In the clean core level concept outlined in the Clean core extensibility for SAP S/4HANA Cloud whitepaper, custom extensions using arbitrary SAP internal objects can be qualified as conditional clean core Level C extensions if dedicated pre‑upgrade checks based on changelog for SAP objects are executed for these extensions.
Internal SAP objects can change at any point in time during an upgrade. Incompatible changes include, for example, deletion of objects, renaming or deletion of parameters or methods and others.
To detect in custom code the usage of SAP internal objects, which have been incompatibly changed, SAP now provides the changelog for SAP objects, which contains the names of all SAP standard objects (and their associated components like methods or parameters), that have undergone incompatible changes in the new release. Technically, the changelog information is transferred via the Simplification Database infrastructure from the SAP Support Portal to your system. You can download it from the SAP Software Download Center of the SAP Support Portal and import it into your ABAP test cockpit (ATC) check system.
The changelog information is integrated and considered in the clean core ATC check Usage of APIs which can then detect in custom code the use of SAP objects and their associated components (sub-objects), that have been incompatibly changed.
SAP recommendation is to consider changelog during regular ATC quality checks to identify, early in the development process, any usages in custom code of SAP internal objects that have undergone incompatible changes. The changelog information should be included in the ATC check at the latest before the system upgrade, following the same approach as for the ATC checks related to the SAP S/4HANA simplification items.
This will help to better estimate the risk of custom code not functioning properly after the next release upgrade.
Current functional scope
The changelog provides information of incompatible changes affecting SAP APIs classified as released API, classic API, or internal API.
It focuses on the deletion of SAP development objects and their associated components (sub-objects) for the following object types:
Classes
Interfaces
Function modules
CDS views (DDLS)
Deletions are reported as warnings for both the affected objects and their sub-objects. These include methods, attributes, types, method and function module parameters, and CDS view fields.
The current changelog covers deletions introduced during upgrades from SAP S/4HANA 2023 to SAP S/4HANA 2025, helping developers identify potentially incompatible changes in SAP development objects and assess their impact on custom code.
First download the changelog with the Simplification Database (SAP Note 3693326 (part 1)). As a result, the changelog.zip file is downloaded to your drive.
Once the SAP Note has been implemented, upload the changelog content to the system in which the ATC check runs.
Remote ATC setup: Upload the changelog content to the central ATC check system.
Local ATC setup: Upload the changelog content to the local ATC system.
PLEASE NOTE: If you are already using ATC on SAP BTP as your central ATC check system for your systems landscape, you can upload and use the changelog in your local SAP S/4HANA 2023 system, as the changelog functionality is not yet available in ATC on SAP BTP.
To upload the changelog content on your ATC system go to the ABAP Editor (SE38) and execute the SYCM_API_CLASSIFICATION_MANAGR program (F8):
Click on the button Upload API File (Ctrl + F3), choose “Changelog” as a file type in the popup dialog and click on the Confirm. Select the previously downloaded changelog.zip file from your drive.
Once you see the uploaded file with data type “Changelog” in the Data Sources overview, the changelog is active and will report findings when running the ATC check “Usage of APIs”.
NOTE: Only one file of the data type “Changelog” can exist in the Data Sources overview. To update the changelog, first delete the existing file, then upload a new version by following the steps described above.
How to use changelog in a pre-upgrade scenario
Execute an ATC run using any check variant containing the Usage Of APIs ATC check over your custom code in the system. In the list of ATC findings, you will see the issues related to the changelog, clearly recognizable from the Check Message text:
In the details of a changelog related ATC finding, you will see more information regarding your incompatibility issue reported by the changelog:
How to use changelog during development
It is recommended to consider changelog also during your development process. For this purpose your ATC check variant, used during development process, must contain the Usage of APIs check along with the changelog information.
In this example ABAP_CLOUD_DEVELOPMENT check variant is used in the development system, and the Usage of APIs check considers the changelog information. The changelog related ATC findings will be displayed with detailed check messages in the ATC result:
What’s next
Support for the changelog in ATC on SAP BTP is already on the short-term roadmap.
