What is the difference between SAP production and SAP Quality?

SAP has a methodology of running a project called as ASAP methodology. As per this methodology, common practise is to create a 3 or 4 system landscape. SO normally there will be Sandbox system (rough work system), Golden client (configuration stored here), Development system (Development work done), Quality System (Most of testing goes here) and Production system (real-time server). Work done will be moved from one system to other using Transport Requests (TRs) which will be generated when you do any changes in any system.

Sandbox is like rough work system where you can do the configuration as per the clients requirements. In Sandbox, most of times TRs will not be generated but BASIS consultant can make TRs compulsory here too if needed. In some SAP customers, this system might not be there. Configuration will be done in DEV system only but wrk will be segregated as different TRs.

Develoment system is where the complete configuration will be done. Mos of time Unit testing goes in DEV system only unless Client is specific to test everything in QAS system. Once the configuration is done, tested in QAS system by consultants and by client’s SAP consultants or end-users; then it will be moved to PRD and Golden client.

Quality System is used to test the whole configuration; technically and functionally. Without proper testing, there will be lot of errors in Production system. That is not acceptable by any client. SAP consultants will have complete ‘Change’ access upto here. In the remaining Production client and Golden Client, functional consultants will not have ‘Change’ access but only ‘Display’ acces just to see what is going on. In some clients, technical consultants (ABAP, BW, etc.) will not have any access to production. Only BASIS consultants will move the TRs generated by technical consultants to Production system.

Production system is where real-time things happen. End-users in client will start posting accounting, MM, SD, PP and other implemented modules as part of configuration done in DEevelopment system. TRs will be moved from Develoment to Production once testing is complet in Quality system. If there is any issue in the Production system, end-users wil raise that as a ticket with a priority label attached to it. You as support SAP consultant must look into the issue by loggin into Production where you have only ‘Display’ access. Looking at the issue, do the necessary changes in Develoment system, generate the TRs, move it to quality system, do the testing, ask the end-user to do the same and once confirmed, move the TR to production to mitigate the error.

I assume that you need details about data available on both systems.

SAP Production system

This is where all realtime transactions are carried out. It will have all transaction data for current and previous (if not archived) financial years. All developed/ configured scenarios must work here as expected.

SAP quality system

Generally this system is used for testing purpose. Some of the anonymised/previous year’s data from production will be loaded here, it exposes you to real time scenarios without hampering production system. Testing on this system is like simulation of how objects will work on production system.

For you it is important to test if all the configuration created in dev system is working here as expected.

Hope this helps.

Cheers 🙂

SAP is usually installed in 3 servers – development (used by the IT team for new configurations etc), quality server to test these developments and finally the production server, where business user logs in and all the actual business transactions are carried out.

SAP module PP refer to production planning deals mainly with production orders,order confirmation,maintanance of bill of materials ,operation routing etc.

QM module with module deals with quality of the incoming raw materials to their specification, in process quality check while production etc