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SCM516 - Procurement Optimization

The SCM516 Procurement Optimization course is designed for procurement project team members, super users, consultants, and business analysts to enhance their knowledge of SAP's ECC business processes. The course covers topics such as master data enhancements, communication exchange processes, document maintenance, and adjusting SAP standard software. Participants will learn to configure and apply various procurement processes, including serial number management and vendor master adjustments, over a two-day training session.

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
41 views223 pages

SCM516 - Procurement Optimization

The SCM516 Procurement Optimization course is designed for procurement project team members, super users, consultants, and business analysts to enhance their knowledge of SAP's ECC business processes. The course covers topics such as master data enhancements, communication exchange processes, document maintenance, and adjusting SAP standard software. Participants will learn to configure and apply various procurement processes, including serial number management and vendor master adjustments, over a two-day training session.

Uploaded by

alaa samir
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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SCM516

Procurement Optimization
mySAP Enterprise Portal

Date
Training Center
Instructors

Education Website

Participant Handbook
Course Version: 62
Course Duration: 2 Day(s)
Material Number: 50085167

An SAP course - use it to learn, reference it for work


Copyright

Copyright © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or for any purpose
without the express permission of SAP AG. The information contained herein may be changed
without prior notice.

Some software products marketed by SAP AG and its distributors contain proprietary software
components of other software vendors.

Trademarks

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registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
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S/390®, AS/400®, OS/390®, and OS/400® are registered trademarks of IBM Corporation.
• ORACLE® is a registered trademark of ORACLE Corporation.
• INFORMIX®-OnLine for SAP and INFORMIX® Dynamic ServerTM are registered
trademarks of Informix Software Incorporated.
• UNIX®, X/Open®, OSF/1®, and Motif® are registered trademarks of the Open Group.
• Citrix®, the Citrix logo, ICA®, Program Neighborhood®, MetaFrame®, WinFrame®,
VideoFrame®, MultiWin® and other Citrix product names referenced herein are trademarks
of Citrix Systems, Inc.
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Wide Web Consortium, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
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technology invented and implemented by Netscape.
• SAP, SAP Logo, R/2, RIVA, R/3, SAP ArchiveLink, SAP Business Workflow, WebFlow, SAP
EarlyWatch, BAPI, SAPPHIRE, Management Cockpit, mySAP.com Logo and mySAP.com
are trademarks or registered trademarks of SAP AG in Germany and in several other countries
all over the world. All other products mentioned are trademarks or registered trademarks of
their respective companies.

Disclaimer

THESE MATERIALS ARE PROVIDED BY SAP ON AN "AS IS" BASIS, AND SAP EXPRESSLY
DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR APPLIED, INCLUDING
WITHOUT LIMITATION WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A
PARTICULAR PURPOSE, WITH RESPECT TO THESE MATERIALS AND THE SERVICE,
INFORMATION, TEXT, GRAPHICS, LINKS, OR ANY OTHER MATERIALS AND PRODUCTS
CONTAINED HEREIN. IN NO EVENT SHALL SAP BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT,
INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES OF ANY
KIND WHATSOEVER, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION LOST REVENUES OR LOST
PROFITS, WHICH MAY RESULT FROM THE USE OF THESE MATERIALS OR INCLUDED
SOFTWARE COMPONENTS.

g20081411276
About This Handbook
This handbook is intended to complement the instructor-led presentation of this
course, and serve as a source of reference. It is not suitable for self-study.

Typographic Conventions
American English is the standard used in this handbook. The following
typographic conventions are also used.

Type Style Description

Example text Words or characters that appear on the screen. These


include field names, screen titles, pushbuttons as well
as menu names, paths, and options.
Also used for cross-references to other documentation
both internal (in this documentation) and external (in
other locations, such as SAPNet).

Example text Emphasized words or phrases in body text, titles of


graphics, and tables

EXAMPLE TEXT Names of elements in the system. These include


report names, program names, transaction codes, table
names, and individual key words of a programming
language, when surrounded by body text, for example
SELECT and INCLUDE.

Example text Screen output. This includes file and directory names
and their paths, messages, names of variables and
parameters, and passages of the source text of a
program.

Example text Exact user entry. These are words and characters that
you enter in the system exactly as they appear in the
documentation.

<Example text> Variable user entry. Pointed brackets indicate that you
replace these words and characters with appropriate
entries.

2008 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. iii


About This Handbook SCM516

Icons in Body Text


The following icons are used in this handbook.

Icon Meaning

For more information, tips, or background

Note or further explanation of previous point

Exception or caution

Procedures

Indicates that the item is displayed in the instructor's


presentation.

iv © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


Contents
Course Overview ......................................................... vii
Course Goals ...........................................................vii
Course Objectives .....................................................vii

Unit 1: Master Data Enhancements.................................... 1


Serial Numbers..........................................................2
Vendor Master ......................................................... 18

Unit 2: Communication Exchange Processes .................... 41


Quick Viewer .......................................................... 42
IDocs ................................................................... 63
Workflow ............................................................... 71

Unit 3: Document Maintenance ....................................... 91


Maintain Search Help ................................................ 93
Texts ................................................................... 111
Mass Maintenance...................................................122
Archiving and Deleting ..............................................139

Unit 4: Adjusting SAP Standard Software ........................ 179


Adjusting SAP Standard Software .................................180
Enhancement Types.................................................191

2008 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. v


Contents SCM516

vi © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


Course Overview
You have been using the ECC business processes for sometime. Your users are
developing more advanced navigational and business process knowledge. You
have been asked to support the users in enhancing their utilization of the ECC
product.

Target Audience
This course is intended for the following audiences:

• Procurement Project Team Members


• Procurement Super Users
• Consultants
• Business Analyst

Course Prerequisites
Required Knowledge
• Strong Procurement Knowledge
• Rudimentary Basis Knowledge
• Advanced Implementation Guide Knowledge

Recommended Knowledge
• Basic Understanding of Data Transfer Processes
• Basic Understanding of Data Maintenance

Course Goals
This course will prepare you to:

• Enhance your previously acquired procurement knowledge.

Course Objectives
After completing this course, you will be able to:

• Configure and apply Master Data Enhancements to both the material and
vendor Master
• Create Quickviews with the help of Quickviewer
• IDOC Generation
• Activate Workflow Process for Procurement

2008 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. vii


Course Overview SCM516

• Define search helps


• Define Text Copy Rules
• Perform Mass Maintenance and Document Adjustment
• Perform Archiving and Deleting.

SAP Software Component Information


The information in this course pertains to the following SAP Software Components
and releases:

viii © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


Unit 1
Master Data Enhancements

Unit Overview
Your procurement group has a request from sales to begin capturing serial numbers
on outgoing customer orders. To accommodate your sales department’s request,
you ask that serial numbers be assigned to products from both external vendors
and internal production orders.
Several of your vendors have requested that payment and shipping request
paperwork be sent to alternative addresses. To accommodate your vendors’
requests, you ask that a new vendor partner processes be implemented.

Unit Objectives
After completing this unit, you will be able to:

• Create serial number profiles


• Explain the purpose of central controls for serial numbers
• Apply serial number profiles in various business processes
• Test new serial number profiles in the goods receipt process.
• Create new vendor partner roles and account groups
• Apply new partner rles in the procurement process
• Test new vendors in the procurement process.

Unit Contents
Lesson: Serial Numbers ..........................................................2
Exercise 1: Master Data Enhancements - Serial Numbers ..............7
Lesson: Vendor Master ......................................................... 18
Exercise 2: Master Data Enhancements - Vendor Master ............. 29

2008 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 1


Unit 1: Master Data Enhancements SCM516

Lesson: Serial Numbers

Lesson Overview

Lesson Objectives
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• Create serial number profiles
• Explain the purpose of central controls for serial numbers
• Apply serial number profiles in various business processes
• Test new serial number profiles in the goods receipt process.

Business Example
Your procurement group has a request from sales to begin capturing serial numbers
on outgoing customer orders. To accommodate your sales department’s request,
you ask that serial numbers be assigned to products from both external vendors
and internal production orders.

Figure 1: Example of Serial Numbers

Serial Number Master Record

2 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


SCM516 Lesson: Serial Numbers

The following information is contained in the serial number master record:

• Status information
– You can establish here which system and user statuses are valid for the
master record. If necessary, you can set or delete the user status, display
the authorized business procedures, and set particular system statuses.
• Stock information
– You can see here in which plant and warehouse the material is located,
or to which batch it belongs. You can also see what type of stock
and special stock is involved. The stock information is recorded
automatically when goods movements are performed, and cannot be
changed manually.
• Configuration data
– Here, you can configure a material item according to its characteristics
or make reference to a configured object.
• Partner data
– Here, for example, you can use freely definable partner functions and
partners to specify in Customizing which companies are responsible
for the maintenance of the serialized material.
Further data and functions, such as maintenance data, location data, and
classification, are only available if you add to the serial number master record to
make it an equipment master record.

Figure 2: Business Procedures for Serial Numbers

2008 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 3


Unit 1: Master Data Enhancements SCM516

This table provides an overview of the individual procedures and their business
meaning.
Serial Number Profile
The serial number profile contains the following information:

• The business operations for which serialization:


– Can be performed
– Must be performed
– Is performed automatically
– Is not performed
• Information for a business operations:
– Serial numbers for which no master record exists in the system can
be assigned
– Serial numbers that already exist in the system must be entered
• Information about whether a stock validation is made for stock-relevant
operations and how the system should deal with inconsistencies
• The business operations for which an equipment master record must or must
not be created for each serial number
• The equipment category the system should propose for the automatic
assignment of serial numbers in the equipment master records
• The equipment type that the system should propose as default when
automatically distributing serial numbers in the equipment master record
Assigning Serial Numbers at Goods Receipt
When receiving a material master assigned a serial number, the following
functions are carried out (depending on the customizing settings to the serial
number profile):

• Serial numbers as a mandatory entry


– When saving the goods receipt document, the system displays the
Maintain Serial Numbers dialog box, where you have to enter a serial
number. The goods receipt cannot be posted if you do not enter a
serial number.
• Serial numbers as an optional entry
– With this setting, it is possible to save the goods receipt document
without entering a serial number, and no dialog box will be displayed.
• Only using existing serial numbers
– With this setting, the a serial number master record has to exist when
assigning the serial number. It is not possible to have the system
to create serial number.

4 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


SCM516 Lesson: Serial Numbers

Locking for Number Assignment


The system locks the serial number master record in the standard system during
number assignment.

• It is possible to deactivate this lock and customize the system in such a


way that several users can simultaneously create serial numbers for the
same material.
• If the lock has been deactivated, the system immediately updates the serial
numbers created in the database during internal number assignment.
To reset the lock in Customizing, choose Plant Maintenance and Customer
Service → Master Data in Plant Maintenance and Customer Service → Technical
Objects → Serial Number Management → Deactivate Lock for Internal Serial
Number Assignment.
Creating Master Records for Serial Numbers

• The customizing of the serial number profile determines if a serial number


master record needs to be created in advance for various business procedures.
• There are two options for creating serial number master records in advance:
– Create an individual serial number for a piece of material
– Create several serial numbers simultaneously for a piece of material
The option of individual serial number creation is used, for example, if you
manufacture one item per day in make-to-order production.
The option of multiple serial number creation is used, for example, if you
manufacture several items per day in repetitive manufacturing.

2008 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 5


Unit 1: Master Data Enhancements SCM516

Figure 3: Serial Number History

6 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


SCM516 Lesson: Serial Numbers

Exercise 1: Master Data Enhancements -


Serial Numbers
Exercise Objectives
After completing this exercise, you will be able to:
• Create serial number profiles
• Explain the purpose of central controls for serial numbers
• Apply serial number profiles business processes
• Test new serial number profiles in goods receipt process.

Business Example
Your procurement group has a request from the sales department to begin
capturing serial numbers on outgoing customer orders. To accommodate your
sales department’s request, you ask that serial numbers be assigned to products
from both external vendors and internal production orders

Task 1:
Create a new serial number profile

1. Create a new serial number profile with the name Z0## and the description
Group ##.

2. Make the required customizing settings in the new profile so that a serial
number master record does not need to be created before assigning a serial
number to a material master

Continued on next page

2008 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 7


Unit 1: Master Data Enhancements SCM516

3. Assign relevant business procedures for goods receipt to the new serial
number profile

4. Make the required customizing settings so the serial number assignment is


mandatory for goods receipts

5. Make the required customizing settings so an equipment master record is


mandatory for the serial master record

Task 2:
Assign a serial number profile to a material master record.

1. The Catt needs to extend materials 1200-00 to 1200-20 into plant 3000 for
Exercise to work.
Enter the newly created serial number profile, Z0##, into material master
record 1200-##, plant 3000

Continued on next page

8 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


SCM516 Lesson: Serial Numbers

2. The serial number profile is maintained at what organizational level?

Task 3:
Test the new serial number profile

1. Create a purchase order for qty 1, plant 3000, material 1200-##, and vendor
T-K516A##. Record the PO number

2. Create a goods receipt with reference to the purchase order created in step 1.

3. Create the serial number for the good receipt

Task 4:
Review the history of the serial number.

1. Display the serial number master record that was automatically created when
posting the goods receipt for the purchase order.

Continued on next page

2008 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 9


Unit 1: Master Data Enhancements SCM516

2. Branch to the serial number history view and review the documents created
for the serial number.

3. Review the action log. Display when each document was created and who
created each document. Record your findings.

Task 5:
Change the customizing settings for the serial number profile Z0##.

1. Change the customizing settings for the serial number profile Z0## so
that a serial number must be created before assigning a serial number to a
material master record.

2. Test the new settings by creating another purchase order for qty 1, material
1200-##, plant 3000, and vendor T-K516A##.

Continued on next page

10 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


SCM516 Lesson: Serial Numbers

3. Create a goods receipt with reference to the purchase order created in step
1-5-2. Let the system try to automatically create the serial numbers when
posting the goods receipt. What is the system response?

Task 6:
Create serial numbers.

1. Create 10 new serial numbers for material 1200-##, plant 3000. Let the
system assign the 10 next available numbers in the number range.

2008 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 11


Unit 1: Master Data Enhancements SCM516

Solution 1: Master Data Enhancements -


Serial Numbers
Task 1:
Create a new serial number profile
1. Create a new serial number profile with the name Z0## and the description
Group ##.
Answer: Choose SAP Menu → Tools → Customizing → IMG →
Execute Project. Choose SAP Reference IMG. Choose SAP Customizing
Implementation Guide → Plant Maintenance and Customer Service →
Master Data in Plant Maintenance and Customer Service → Technical
Objects → Serial Number Management → Define Serial Number Profiles
Save your entry.
2. Make the required customizing settings in the new profile so that a serial
number master record does not need to be created before assigning a serial
number to a material master
Answer: Choose SAP Customizing Implementation Guide → Plant
Maintenance and Customer Service → Master Data in Plant Maintenance
and Customer Service → Technical Objects → Serial Number Management
→ Define Serial Number Profiles. Deselect the Exist.Req field to allow
creation of serial number master records before assigning requirements to
materials. Save your entry
3. Assign relevant business procedures for goods receipt to the new serial
number profile
Answer: Choose SAP Customizing Implementation Guide → Plant
Maintenance and Customer Service → Master Data in Plant Maintenance
and Customer Service → Technical Objects → Serial Number Management
→ Define Serial Number Profiles. Select profile Z0## and branch to
serializing procedures. Enter the procedure MMSL for goods receipt and
issue documents. Save your entry

Continued on next page

12 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


SCM516 Lesson: Serial Numbers

4. Make the required customizing settings so the serial number assignment is


mandatory for goods receipts
Answer: Make the required customizing settings so the serial number
assignment is mandatory for goods receipts. Choose SAP Customizing
Implementation Guide → Plant Maintenance and Customer Service →
Master Data in Plant Maintenance and Customer Service → Technical
Objects → Serial Number Management → Define Serial Number Profiles.
Select profile Z0## and branch to serializing procedures. Enter 03 in the
SerUsage field for procedure MMSL to make serial number assignment
mandatory for goods receipts. Save your entry.
5. Make the required customizing settings so an equipment master record is
mandatory for the serial master record
Answer: Choose SAP Customizing Implementation Guide → Plant
Maintenance and Customer Service → Master Data in Plant Maintenance
and Customer Service → Technical Objects → Serial Number Management
→ Define Serial Number Profiles. Select profile Z0## and branch to
serializing procedures. Enter 02 in the EqRec field for procedure MMSL to
make equipment master records mandatory when assigning a serial number.
Save your entry.

