Resolving the ProAgent License Missing Error on MP 277 10" Touch in WinCC Flexible 2008 / STEP 7 5.5 SP1

This technical reference addresses a recurring field issue where a STEP 7 5.5 SP1 project with SIMATIC Fault Messages (SFM) and a WinCC Flexible 2008 project compiled cleanly, yet at runtime the MP 277 10" Touch panel displays "License required: WinCC Flexible / ProAgent for panel" and the system alarms fail to appear. The root cause is twofold: the panel-side runtime license for ProAgent has not been transferred to the MP 277, and the WinCC Flexible connection that links the ES to the panel has not been validated against the integrated station. This article documents both corrective paths with field-proven procedures, parameter references, and a verification matrix.

1. Problem Description and Observable Symptoms

When ProAgent is enabled in a WinCC Flexible 2008 project that targets a SIMATIC MP 277 10" Touch, the following sequence is observed during engineering and commissioning:

1. The SFM blocks (FB49 = SFM_FB, FC49 = SFM_FC, DB49 = SFM instance DB, DB50 = additional information DB) are generated from the S7 standard library in STEP 7 5.5 SP1.
2. The CSV diagnostic file is exported from STEP 7 via Options > SFM > Export.
3. The CSV is imported into the WinCC Flexible project via Options > ProAgent > Import or via the Diagnostics Editor.
4. ProAgent is activated (Options > ProAgent > Activate) and the project is compiled.
5. The compiler reports 0 errors but emits an informational note: "License required: WinCC Flexible / ProAgent for panel".
6. The compiled project is downloaded to the MP 277.
7. On the panel, the ProAgent unit/step/motion views open, but the system alarms remain empty and a dialog is shown: "No valid license for WinCC Flexible ProAgent. Please contact your Siemens representative."

The error appears regardless of whether the ProAgent license is installed on the engineering station. It is a runtime-side defect, not a compile-side defect.

2. ProAgent Architecture and Component Overview

ProAgent is the process diagnostics option for SIMATIC HMI panels from the MP 177 / MP 277 / MP 377 / Panel PC families. It visualizes CPU-side fault messages (SFM) and unit/step/motion view data so that operators can navigate from a process tag alarm to the causing STEP 7 logic block. The architecture is split into three layers, each of which has its own license:

Reference: SIMATIC HMI WinCC flexible 2008 ProAgent - System Manual (PDF).

3. SFM Block Reference

The SFM (System Fault Messages) functionality is delivered as four standard blocks in the STEP 7 Standard Library under SFM:

These blocks are called from OB1 (or OB82/OB86 for diagnostic interrupts) and read error OBs to compose textual fault messages. The CSV export from STEP 7 contains the mapping of the SFM text library to the STEP 7 symbols so ProAgent can display meaningful messages in the WinCC Flexible view.

4. Root Cause 1 - Panel Runtime License Not Transferred

The compile-time message "License required: WinCC Flexible/ProAgent for panel" is a warning that the engineering tool cannot detect a valid panel-side runtime license. It is not an error, which is why compilation continues with status 0. At runtime, the MP 277 checks its own license container (located on the internal flash of the panel) for the ProAgent runtime key. If absent, the unit/step/motion views open as empty shells and the "No valid license" dialog is raised.

There are two valid ProAgent license positions:

• Engineering license (WinCC flexible ProAgent, ES): installed via the Automation License Manager on the ES, permits the engineer to enable ProAgent, import CSV, and compile.
• Runtime license (WinCC flexible ProAgent, RT for panel): a separate license key (delivered as a *.zip or license key file) that must be transferred to the MP 277's CF/flash via ProSave. Without it, the panel cannot display SFM-based diagnostics.

Having a valid ES license is necessary but not sufficient. The RT license must be pushed to the panel.

5. Root Cause 2 - Connection / Station Not Selected

WinCC Flexible 2008 distinguishes between the integrated HMI station under the STEP 7 project and a "standalone" HMI project. When the WinCC Flexible project is integrated into STEP 7 5.5 SP1, the connection is bound to the S7 station. If the connection is created without selecting a target station, ProAgent cannot resolve the SFM text source at compile time and emits the license warning. At runtime, the empty container is detected and the panel shows the missing-license dialog.

Field resolution: in WinCC Flexible ES, open Project > Connections, select the connection row (e.g., "S7ONLINE" or named MPI/PROFIBUS/ETHERNET connection), and check the Station field. If it is empty, edit the connection and select the S7 station that owns the SFM blocks. Save, regenerate, and re-download.

6. Step-by-Step Resolution

6.1 Prerequisites

• STEP 7 V5.5 SP1 (or higher SP up to SP4) installed with HW Update for the CPU in use.
• WinCC flexible 2008 SP2/SP3/SP4/SP5 with ProAgent option.
• Valid ES license for ProAgent (Automation License Manager entry).
• Valid panel runtime license for ProAgent (license key file, e.g., 6AV6 661-7A... series).
• ProSave V13 SP1 or higher on the ES, with Ethernet, MPI, PROFIBUS, or USB-PPI cable for panel connectivity.
• MP 277 10" Touch with firmware >= V2.0.0 (recommended >= V2.4.5 for WinCC flexible 2008 SP5 compatibility).

