Does spending hours in updating records sound familiar? You no more need to update each task individually and simply mass update or mass edit the created tasks in SAP Cloud ALM in minutes. In this blog post I will explain:
Mass updating using mass edit icon directly into the system is the most efficient way if you want to assign same values to multiple tasks. Here you can mass update the Status, Priority, Start date, Due date, Assigned roles and Assignee in the selected tasks.
In the task capability, select the tasks that you want to edit and then select the mass edit icon.
You can now mass assign the values and click save. The changes are instantly saved and applied into the system.
Mass updates are allowed on header-level fields only and not all fields are accessible for updates. This is a key distinction between the two methods for updating, as any line-level updates and/or updates to fields not accessible via mass edit icon will require the use of a template upload.
Mass update can only be used when you have defined an external ID while creating the tasks. Please create tasks using upload capability and assign an External ID unique to the task before uploading into SAP Cloud ALM if you wish to update them in future.
An External ID is a custom field that has the external ID attribute, meaning that it contains unique record identifiers from a system outside of SAP Cloud ALM.
Please note that for the purpose of mass update via upload for manually created tasks and tasks from Readiness check, the system matches the title and goes to track the external ID field:
Hence, please make sure to define a unique external ID while creating the tasks manually in your template. If you create the tasks manually directly into SAP Cloud ALM, there is no external ID assigned to it. These tasks cannot be updated via upload later as the system is unable to find an external ID and creates a new task instead of updating in this scenario. If you wish to use the update capability via upload, please ensure that the tasks are created via upload and are assigned a unique external ID maintained by you. Once the tasks are uploaded, SAP Cloud ALM uses them to identify the tasks later for updates via upload.
For mass editing or updating the tasks using upload capability, please follow these steps:
In the task capability in SAP Cloud ALM, navigate to Download > Download as Template. You can see my earlier blogpost on Download Capability for more information.
You can now edit the data here as per template requirements, save the changes in your local system and upload it into SAP Cloud ALM. You can see my earlier blogpost on Upload Capability for more information.
In the task capability, click the upload icon, select the prepared file and click Upload. A pop up appears stating the number of tasks that will be updated and created.
Once you have clicked on update and create you are done with your final step. The changes are instantly applied in the system and you are now ready to implement your tasks.
The major benefit of Mass updating via upload is the ability to make changes that are not supported by the Mass Edit icon, specifically fields like deliverable and workstreams that are not accessible via Mass Edit icon. Another benefit is that it gives the overview of all the changes and reduces the risk for errors in your data. You can also simultaneously create new tasks and edit the existing tasks at one go.
Both mass updates via mass edit icon and upload capability are extremely powerful tools that will save you hours compared to manual updates. Leveraging these automated tools also reduces the risk for human error when used carefully, though it is highly recommended to run small tests before triggering large updates to ensure that your changes appear as expected before proceeding.
Hope you found this information useful. We are constantly innovating to give you a seamless implementation experience. For latest updates and notifications you can follow me by clicking bhagwati.purohit.
Please visit the Expert Portal for more information on SAP Cloud ALM for implementation. You can read more blog posts for project and task management here!
Please feel free to reach out to us if you are looking for more information. We would love to hear from you!
- How to mass update tasks using mass edit icon
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Mass update using mass edit icon:
Mass updating using mass edit icon directly into the system is the most efficient way if you want to assign same values to multiple tasks. Here you can mass update the Status, Priority, Start date, Due date, Assigned roles and Assignee in the selected tasks.
In the task capability, select the tasks that you want to edit and then select the mass edit icon.
You can now mass assign the values and click save. The changes are instantly saved and applied into the system.
Mass updates are allowed on header-level fields only and not all fields are accessible for updates. This is a key distinction between the two methods for updating, as any line-level updates and/or updates to fields not accessible via mass edit icon will require the use of a template upload.
Mass Update via Upload:
Pre-requisite:
Mass update can only be used when you have defined an external ID while creating the tasks. Please create tasks using upload capability and assign an External ID unique to the task before uploading into SAP Cloud ALM if you wish to update them in future.
External ID:
An External ID is a custom field that has the external ID attribute, meaning that it contains unique record identifiers from a system outside of SAP Cloud ALM.
Please note that for the purpose of mass update via upload for manually created tasks and tasks from Readiness check, the system matches the title and goes to track the external ID field:
- If a task with the same external ID is found from the system, it will be updated
- If no task is found by this external ID, a new task will be created with such external ID
External ID
Hence, please make sure to define a unique external ID while creating the tasks manually in your template. If you create the tasks manually directly into SAP Cloud ALM, there is no external ID assigned to it. These tasks cannot be updated via upload later as the system is unable to find an external ID and creates a new task instead of updating in this scenario. If you wish to use the update capability via upload, please ensure that the tasks are created via upload and are assigned a unique external ID maintained by you. Once the tasks are uploaded, SAP Cloud ALM uses them to identify the tasks later for updates via upload.
How to Mass Update via Upload:
For mass editing or updating the tasks using upload capability, please follow these steps:
Step 1: Download template
In the task capability in SAP Cloud ALM, navigate to Download > Download as Template. You can see my earlier blogpost on Download Capability for more information.
Template Structure
Step 2: Editing/Updating data into the Template:
You can now edit the data here as per template requirements, save the changes in your local system and upload it into SAP Cloud ALM. You can see my earlier blogpost on Upload Capability for more information.
Step 3: Upload the Template into SAP Cloud ALM:
In the task capability, click the upload icon, select the prepared file and click Upload. A pop up appears stating the number of tasks that will be updated and created.
Once you have clicked on update and create you are done with your final step. The changes are instantly applied in the system and you are now ready to implement your tasks.
Benefits:
The major benefit of Mass updating via upload is the ability to make changes that are not supported by the Mass Edit icon, specifically fields like deliverable and workstreams that are not accessible via Mass Edit icon. Another benefit is that it gives the overview of all the changes and reduces the risk for errors in your data. You can also simultaneously create new tasks and edit the existing tasks at one go.
Both mass updates via mass edit icon and upload capability are extremely powerful tools that will save you hours compared to manual updates. Leveraging these automated tools also reduces the risk for human error when used carefully, though it is highly recommended to run small tests before triggering large updates to ensure that your changes appear as expected before proceeding.
Next steps:
Hope you found this information useful. We are constantly innovating to give you a seamless implementation experience. For latest updates and notifications you can follow me by clicking bhagwati.purohit.
Please visit the Expert Portal for more information on SAP Cloud ALM for implementation. You can read more blog posts for project and task management here!
Please feel free to reach out to us if you are looking for more information. We would love to hear from you!
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