Task 2:
Assign a serial number profile to a material master record.
1. The Catt needs to extend materials 1200-00 to 1200-20 into plant 3000 for
Exercise to work.
Enter the newly created serial number profile, Z0##, into material master
record 1200-##, plant 3000
Answer: Using transaction MM02, change the material master record. Enter
material number 1200-## and select the Plant data/ stor2 view. Enter plant
3000. Enter serial number profile Z0## in the profile field. Save your entry
2. The serial number profile is maintained at what organizational level?
Answer: Plant level

Task 3:
Test the new serial number profile
1. Create a purchase order for qty 1, plant 3000, material 1200-##, and vendor
T-K516A##. Record the PO number
Answer: Using transaction ME21N, create a purchase order. Save and
record the PO number.

Continued on next page

2008 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 13


Unit 1: Master Data Enhancements SCM516

2. Create a goods receipt with reference to the purchase order created in step 1.
Answer: Using transaction MIGO, create a goods receipt. Enter the
purchase order number and press ENTER. Select Item OK Do not save!
3. Create the serial number for the good receipt
Answer: Branch to the serial number tab in the detailed screen. Select
Create Serial Nos Automatically. Note: It is possible to have this checkmark
default automatically, we are performing this step manually for testing
reasons only. Save

Task 4:
Review the history of the serial number.
1. Display the serial number master record that was automatically created when
posting the goods receipt for the purchase order.
Answer: Using transaction IQ03, display the serial numbers. Search for the
serial numbers by entering material number 1200-## in the search screen.
Hint: Do not leave transaction IQ03; all of the following steps are performed
within this transaction.
2. Branch to the serial number history view and review the documents created
for the serial number.
Answer: After selecting the serial number, press the history button. Within
the history log you will see the material document created for the goods
receipt. Record the document number and serial number.
3. Review the action log. Display when each document was created and who
created each document. Record your findings.
Answer: In the history screen, select the line for the goods receipt and press
the action log button. Record your finding.

Continued on next page

14 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


SCM516 Lesson: Serial Numbers

Task 5:
Change the customizing settings for the serial number profile Z0##.
1. Change the customizing settings for the serial number profile Z0## so
that a serial number must be created before assigning a serial number to a
material master record.
Answer: Choose SAP Menu → Tools → Customizing → IMG →
Execute Project. Choose SAP Reference IMG. Choose SAP Customizing
Implementation Guide → Plant Maintenance and Customer Service →
Master Data in Plant Maintenance and Customer Service → Technical
Objects → Serial Number Management → Define Serial Number Profiles.
Select the serial number profile Z0## and press the change button. Select
the Exist.Req. field so that a serial number master record must be created
prior to serial number assignment
Save your entry.
2. Test the new settings by creating another purchase order for qty 1, material
1200-##, plant 3000, and vendor T-K516A##.
Answer: Using transaction ME21N, create a purchase order.
Save and record the PO number.
3. Create a goods receipt with reference to the purchase order created in step
1-5-2. Let the system try to automatically create the serial numbers when
posting the goods receipt. What is the system response?
Answer: Using transaction MIGO, create a goods receipt. Enter the
purchase order number and press ENTER. Select Item OK. Branch to
the serial number tab in the detailed screen. Select the Create Serial Nos
Automatically field and try to save the document. The system will issue
an error message stating that it was not possible to create serial number
records automatically.

Continued on next page

2008 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 15


Unit 1: Master Data Enhancements SCM516

Task 6:
Create serial numbers.
1. Create 10 new serial numbers for material 1200-##, plant 3000. Let the
system assign the 10 next available numbers in the number range.
Answer: Using transaction IQ04, list editing. Enter material number
1200-## and plant 3000. Enter the number of master records that are to be
created, 10, in the No. serial numbers field and press ENTER. The system
will display the next 10 available serial numbers in the block below.
Save your entries
Note: To create an equipment master record while creating the serial number,
choose View selection and select Equipment in the dialog box. When you
choose Back, the system automatically assigns an equipment number. To
view this assignment, choose the SerData tab.

16 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


SCM516 Lesson: Serial Numbers

Lesson Summary
You should now be able to:
• Create serial number profiles
• Explain the purpose of central controls for serial numbers
• Apply serial number profiles in various business processes
• Test new serial number profiles in the goods receipt process.

2008 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 17


Unit 1: Master Data Enhancements SCM516

Lesson: Vendor Master

Lesson Overview

Lesson Objectives
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• Create new vendor partner roles and account groups
• Apply new partner rles in the procurement process
• Test new vendors in the procurement process.

Business Example
Several of your vendors have requested that payment and shipping request
paperwork be sent to alternative addresses. To accommodate your vendors’
requests, you ask that a new vendor partner processes be implemented.
At the same time, you also request that vendors’ e-mail addresses be captured
in the vendor master record.

Figure 4: Vendor Hierarchy

If your vendor base includes multilevel buying groups, cooperatives, or chains


of retail outlets, you can create vendor hierarchies to reflect the structure of
these groups.

18 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


SCM516 Lesson: Vendor Master

Vendor hierarchies may be useful for your organization if you trade with vendors
who have complex, external structures that you need to take into account for
pricing. For example, this would be useful if you trade with major retail chains or
large concerns that are organized in hierarchies with numerous levels.
Vendor Hierarchy Category

• The vendor hierarchy category is used to:


– Identify the purpose of a particular hierarchy
– Determine the partner function for the lowest level in the vendor
hierarchy
– Determine which vendor account groups are allowed in a hierarchy
– Determine which order document types take into account the vendor
hierarchy for price determination
The standard version of the SAP system contains one vendor hierarchy category,
namely A.
If you wish, you can define your own hierarchy categories in Customizing for
purchasing (materials management) in the activity Define Vendor Hierarchy
Categories.
Process flow for creating a vendor hierarchiy:

1. Create master records for each node that you plan to include in the hierarchy
(some of your master data, such as vendors, may already exist).
2. Assign the nodes to each other, gradually building up your hierarchy.
3. Assign your vendors to the appropriate nodes.
Usually, you create a hierarchy starting with the uppermost node, then create
subsequent levels.
Vendors are usually assigned to nodes at the lowest level of the hierarchy.
However, it is also possible to assign vendors to nodes at higher levels in the
hierarchy. For example, a particularly large store in a chain of retail outlets may be
assigned to a regional office rather than to a local sales office.

2008 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 19


Unit 1: Master Data Enhancements SCM516

Figure 5: Vendor Master Record: Customizing

Among other things, the account group ensures that only the fields needed for
your business partner’s relevant role are displayed or are ready to receive input
in the vendor master record.
However, control of field selection in the vendor master record is not only a
function of the account group, but also depends on the transaction used and the
purchasing organization.
By making the appropriate settings for number assignment, you can ensure that
different business partners are managed in different number ranges in the system.
Another relevant Customizing setting is partner determination, since you can store
different partner roles (partner functions) in the vendor master record.

20 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


SCM516 Lesson: Vendor Master

Figure 6: Customizing Settings for Account Groups (1)

Each vendor whose data is created in the SAP system must be assigned to an
account group. The desired account group is assigned when a new vendor master
record is created.
The account group helps to determine how the business partner is used in the
system. The standard system, for example, contains different account groups for
vendors (suppliers), manufacturers, forwarders/carriers, and invoicers.
You use the account group to determine:
The field status (field selection)
Whether a vendor master record is used as a one-time account master record
Use of the data retention levels vendor subrange or plant
The number range interval and the type of number assignment (internal or external)
The permissible partner roles

2008 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 21


Unit 1: Master Data Enhancements SCM516

Figure 7: Customizing Settings for Account Groups (2)

With the field status, you specify:


Which fields are not to be displayed.
Which fields are for display only and cannot receive input.
Fields in which data must be entered.
Fields in which data can be entered.
The account group is just one of four factors influencing the field status in the
vendor master record.

22 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


SCM516 Lesson: Vendor Master

Figure 8: Field Status

The field status can be controlled by the transaction used, the account group, the
purchasing organization, or the company code.
The fields to be defined are divided into the following areas:
• General data
• Company code data
• Purchasing data
• Purchasing vendor subrange level
• Purchasing plant level.
Individual influencing factors control different areas. Through the company code,
for example, you can only influence the group of company code data. On the other
hand, the transaction used can determine the status of all fields.

2008 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 23


Unit 1: Master Data Enhancements SCM516

Figure 9: Partner Roles in Purchasing

The business partner can assume various roles in relation to your enterprise. For
example, in the course of a procurement transaction, a business partner is first the
ordering address, then the goods supplier, then the invoicing party, and finally
the payee. A prerequisite for the use of partner roles (partner functions) is the
existence of a corresponding master record for the partner in question.
Not all of the roles in a particular transaction are necessarily assumed by the same
business partner; a number of different firms may be involved. Because of this,
you have the option to define relevant partner roles in the vendor master record
on the basis of purchasing organization or plant. These partners are adopted as
default values in the purchasing documents.

24 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


SCM516 Lesson: Vendor Master

Figure 10: Use of Partner Roles

Not all of the roles in a particular transaction are necessarily assumed by the same
business partner; a number of different firms may be involved. Because of this,
you have the option to define relevant partner roles in the vendor master record
on the basis of purchasing organization or plant. These partners are adopted as
default values in the purchasing documents.
For example, a different invoicing party is transferred from the vendor master
record to a purchase order. The party automatically appears as the default value
for this purchase order when the invoice is posted.
To use partner roles in the vendor master record, you must first make various
settings in Customizing.

2008 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 25


Unit 1: Master Data Enhancements SCM516

Figure 11: Define Partner Role

First, all the partner roles that you wish to use client-wide must be defined. In the
process, you can specify that a partner role may be used in a vendor's master
data only once per organizational level.
If the Unique indicator has not been set, several ordering addresses may be defined
per organizational level. When creating a purchase order, the buyer would see a
list of all possible ordering addresses. He or she would then be able to choose the
desired address from the list.
If a hierarchy is to be used in connection with partner roles, it is sensible to use
subordinate partner roles. In this way, you can replicate dependencies between
partner roles.
After the partner roles have been defined, they must be assigned to the relevant
account groups. This assignment controls the meaningful use of roles. It makes
little sense, for example, for the account group for invoicing parties to allow the
partner role ““ordering address”.
To be able to use the partner determination facility, you must define at least one
partner schema for vendor master records and one for purchasing documents.
When schemas are defined, the previously created partner roles are assigned to the
relevant schema.
The partner schema enables you to create various groupings for partner roles and
to assign these to the various account groups and purchasing document types.

26 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


SCM516 Lesson: Vendor Master

Figure 12: Define Partner Schema

When defining partner schemas, you can set various indicators.


No Change indicator: If the partner defined in the vendor master record should not
later be able to be changed, you must set the No Change indicator in the partner
schema for the vendor master records. If the partner role adopted as the default
value from the vendor master record should not be changeable, the relevant
indicator must be set when the partner schema is defined for the purchasing
document.
Mandatory indicator: The Mandatory indicator determines whether or not a
partner role is mandatory in a certain object (such as a vendor master record or
purchase order). When defining the partner schemas for purchasing documents,
you must take two further control parameters into account:
Higher Levels indicator: If the Higher Level indicator has been set, the system
searches for partner roles at purchasing-organization level if none exist at the
plant or vendor subrange levels.
End indicator: The End indicator specifies the time of partner determination. If
the End indicator has been set, partner roles are defaulted from the vendor master
record (or, in the case of release orders, from the relevant contract) at the end of
the document entry process (when the document is saved and checked). If the
indicator has not been set, the partner roles are determined when a purchasing
document is created.

2008 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 27


Unit 1: Master Data Enhancements SCM516

Partner determination at the time the document is checked and saved is particularly
advantageous if different data has been stored in the vendor master record at the
plant or vendor subrange levels (that is to say, if partners have been maintained at
these levels).
If partner determination takes place immediately, the plant from the default values
(personal settings in the purchase order) is used for the partner determination
process.
If a PO contains several items with different plants, the partners are determined
at purchasing-organization level, irrespective of whether or not the Higher Level
indicator has been selected.

28 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


SCM516 Lesson: Vendor Master

Exercise 2: Master Data Enhancements -


Vendor Master
Exercise Objectives
After completing this exercise, you will be able to:
• Create new vendor partner roles and account groups
• Apply new partner roles in the procurement process
• Test new vendor roles in the procurement process.

Business Example
Several of your vendors have requested that payment and shipping request
paperwork be sent to alternative addresses. To accommodate your vendors’
requests, you ask that a new vendor partner processes be implemented. At the
same time, you also request that vendors’ e-mail addresses be captured in the
vendor master record

Task 1:
Create an account group.

1. Create a new account group, GR##, with the short description account
group ##. Create the new account group by copying group ZTMM.

2. Make the Internet Mail Address field mandatory when a vendor master
record is created.

Continued on next page

2008 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 29


Unit 1: Master Data Enhancements SCM516

3. Why is it sufficient to just change the field control of the account group to
make the Internet Mail Address field mandatory?

4. Which number range is assigned to account group GR##?

5. Which partner determination schemas are assigned to account group GR##?

6. Test account group GR## by creating a new vendor master record,


T-K516B##, for purchasing organization 3000 and company code 3000

Task 2:
Create a new partner role for account group GR##.

1. Create a new partner role ## for account group GR##.

Continued on next page

30 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


SCM516 Lesson: Vendor Master

Task 3:
Assign permissible partner roles to account group GR##.

1. Assign partner role ## (partner role ##) and VN (vendor) as permissible for
account group GR##.

Task 4:
Define a new partner schema, PS##.

1. Define a new partner schema, PS##, for vendor master records with the
description schema-##, containing the partner roles VN vendor and the
new partner role ##.

Task 5:
Assign the partner schema to an account group.

1. Assign partner schema PS## to account group GR## at all three


organizational levels.

Continued on next page

2008 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 31


Unit 1: Master Data Enhancements SCM516

Task 6:
Test the new partner role for vendor master record T-K516B##.

1. Test the new settings by changing vendor master record T-K516B##. Create
vendor T-K516A## at the level of purchasing organization 3000 with
partner role ## as partner.

Task 7:
Make the new partner role ## available for standard purchase order type NB

1. Which partner scheme is assigned to standard purchase order type NB?

2. Assign the new partner function ## to the partner scheme that is assigned
for purchase order type NB.

Task 8:
Test the new partner function by creating a standard purchase order.