6.2 Transfer the ProAgent Panel Runtime License via ProSave

1. Launch ProSave on the engineering station.
2. Select the device type: Panel, SIMATIC MP 277 10" Touch.
3. Select the connection mode (Ethernet preferred; PROFIBUS/MPI if Ethernet not configured).
4. Enter the panel's IP address (default 192.168.0.1, mask 255.255.255.0) and click Connect.
5. Once connected, navigate to the License Keys tab.
6. Click License Key Transfer and browse to the ProAgent panel runtime license file (typically named *.zip or *.bin as supplied with the license sticker / CoL).
7. Confirm the transfer. The MP 277 stores the key in its internal license container.
8. Cycle power to the panel when prompted.

6.3 Validate the Connection in WinCC Flexible

1. Open the WinCC Flexible project (the one integrated into STEP 7 5.5 SP1).
2. Open the project tree and double-click Connections.
3. Select the connection used by ProAgent (typically the only MPI/Profibus/Ethernet connection).
4. Confirm the Station column shows the S7 station name. If empty, double-click the row and assign the station.
5. Save the project.
6. Re-import the latest CSV via Options > ProAgent > Import SFM text library.
7. Re-activate ProAgent via Options > ProAgent > Activate.
8. Recompile via Project > Compiler > All. Confirm 0 errors and 0 warnings.
9. Download the runtime project to the MP 277. Include the ProAgent runtime license in the transfer dialog.

6.4 Regenerate SFM Blocks and CSV

When modifications are made to the S7 logic, the SFM blocks must be regenerated to pick up the new error OB configurations and symbol names. The procedure in STEP 7 5.5 SP1 is:

1. Open the S7 project in SIMATIC Manager.
2. Open the SFM dialog: Options > SFM > Generate Blocks (or via the SFM Editor in the CPU folder).
3. Confirm the SFM block list shows FB49, FC49, DB49, DB50 with current timestamp.
4. Export the CSV: Options > SFM > Export. Save to a known path (e.g., D:\Proj\SFM_export.csv).
5. Switch to WinCC Flexible, Options > ProAgent > Import, select the CSV.
6. Recompile and re-download.

7. ProAgent Activation and Screen Generation

When ProAgent is activated, WinCC Flexible automatically inserts three screen objects in the configured alarm screen:

• Unit overview: lists the configured diagnostic units (SFM groups per OB82/OB86 sources).
• Step overview: lists the current step / state of each unit (driven by the SFM step list in the CSV).
• Motion overview: shows the current motion sequence in the unit, useful for S7-300F/S7-400F safety logic.

These views consume the SFM buffer in DB49 and the Zinfo data in DB50. The buffer size is configured in the SFM editor (default 16 entries, expandable to 256 with an S7-400 CPU). If the buffer is too small for the active fault count, older entries are overwritten and may appear as gaps in the ProAgent view.

8. MP 277 10" Touch Technical Reference

9. ProAgent System Limits

The following panel-image and ProAgent capability matrix is taken from the SIMATIC HMI WinCC flexible 2008 ProAgent manual:

Source: SIMATIC HMI WinCC flexible 2008 ProAgent - System Manual.

10. Verification Procedure

1. On the MP 277, open the panel control panel: Start > Settings > Control Panel > OP (or HMI).
2. Open License Info and verify that WinCC flexible / ProAgent is listed as installed and valid (green check, expiration not exceeded).
3. Restart the runtime project. Open the ProAgent alarm screen.
4. Trigger a test SFM (e.g., remove and re-insert a slave on PROFIBUS to fire OB86, or short-circuit an analog input channel to fire OB82).
5. Confirm that the system alarm appears in the unit overview within one polling cycle (typically 1 s).
6. Click on the alarm entry; the step view should populate from the SFM step list defined in the CSV.
7. If the license dialog still appears, repeat section 6.2 and confirm the ProSave transfer completed without error.

11. Troubleshooting Matrix

12. Additional Field Notes

• Always cycle power to the MP 277 after a license transfer. The license container is not hot-swappable.
• When migrating from a previously working project, do not overwrite the existing connection row in WinCC Flexible. Create a new connection and delete the old one; otherwise the SFM source binding can be lost.
• If the project is a multi-station STEP 7 5.5 SP1 project, the ProAgent CSV import must be performed once per WinCC Flexible project; a shared CSV is permissible only when the SFM text list is identical.
• When upgrading a STEP 7 5.5 SP1 project to STEP 7 V5.6, re-generate the SFM blocks; FB49/FC49/DB49/DB50 are forward-compatible but the CSV format may differ and must be re-exported.
• Back up the panel image before the license transfer to enable a fast rollback if the wrong license file is mistakenly pushed.

Reference for further reading: SIMATIC HMI WinCC flexible 2008 ProAgent Manual (PDF).

Frequently Asked Questions