red will not be synchronized and entities of these systems will not be part of the exported scenario:

System BI1 marked red because of wrong User Name

Performer Suite Update

To update the Performer Suite to the latest version the SyncService needs to be stopped first. Stopping the service can be done within the AutomationTool or under the Windows-Services overview.

Stopping SyncServices using the AutomationTool:

Stop Sync service button in the Sync Service Configuration area

Stopping SyncServices using the overview list of Windows services:

Stopping Sync service in the Windows services via the context menu

Stopping the Performer Suite services by using a Command Prompt:
Check this Knowledge Base article to get further information.

Working with the AutomationTool

Check this article to get further information regarding the automated synchronization of SAP Entities.
Check this article to get further information regarding the automated export of scenarios that were created in the Performer Suite.