1. Create a standard purchase order for vendor T-K516B##.

Continued on next page

32 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


SCM516 Lesson: Vendor Master

2. Check if the new partner function ## was copied from the vendor master
record.

2008 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 33


Unit 1: Master Data Enhancements SCM516

Solution 2: Master Data Enhancements -


Vendor Master
Task 1:
Create an account group.
1. Create a new account group, GR##, with the short description account
group ##. Create the new account group by copying group ZTMM.
Answer: Choose SAP Menu → Tools → Customizing → IMG →
Execute Project. Choose SAP Reference IMG. Choose SAP Customizing
Implementation Guide → Logistics - General → Business Partner →
Vendors → Control → Define Account Groups and Field Selection (Vendor).
Copy the account group ZTMM and name the copy GR## (account group
##).
Save your entry.
2. Make the Internet Mail Address field mandatory when a vendor master
record is created.
Answer: Choose SAP Customizing Implementation Guide → Logistics
- General → Business Partner → Vendors → Control → Define Account
Groups and Field Selection (Vendor). Change the field status by specifying
the Internet Mail Address field as a required-entry field (under General
Data, field group Communication).
Save your entry
3. Why is it sufficient to just change the field control of the account group to
make the Internet Mail Address field mandatory?
Answer: The status of the Internet Mail Address field is defined as an
optional entry in Customizing (influencing factors include account group and
transaction). If the Internet Mail Address field is defined as a required-entry
field in Customizing for the account group, this setting has a higher priority
for the field status than an optional entry
4. Which number range is assigned to account group GR##?
Answer: Choose SAP Customizing Implementation Guide → Logistics
- General → Business Partner → Vendors → Control → Define Account
Groups and Field Selection (Vendor). Number range XX was copied from
account group ZTMM.

Continued on next page

34 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


SCM516 Lesson: Vendor Master

5. Which partner determination schemas are assigned to account group GR##?


Answer: Choose SAP Customizing Implementation Guide → Logistics
- General → Business Partner → Vendors → Control → Define Account
Groups and Field Selection (Vendor). Partner determination schemas IDE1,
IDE2, and IDE3 were copied from account group ZTMM.
6. Test account group GR## by creating a new vendor master record,
T-K516B##, for purchasing organization 3000 and company code 3000
Answer: Using transaction XK01, create a vendor master centrally. The
e-mail field is now a required-entry field

Task 2:
Create a new partner role for account group GR##.
1. Create a new partner role ## for account group GR##.
Answer: Choose SAP Menu → Tools → Customizing → IMG → Execute
Project. Choose SAP Reference IMG. Choose SAP Customizing →
Implementation Guide → Materials Management → Purchasing → Partner
Determination → Partner Roles → Define Partner Roles. Using New
Entries, enter the partner role ## with the specified designation and type of
partner number.
Save your entries.

Task 3:
Assign permissible partner roles to account group GR##.
1. Assign partner role ## (partner role ##) and VN (vendor) as permissible for
account group GR##.
Answer: Choose SAP Menu → Tools → Customizing → IMG → Execute
Project. Choose SAP Reference IMG. Choose SAP Customizing →
Implementation Guide → Materials Management → Purchasing → Partner
Determination → Partner Roles → Define Permissible Partner Roles per
Account Group. Via New Entries, enter the partner roles ## and VN
(vendor) for account group GR##.
Save your entry.

Continued on next page

2008 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 35


Unit 1: Master Data Enhancements SCM516

Task 4:
Define a new partner schema, PS##.
1. Define a new partner schema, PS##, for vendor master records with the
description schema-##, containing the partner roles VN vendor and the
new partner role ##.
Answer: Choose SAP Menu → Tools → Customizing → IMG → Execute
Project. Choose SAP Reference IMG. Choose SAP Customizing →
Implementation Guide→ Materials Management → Purchasing → Partner
Determination → Partner Settings in Vendor Master Record → Define
Partner Schemas. Via New Entries, create a new partner schema with the
description PS## (schema-##). Select the new entry and branch to the partner
roles for this schema via the dialog structure. Via New Entries, create the
partner roles VN (vendor) and ## (partner role ##
Save your entry.

Task 5:
Assign the partner schema to an account group.
1. Assign partner schema PS## to account group GR## at all three
organizational levels.
Answer: Choose SAP Menu → Tools → Customizing → IMG → Execute
Project. Choose SAP Reference IMG. Choose SAP Customizing →
Implementation Guide→ Materials Management → Purchasing → Partner
Determination → Partner Settings in Vendor Master Record → Assign
Partner Schemas to Account groups. For account group GR##, enter
schemaPS## as partner schema instead of IDE1, IDE2, and IDE3 at all
organizational levels.
Save your entry.

Task 6:
Test the new partner role for vendor master record T-K516B##.
1. Test the new settings by changing vendor master record T-K516B##. Create
vendor T-K516A## at the level of purchasing organization 3000 with
partner role ## as partner.
Answer: In transaction XK02, choose Change vendor centrally Branch to
the partner function screen and enter vendor T-K516A## with partner
role ##.
Save your entry.

Continued on next page

36 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


SCM516 Lesson: Vendor Master

Task 7:
Make the new partner role ## available for standard purchase order type NB
1. Which partner scheme is assigned to standard purchase order type NB?
Answer: Choose SAP Menu → Tools → Customizing → IMG → Execute
Project. Choose SAP Reference IMG. Choose SAP Customizing →
Implementation Guide → Materials Management → Purchasing → Partner
Determination → Partner Settings in Purchasing Documents → Assign
Partner Schemas to Document Types. Partner scheme 0002 is assigned for
purchasing document type NB.
2. Assign the new partner function ## to the partner scheme that is assigned
for purchase order type NB.
Answer: Choose SAP Customizing → Implementation Guide → Materials
Management → Purchasing → Partner Determination → Partner Settings
in Purchasing Documents → Define Partner Schemas. Select partner scheme
0002 and branch to partner functions in procedure. Add partner function
## as a new entry. Select the Higher Lvl indicator to search for allocated
partners at purchasing-organization level.
Save your entry.

Task 8:
Test the new partner function by creating a standard purchase order.
1. Create a standard purchase order for vendor T-K516B##.
Answer: Using transaction ME21N, create a purchase order for vendor
T-K516B##. Note:Press ENTER so the purchase organization and company
code default into the purchase order
2. Check if the new partner function ## was copied from the vendor master
record.
Answer: Go to the Partners tab in the newly created purchase order and
check that the new partner function ## is listed in addition to the partner
function VN (vendor). Note: Do not save the purchase order.

2008 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 37


Unit 1: Master Data Enhancements SCM516

Lesson Summary
You should now be able to:
• Create new vendor partner roles and account groups
• Apply new partner rles in the procurement process
• Test new vendors in the procurement process.

38 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


SCM516 Unit Summary

Unit Summary
You should now be able to:
• Create serial number profiles
• Explain the purpose of central controls for serial numbers
• Apply serial number profiles in various business processes
• Test new serial number profiles in the goods receipt process.
• Create new vendor partner roles and account groups
• Apply new partner rles in the procurement process
• Test new vendors in the procurement process.

2008 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 39


Unit Summary SCM516

40 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


Unit 2
Communication Exchange Processes

Unit Overview
Your procurement group has a request from Sales to begin capturing serial
numbers on out going customer orders. In order to acuminate your Sales
departments request; you request that serial numbers be assigned to products from
both external vendors and internal production orders.

Unit Objectives
After completing this unit, you will be able to:
• Create QuickViews
• List the benefits of generating QuickViews
• Describe the different methods of QuickView generation.
• Explain the purpose of IDoc generation
• Create an IDoc.
• Understand the Basics of SAP Business Workflow and Purpose
• Activate a Workflow Process.

Unit Contents
Lesson: Quick Viewer ........................................................... 42
Exercise 3: Communication Exchange Processes-QuickViewer...... 55
Lesson: IDocs .................................................................... 63
Lesson: Workflow ................................................................ 71

2008 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 41


Unit 2: Communication Exchange Processes SCM516

Lesson: Quick Viewer

Lesson Overview
The lesson gives the general overview of all the reporting tools available and
explains in the detail “Quickviewer” tool.

Lesson Objectives
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• Create QuickViews
• List the benefits of generating QuickViews
• Describe the different methods of QuickView generation.

Business Example
Your quality management group has requested that you assist them in compiling a
report of serial numbers created by the production order processes for all products
in a production inspection lot.

Figure 13: Query Reporting Tools: General Overview

The SAP Query is used to create reports not already contained in the default. It
has been designed for users with little or no knowledge of the SAP programming
language ABAP.

42 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


SCM516 Lesson: Quick Viewer

SAP Query offers users several ways to define and create different types of
reports, such as basic lists, statistics, and ranked lists.
All data required by a user for a report can be read from various tables.

Figure 14: Query Reporting Tools: InfoSet Query

The InfoSet query is a tool within the SAP Query that you can set as an
alternative to component queries. This tool for maintaining queries is suitable for
both developing queries and ad-hoc reporting.
An InfoSet query can be used for reporting in all areas of the SAP system, and
Human Capital Management (HCM) displays a special feature: the InfoSet query
contains the Object Selection function for reporting the data model in HCM
When the InfoSet query is set in HCM for ad-hoc reporting, the name Ad Hoc
Query is used instead of InfoSet query.
You can use an Ad Hoc Query to quickly answer simple questions, such as, “how
many employees earn more than $100,000 annually?” You can also create a
comprehensive report to print or download to your PC. The query is designed so
that users can pose questions to the SAP system and receive real-time answers.

2008 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 43


Unit 2: Communication Exchange Processes SCM516

Figure 15: Query Reporting Tools: SAP Query

The SAP Query is used to create lists not already contained in the SAP standard
system. It has been designed for users with little or no knowledge of the ABAP
programming language.
SAP Query offers users a several ways to define and create different types of
reports, such as basic lists, statistics, and ranked lists.
Different groups of users work with the different components of the SAP Query.
The SAP Query comprises five components: Queries, InfoSet Query, InfoSets,
User Groups, and Translation/Query
Choose Tools → ABAP Workbench → Utilities to call up the components
individually.
• SAP Query: Queries used for maintaining queries
• SAP Query: InfoSets used for maintaining InfoSets
• SAP Query: User Groups used for maintaining user groups
• Translation: Query used for language comparison

44 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


SCM516 Lesson: Quick Viewer

Figure 16: Query Reporting Tools: QuickViewer

The QuickViewer allows you to define reports without having to program


yourself. The QuickViewer is especially useful for new users and occasional use.
QuickViewer is a tool for generating reports. SAP Query offers the user a range of
options for defining reports and supports different kinds of reports, such as basic
lists, statistics, and ranked lists. QuickViewer, on the other hand, is a tool that
allows even relatively inexperienced users to create basic lists.
QuickView definitions are user-dependent. You can transfer a QuickView to an
SAP Query to make reports accessible to additional users, for example, or to use
the other functions available in SAP Query.
The following is a comparison of QuickViews and Queries:
• QuickViews possess the same functional attributes as queries. However,
only basic lists may be defined with QuickViews.
• In contrast to queries, no user group assignment is necessary with
QuickViews. Each user has his or her own personal list of QuickViews,
and QuickViews cannot be exchanged between users. QuickViews may,
however, be converted to queries and then be made available to other users
in a specific user group.
• InfoSets are not required for QuickView definition. When you define a
QuickView, you can specify its DataSource explicitly. Tables, database
views, table joins, logical databases, and even InfoSets can all serve as
DataSources for a QuickView. You can only use additional tables and
additional fields if you use an InfoSet as a data source.
• The QuickViewer uses various controls. Certain hardware and software
requirements must also be fulfilled before you can use the QuickViewer.
You can access QuickViewer by choosing System → Services → QuickViewer.

2008 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 45


Unit 2: Communication Exchange Processes SCM516

Figure 17: QuickViewer: Functions

The Copy function allows you to create a QuickView by coping a existing one. To
do this, choose a name for the QuickView in the dialog box and confirm your entry.
The Rename function allows you to rename an existing Quickview by choosing
another name for the QuickView in the dialog box and confirming your entry.
The Delete function deletes the QuickView after asking you to confirm that this is
what you want to do.
The Layout display function displays the principle structure of the list created
by the QuickView.
The SAP Query button takes you to query maintenance
The Adjust function (QuickView → Additional Functions → Adjust) adjusts
differences between the QuickView and InfoSet. For example, suppose you have
created a QuickView using an InfoSet and have already executed it a number of
times. Your system administrator then modifies an InfoSet field by changing the
type of field you use in the QuickView. The next time you want to work with
the QuickView, you get a message informing you that differences exist between
the QuickView and the InfoSet. If differences occur between QuickViews and
InfoSets, you should terminate processing and carry out a comparison between
the QuickView and the InfoSet. The system gives you an automatic adjustment
option for individual fields

46 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


SCM516 Lesson: Quick Viewer

The Description button gives you an overview containing general information


about a QuickView and options:
• QuickView title
• Author and last person to make changes
• Remarks specific to the QuickView
• Origin of the selected data
• Saved lists
• Additional selections.

Figure 18: QuickViewer: Creating a QuickView

Access QuickViewer using System → Services → QuickViewer (or transaction


SQVI).
Enter the name of the QuickView. QuickView names can contain a maximum
of 14 characters.
Choose the Create button and the dialog box shown above will appear
Enter a title for the QuickView and comments, if you think they are relevant.
If you do not want to base your list on a table, use the possible entries button in the
Data source field to select another DataSource. You can choose logical databases
or InfoSets. In addition, you may also create table joins.
Choose Basis mode if you want to create the list with no list design. Choose
Layout mode if you want to define the layout of your list yourself.

2008 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 47


Unit 2: Communication Exchange Processes SCM516

After defining all the details, such as field selection and so on, you can save the
Quickview or check it by executing it from the Basis mode or Layout mode.

Figure 19: QuickViewer: Creating a QuickView (2)

The first step in creating a QuickView is selecting its DataSource. You can choose
one of the following:
• Table
• Logical database
• InfoSet
• Table join.
Logical databases, InfoSets, and table joins are all different techniques for
consolidating data from multiple database tables.
Logical databases are predefined paths for accessing database tables. These
paths can be made available to various reports in code form. Logical databases
are especially useful if the structure of the data you want to read corresponds to a
hierarchical view. This can be realized using a logical database.
InfoSets are used in SAP Query. InfoSets can be based on logical databases, for
example. If you choose an InfoSet as your DataSource, the InfoSet must come
from the standard query area. InfoSets from the global query area may not be used
when creating a QuickView.
Multiple tables can be linked together to form a join. The result set is a table, and
each line contains all the fields of all the tables used in the join. Hierarchical
relationships between tables cannot be analyzed using a table join. Table joins
must be defined before beginning QuickView construction. You define joins using
a control containing graphical representations of the tables you are joining and
existing relationships between them.

