TP900 Comfort Recipe Data Not Saved TIA Portal V16

1. Problem Statement

On SIMATIC HMI TP900 Comfort panels running runtime generated from TIA Portal V16 (WinCC Advanced, RT Advanced), operator-edited recipe values that are saved through the Recipe View toolbar are not retained across a panel restart. After power-off/power-on or a runtime restart, the Recipe View loads the initial values compiled into the HMI project under the Recipes > Data records editor rather than the modified values the operator saved during the last session.

The defect reproduces regardless of the selected recipe memory target:

• Recipe storage on internal flash memory of the TP900 Comfort.
• Recipe storage on SD card inserted in the panel's card slot.

When the engineer deletes the data record entry from the TIA Portal project (so that the project ships no data record at all) the symptom disappears — operator-saved values persist across restart as expected.

2. Affected Versions and Hardware

The following combination has been verified to reproduce and resolve the defect:

Projects migrated from WinCC flexible 2008 SP5 or earlier to TIA Portal V16 may exhibit the same behavior when the original data record definition is carried over via the migration wizard. See section 9 for migration-specific guidance.

3. Root Cause Analysis

When an HMI project containing one or more data records is compiled and downloaded to a Comfort Panel, the generated runtime image carries a default record in the project bundle. The panel's file system places this compiled record in the recipe memory path during boot. Runtime save operations performed by the operator overwrite this file, so during normal operation the latest operator values are visible.

The defect occurs when TIA Portal's incremental compiler does not regenerate the recipe database for the data record elements whose initial values were not changed in the engineering tree. In this state:

1. The runtime project bundle still contains the originally compiled default record.
2. The operator's runtime save writes the updated record to the recipe memory area.
3. On the next panel boot, the boot sequence re-applies the project image before it re-applies the saved recipe file. Because the incremental build left an outdated project-side default, the boot path restores the stale default values and discards the operator save.

The official Siemens documentation describes the intended lifecycle for transferring recipe data records between engineering and runtime; it confirms that the panel must load or save complete data records from the recipe memory rather than overlaying partial fragments. See Transferring recipe data records (Basic Panels, Panels, Comfort Panels, RT Advanced).

4. Recipe Memory Architecture on Comfort Panels

Comfort Panels support two physical storage targets for recipe data records. Understanding the path layout is essential when verifying the fix from a service perspective.

When the HMI boots, the boot sequence performs the following for each recipe:

1. Reads the compiled record from the project image (read-only bundle).
2. Looks for a matching file under the configured recipe memory path.
3. If the file is newer than the project-side timestamp, the runtime loads the runtime-saved values.
4. If the file is missing or older than the project-side timestamp, the runtime restores the project-side defaults.

The defect manifests at step 3: the project-side timestamp is incorrectly stamped at the most recent incremental compile instead of at the full Rebuild All, so the runtime always considers its in-memory copy to be "older" than the project copy, restoring defaults.

5. Diagnostic Procedure

Run the following checks before applying the fix. They confirm the failure mode and rule out other common causes.

1. Confirm the recipe structure. In TIA Portal, open Recipes > [RecipeName] and verify that at least one data record exists under Data records.
2. Confirm the storage location. In Recipes > Settings, check that Storage location is set to either Flash or SD card. The None setting is invalid for runtime saves.
3. Reproduce at runtime. In the Recipe View on the panel, edit any element, press the Save toolbar button, confirm the message "Data record saved", then perform a panel restart (power cycle or Start > Run > Stop Runtime > Start Runtime).
4. Read back the values. After restart, open the Recipe View. If the values revert to the TIA-defined defaults, the defect is confirmed.
5. Check compiler output. Switch to Compile > HMI > [Device] and look at the warning tab. A clean compile with no warnings on the recipe element still allows this defect to occur, which is why the diagnostic step continues to step 6.
6. Check the operator button wiring. On the Recipe View toolbar, confirm that Save is mapped to the system function SaveDataRecord (or SaveDataRecordWithPassword) and not to LoadDataRecord. A misconfigured toolbar reverses the symptoms in a way that can be confused with this defect.

6. Primary Fix — Rebuild All and Full Download

The defect is resolved by forcing TIA Portal to regenerate every recipe artifact, then downloading the complete project image.