In the clean core level concept outlined in the Clean core extensibility for SAP S/4HANA Cloud whitepaper, custom extensions using arbitrary SAP internal objects can be qualified as conditional clean core Level C extensions if dedicated pre‑upgrade checks based on changelog for SAP objects are executed for these extensions. Internal SAP objects can change at any point in time during an upgrade. Incompatible changes include, for example, deletion of objects, renaming or deletion of parameters or methods and others. To detect in custom code the usage of SAP internal objects, which have been incompatibly changed, SAP now provides the changelog for SAP objects, which contains the names of all SAP standard objects (and their associated components like methods or parameters), that have undergone incompatible changes in the new release. Technically, the changelog information is transferred via the Simplification Database infrastructure from the SAP Support Portal to your system. You can download it from the SAP Software Download Center of the SAP Support Portal and import it into your ABAP test cockpit (ATC) check system. The changelog information is integrated and considered in the clean core ATC check Usage of APIs which can then detect in custom code the use of SAP objects and their associated components (sub-objects), that have been incompatibly changed. SAP recommendation is to consider changelog during regular ATC quality checks to identify, early in the development process, any usages in custom code of SAP internal objects that have undergone incompatible changes. The changelog information should be included in the ATC check at the latest before the system upgrade, following the same approach as for the ATC checks related to the SAP S/4HANA simplification items. This will help to better estimate the risk of custom code not functioning properly after the next release upgrade.Current functional scope The changelog provides information of incompatible changes affecting SAP APIs classified as released API, classic API, or internal API.It focuses on the deletion of SAP development objects and their associated components (sub-objects) for the following object types:ClassesInterfacesFunction modulesCDS views (DDLS) Deletions are reported as warnings for both the affected objects and their sub-objects. These include methods, attributes, types, method and function module parameters, and CDS view fields. The current changelog covers deletions introduced during upgrades from SAP S/4HANA 2023 to SAP S/4HANA 2025, helping developers identify potentially incompatible changes in SAP development objects and assess their impact on custom code.PrerequisitesIn your SAP S/4HANA 2023 or later system (private cloud or on-premise) you are adopting the clean core level concept outlined in the Clean core extensibility for SAP S/4HANA Cloud whitepaper and following the ABAP test cockpit (ATC) recommendations for governance of clean core ABAP development. You have already configured the Usage of APIs clean core check in your ATC system.SetupFirst download the changelog with the Simplification Database (SAP Note 3693326 (part 1)). As a result, the changelog.zip file is downloaded to your drive.Next to enable the changelog functionality implement the relevant SAP Note 3758771 – Changelog Support in Usage of API ATC check. Once the SAP Note has been implemented, upload the changelog content to the system in which the ATC check runs.Remote ATC setup: Upload the changelog content to the central ATC check system.Local ATC setup: Upload the changelog content to the local ATC system. PLEASE NOTE: If you are already using ATC on SAP BTP as your central ATC check system for your systems landscape, you can upload and use the changelog in your local SAP S/4HANA 2023 system, as the changelog functionality is not yet available in ATC on SAP BTP. To upload the changelog content on your ATC system go to the ABAP Editor (SE38) and execute the SYCM_API_CLASSIFICATION_MANAGR program (F8): Click on the button Upload API File (Ctrl + F3), choose “Changelog” as a file type in the popup dialog and click on the Confirm. Select the previously downloaded changelog.zip file from your drive.Once you see the uploaded file with data type “Changelog” in the Data Sources overview, the changelog is active and will report findings when running the ATC check “Usage of APIs”.NOTE: Only one file of the data type “Changelog” can exist in the Data Sources overview. To update the changelog, first delete the existing file, then upload a new version by following the steps described above.How to use changelog in a pre-upgrade scenarioExecute an ATC run using any check variant containing the Usage Of APIs ATC check over your custom code in the system. In the list of ATC findings, you will see the issues related to the changelog, clearly recognizable from the Check Message text:In the details of a changelog related ATC finding, you will see more information regarding your incompatibility issue reported by the changelog:How to use changelog during developmentIt is recommended to consider changelog also during your development process. For this purpose your ATC check variant, used during development process, must contain the Usage of APIs check along with the changelog information.In this example ABAP_CLOUD_DEVELOPMENT check variant is used in the development system, and the Usage of APIs check considers the changelog information. The changelog related ATC findings will be displayed with detailed check messages in the ATC result:What’s nextSupport for the changelog in ATC on SAP BTP is already on the short-term roadmap. Read More Technology Blog Posts by SAP articles