48 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


SCM516 Lesson: Quick Viewer

Figure 20: QuickViewer: Execution of QuickViews

To execute a QuickView online, choose Execute or Execute with variant. If


you select Execute with variant, you will see a dialog box where you can enter
the variant name.
You can also execute a QuickView in the background by choosing Execute In
background.
Variants are blocks of selection criteria that have been saved in the system. If you
specify a variant when starting a QuickView, the system uses the values in the
variant as the QuickView's selection criteria on the selection screen that appears.
Enter variants on the selection screen and save them under any name. For each
QuickView, you can create any number of variants. To create a variant, choose
Goto → Maintain variants.
SAP also gives various output options for data retrieved by QuickViews, such as
SAP List Viewer, ABC analysis, Display as table, List output, Microsoft Excel,
Word, and Local file. You can select these options in Basis mode.
In Basis mode, you can use the possible entries help for the Export as field prior
to executing a QuickView to determine whether you want to export the report
or display it.
You can also convert QuickView into a query. More functions and report forms
are available in SAP Query than in the QuickViewer. In addition, SAP Query
allows you to re-use transfer queries in other systems and clients.

2008 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 49


Unit 2: Communication Exchange Processes SCM516

Figure 21: QuickViewer: Creating a QuickView (Basis Mode)

You can use Basis mode if you want to display or export your list in a standard
format after field selection and sort sequence selection (if applicable).
You can choose between two modes in the QuickViewer:
• Further processing in Layout mode
• List display in Basis mode
Layout mode allows you to influence the graphical structure of your list, whereas
Basis mode immediately executes or passes your list to other tools.
Basis mode offers the following features:
• Field selection and sequence assignment
• Sort field selection
• Selection criteria selection (fields for the selection screen)
• List execution, list display in standard format, or list export (to Microsoft
Word, Excel, and so on)
Select the Available fields that you need for your list from the table control on the
right. The Column left; Previous button allows you to transfer fields into the
table control on the left.
If you want to accept all available fields in your list, use the Page left button
(double arrow). Page right resets this selection.
Determine in which order you want your fields to be output. If you want to move
a field forward in the sequence, select it and choose the Previous value button (up
arrow). Use the down arrow to pass fields down the list.

50 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


SCM516 Lesson: Quick Viewer

The Technical name <> Long text button in the application toolbar allows you to
switch between a field's technical name and long text.

Figure 22: QuickViewer: Creating a QuickView (Layout Mode)

The Query Painter is called whenever you choose to define a QuickView in


layout mode. It allows you to format a list according to your wishes and is used
especially for constructing basic lists.
With the Query Painter in Layout mode, you can:
• Define output options for lines
• Change the positioning and size of fields
• Create screen templates
• Edit headers, footers, and column headers
• Define control levels
• Sort
• Create totals lists.
The Query Painter screen is divided into four windows. The individual windows
contains:
• Those fields at your disposal, organized on the left in tree form
• The list layout on the right; list layout is simulated in this part of the screen
• Information about the list element currently selected (lower left)
• Links to corresponding documentation, as well as error messages and
warnings (lower right).

2008 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 51


Unit 2: Communication Exchange Processes SCM516

Figure 23: QuickViewer: Field Selection (Layout Mode)

You can select list fields in the upper-left window of the Query Painter. The fields
are displayed in a tree whose structure is derived from the DataSource. If your
DataSource is a logical database, then the nodes of this tree are the same as the
logical database nodes. With joins, each table's individual nodes make up the node
of the tree. All fields are found under their corresponding node.
Two checkboxes are assigned to each field. When you select the first box, its field
is selected and transferred to the layout window and, as a result, to the list as well.
You can also make this selection simply by double-clicking on the field name.
Selecting the second box makes the field into an additional selection criterion.
Selection fields are displayed as input fields on selection screens before your
report is executed. Users can reduce the amount of data output in the report by
entering values in these fields.
Selected fields are highlighted in color. Depending on how many fields you select,
they are either inserted one after the other in a single line or in multiple lines.
You may also place your cursor on a list field and right-click. Choose List options
and maintain your options in the lower-left window. You can change list attributes
here by making entries directly. Any entry you make in this window must be
confirmed using the Apply button.

52 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


SCM516 Lesson: Quick Viewer

There are two ways to define output options for a line:


1. Place your cursor on the line in question, right-click and choose Line options,
and maintain your line options in the lower left window
2. Double-click on an empty segment of the line (next to the list field). Those
options that can be changed are now displayed in the lower-left window
on your screen.
This feature also provides other options, such as field sorting. You can simply drag
the field to Sort fields toolbar and define sorting criteria in the lower-left window
by clicking on the field. You can also perform subtotals, totals, and counting
with the toolbar.

2008 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 53


Unit 2: Communication Exchange Processes SCM516

54 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


SCM516 Lesson: Quick Viewer

Exercise 3: Communication Exchange


Processes-QuickViewer
Exercise Objectives
After completing this exercise, you will be able to:
• Explain the purpose of QuickViews
• Create your own QuickView to meet your daily reporting needs.

Business Example
Your quality management group has requested that you assist them in compiling a
report of serial numbers created by the production order process for all products
in a production inspection lot.

Task 1:
Communication Exchange Processes

1. QuickViews can be converted into SAP Queries


Determine whether this statement is true or false.
□ True
□ False

Task 2:
Communication Exchange Processes

1. QuickViews are user-specific and cannot be shared across users.


Determine whether this statement is true or false.
□ True
□ False

Continued on next page

2008 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 55


Unit 2: Communication Exchange Processes SCM516

Task 3:
Generate a QuickView to meet your quality management group’s reporting
requirement to have a list of serial numbers generated during the production order
process for the products created in a production inspection lot.

1. Check and maintain serial no profile 0001 and Inspection setup 04 for
material P-1##, plant 1000, storage location 0001.

2. Create a PP01 Production order for material number P-1##, production


plant 1000.

3. Create goods receipt against this production order to automatically generate


an inspection lot.

4. Display the inspection lot generated during this process

5.

Continued on next page

56 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


SCM516 Lesson: Quick Viewer

Generate a report on serial number, inspection lot, and order number using
QuickViewer. Name the report QV##.

2008 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 57


Unit 2: Communication Exchange Processes SCM516

Solution 3: Communication Exchange


Processes-QuickViewer
Task 1:
Communication Exchange Processes
1. QuickViews can be converted into SAP Queries
Answer: True
You can convert any QuickView into a query. More functions and report
forms are available in SAP Query than in the QuickViewer. In addition, SAP
Query allows you to re-use transfer queries in other systems and clients.

Task 2:
Communication Exchange Processes
1. QuickViews are user-specific and cannot be shared across users.
Answer: True

Task 3:
Generate a QuickView to meet your quality management group’s reporting
requirement to have a list of serial numbers generated during the production order
process for the products created in a production inspection lot.
1. Check and maintain serial no profile 0001 and Inspection setup 04 for
material P-1##, plant 1000, storage location 0001.
Answer: Check and maintain serial no profile and Inspection setup for
material P-1##. Choose SAP Menu → Logistics → Material Management
→ Purchasing → Material Master → Material → Change (MM02). Enter
P-1## as Material no and choose Enter. Select the General Plant Data
/Storage 2 view. Choose Quality Management and then choose Enter. Enter
Organizational Levels Plant 1000 and Storage location 0001 and Enter Under
General Plant Parameters, assign Serial no profile 0001 and choose Enter.
You are now in the Quality Management view of the material master record.
Choose the Insp.Setup button. Activate 04 (Final Inspection at GR from
Production) inspection type and choose Continue.
Save your changes.

Continued on next page

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SCM516 Lesson: Quick Viewer

2. Create a PP01 Production order for material number P-1##, production


plant 1000.
Answer: Choose SAP Menu → Logistics → Production → Shop Floor
Control → Order → Create → With Material (CO01).

Field Name or Data Type Values

Material P-1##
Production Plant 1000
Order Type. PP01

Choose Enter.
Under the General tab, enter Total Qty as 1 PC, scheduling type Forwards,
Start Date as Today’s Date.
Choose Header → Serial Numbers.. Enter Serial Number QV## and choose
the Continue button.
Choose Release order .
Choose Save
Write down your production order number.
3. Create goods receipt against this production order to automatically generate
an inspection lot.
Answer: Choose SAP Menu → Logistics → Material Management →
Inventory Management → Goods Movement → Goods Movement (MIGO).
Select Goods receipt and Order from the dropdown menu. Enter your
production order number from the previous step and choose Enter. Select
the Item OK indicator in Detail Data of the material. The serial numbers
generated in the production order process are copied here and can be seen
in the Serial Numbers tab. Check and Post this document. Write down the
material document number generated
4. Display the inspection lot generated during this process
Answer: Select Display and Material Document in the same screen. The
system will automatically pick the recent material document created. Verify
this material document number.
Select Enter to display the details of the material document.
Select the Quantity tab page.

Choose InspLot “InspLot”. You are now in Display Inspection


Lot screen.
Write down your inspection lot number.

Continued on next page

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Unit 2: Communication Exchange Processes SCM516

5.
Generate a report on serial number, inspection lot, and order number using
QuickViewer. Name the report QV##.
Answer: You can find Tables and Fields by using F1 help on the field. The
following tables contain all the details required in the report.

Table Name Description Use


EQUI Equipment Master Stores Serial Number
Data
QALS Inspection Lot Record Stores Inspection Lot
details
AFPO Order Item Store Item Level
Details of Production
Order

Choose SAP Menu → Tools → ABAP Workbench → Utilities → QuickViewer


or, from the menu, choose System → Services → QuickViewer.
Enter QuickView as QV## and choose Create.
In the Create QuickView QV## dialog box, choose Data Source.
Enter a Title for your report (for example: Serial Number Report).
As this data is contained in various tables, use table join as Data source in
the dropdown menu.
Select Basis Mode as mode.
Choose back and adopt changes (Enter) . You are now in Create
QuickView QV##: Choose Data Source. In this screen you can select tables
and define the conditions (links)
Choose Insert table .
In the Add table dialog box, name the table EQUI and chooseContinue
Similarly, add all other tables, such as QALS and AFPO. If you find many
linkages between the tables, then delete all except the one with the material
number that is going to be same in all tables
If you don’t find any relationships between them, make it with the material
number by choosing the Material number field in both tables, right-click,
and drag this line to the same field in the another table.
Choose Back .
The left-hand screen will look like the screen below.

Continued on next page

60 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


SCM516 Lesson: Quick Viewer

Figure 24: Table Join

Select the required fields, that is, the Order number field from the Order
Item table, the Inspection Lot no (PRUEFLOS) field from Inspection Lot
record tables, and material number (MATNR) you can choose from any
table. Similarly, choose the Serial no (GERNR) field from Equipment master
data by selecting the checkbox.

Figure 25: Inspection Lot Record

All the selected List fields and Selection fields get transferred to the
right-hand screen in the List fld.Select. and Selection fields tab pages.

Figure 26: Data Source

All the selected List fields and Selection fields can also be changed in the
tab pages with the arrow buttons. Choose Execute “Execute” for data
selection and output. Accept all warning messages generated by the system.
You are now in the Selection screen. Enter Material No P-1## and Choose
Execute “Execute”.
The system generates the report in the SAP List Viewer format.
You can change the Export as option to change the report output.

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Unit 2: Communication Exchange Processes SCM516

Lesson Summary
You should now be able to:
• Create QuickViews
• List the benefits of generating QuickViews
• Describe the different methods of QuickView generation.

62 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


SCM516 Lesson: IDocs

Lesson: IDocs

Lesson Overview
The lesson deals with the Idoc concepts, it explains in detail how to create Idocs
and configure them.

Lesson Objectives
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• Explain the purpose of IDoc generation
• Create an IDoc.

Business Example
You quality management team has asked to continue to use a legacy system. They
would like to have the serial numbers created in ECC populated in this legacy
system. You need to generate an IDoc to allow the required data to be exchanged.

Figure 27: IDOCS : IDoc Concept

IDoc is an SAP standard format for data transfer between systems. IDoc stands for
Intermediate Document.
IDoc interface is available in the R/3 system from Release 2.1 A onwards and
in the R/2 system from Release 5.0F.
Each business process (for example a purchase order) usually corresponds to a
certain IDoc type, which can include the relevant data.
IDoc Type is defined by the segments, their hierarchy, sequence and frequency
of use. Segment hierarchy can be represented in tree form as parent and child
segments. This allows the application data to be structured.

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Unit 2: Communication Exchange Processes SCM516

Figure 28: IDOCS: IDoc Applications

Examples of systems or applications which use IDocs:


• ALE: Application Link Enabling: Normally Used when IDoc to be
transferred between different systems within one company
• EDI: Electronic Data Interchange: Used when IDoc to be transferred
between different companies
• Business Connector: Sending business documents using the Internet.
The application which uses IDocs must be able to write data to IDocs , or read
data from IDocs, or both.

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SCM516 Lesson: IDocs

Figure 29: IDOCS: Process Flow (Sending Data)

In this example, data flow is always seen from the point of view of the R/3 system.
Therefore, if data is sent via IDocs from an R/3 system to an external system, the
process is called outbound processing or simply outbound.
Outbound Processing includes:
• Posting the application document
• Generating the corresponding outbound IDoc
• Finding the partner and the port
• Transfer of the IDoc to the external system via the port.
Outbound configuration:
System 1 (sending IDoc) will define the system which will receive the Idoc and
the technical parameters via the port definition.
System 1 will define system 2 as a partner for message type LOIPRO (production
orders) in the partner profiles and enters the port which is already defined.
Documentation tools inform the EDI Subsystem which IDoc types are to be
recognised.

Note: All these transactions can be accessed in IDoc & EDI basis Menu
(transaction code WEDI).

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Unit 2: Communication Exchange Processes SCM516

Figure 30: IDOCS: Process Flow (Receiving Data)

Receiving data from an external system and the subsequent processing in the
R/3 system is called inbound processing or also inbound Inbound processing
includes:
• Receiving IDoc data from an external system via an inbound port
• Creating the inbound IDoc
• Finding the correct processing type via partner profiles
• Creating the application document.
If an error occurs, error handling (more general: exception handling) is triggered.
This is not the part of inbound processing. There is also exception handling for
outbound processing but it is less important: For outbound processing you should
usually presume that the data being sent is correct.
Inbound configuration: Documentation tools inform the EDI Subsystem which
IDoc types are to be recognised.
The port name must be maintained in the Port definition before IDocs can be
accepted by the R/3 system.
In the Partner Profiles, system-2 enters system-1 as a partner for inbound
processing and the message type LOIPRO (production order).

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SCM516 Lesson: IDocs

Figure 31: IDOCS: IDoc Record Types

Each IDoc type in Data base consist of


• One control record
• Data record which stores the application data in segments and describe the
hierarchy of these segments
• Status records which determine the defined processing steps for the IDoc.
An IDoc for transmission to or from an external system, however only consist of:
• One control record
• The data records.
An important part of control record is the IDoc ID, a 16 digit number which is
assigned automatically by the system. This number is used as a unique identifier
for the IDoc in R/3 system.
Control Record also contains Partner profiles, IDoc Type and logical message
and external structure.
Segment names are stored in the control part of a data record. This segment is
defined as a structure in the R/3 system.
Status record contains IDoc ID and status information.