1. In TIA Portal, select the HMI device in the project tree.
2. Right-click and choose Compile > Software (rebuild all). Wait for the operation to finish. Confirm no errors in the Inspector window.
3. Connect the engineering station to the panel via PROFINET or Ethernet and ensure the panel is online (the Online status indicator in the project tree should be green).
4. Right-click the HMI device and select Download to device > Software (all).
5. In the Download to device dialog, tick Overwrite all under Target data. This ensures that the recipe memory files on the panel are removed and replaced with the freshly compiled records.
6. Confirm the download. The panel reboots into the new runtime image.
7. On the panel, open the Recipe View, edit a value, save it, and restart the panel. The saved value must now be retained.

7. Storage Location Selection — Flash vs SD Card

Both storage targets behave identically with respect to this defect, but the choice has operational implications that affect long-term reliability.

For plants with high recipe churn (for example, several hundred save operations per shift), prefer an industrial-grade SD card (Siemens 6AV2 181-2AB00 or equivalent) and configure the recipe storage target to SD card. The internal flash of the TP900 Comfort is sized for typical recipe workloads but is not designed for continuous high-frequency writes.

8. Verification Checklist

After applying the fix, run the following checks to confirm full restoration of the recipe lifecycle.

1. Compile clean: Inspector window reports 0 errors, 0 warnings for the HMI device after Rebuild all.
2. Download complete: Download log shows "Download (all) completed successfully" with the Overwrite all option.
3. Initial record present: After the first boot, the Recipe View shows the TIA-defined default values for the data record.
4. Operator save persists: Modify a value, save, restart, and confirm the modified value is loaded.
5. Project download does not regress: Without changing the recipe definition in TIA, perform a normal Compile & Download. The runtime-saved record must remain intact.
6. Data record list synchronizes: If multiple data records are defined, switch between them after restart and confirm each retains the last saved state.
7. Export / import round-trip: Use ProSave or the panel's Service > Backup to export the recipe memory, then re-import on a second panel. Records must arrive with the operator-modified values.

9. Migration from WinCC flexible Projects

Projects migrated from WinCC flexible 2008 SP5 to TIA Portal V16 inherit the original data record definition. After migration, perform a one-time Rebuild all + Download (all) on the migrated HMI before commissioning, even if no recipe elements were edited. The migration wizard translates the XML record into the TIA V16 representation but does not guarantee a clean runtime timestamp; only a full rebuild does.

Additional points specific to migrated projects:

• Tags that previously used the Synchronize option in WinCC flexible must be re-confirmed under Properties > Synchronization in TIA Portal.
• If the original project referenced recipe tags by symbolic name without a connection to the PLC, add the connection after migration. Recipe variables without a valid PLC connection still save locally but will not exchange with the controller, which can be mistaken for the present defect.
• Remove any legacy Coordination bits that the migration wizard may have imported. Coordination bits left over from WinCC flexible can interfere with the new V16 transfer model described in the official documentation.

10. Best Practices for Recipe Engineering in TIA Portal V16

Adopt the following conventions to prevent recurrence and to keep recipe data traceable.

• One recipe, many records: Define a single recipe element and ship multiple data records (StartUp, Recipe_A, Recipe_B). Avoid duplicating recipe elements to represent variants — this inflates the compiled bundle and amplifies timestamp drift.
• Naming convention: Apply RecipeName_RecipeNumber to every data record so that operators see a deterministic list in the Recipe View.
• Validate before save: Wire the toolbar Save button to SaveDataRecordWithPassword when recipes are safety-relevant. Provide a confirmation dialog using a separate RecipeView screen.
• Audit trail: In the PLC, latch the recipe name and timestamp on each successful save so the SCADA layer can reconstruct which record was active at any point in time.
• Compile cadence: After any change to the recipe element (addition of tags, change of limits, reordering), perform Rebuild all before downloading. Document this in the project's engineering guideline.
• Backup cadence: Schedule a daily ProSave backup of the recipe memory partition. Use the panel's Service > Backup / Restore function or a scripted approach via WinCC Viewer.
• SD card hygiene: Replace SD cards every 24 months in plants with high write rates. Log the card's serial number and replacement date in the maintenance system.

11. Related Settings and Parameter Reference

The following settings in TIA Portal V16 directly govern the recipe lifecycle on Comfort Panels. Review them whenever you troubleshoot recipe persistence.

System functions commonly wired on the Recipe View toolbar:

• LoadDataRecord — loads the named record into the Recipe View.
• SaveDataRecord — saves the Recipe View contents to the configured recipe memory.
• SaveDataRecordWithPassword — protected variant.
• DeleteDataRecord — removes the runtime-saved file (used for reset to defaults).
• ExportDataRecord / ImportDataRecord — file-based exchange via USB / SD card.

12. Frequently Asked Questions