You must enter a unique user ID and password (and sometimes client and language codes) to log on to and access the SAP application and its database (see Lesson 1).
Generally, your SAP administrator assigns your user ID—it might be your employee number or social security number, for instance—and you cannot ever change it. However, you have more control over your password.
You will be assigned a temporary password by the SAP administrator when you begin to use SAP, but you are prompted by the system to change it when you log on for the first time. Thereafter, you can change your password at any time.
It is, in fact, good practice to change your SAP password regularly to prevent intruders from accessing the database through your account. Such unwelcome guests can easily figure out your user ID (particularly if they work for the same organization), but your password is (or should be) far less predictable. Consequently, it is the only real barrier between intruders and the system.
For this reason, some SAP administrators program their system to force users to change passwords regularly. In our organization, for instance, we must change it every 90 days, like it or not.
You can change your SAP password during the logon process through the SAP screen, which is displayed when you log on with the SAP Logon Pad. (You cannot change it when you log on with a desktop shortcut.) Just follow this next procedure.
Procedure
Changing Your Password When You Log On
Step 1. Follow the procedure for logging on with the SAP Logon pad. (See Lesson 1).
Step 2. When the SAP screen appears (Figure 4.1):
Enter your user ID and password (and, if necessary, client and language codes) in the appropriate fields.
Click the New password button (A) in the application toolbar.
Figure 4.1 Enter your user ID and password (and any other required codes), then click the New password button to change the password.
Step 3. The SAP popup screen appears (Figure 4.2).
Enter a new password in the New password and Repeat password fields.
Hit the Enter key on your keyboard to record your new password and complete the logon.
(Note: This screen pops up automatically when you first log on to the system with a temporary password and prompts you to create a permanent password. When the system is configured to force you to change your password on a regular basis, this screen also appears automatically at the scheduled time.)
End Procedure
When you create a password for SAP, you must follow these system protocols and other common-sense rules:
It must be 6 to 8 characters long.
It can be a combination of any numbers, letters, or symbols.
It must not begin with a question mark (?), exclamation point (!), or blank space.
It cannot start with three identical characters (for example, BBBRalph).
It cannot be one of your more recently used passwords or your user ID.
It cannot be pass or SAP.
It should not be the name of your spouse, favorite pet, birth date, social security number, or anything else that is written somewhere or which could be guessed by an unwanted intruder who knows you.
Once you log on, you can change your password on the Maintain User Profile screen. Follow this next procedure.
Procedure
Changing Your Password After You Log On
Step 1. Go to the menu bar at the top of any SAP screen and follow the menu path System > User Profile > Own Data (Figure 3.1 on page 47).
Step 2. The Maintain User Profile screen appears (Figure 4.3).
Click the Password button (A) in the application toolbar.
Step 3. The Change Password for User popup screen appears (Figure 4.4).
Enter your current password in the Old password field (A).
Enter your new password in the New password and Repeat password fields (B).
Hit the Enter key on your keyboard to erase the screen from your desktop.
Step 4. Click the Save button (Figure 4.3B) in the standard toolbar of the Maintain User Profile screen to save your new password and erase this screen from your desktop.
End Procedure