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Unit 2: Communication Exchange Processes SCM516

Figure 32: IDOCS: Port Definition

Ports are a fundamental requirement for communicating by means of the IDoc


Interface. At least one port must exist for each external system. The figure above
shows how IDocs are sent to two receiving systems via three ports.
The IDoc Interface supports six different transmission methods. These are the
port types:
• File: Link to most EDI subsystems
• Transactional RFC: IDocs are sent as tables. Typically here, the external
system is an R/3 system (ALE distribution scenarios)
• CPI-C: Link to R/2 System: Direct communication with an R/2 System
(from version 5.0F onwards) is only possible using this port type.
• Programming Interface (PI): The IDoc is not exchanged with an external
system but rather with a function module you have written. This means
that any dispatch type can be used.
• Internet: The IDocs are written in MIME format to an e-mail attachement
• XML: The IDocs are written in XML format in the files

68 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


SCM516 Lesson: IDocs

Figure 33: IDOCS: Partner Profiles

The IDoc partner profile is divided into four area:


• General Partner Profile: Contains partner data from the master data as a
key(2 fields Partner No and Type).Additional general parameters like Agent
specifies the job (person or group of people) to be notified if processing
errors occur on the IDoc interface.
• Outbound Partner Profile (general): 3 keys are used – Partner (3 fields:
number, type, function), Logical Message (3 fields: type, code, function)
and the test flag
• Additional Partner Profile for outbound processing under message
control (MC): This type of outbound processing (applied in MM and SD)
uses the MC key, application key and output type.

Caution: This output type has nothing to do with the logical


message in the IDoc interface.

• Inbound Partner Profile: The same 7 key fields which are included in the
outbound partner profile are used in this case also. The partner refers to
general partner profile.
After maintaining all these settings you have to use a particular program to
generate the IDoc like to generate IDoc of Production order program name is
RCCLORD.

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Unit 2: Communication Exchange Processes SCM516

Lesson Summary
You should now be able to:
• Explain the purpose of IDoc generation
• Create an IDoc.

70 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


SCM516 Lesson: Workflow

Lesson: Workflow

Lesson Overview
The lesson explains in detail how to activate a standard SAP business workflow
for a procurement process.

Lesson Objectives
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• Understand the Basics of SAP Business Workflow and Purpose
• Activate a Workflow Process.

Business Example
Currently your user community is using the interoffice mail to request managerial
approval of purchases above five thousand dollars; you would like to streamline
your approval processes by having the process handled thought e-mail.
Workflow management systems are information technology tools for the
technological implementation of Business Process Reengineering. They support
and speed up business processes. They enable the employees involved to carry out
complex business processes irrespective of time and place.
The flow of work is controlled and coordinated actively by the workflow
management system. Control includes the monitoring of individual work steps
and the initiation of appropriate escalation procedures if deadlines are missed. It is
also possible to establish the current status of a process at any time.
SAP Business Workflow functions integrate and add to the comprehensive
business functions of the R/3 System.
The integration of Organizational Management in SAP Business Workflow
enables tasks to be linked with agents using organizational assignments.

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Unit 2: Communication Exchange Processes SCM516

Figure 34: Workflow : What it is?

As soon as a task comes up, it is delivered to the user in their electronic inbox.
(The burden of fetching the task is removed because the system delivers it.)
All the information, explanations and instructions available are delivered to the
user at the same time.
The workflow goes automatically to the appropriate R/3 transactions.
The workflow definition represents the business process or part thereof.

Figure 35: What Processes Are Particularly Suitable for SAP Business
Workflow

72 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


SCM516 Lesson: Workflow

Figure 36: Workflow:

As soon as a task comes up, it is delivered to the user in their electronic inbox.
(The burden of fetching the task is removed because the system delivers it.)
All the information, explanations and instructions available are delivered to the
user at the same time.
The workflow goes automatically to the appropriate R/3 transactions.
The workflow definition represents the business process or part thereof.
Insurance companies were probably one of the first to demonstrate the advantages
of a seamless processing chain. Here, clerks are responsible for acquiring
customers, concluding contracts, and providing support. This contradicts the basic
principles of Taylorism, since the clerk must carry out these tasks across several
applications and functions.

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Unit 2: Communication Exchange Processes SCM516

Figure 37: Workflow : SAP Business Workflow Terminology

A workflow glossary is available to help with terminology. You will find the
glossary in the appendix as well as in the online documentation.

Figure 38: Five Questions for Each Part of a Business Process

74 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


SCM516 Lesson: Workflow

Figure 39: In What Order?

A workflow definition describes the business process to be mapped, for example


approving purchase order.
A workflow definition is made up of individual successive steps.
Each step describes an action in the workflow process.
Example:
• Create Purchase order
• Release Purchase order.
Every step type in the workflow has its own symbol to make the definition easy
to read.
Workflows are usually triggered by events. These events are not dependent on the
workflow, and must be actively linked to it.
The data is passed on automatically from workflow step to workflow step.
The workflow container is the interface for this.

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Unit 2: Communication Exchange Processes SCM516

Figure 40: Workflow Definition: Workflow Builder

The Workflow Builder is the main SAP Business Workflow tool.


It can be used for creating, changing, testing, and displaying workflow definitions.
The Workflow Builder is dealt with in greater detail in course BC60.

Figure 41: What?

This question refers to each individual item of work (task) that is to be executed.
A task might execute a transaction, a report, a function module, run a routine in an
external system, update a spreadsheet, or simply act as a reminder that something
is to be carried out manually.
A task can be used as a mini workflow itself. For example, in IDoc error handling
where we just want to notify someone that an error has occurred.
If a task has to be performed by an actual person (rather than by the system in the
background), an agent has to be assigned.

76 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


SCM516 Lesson: Workflow

At runtime, the task generates a work item in the agent's Business Workplace.
This work item not only notifies the agent that something is to be done, it also
contains the necessary instructions and enables the agent to carry out the work
directly from the work item.

Figure 42: WHAT and WITH WHAT OBJECT:

Objects consist of related information that can only be accessed with an


identification key. Objects are created at runtime and are the specific instances
of a previously defined object type, which have been assigned values. Object
types are the generic descriptions of objects. Object types are described and
implemented in the Business Object Builder by specifying their components.
The components of an object type include:
• Attributes of an object
• Events of an object (possible status changes)
• Methods of an object (actions that can be executed on the object).
SAP Business Workflow uses the methods of an object type to model the
individual process activities.

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Unit 2: Communication Exchange Processes SCM516

Figure 43: WHAT:

Tasks represent the steps in the business process. The process to be mapped must
be divided into individual tasks during definition.
What tasks are processed in what order in a process is specified in the workflow
definition.
A task refers to one object type in the Business Object Repository, and to one
of its methods defined there.
A business process may only have one task.
Even under these circumstances, a workflow definition should be created.
At workflow runtime, a task is represented by a work item.
The work item appears in the Business Workplaces of the responsible agents
(employee inboxes).

78 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


SCM516 Lesson: Workflow

Figure 44: WHO? Tasks and “Possible Agents”

A list of possible agents is required for a task (TS). This list contains the
employees in your enterprise who are authorized to receive this work item
(runtime representation of task).
Create the possible agents under “Additional data - Maintain agent assignment”.
When defining, you can choose “Properties” and create a “general task”, or choose
“Agent assignment - Create” and create a relationship with an organizational
object.
Any system user can execute general tasks.
The actual recipients of the work item are determined at runtime.
You do not have to have HR for the relationships with organizational objects. The
functions are provided with the Basis system.

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Unit 2: Communication Exchange Processes SCM516

Figure 45: WHO? Assignment of Work Items to Agents

When you insert a task into a workflow definition, you define a workflow step.
You must specify “responsible agents” in this workflow step as well.
You can also exclude agents explicitly.
The slide shows how agents can be assigned in the step.
The system determines the “responsible agents” for the work items at runtime. For
each user determined, the system checks that they are one of the possible agents
and that they were not excluded in the workflow step definition.
If both checks give a positive result, the user receives a work item in their
Business Workplace.

Figure 46: WHO ? Individual Task - Workflow Step

80 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


SCM516 Lesson: Workflow

The aim of workflow-driven processes is for the correct agents of a process step to
be determined automatically.
For example, a leave request should always be sent to the superior of the applicant.
Invoices for posting should go to all employees who occupy an “invoice receipt
clerk” position.
SAP Business Workflow makes this automatic agent determination possible by
requiring that a number of “possible agents” be defined for each individual task.
An agent's position in the enterprise determines whether or not they are a possible
agent.
It is possible to define a “general task” if an activity is to be executable by all
R/3 users.
The number of recipients can be restricted dynamically at workflow runtime. To
this end, the specific agents who are to actually receive the work item are specified
when the workflow step is defined. You can use elements of Organizational
Management for this, as well roles or assignment to agents of previous steps.
All agents determined in the workflow step must be possible agents of the task.
Otherwise, the work item created cannot be seen in their worklist.
It is possible to specify agents for exclusion from processing in the workflow step.

Figure 47: When?

Events inform the workflow that something has happened


The workflow can react to an event if they are actively linked together.
Events (for example, purchase requisition created) are published in the system and
can be evaluated by all existing workflows.

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Unit 2: Communication Exchange Processes SCM516

An outcome is a possible result of a step. You can define a specific reaction for
each outcome in the workflow.
Possible outcomes of the task “approve request” may be: approved, rejected,
revised.
A work item can be completed by an event. An exception or a method result
can lead to an outcome.
In the workflow step, the possible outcomes are displayed on the “Outcomes”
tab page.
Outcomes can be deactivated, meaning that modeling is no longer necessary.
The workflow then assumes an error status as soon as it reaches the outcome.

Figure 48: WHEN : Event Examples

Like the methods, the possible events are defined as components of object types in
the Business Object Builder. They describe the status changes of objects.
The event is only defined in the Business Object Repository.
If the status of an object changes during a process, the application must trigger the
relevant event. This publishes the event across the system enabling a workflow
to react to it.

82 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


SCM516 Lesson: Workflow

Figure 49: Putting the Pieces Together…

Your business process can be converted into a workflow.


The Workflow Builder is the tool for arranging the steps in the right order.
A step in the process can be a task or a control step.
Agents are assigned to every task and every step.
The correct number of recipients for the work item can be determined at runtime
using agent assignment on the definition level.

Figure 50: Workflow Template

The workflow templates provided are executable.


Responsible agents have to be assigned to the tasks used in these templates.

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Unit 2: Communication Exchange Processes SCM516

You cannot change SAP workflows. However, you can create extensions to these
workflows by redefining predefined values within a “configuration”.
If you want to modify the step logic of an SAP workflow, you must copy it to
a customer-specific template of your own. You can then change this template
in any way you want.

Figure 51: SAP Workflow Template: Structure Search

To find the workflow templates in the system, choose:


SAP EASY ACCESS → Tools → Business Workflow → Development → Definition
Tools → Tasks/Task Groups → Display.
Workflow templates have a key consisting of the the task type WS and a sequence
number.
You can use the structure search to locate a template for a specific application area.
You can drill down to the workflow definition and the Workflow Builder from
this list.
The templates are described in detail in the Workflow Scenarios section of the
online help documentation.

84 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


SCM516 Lesson: Workflow

Figure 52: Workflow System Customizing

In the “Workflow runtime system” section, the traffic light should be on green.
If there is an entry missing for “Number range for customer tasks” in the
“Workflow development environment” section, you can ignore this.
The individual Customizing entries are covered in the course BC601.
If the error “PD control tables not complete” occurs, start the report RHSOBJCH.

Figure 53: Using Template

Use the templates provided by SAP at the beginning of your workflow


implementation project.
Configuration means modifying an existing template or creating a copy.

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Unit 2: Communication Exchange Processes SCM516

The adaptation of information texts is dealt with in the unit entitled “Workflow
Architecture”.
You can extend an existing template or use one as a basis for creating a new
template.

Hint: If you want to change the flow logic of a template, you must copy it
to a customer-specific workflow template. You can then edit this template
however you want.

Figure 54: Configuring Templates from the IMG

In addition to the general Customizing for the workflow system, each workflow
template also has its own specific Customizing usually within the application
in the IMG.
The Customizing steps required are detailed in the documentation for the
individual templates.

86 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


SCM516 Lesson: Workflow

Figure 55: SAP Business Workplace

The Business Workplace has three screen areas:


Overview tree
• On the left side of the Business Workplace, you find the overview tree.
You can choose work items to be executed, workflows you have started or
documents.
Worklist
• The worklist is displayed in the upper right corner of the Business Workplace
screen when you select the folder Workflow. The system groups entries
of this folder automatically. There are special folders where you can find
work items that are overdue, or missed deadline work items. If you select
Inbox within the overview tree, you will see all work items and documents in
this screen area.
Work item preview
• In the lower right corner of the Business Workplace screen , the work item
selected in the worklist is displayed in a preview. Not all the functions of the
work item display or the workflow log are available. It is possible to execute
a user decision from the work item preview.
A user exit can be used to configure the work item preview to suit your individual
requirements. The example above shows the work item preview of a demo
workflow.

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Unit 2: Communication Exchange Processes SCM516

Figure 56: Business Workplace : Worklist

The work items can be executed directly from the worklist. The applications in
question are started and provided with the data required when you double-click.
Recipients can display the attachments of the work item and add new ones.
You can attach many types of document to a work item, including SAP script
documents, Microsoft Office documents or Internet pages.
The workflow system determines the recipients of the work item. All selected
recipients can see and (potentially) execute the work item in their Business
Workplaces. But only one user can actually execute the work item. So, once a
user starts execution, the other recipients can no longer execute the work item.
A recipient can reserve a work item. A reserved work item can only be executed
by the user who reserved it. If you choose Replace, you release the work item
from its reserved status and make it available again to all the selected agents. The
work item status is then reset to “ready”.
You can specify that the completion of processing of a workflow step is to be
confirmed explicitly. After a work item is executed, a dialog box is displayed in
which you can complete the execution of the work item. If you choose Cancel at
this point, the work item remains in the worklist and is set to “executed”. Within
the worklist, you can choose Set to done for work items with the status “executed”.
Until this occurs, the work item can be executed or forwarded repeatedly.

88 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


SCM516 Lesson: Workflow

Lesson Summary
You should now be able to:
• Understand the Basics of SAP Business Workflow and Purpose
• Activate a Workflow Process.

2008 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 89


Unit Summary SCM516

Unit Summary
You should now be able to:
• Create QuickViews
• List the benefits of generating QuickViews
• Describe the different methods of QuickView generation.
• Explain the purpose of IDoc generation
• Create an IDoc.
• Understand the Basics of SAP Business Workflow and Purpose
• Activate a Workflow Process.

90 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


Unit 3
Document Maintenance

Unit Overview
The unit explains the different methods of document maintenance considering
procurement functions in mind.
It covers the following:
• Maintain search help
• Texts
• Mass maintenance
• Archiving and deleting.

Unit Objectives
After completing this unit, you will be able to:

• State the benefits of configuring search help


• Explain how configure search help
• Configure and test search help.
• State the benefits of configuring copy rules
• Outline the process for configuring copy rules
• Configure and test copy rules.
• Describe the mass maintenance function for purchasing documents
• Outline the mass maintenance process
• Perform automatic document adjustment.
• Explain the needs, benefits and important terms of archiving
• Outline the process of archiving purchasing documents
• Perform a simple archiving process.

Unit Contents
Lesson: Maintain Search Help ................................................. 93
Exercise 4: Maintain Search Help........................................105
Lesson: Texts.................................................................... 111
Exercise 5: Texts ........................................................... 117

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Unit 3: Document Maintenance SCM516

Lesson: Mass Maintenance ...................................................122


Exercise 6: Mass Maintenance ...........................................135
Lesson: Archiving and Deleting ...............................................139
Exercise 7: Archiving and Deleting.......................................169

92 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


SCM516 Lesson: Maintain Search Help

Lesson: Maintain Search Help

Lesson Overview
This lesson explains what the search helps are and how one can configure them
according to business requirements.

