Note
Access to this page requires authorization. You can try signing in or changing directories.
Access to this page requires authorization. You can try changing directories.
Question
Friday, July 14, 2017 12:06 PM
Hi,
I am experiencing frequent excel crashes when using the SAP BPC EPM add-in in combination with Excel 2016 (Version 1701 Build 7766.2096) - 32bit
The issue mainly occurs when opening files however not on every occasion, no specific trigger identified so far.
I haven't been able to reproduce the issue in earlier versions of Excel. When downgrading Excel 2016 to any version equal or lower than Version 1605 Build 6965.2117 the issue seems to no longer occur and i see some other performance improvements in the add-in. (tested on 3 PC's)
I can't find any similar reported issues in SAP communities, so could another factor be at play and different resolution.
Kind regards,
Wim
All replies (7)
Wednesday, March 28, 2018 10:19 PM ✅Answered | 1 vote
Hiya!
I admin SAP BPC EPM 10 for Microsoft SQL Server and will add in my 2 cents on this. Basically, Windows updates break the EPM Add-in almost every single time. Windows updates, office updates and security updates often cause a need to reinstall the SAP EPM Add-in. This may also mean installing an updated version of it, which may also mean installing an updated version of the Visual C++ Redistributable (which comes packaged with SP30+). This is generally the cause of visual basic macro errors that used to work, but then one day you walk in and they don't anymore. It's not your VB code; it's the add-in having been corrupted (er... "fixed") by Windows updates and needing to be reinstalled or upgraded.
That said, version control should be simple with the EPM Add-in, but it isn't. When you have multiple machine builds, windows versions, and office environments in your enterprise - and you deploy Windows updates dutifully, you're going to have to manage (and reinstall - repeatedly) several versions of the add-in for optimal performance on your end user's PC (and so that your super users and admins don't go insane when they're trying to build reports using EPM functions and macros).
Things to consider when selecting your add-in version to install:
- Version of Windows, which will have some bearing on the .NET frameworks and Visual C++ Redistributable installed, which are crucial to operations of the SAP BPC EPM Add-in;
- Which versions of Visual C++ Redistributable are installed. For Office 2010 & 2013, you'll need the same versions of Visual C++ redistributable installed for the SAP EPM macros to work right.
- 32 or 64 bit (has some bearing on the .NET versions that SAP pushes out); and
- Version of MS Office.
My personal preferences for add-in versions at this date are:
Windows 7 or Win 10 32 bit machine with Office 2013 or older? .NET 3.5 SP26 Patch 3 add-in... With Office 2016/365? .NET 4.5 SP27 Patch 2.*
Windows 7 or Win10 64 bit machine with Office 2013 or older? 64 bit begat the BigVol version paradigm. However, Win7 or Win10 made a difference with their .NET 4.0 preferences. So, for Win7, SP25 Patch 2 if possible (However, this broke after the 3/27 KB 4074590 windows security patch. Couldn't get it to work right again so now using good ol' .NET 4.5 SP27 Patch 2*). For Win10, Office 2016/365, I like .NET 4.5 SP27 Patch 2*
I maintain several bench machines of various configurations so that I can test new add-in versions as they come through from SAP (roughly quarterly), and there are often faults with new ones that I find untenable* - or if I find no measurable difference in testing or from end user usage, so I see no need to disrupt several hundred end users and their various IT departments with newer add-in versions. That said, it is necessary to update your add-in occasionally - even if it's simply re-installing the same one; particularly after Windows updates.
And now some bonus stuff that kind of relates to this topic because we're talking EPM Add-in versions along with Windows products and updates...
*My end users HATE not seeing the member they search for be returned on its own without being within the context of its hierarchy. SAP annoyingly removed that ability with .NET 4.0 & .NET 4.5 SP26+ versions. This code below fixes that and returns it back to a way that people like. I pulled it from one of the SAP wikis and it works great.
- Close Excel (word & ppt)
- Find this file: C:\Users\your ID or local desktop user folder>\AppData\Local\Programs\SAP BusinessObjects\EPM Add-In\FPMXLClient.dll.config
- Edit the file in notepad: midway through there are just a ton of “add key” statements – just put the following “add key” row in with the rest anywhere: <add key="UseWpfMemberSelector" value="false"/>
- Open Excel, connect to EPM and test.
