SM21
Quick answer
SM21 displays the SAP system log, time-stamped records of system events, errors and warnings per instance, a primary tool for diagnosing system-level problems.
Key takeaways
- Time/date and instance selection.
- Log entries with type and message.
- Details of each entry (cause, context).
- Watch out: Using the wrong variant (create vs change vs display).
Purpose
It displays the SAP system log, time-stamped records of system events, errors and warnings per instance, a primary tool for diagnosing system-level problems.
Key fields and screen
- Time/date and instance selection.
- Log entries with type and message.
- Details of each entry (cause, context).
- Filtering by user/transaction/problem class.
Tips
- Correlate log entries with the time of a reported problem.
- Look for database, work-process and configuration errors.
- Combine with ST22 (dumps) and SM13 (updates) for a full picture.
Common errors
- Database connection/lock issues logged.
- Work-process errors or restarts.
- Not correlating by time (missing the relevant entries).
Common pitfalls
- Using the wrong variant (create vs change vs display).
- Missing prerequisite master data or authorization.
- Not checking the resulting document/log.
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Check your understanding
Which statement is true of SM21?
- A. HANA recovery restores the database from backups after a failure, corruption or for a system copy, using data…
- B. These SD examples follow order-to-cash, sales order, delivery, billing, showing sales and distribution as an…
- C. Filtering by user/transaction/problem class.
Show answer
C. Filtering by user/transaction/problem class.
Covered in the “Key fields and screen” section of this lesson.
Which part of the Learn SAP curriculum covers SM21?
- A. SAP release notes
- B. SAP TCodes
- C. SAP certification
Show answer
B. SAP TCodes
This lesson sits in the SAP TCodes section of the Learn SAP course.
Frequently asked questions
What does SM21 stand for in SAP?
SM21 is the SAP transaction code for System Log (Basis). It displays the SAP system log, time-stamped records of system events, errors and warnings per instance, a primary tool for diagnosing system-level problems.
What is worth checking when troubleshooting SM21?
Correlate log entries with the time of a reported problem. Look for database, work-process and configuration errors. Combine with ST22 (dumps) and SM13 (updates) for a full picture.
What is another point to note about SM21?
Time/date and instance selection. Log entries with type and message. Details of each entry (cause, context).
What tends to go wrong with SM21?
Using the wrong variant (create vs change vs display). Missing prerequisite master data or authorization. Not checking the resulting document/log.