Lesson Objectives
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• State the benefits of configuring search help
• Explain how configure search help
• Configure and test search help.

Business Example
At the request of the logistics group, several new field structure have been added
to the purchasing documents. The group would like to search against these new
fields, so you need to configure a new search help for these documents.

Figure 57: Search Help: Definition

Search help is used to define possible entries help (F4) for screen fields. The user
can display a list of all possible input values for a screen field with input help

2008 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 93


Unit 3: Document Maintenance SCM516

Search help allows users to search purchasing documents specific to a defined


criterion or field. Each search help comprises certain fields of the purchasing
documents. You can assign any purchasing document field to a search help. You
then delimit the documents you are searching for via these fields.
Search helps can be activated and deactivated as per customer requirements.

Hint: Search helps are valid across clients.

Must-Know Terminology

Match code
A comparison key that enables you to locate the key of a particular
database record, such as an account number, by entering information
contained in the record.
Search help exit
A search help describes the standard input help process. In exceptions it
could be necessary to deviate in some points from this standard. Such a
deviation from the standard can be implemented with a search help exit.
Selection method
The possible input values displayed for a field in the hit list are
determined at runtime by database selection.
Search help parameter
A search help parameter is a field for controlling the
behavior of a search help.
Quite often you will notice a match code used in the Customizing of search help.

Hint: The input help process should look as much the same as possible
throughout the entire system. Search help exits should therefore only be
used for exceptions.

Search help parameters:


• A search help has an interface consisting of parameters. These parameters
define the fields of the selection method that should be used in the input help.
• A search help can contain further parameters that do not correspond to any
field of the selection method. This is normally only necessary if the standard
flow of the input help described by the search help still has to be modified
by with a search help exit.

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SCM516 Lesson: Maintain Search Help

Figure 58: Types of Search Help

Elementary search help describes a search path. Elementary search help must
define where the data of the hit list should be read from (selection method), how
the exchange of values between the screen template and selection method are
implemented (search help interface) and how the online input help should be
defined (search help online behavior). You can define the following components
of this flow in the search help:
• Where does the data displayed in the hit list come from (selection method)?
• What information should be displayed in the dialog box for value selection
and in the hit list (search help parameters)?
• What field contents can be taken into account for hit list selections, and
which values in the hit list can be returned to the screen fields (search help
parameters)?
• What dialog steps should be executed in the input help (dialog behavior)?
Collective search help combines several elementary search helps. A collective
search help describes an input help process in which the user can choose one
of several alternative search paths. Each alternative search path corresponds to
an elementary search help, that is, a collective search help contains several
elementary search helps.
Both elementary search helps and other collective search helps can be included
in a collective search help. If a collective search help contains other collective
search helps, they are resolved down to the level of the elementary search help
when the input help is called.

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Unit 3: Document Maintenance SCM516

Like an elementary search help, a collective search help has an interface of import
and export parameters. The data is exchanged between the screen template and
the elementary search help parameters contained in it by using this interface.
The parameters of the search helps included in a collective search help must be
assigned to the parameters of the collective search help.
During the input help process, the collective search help only controls the
user's selection of the required search path. The rest of the dialog and data
collection is controlled by the selected elementary search help. If selection of
the required elementary search help should be made flexible (for example, with
context-specific definition of the set of available search paths), the collective
search help must be assigned a search help exit.

Figure 59: Roles for Search Help Parameters

Import parameters are parameters with which context information can be copied
to the input help process from the input template or from the module pool of
the processed screen.
Export parameters are parameters with which values can be returned to the input
template from the input help process.
Internal parameters are parameters used for the input help process. Further data
can be applied in the input help process using parameters that appear in the dialog
box to restrict values or that have a default value. Furthermore, all the fields
displayed in the hit list are internal parameters of the search help.

96 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


SCM516 Lesson: Maintain Search Help

Figure 60: Maintain Search Help for Purchasing Documents

In this step, you can revise existing search helps for purchasing documents or
define new ones. Search helps enable you to find all purchasing documents that
satisfy certain criteria (all POs for an asset, for example).
You can search for the following purchasing documents:
• RFQ/quotation
• Purchase order
• Contract
• Scheduling agreement
• Service entry sheet.
Each search help comprises certain purchasing document fields.
You can assign any purchasing document fields to a search help. You then delimit
the documents for which you are searching via these fields (creating a search help
facilitating searches for all POs relating to a certain project, for example).

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Unit 3: Document Maintenance SCM516

Figure 61: Maintain Search Help for Purchasing Documents (2)

In the standard system supplied, the search help ASH_MEKK – belonging to the
collective search help MEKK – facilitates searches for purchasing documents.
Search help inclusion is the mechanism with which the alternative search paths
defining the behavior can be assigned to a collective search help. In a search
help inclusion, any other search help can be assigned to the including collective
search help. Usually, the included search help will be an elementary search
help. In this case, the search path implemented by this search help will become
one of the alternative search paths of the including search help. If the included
search help is also a collective search help itself, all the elementary search helps
contained in this collective search help will become alternative search paths of
the including collective search help.

Hint: Since a large number of search helps can impair the performance
of your system, you should check which search helps you wish to use
and deactivate any others.

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SCM516 Lesson: Maintain Search Help

Figure 62: Maintain Search Help for Purchasing Documents (3)

Under “Maintain Search Help”, you will find three tab pages: Attribute, Definition,
and Included Search Helps.
The Attribute tab page contains details such as Last Changed on/ by, Package,
and Original Language.
The Definition tab page contains Search Help Exit, and Search help parameter and
its roles (Import, Export, Default values).
Included Search Helps contains search helps (generally elementary search helps):
• MEKKA: Purchasing Document per Asset
• MEKKB: Purchasing Documents per Requirement Tracking Number.

Hint: After revising certain Search helps / defining new ones do not
forget to activate them. Only active search helps will be made available
in the transaction screens.

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Unit 3: Document Maintenance SCM516

Figure 63: Maintain Search Help for Purchasing Documents (4)

To create or modify, use transaction code OMHN.


1. To create a new match code (elementary search help), choose the Other
Object button or, from the menu, enter the name of the elementary search
help to be created and click the Create button.
2. Select which search help type needs to be created, for example, elementary
search help or collective search help.

Hint: Match code maintenance requires technical knowledge of the ABAP


Dictionary. Leave match code maintenance to your system administrator.

100 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


SCM516 Lesson: Maintain Search Help

Figure 64: Maintain Search Help for Purchasing Documents (5)

1. Enter the Short Description of the search help.


2. Enter the details such as Selection Method, Dialog Type, Hot Key, and
Search Help Parameter.
3. Define the roles of the search help parameter, such as Import, Export, and
Default values.
4. Define LPos (position in the hit list of an elementary search help) and SPos
(position in dialog box of an elementary search help).
5. After entering all relevant details in the search help, check and activate.
6. Go to the collective search help applicable for purchasing documents and
add the newly created elementary search help
7. Select the search help, click on the parameter assignment, and accept the
proposed parameters.
8. Check and activate the collective search help.

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Unit 3: Document Maintenance SCM516

Figure 65: Maintain Search Help for Purchasing Documents (6)

You can test the behavior of a search help in this test screen. The parameters of
the search help that are import or export parameters are displayed. The input help
key appears for all output parameters.
The test screen fields corresponding to the parameters can have one of three
statuses:
• Ready for input
• Not ready for input
• Does not exist
The current status of a field is displayed in the second column. It can be changed
with the Switch button to the right of the status display. The quick info for the
button shows the next status of the corresponding field that is set by pressing the
button. The status of a field can be changed as follows:
• ready for input → not ready for input → does not exist → ready for input
The contents of a field are not changed when the status changes.
You can start the test of the search help by:
• Pressing ENTER.
• Placing the cursor on the required field and pressing F4 or clicking the
corresponding F4 button.
The behavior of the search help is influenced by the status of the fields in the
test screen. If the search help is started for a field that is not ready for input, the
required dialog boxes are displayed, but the values of the export parameters in the
hit list, highlighted in gray, are not returned to the test screen.

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SCM516 Lesson: Maintain Search Help

The search help for a field that is ready for input places values of export
parameters, highlighted in blue, back in the test screen.
By setting the status “not active”, you can test the behavior of the search help if
the corresponding field is missing in the template.
Special Features
When you include a collective search help I in a collective search help S,
you should note the following features:

• When you display the search paths available in S, all the search helps
contained in S are resolved to the level of the elementary search helps.
• If an elementary search help is contained more than once in a collective
search help, for example, because it is contained in more than one of the
included search helps, it is offered only once in the dialog box for selecting
the search path (shadowing mechanism).
• If I has a search help exit, it is not taken into consideration in an input help
process defined by S.
• Context information is transported to the input help process and from field
contents from the input help process with the assignment for the parameters
of I and S made during the inclusion.
• If parameter PAR of I is not an IMPORT parameter or if it was not assigned to
a parameter of S in the inclusion, any existing default value of PAR is passed
to all IMPORT parameters of included search helps that are linked with PAR.
• I may not contain S (or be the same as S).

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Unit 3: Document Maintenance SCM516

104 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


SCM516 Lesson: Maintain Search Help

Exercise 4: Maintain Search Help


Exercise Objectives
After completing this exercise, you will be able to:
• Configure search helps for purchasing documents

Business Example

Task 1:

1. Search helps are valid across all company codes.


Determine whether this statement is true or false.
□ True
□ False

Task 2:

1. Collective search helps can be a combination of both elementary search


helps and collective search helps.
Determine whether this statement is true or false.
□ True
□ False

Task 3:

1. The Customizing activity Maintain search helps for Purchasing document


allows you to configure which of the following search helps?
Choose the correct answer(s).
□ A Contracts
□ B RFQ / quotations
□ C Purchasing info record
□ D Service entry sheet
□ E Purchase requisition
□ F All of the above

Continued on next page

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Unit 3: Document Maintenance SCM516

Task 4:
Maintain search helps for purchasing documents.

1. Execute F4 help on the Purchase order screen field in the goods receipt
transaction.

2. Locate all the search helps provided in the IMG (Customizing).

3. Create a new search help to search for purchase orders based on the Asset
number field. Remove any unwanted fields.

4. Test your new search help.

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SCM516 Lesson: Maintain Search Help

Solution 4: Maintain Search Help


Task 1:

1. Search helps are valid across all company codes.


Answer: False
Search helps are valid across clients. They are not dependent any other
organizational structure.

Task 2:

1. Collective search helps can be a combination of both elementary search


helps and collective search helps.
Answer: True
Collective search helps may include both elementary search helps and
collective search helps.

Task 3:

1. The Customizing activity Maintain search helps for Purchasing document


allows you to configure which of the following search helps?
Answer: A, B, D
Search helps for purchase requisitions and purchasing info record are defined
within their respective nodes.

Task 4:
Maintain search helps for purchasing documents.
1. Execute F4 help on the Purchase order screen field in the goods receipt
transaction.
Answer: Choose SAP Menu → Logistics → Materials Management →
Inventory Management → Goods Movement → Goods Movement (MIGO).
Choose Goods receipt and Purchase order and select F4 help on the field
next to Purchase order. The dialog window will offer several options. By
selecting the icon, you will be able to view all of the possible tab pages
in alphabetical order.

Continued on next page

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Unit 3: Document Maintenance SCM516

2. Locate all the search helps provided in the IMG (Customizing).


Answer: Choose SPRO → SAP Customizing Implementation Guide →
Materials Management → Purchasing → Maintain Search Helps For
Purchasing Documents (OMHN).
Select the Search Helps tab page under collective search help (MEKK).
Double click on ASH_MEKK (Matchcodes for Purchasing Document) or,
from the menu, choose Append search help and then select ASH_MEKK.
Select the Included Search Helps tab page under ASH_MEKK. This will
show all the possible search helps configured for purchasing documents
3. Create a new search help to search for purchase orders based on the Asset
number field. Remove any unwanted fields.
Answer: Choose SPRO → SAP Customizing Implementation Guide →
Materials Management → Purchasing → Maintain Search Helps For
Purchasing Documents.
Click on Other objects .
Select the Dictionary tab and type Search help needs to be created
(Z##MEKKA).
Click on Create .
Select Elementary Search Help and press ENTER.
Enter Selection Method as M_MEKKA (database view of certain fields).
Select dialog type as “C”, Dialog with value restriction.

Hint: There are the following dialog types:


• Immediate value display: The hit list is displayed immediately
after the input help is called. This option is advisable if the hit
list usually contains only a few entries.
• Dialog with value restriction: The dialog box for restricting
values is displayed immediately. Select this option if the list of
possible entries is usually very large. Restricting the set of data
to be processed increases the clarity of the hit list and reduces
the system load during value selection.
• Dialog depends on value set: If the hit list contains less than
100 entries, it is displayed immediately. If the hit list contains
more than 100 entries, the dialog box for restricting values
is displayed.

Continued on next page

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SCM516 Lesson: Maintain Search Help

Select F4 and select the required search help parameter within the Parameter
window.

Hint: You must have EBELN and EBELP because those parameter
are defined as Export parameter i.e. which requires to be searched
and transferred to main screen.

Specify a hot key.


Definition: The hot key permits the user to select an elementary search
help from the collective search help directly in the input field with the short
notation. The restrictions can also be entered directly in the dialog box for
restricting values. Letters and digits are allowed as hot keys as “A”.
Specify Lpos and Spos as 1, 2, 3… for the positions in the hit list and in
the dialog box, respectively.
Check and activate this search help by clicking on icons.
Activate this object as a local object.
Go to the collective search help and add the newly created elementary search
help under ASH_MEKK.
Note: If you find all the fields in display mode, switch to change
mode then add this search help.

Select the search help, click on the parameter assignment, and accept the
proposed parameters.
This will make ASH_MEKK also inactive. Therefore, check and activate
this search also (with local object created earlier).

Hint: To make the particular search hidden, select the hidden


checkbox against that particular search, save, and activate.

4. Test your new search help.

Answer: Select the icon and start your text by pressing ENTER or
placing your cursor on the required field and pressing F4.
Data will be transferred and your new search help will be working.

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Unit 3: Document Maintenance SCM516

Lesson Summary
You should now be able to:
• State the benefits of configuring search help
• Explain how configure search help
• Configure and test search help.

110 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


SCM516 Lesson: Texts

Lesson: Texts

Lesson Overview
The lesson deals with basic concepts and configuration of copy rules.

Lesson Objectives
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• State the benefits of configuring copy rules
• Outline the process for configuring copy rules
• Configure and test copy rules.

Business Example
Your user group has expressed concern that the text they are typing into purchase
requests is not showing on the purchase orders. You need to remedy this by
configuring copy rules.

Figure 66: Text Copy Rules

Different master data, such as material master, vendor master, and purchasing
info records provide options to specify texts that users might want to default in
purchasing documents like RFQs, quotations, POs, or outline agreements.

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Unit 3: Document Maintenance SCM516

Users might want, for example:


• Purchase requisition text to be defaulted (copied automatically) in purchase
orders
• Quotation texts (vendor-negotiated conditions) to reflect in purchase orders
or outline agreements
• Purchase order text to be copied to purchasing info records when it is
automatically updated.
SAP offers some standard text types in each area. This offers users the flexibility
to define their own text types and linkages (copy rules).
Copy rules are simply methods of adopting texts from different objects, such as
purchasing info records or other purchasing documents.

Hint: Always check the available text types before creating a new one.