Sorry for the diversion, but I had been holding back on updating add-ins just for that singular reason for quite some time. When I finally couldn't be on that old an SP aymore due to MS updates, i was stoked to find that there was a solution to the issue. Since the error the OP wrote about is, I believe, related to needing appropriate updates of .NET Framework, MS Visual C++ Redistributable and versions of the EPM Add-in, this last bit relates to addressing one thing that may be a barrier to updating the add-in.
Enjoy!
Monday, July 17, 2017 8:20 AM
Hi Wim,
As this is a third part add-in for Excel 2016 and I suggest you check if this problem is related to the compatibility issue between EPD add-in and Excel 2016.
As you said this problem only appear after the Version 1605 Build 6965.2117, I suggest you revert to earlier than this version to use this add-in.
Or you need to give a feedback to the add-in support and check if there is any latest update for this add-in to resolve this problem.
Regards,
Emi Zhang
TechNet Community Support
Please remember to mark the replies as answers if they helped.
If you have feedback for TechNet Subscriber Support, contact [email protected].
Thursday, July 27, 2017 9:20 AM
Hi Emi,
The EPM client of SAP BPC 10.0 is supposed to be compatible with Office 365 ao SP25 (tested all SP's above without succes) Since I can't find similar issues reported I doubt compatibility will be the issue.
Maintaining a lower office 365 version can be a temporary measure but does create extra work as this needs to be done for each individual user.
Moreover I have other issues with Office 365 (freezing /inactive ribbons) which I don't have with lower versions. For this I found a SAP note referring to KB3141472 as resolution. But the KB contradicts the SAP note stating it is not applicable for the Click to Run version.
So unless I find the real issue i Found I think moving back to an older Office version is the only option.
Krgds,
Wim
Tuesday, August 1, 2017 8:13 AM
Hi Wim,
There is a new version for Office: Version 1701 (Build 7766.2099), it was released July 27, 2017. Please check if this version of Office fix this problem with EPM add-in.
Regards,
Emi Zhang
TechNet Community Support
Please remember to mark the replies as answers if they helped.
If you have feedback for TechNet Subscriber Support, contact [email protected].
Tuesday, September 26, 2017 4:11 PM
did you ever figure this out - we're seeing similar issues. thx
Tuesday, September 26, 2017 11:53 PM
Hi,
The only thing I figured out is a workaround, reverting to a lower version of Office 365.
The how can be found here:
The version you need depends on which channel your Office is, you can find all releases here
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/office/mt465751
For my users following versions were successful
Deferred Channel:
10 Jan 2017 |
Version 1605 |
Build 6965.2117 |
First Release for Deferred Channel
13 Sep 2016 |
Version 1605 |
Build 6965.2084 |
Hope this helps you out, but in the end the definitive solution should be in a future release of office 365.
Krgds,
Wim
Thursday, March 29, 2018 8:37 AM
Suzettepirate,
First of all, thank you for breaking the omerta on this topic with your elaborate response, it confirms I am not delusional.
More based on trial and error I came to a similar choice of EPM SP to best cover our diverse user community.
As for EPM reporting itself version 10 seems more quirky and prone to corruption than the original EVDRE especially when trying to translate report complexity which in EVDRE could easily be addressed through native excel. They nailed making a more user friendly report building interface at the cost of making everything else complex to a level which can only rejoice window deprived developers.
The excel crashing seems under control in recent updates of Office 365, however some EPM reporting functionality which works issue free in Excel 2007/2010 causes havoc in Office 365. For example the use of the function EPM Copy range may after Refresh cause the Excel ribbon to become partly inactive, excel lagging and even other office products when open eg Outlook to suffer the same. A restart of the office applications will reset this (till the next refresh). Intensive use of the dreadful formatting sheet can lead to performance issue like very slow opening of reports (the formatting step then takes significantly longer).
Despite what a SAP note claims translating these mainly formatting functionalities into VBA seems to do the trick for me, you just need to ensure you preserve at least one line of the report during the execution of the code, else EPM will lose the plot ("unable to recognize report definition").
And thanks for the bonus, couldn't get my head around how removing this would be an enhancement to end-users.
Kind regards,
Wim