Transaction ST03 (Workload Monitor) provides a breakdown of the time components that make up the total response time for ABAP work processes. Understanding each component - and its acceptable threshold - is essential for diagnosing performance issues in an SAP system.
Definition: Queue time for a Dialog (DIA) work process to become available (visible in SM50).
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Threshold | < 50 ms |
| Indicates | Insufficient work processes, inactive update task, incorrect operation mode, locked tasks, long-running transactions |
| Resolution | Ensure extended memory is sufficient before adding more work processes. |
| Transactions | SM50, RZ04, RZ10, RZ11, SM13, SM12 |
Definition: Time to copy the user context (internal tables, parameters, screen lists) to/from work process memory.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Threshold | < 20 ms |
| Indicates | Undersized SAP roll buffer or extended memory; CPU bottleneck |
| Resolution | Tune roll memory and extended memory parameters. |
| Transactions | RZ10, RZ11, ST02, ST06 |
Definition: Time to load and generate programs and screens from SAP buffers.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Threshold | < 50 ms |
| Indicates | Undersized program/CUA/screen buffer, recent transports to production, CPU bottleneck |
| Resolution | Tune SAP buffers. |
| Transactions | RZ10, RZ11, ST02, ST06 |
Definition: Total elapsed time from when a request arrives in the system until processing is complete.
Response Time = Roll In + Wait + Load/Gen + DB Time + Processing + Roll Wait + Enqueue + (other)
This is the top-level KPI. All other time components are sub-components of it.
Definition: CPU-bound time consumed by ABAP processing.
Processing Time = Response Time - Wait Time - Load/Gen Time - DB Time - Roll In Time - Enqueue Time - DB Procedure Time
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Threshold | Processing time ≤ 2× CPU time |
| Indicates | If Processing >>> 2× CPU time → CPU bottleneck |
Definition: Time spent reading from or writing to the database.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Threshold | < 40% of total response time |
| Indicates | Poorly tuned database, I/O disk problems, slow/expensive SQL statements |
| Resolution | Check OS, storage, and DB layer. For custom (Z) reports with expensive SQL, coordinate with developers to optimize queries. |
| Transactions | ST06, DB02, DB04, ST05 |
Definition: Time waiting for a reply from RFC connections.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Threshold | < 200 ms |
| Indicates | Slow network or slow remote system |
Definition: Time for data transfer from the SAP application server to the SAPGUI workstation, including LAN/WAN roundtrips.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Threshold | No fixed threshold; compare against baseline |
| Indicates | Network performance issues (WAN/VPN) or slow client PC |
Definition: Time for a work process to set an enqueue (row lock).
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Threshold | Should be negligible |
| Indicates | Lock contention or enqueue server issues |
The task type identifies the nature of the work process activity recorded in each statistics record.
| Task Type | Description |
|---|---|
AUTOABAP |
Automatically-processed report (e.g. monitoring tools) |
B.INPUT |
Transaction step in batch input mode, processed by a Dialog work process |
BACKGROUND |
Transaction step started by a background processing work process |
BUFFER SYNC |
Periodic local table buffer synchronization (controlled by rdisp/bufreftime) |
DIALOG |
Standard online transaction step initiated by a user |
RFC |
Remote Function Call in the ABAP system, processed by a Dialog work process |
CPIC |
Communication via CPIC interface, processed by a Dialog work process |
SPOOL |
Transaction step of a spool work process |
UPDATE |
Transaction step of the SAP update task (V1), started by the dispatcher |
UPDATE2 |
V2 (asynchronous) update |
ALE |
IDoc processing, handled by a Dialog work process |
LCOM |
Fast RFC (fRFC/LCOM-RFC) using shared memory pipeline (ABAP ↔ Java in Web AS only) |
HTTP, HTTPS, NNTP, SMTP, FTP
|
ICM requests based on the corresponding Internet protocol |
ENQUEUE |
Enqueue handler task |
DIALOG(-)GUI |
Dialog task without GUI involvement |
| Symptom | Likely Component | First Transactions |
|---|---|---|
| High total response time | Investigate all sub-components | ST03, SM50 |
| Users waiting for work process | High Wait Time | SM50, RZ04, RZ10 |
| Memory-related slowness | High Roll In/Out | ST02, RZ10, RZ11 |
| Slow after transport | High Load Time | ST02, RZ10 |
| Database bottleneck | High DB Time | ST05, DB02, DB04 |
| Remote system slowness | High Roll Wait Time | SM59, network checks |
| GUI lag, WAN issues | High GUI Time | Network team |