Figure 67: Text Copy Rules: Customizing

Depending on the node (purchase requisition or purchase order), provisions


are provided to define text types for item or header level. For example, under
Purchasing requisition, this activity is named “Define Text types” and is meant
only for item texts. Under Purchase order, you will find specific activities: one for
item text configuration and another for header text configuration.
IMG activity Define Copying Rules: Link text type of one object (for example,
purchase order) with text types in other objects.
IMG path (for example):
• SAP IMG → Materials Management → Purchasing → Purchase requisition
→ Texts for Purchase Requisitions
• SAP IMG → Materials Management → Purchasing → Purchase Order →
Texts for Purchase Orders

Hint: Also explore the Vendor master, Purchasing Info record, and
Contacts and Scheduling agreements nodes.

112 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


SCM516 Lesson: Texts

Figure 68: Text Copy Rules: Customizing Sequence

To copy specific text (for example, material PO text) from a purchase requisition
to a purchase order:
1. Check whether this text is defined in the source object, which is usually
provided in standard SAP (for example, purchase requisition) in the IMG
activity Define Text type.
2. Go to IMG activity Define copying rules for Item texts. Choose SAP IMG
→ Materials Management → Purchasing → Purchase Order → Texts for
Purchase Orders → Define Copying. Choose Rules for Item Texts.
3. You will notice “Material PO text” defined in the main screen. Select this
line and double-click on Text Linkages. You will see there is no source object
or source text defined for purchase orders.
4. Select New entries and define the copy sequence for text (number specifying
the order in which the source text objects are searched for the relevant text;
the first object containing text is copied into the target object).
This field is used, for example, to specify which purchase order text – the
one from the info record, the one from the RFQ, or the one from the purchase
requisition – is adopted in the purchase order item.
5. Choose F4 help on the Source object field and select Purchase requisition
as the source object.
6. Similarly, choose F4 help on the Source Text field and select Material PO
Text.
7. Leave the Fixing indicator blank to automatically adopt the text in the target
object.
8. Save and exit.

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Unit 3: Document Maintenance SCM516

Figure 69: Text Copy Rules: Customizing Sequence (2)

The “Fixed” indicator for texts determines whether a text from a master record or
another document can be adopted and processed further in a document.
You assign the “Fixed” indicator to a text to specify whether:
• The text can be fixed (indicator “*”). A text with the status “*” is then
displayed in the document and can be adopted in the document if:
– You change the text and save the document.
– You select the text and adopt it (Item → Texts → Adopt text).
Until you adopt the text, changes in the master record will also be
adopted in the text.
• The text is fixed (indicator “ ”).
• The text is copied into the document. Changes to the document text do not
have any effect on the original text and changes to the original text have no
effect on the document text.
• The text is not fixed (indicator “N”).
• The text is only displayed in the document (that is, it cannot be changed
or printed).
You specify the “Fixed” indicator for each purchasing document in Customizing
for Purchasing under Text Types and Copying Rules for Header Texts and Text
Types and Copying Rules for Item Texts.

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SCM516 Lesson: Texts

Example: You wish to adopt a delivery text from a requisition (status “*”) in a
purchase order. If you select and adopt the text, it acquires the status “ ” and
can be printed.
Dependencies: In Customizing for Purchasing under Messages → Texts for
Messages, you can specify, for each purchasing document, the sequence and
priority in which the texts of a document are to be printed.

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Unit 3: Document Maintenance SCM516

116 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


SCM516 Lesson: Texts

Exercise 5: Texts
Exercise Objectives
After completing this exercise, you will be able to:
• Configure text copy rules for purchasing documents.

Business Example
Your user group has expressed concern that the text they are typing into purchase
requests is not showing on purchase orders. You need to remedy this by
configuring copy rules.

Task 1:

1. You can configure text copy rules only for purchase requisitions.
Determine whether this statement is true or false.
□ True
□ False

Task 2:

1. Text types are predefined by SAP and cannot be changed.


Determine whether this statement is true or false.
□ True
□ False

Continued on next page

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Unit 3: Document Maintenance SCM516

Task 3:
Text copy rules

1. Create a purchase requisition for material master TSCM516-##, plant 1000,


qty 20, storage location 0001, purchase group T## with material-specified
text.

2. Configure new copying rules for material PO text.

3. Test your new text copy rule by creating a purchase order with reference to
the purchase requisition created in exercise step 1-3-1. The Catt needs to
create vendor TSCM516-00 to TSCM516-20 for purchase org 1000 and
company code 1000.

118 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


SCM516 Lesson: Texts

Solution 5: Texts
Task 1:
1. You can configure text copy rules only for purchase requisitions.
Answer: False
You can configure text copy rules for master records, purchase requisitions,
RFQs and quotations, purchase orders, contracts, and scheduling agreements.

Task 2:

1. Text types are predefined by SAP and cannot be changed.


Answer: False
You can define your own text types and configure copy rules for them.

Task 3:
Text copy rules
1. Create a purchase requisition for material master TSCM516-##, plant 1000,
qty 20, storage location 0001, purchase group T## with material-specified
text.
Answer: Choose SAP Menu → Logistics → Material Management →
Purchasing → Purchasing Requisition (ME51N).

Field Name or Data Type Values


Plant 1000
Purchasing Group T##
Material No. TSCM516-##
Vendor Code TSCM516-##
Quantity 20
Unit PC
Delivery Date 1 month from Today
Storage Location 0001

Select the Text tab under Item details area and choose Material PO text.
Enter any text here.
Save and record the purchase requisition number.

Continued on next page

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Unit 3: Document Maintenance SCM516

2. Configure new copying rules for material PO text.


Answer: Choose SPRO: SAP IMG → Materials Management → Purchasing
→ Purchase Order → Texts for Purchase Orders → Define Copying Rules
for Item Texts.
You will notice “Material PO text” defined in the main screen.
Select this line and double-click on text Linkages. You will see there are no
source objects and source text defined for purchase orders.
Select New entries and define the copy sequence for text.
Use F4 help on the Source object field and select Purchase requisition
as source object.
Similarly, use F4 help on the Source Text field and select Material PO Text.
Leave the “Fixing” indicator blank to automatically adopt the text in the
target object.
Save and exit.
3. Test your new text copy rule by creating a purchase order with reference to
the purchase requisition created in exercise step 1-3-1. The Catt needs to
create vendor TSCM516-00 to TSCM516-20 for purchase org 1000 and
company code 1000.
Answer: Choose SAP Menu → Logistics → Material Management →
Purchasing → Purchasing Order → Create (ME21N).
Select Documents Overview and click on Selection variant .
Choose My Purchase Requisitions.
Click on the purchase requisition number (only click on the requisition
number once!) and then choose Adopt .
Enter Vendor master TSCM516-## and a price of your choice.
Select the Text tab in the item details area; you will see that the item text has
copied from the purchase requisition to the purchase order.
Save and record your purchase order number.

120 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


SCM516 Lesson: Texts

Lesson Summary
You should now be able to:
• State the benefits of configuring copy rules
• Outline the process for configuring copy rules
• Configure and test copy rules.

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Unit 3: Document Maintenance SCM516

Lesson: Mass Maintenance

Lesson Overview
The lesson explains how this function can be used for internal / external
document adjustment and how to perform document adjustment on for example
simultaneously for all the purchase order due for certain changes.

Lesson Objectives
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• Describe the mass maintenance function for purchasing documents
• Outline the mass maintenance process
• Perform automatic document adjustment.

Business Example
Beginning next month, your vendor will begin charging you a fixed freight rate
of 10 percent. You will need to reflect this freight charge in the purchase order
documents you currently have open in the system with delivery dates beyond
this month.

Figure 70: Mass Maintenance

122 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


SCM516 Lesson: Mass Maintenance

Mass maintenance is a generic, cross-application tool that can be used to:


• Change large volumes of data
– Mass maintenance makes particular sense if you need to adapt existing
datasets to a changed situation. For example: One purchasing group
is superseded by another. All the materials in a certain plant that are
assigned to the old group must be assigned to the new one.
• Create of new data
– Some situations do not involve changing existing values, but creation
of new data (for example, if you want to define a further unit of
measure for a material).

Hint: With mass maintenance, you can change many objects at the
same time. This tool should be used only by users with corresponding
experience. Users must also have knowledge of the field names and tables
used in the SAP system.

Constraints: You can only use the mass maintenance tool in applications that
support it. The tool is currently supported by the objects shown in the figure above.

Figure 71: Mass Maintenance: Features

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Unit 3: Document Maintenance SCM516

You can perform mass maintenance in the following modes:


• Dialog Mode: You should only change small volumes of data in this mode.
• Background Mode: If you wish to change a large number of objects
simultaneously, you should choose this mode in order to reduce system
strain. In this case, the system issues a log with the changes executed and
any errors that occurred.
• Mixed mode: Here, you start in dialog mode and then switch to background
processing to actually make the changes.

Hint: The system executes a consistency check for the changed data. The
system does not execute changes that would lead to data inconsistencies,
but notes them in the log.

Accessing Mass Maintenance

1. From the SAP standard menu:

Choose Logistics → Central functions → Mass maintenance


2. From an application:

Choose Mass maintenance


You can access the mass maintenance tool by choosing Logistics → Central
Functions → Mass maintenance or by using transaction code MASS. You use
the object type to decide for which application you want to use it (object type
BUS2012 for purchase order application).
If you access mass maintenance from an application menu, the correct object
type appears automatically (for example, Logistics → Materials Management →
Purchasing → Purchase order → Mass maintenance MEMASSPO).

124 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


SCM516 Lesson: Mass Maintenance

Figure 72: Performing Mass Maintenance

When you execute transaction MEMASSPO, the system displays the relevant
tables and fields. Select the tables in which you want to change the data.

Hint: Select several tables only if you want to make changes in all the
tables at the same time to keep the data consistent. Otherwise, edit the
tables one at a time to avoid poor system performance.

You can select the fields with values you want to change immediately on the initial
screen or on one of the screens that follow.
To limit the number of objects to be changed, enter the relevant selection criteria.
With choose selection fields, you can select further fields. By choosing Execute or
pressing F8, you can start the selection of data records. Depending on the number
of selected data records, the system asks if you want to execute the changes online
or in the background.

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Unit 3: Document Maintenance SCM516

Figure 73: Performing Mass Maintenance (2)

Choose the fields you want to change using the Select fields button and enter the
new values in the corresponding columns. Select the column header and the data
records to change, then choose the Carry out a mass change button.
You also have the option to change a field entry only when it has a particular
value. To do this, choose the With restrictions button. Enter the new value in the
first line and the value to be replaced in the second line
Finally, save your changes. The system then executes the consistency check.
Inconsistent changes are rejected and an entry made in the log accordingly.

Figure 74: Variants

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SCM516 Lesson: Mass Maintenance

Variants
• If you frequently have to carry out similar changes to data, you can create a
variant.
• A variant is always required if you carry out mass maintenance in the
background.
• It is not possible to define a variant in background mode.

Figure 75: Automatic Document Adjustment

If conditions change after a purchase order has been created and if the new
conditions are to apply, the system can change the conditions automatically in all
of the documents concerned. This avoids invoice differences, for example, or the
wrong moving average price being updated.
The system looks for documents in which the changed conditions are to apply
and adjusts them accordingly.
Documents are changed automatically in the same way as if you had changed the
documents manually. In the case of a purchase order, the document is completely
revaluated. This also occurs even if only one conditions has changed, since the
condition could be a header or group condition.
When you save a document, the system updates all the data that would have
been updated if you had changed the document manually. Since the system is
aware of the exact conditions involved, it does not carry out a complete new
price calculation but uses a pricing variant to determine the changed condition
records. For this to take place, however, both the old and new pricing data must be
available in the system

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Unit 3: Document Maintenance SCM516

Trigger adjustment of the document from the Purchasing menu by choosing


SAP Menu → Logistics → Material Management → Purchasing → Purchase
order → Follow-On Functions → Automatic Document Adjustment → Individual
Documents (MEI1).

Caution: Before you run this transaction, you must have run report
RMEBEIN4 (creation of worklist for automatic document adjustment:
transaction MEI4).

Hint: Documents can only be changed automatically by the system if no


follow-on documents have been generated.

Automatic Document Adjustment (2)

1. Vendor master record (Purchasing view): Doc. Index active


2. SPRO: Control document adjustment

Other configuration settings:

3. Direct entry for creating worklist


4. Define extent of change for message category CONDBI
5. Activate change pointer for message category CONDBI
Vendor master record: Purchasing Data view
Doc. Index compilation active for purchase orders indicator:

Caution:
• Indicates that a document index is allowed for purchase orders issued
to this vendor. The index is used to determine the relevant purchasing
documents affected by changes to conditions offered by the vendor.
• Only set this indicator if you wish the documents involved to be
adjusted automatically by the system when conditions change
(conditions that are relevant to pricing).
• Only set this indicator if you are sure that you wish to use the
automatic document adjustment function. If you do not use it, you
increase the volume of data in your system unnecessarily.

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SCM516 Lesson: Mass Maintenance

Control document adjustment


• This step contains the various application areas in which automatic document
adjustment is relevant.
• The system automatically checks, in every application area, the allowed
condition types and tables for the various applications and functions.
• You can only enter master conditions, that is, conditions with their own access
sequence. The system does, however, take conditions with supplementary
conditions into account. The restriction to the updates at condition-type-table
level allows you to include only conditions in the document index updates
that change quickly. This reduces the volume of data processed.
Direct entry for creating a worklist (IMG → Materials Man-
agement → Purchasing → Conditions → Automatic Doc-
ument Adjustment → Direct Entry for Creating Worklist):
1. Activation of the Direct Entry for Creating the Worklist
• In this IMG activity, you activate the direct entry in the worklist for
document adjustment following condition changes (table WIND). Activation
of the direct entry function is performed separately for different document
categories.
• If the indicator for direct entry is set, an entry for the selected document
categories is made in the worklist when the user saves a condition change
– including when he or she creates a new condition. This is the case if the
additional filter settings for creating worklists are filled (scope of change for
the direct entry, individual controls using Business Add-In WIND_UPDATE,
and filter settings for the condition types).
• If the indicator for direct entry is not set, worklists are created from the
change pointer analysis. Use report RMEBEIN4 or transaction MEI4 for this.

2. Define the Scope of Change for Direct Entry in Worklist


• In this step, you determine for which types of condition changes you want to
create an entry in the worklist for the document adjustment when changing
conditions in the direct entry procedure. These settings should be made
separately for different document categories.
• For these settings to work, you must also activate the direct creation of
worklist entries for the document categories you want.
• Various types of condition changes (scope of change) that are relevant to the
different applications are delivered with the standard system. This scope of
change that is delivered for direct entry is identical to the scope of change for
updating change pointers in the relevant applications.
• Generally, you do not need to make any changes to the standard delivery.
However, check the scope of change for the types of condition changes for
the document categories for which you want to use the direct entry procedure.
If necessary, delete entries that you do not want to use, or make new entries.

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Unit 3: Document Maintenance SCM516

Automatic Document Adjustment (3)

1. Vendor master record (Purchasing view): Doc. Index active


2. SPRO: Control document adjustment

Other configuration settings:

3. Direct entry for creating worklist


4. Define extent of change for message category CONDBI
5. Activate change pointer for message category CONDBI
Define Extent of Change for Message Category CONDBI (IMG → Materials
Management → Purchasing → Conditions → Automatic Document Adjustment).
Define Extent of Change for Message Category CONDBI.
1. Here you define the creation of change pointers at field level.
2. Change pointer creation for message category CONDBI (condition index for
document changes) can be activated for certain fields. If a change is made to
these fields in master data maintenance and change pointers are not active,
no change pointer is created and no IDoc generated.
3. To apply these settings, change pointer creation for message category
CONDBI must be activated (IMG → Materials Management → Purchasing
→ Conditions → Automatic Document Adjustment → Activate Change
Pointer for Message Category CONDBI).
4. Under normal circumstances, you should not make any changes here too.
If you have created your own message category, you must activate the
individual fields.
The change pointer itself must be active (IDoc Interface / Application Link
Enabling (ALE) → Modeling and Implementing Business Processes → Master
Data Distribution → Replication of Modified Data → Activate Change Pointers –
Generally) (transaction BD61).

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SCM516 Lesson: Mass Maintenance

Figure 76: Automatic Document Adjustment (4)

This transaction can be accessed by choosing SAP Menu → Logistics → Materials


Management → Purchasing → Purchase order → Follow –On Functions →
Automatic Document Adjustment.
Make “Changes to purchasing documents due to changes in Condition (individual
documents)” by using transaction MEI1. Purchasing documents (purchase orders
and scheduling agreements) are adjusted automatically to account for changes
made to conditions.
You can use the price determination type to define the type of automatic change
made to documents. The price determination type influences the runtime.

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Unit 3: Document Maintenance SCM516

In the Control data field group, you can make the following settings:
• Manually select worklist to be processed: The system displays a list of
documents that match your selection criteria and for which conditions have
changed. In this list, you can select the documents that you want to process.
• Only display worklist to be processed: The system displays a list of
documents that match your selection criteria and for which conditions have
changed. This list is for information only; you cannot process the documents.
• Delete worklist after processing: Once the condition changes have been
made, the worklist is deleted. If you run the program again, the condition
changes are marked as complete, and are not considered again. Condition
changes are only deleted if all the documents have been processed in the
program run.
• Delete worklist in full: Once the documents have been adjusted, the entire
worklist is deleted, regardless of which condition changes and documents
were processed in the program run. If you run the program again, all
condition changes included in the worklist are marked as complete and
cannot be processed again. You should only select this indicator if you are
sure that all the relevant purchasing documents have been processed and that
the remaining documents do not require processing.
• Create change messages for purchasing documents: If you select this
indicator, messages are created using SAPscript for the condition changes.
You can then, for example, print these out and send them to the vendor for
information.
• You can also run the report in the background. To do this, create a variant
and schedule the report for background processing.

Figure 77: Automatic Document Adjustment (5)

The pricing type for automatic document changes indicates how the system
processes the price elements during automatic document adjustment.

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SCM516 Lesson: Mass Maintenance

The following pricing (price determination) types are defined:


• A: Redetermine changed price components; update scales
– Adjusts the price components in the case of changed price elements
(for example, from 2% to 3%)
– Redetermines the scale prices (for example, in the case of changed
quantity)
– Deletes or inserts changed price elements
• B: New price determination for changed price elements
– The system:
Carries out a price determination process for changed price elements
Does not adopt manually entered price elements
Redetermines the taxes
• C: New price determination for changed price elements; adopt manual
– The system:

Carries out a new price determination process for changed price elements
Adopts manually entered price elements
Redetermines the taxes
• D: Redetermine changed price components; adopt remaining
– The system:
Adjusts the price components of changed price elements
Adopts the remaining price elements unchanged, with
automatically determined or manually entered discounts and
surcharges, from the document (scales are not re-read). This
means that even if the quantity changes, for example,
the value of these price elements remains unchanged.

Does not redetermine the taxes


Dependencies
The documents to be changed are
determined by means of a document index.
A price element counts as changed if the associated condition record
has been changed in the system and automatic document change has
been defined for the condition type in Customizing.

Caution: It is essential to ensure that all condition types that can


be changed manually have the indicator “C” in the Manual entry
field in the Change options section of the screen. Otherwise, it may
happen that the conditions appear twice (automatic and manual),
with both being active.

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Unit 3: Document Maintenance SCM516

Figure 78: Automatic Document Adjustment (6)

The Mass Processing transaction allows you to automatically adjust purchasing


documents (purchase orders and scheduling agreements) and pricing documents in
line with changes in conditions. The report is intended for automatic mass changes
The Delete Worklist transaction enables you to delete the worklist for automatic
document adjustment.
• For some document categories (such as purchase orders, scheduling
agreements, and retail pricing documents), the worklist is deleted within
the framework of document adjustment. However, you can also delete the
worklist manually using this report (exception).
• For other document categories (such as optimized PO-based load building),
the worklist must always be deleted manually. Otherwise, under certain
circumstances, the database table would become too large and application
performance would be impaired by superfluous entries.
Transactions MEI3 and MEI6 are used for recompilation of document indexes and
deleting of document indexes, respectively.
MEI7 allows you to perform automatic document adjustment if sales prices have
changed. This is needed if sales prices change after a purchase order has been
entered, but the new purchase prices are needed to continue processing the
purchasing documents (purchase orders and delivery schedules). This avoids
incorrect sales price valuation at goods receipt, for example.
You can also use reports RMEBEIN1 (automatic document adjustment for
individual documents) and RMEBEIN2 (automatic document adjustment – mass
processing) to carry out a subsequent adjustment in line with condition changes
in the purchasing documents. However, you cannot use these reports to handle
sales price changes.

134 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


SCM516 Lesson: Mass Maintenance

Exercise 6: Mass Maintenance


Exercise Objectives
After completing this exercise, you will be able to:
• Perform condition updates for purchase orders.

Business Example
Beginning next month, your vendor will begin offering you a discount fixed rate of
10 percent. You will need to reflect this discount in the purchase order documents
you currently have open in the system with delivery dates beyond this month.

Task:
Using the purchase order created in exercise 5 for vendor TSCM516-## and
material TSCM516-##, remove if needed condition RL01, then create a worklist
and update the document by performing a document adjustment.

1. Check the condition record and info record for vendor TSCM516-##.

2. Create a worklist for your selected purchase order number. Make sure your
selected purchase order does not include the general condition of RL01.

3. Perform the requested document adjustment.

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Unit 3: Document Maintenance SCM516

Solution 6: Mass Maintenance


Task:
Using the purchase order created in exercise 5 for vendor TSCM516-## and
material TSCM516-##, remove if needed condition RL01, then create a worklist
and update the document by performing a document adjustment.
1. Check the condition record and info record for vendor TSCM516-##.
Answer: Choose SAP Menu → Logistics → Material Management →
Purchasing → Master Data → Conditions → Other → MEK3.
You are now in the Display Condition Record screen.
Enter condition RL01 and choose Enter.
Enter the Vendor TSCM516-##, Purchasing Org 1000 and valid on date
Choose the Execute button.
Display all the condition records for condition RL01.
2. Create a worklist for your selected purchase order number. Make sure your
selected purchase order does not include the general condition of RL01.
Answer: Choose SAP Menu → Logistics → Materials Management →
Purchasing → Purchase order → Follow-On Functions → Automatic
Document Adjustment → Work List (MEI4)I.
Deselect Pricing Documents, PO-Based Load Building, and POS outbound.
Enter the condition change date from 10.12.2006 to the day of the current
year.
Select all the checkboxes in the Control data field group.
Choose Execute.
Accept the information message (if necessary) by choosing the Continue
button.
From the confirmation prompt dialog box, run the program by choosing
the Yes button.
Confirm your worklist.

Note: The system will generate an informational message if the list


is generated successfully.

Continued on next page

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SCM516 Lesson: Mass Maintenance

3. Perform the requested document adjustment.


Answer: Choose SAP Menu → Logistics → Materials Management →
Purchasing → Purchase order → Follow-On Functions → Automatic
Document Adjustment → Individual Documents (MEI1).
You are now in the Changes to the Purchasing Documents Due to Changes
in Conditions screen.
Enter the purchase order number in the Purchasing documents field.
Choose Price determination Type as New price determination for changed
price elements.
Select control data as Manual selection of worklist to be processed. This will
allow you to select the purchase orders that need to be updated.
Choose Execute.
Select the purchase order from the list and choose Execute.

Note: The system will generate the Log of all the documents
adjusted by the processing.

Display your purchase order from the Document Adjustment: Log of


Document Adjustment screen by double-clicking on the purchase order
number.
Confirm the document has been updated with the vendor discount condition
RL01.

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Unit 3: Document Maintenance SCM516

Lesson Summary
You should now be able to:
• Describe the mass maintenance function for purchasing documents
• Outline the mass maintenance process
• Perform automatic document adjustment.

138 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


SCM516 Lesson: Archiving and Deleting

Lesson: Archiving and Deleting

Lesson Overview
This lesson makes you familiar with the archiving and deleting of old documents
from your system and how this function can be performed in SAP. Why archiving
is required for a company?

Lesson Objectives
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• Explain the needs, benefits and important terms of archiving
• Outline the process of archiving purchasing documents
• Perform a simple archiving process.

Business Example
After being live with the SAP system for several years, the finance group has
requested that purchasing documents older then two years of age be archived. You
need to assist them in preparing and processing the documents.

Figure 79: Data Archiving and Its Purpose

Data archiving: Data archiving refers to removing application data from the
SAP system and storing the data in an archive file (at least one file). This
process if carried out by a Write program, which belongs to the corresponding

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Unit 3: Document Maintenance SCM516

archiving object. Archiving objects represents business objects. Data archiving is


a cost-effective way to remove data that is no longer needed in everyday business
processes from the online database.
Expand your system resources: This implies upgrading your hardware, which
would entail for example, adding more disk space, increasing your main memory,
or improving your CPU. However, it is only a matter of time before you would
reach your system's limits and performance would be affected again. Moreover,
upgrades of this kind usually involve high costs. If you are facing especially
high data growth, data archiving would be preferable, because it offers a better
cost-benefit relationship than a hardware upgrade.
Reduce or limit data growth: The goal of this strategy is for you to be able
to live with your existing resources for as long as possible, without having to
perform constant hardware upgrades. The idea is to focus on your current data
volumes in the database and keep track of data growth. By actively working on
these parameters you will be able to most optimally use your system resources.
You can reduce data volumes by deleting or archiving data, if it makes sense from
a business point of view. You can also use data prevention to avoid the creation
and persistent storage of unnecessary data, such as log files or spool requests.

Figure 80: Archiving and Deleting: Benefits

In scenario 1, represented by the dotted line, data archiving is not being used. As
a result, the data volume in the database rises continuously and most likely will
quickly reach a critical limit.

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SCM516 Lesson: Archiving and Deleting

Scenario 2 is represented by the solid line. Its step-like form is the result of regular
archiving sessions. Immediately after archiving the data, the volume recedes
noticeably and then begins to rise again. As a result, the database grows more
slowly than it would without data archiving.
Benefits of data archiving:
• Faster and easier upgrade to higher software releases
• Shorter runtime for backup and recovery
• Shorter response times in dialog mode for all employees
• Reduced hardware costs for disk, CPU, and memory, as well as
administration costs
• Meets data retention requirements and sets up end-of-life scenarios.
Archiving and Deleting: Features

Archiving features:
Data security during archiving
Data compression
Storage space gained by archiving
Archiving without database backup
Accessing archived data
Data archiving is carried out in two steps (a third step – storage of archive files –
is optional). In the first step, the data for archiving is copied to archive files. In
the second step, the data is deleted from the database.
This two-step process guarantees data security if problems occur during the
archiving process. For example, the procedure identifies network data transfer
errors between the database and the archive file. If an error occurs, you can restart
the archiving process at any time because the data is still either in the database or
in an archive file. This means that you can usually archive parallel to the online
application, that is, during normal system operation, without having to first back
up the database.
During archiving, data is automatically compressed by up to a factor of five.
However, if the data to be archived is stored in cluster tables, no additional
compression takes place.
Data can be archived independently from general backup operations on the
database. However, SAP recommends that you back up archive files before
storing them.

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Unit 3: Document Maintenance SCM516

Because archived data has only been removed from the database and not from the
application component itself, the data is always available. Archive management
allows three types of access:
• Read access to a single data object, such as an accounting document
• Analysis of an archive file (sequential read)
• Reload into the database (not possible for all archiving objects)

Figure 81: Archiving and Deleting: Procedure

In step one, the write program creates an archive file. The data to be archived is
then read from the database and is written to the archive file in the background.
This process continues until one of following events occurs:
1. All the data is written to an archive file.
2. Archiving is not complete, but the archive file reaches the maximum size
specified in Customizing.
3. The archiving is not yet finished, but the archive file contains the maximum
number of data objects specified in Customizing.

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SCM516 Lesson: Archiving and Deleting

Figure 82: Archiving and Deleting: Procedure (2)

Once the write program has finished creating archive files, they can be stored.
There are several ways to stors archive files:
Storage systems (if a storage system is connected to mySAP Business Suite):
• At the end of a successful write job, a request is sent to this system to
store the new archive files (provided the appropriate settings were made in
archiving-object-specific Customizing). You can also store archive files
manually at a later point if you do not want them to be stored automatically.
Storage is carried out by the Content Management infrastructure (which
contains the ArchiveLink/Content Management Service interface).
HSM systems
• If you use an HSM system, it is sufficient to maintain the file name in
Customizing (transaction FILE). You do not then need to communicate with
the storage system using the Content Management infrastructure, because the
HSM system stores the files on suitable storage media according to access
frequency and storage space.
Existing storage media
• Once the delete program has processed the relevant archive file, you can
manually copy archive files to tape.

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Unit 3: Document Maintenance SCM516

Figure 83: Archiving and Deleting: Procedure (3)

If the settings were made accordingly in archiving-object-specific Customizing,


a delete program is automatically started in parallel for the previously created
archive file. It reads the data in the archive file and then deletes it from the
database. This procedure guarantees that only data that has been correctly saved in
the archive file is deleted from the database.

Hint: If you do not carry out deletion until after the data has been
stored, you can make a setting in archiving-object-specific Customizing
so that the system will read archive files the from the storage system
during deletion. In this way, you can detect errors that might arise when
transferring or saving the archive files in the storage system.

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SCM516 Lesson: Archiving and Deleting

Figure 84: Archiving Object

Another central component of data archiving is the archiving object. It determines


which tables are accessed during archiving to make sure that a business object,
such as an purchasing document or a financial accounting document, can be
completely removed from the database. In addition, an archiving object also
contains the archiving programs and Customizing settings necessary to archive
its corresponding business object type.
Archiving objects are defined using transaction AOBJ. You need this name to
carry out the archiving programs in archive administration (transaction SARA /
ME98). An archiving object has the following components:
Data declaration
• Used to define which data from the database makes up a business object.

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Unit 3: Document Maintenance SCM516

Archiving programs
• Write program: Writes the business objects sequentially to the archive files.
• Delete program: Deletes the business objects from the database after it has
read and confirmed them in the archive file
• Preprocessing program (optional): Prepares the data for archiving; this
includes, for example, the setting of an archivability indicator (also called
a deletion indicator)
• Read program: Used to display an archived business object
• Post processing program (optional): Used to process data after archiving; for
example, to update statistic data or indexes
• Reload program (optional): Reloads the archived business objects into the
database
Customizing settings
• Used to define the archiving-object-specific parameters for a specific
archiving session; these settings depend on the archiving objects and may
therefore vary

Figure 85: Materials Management Archiving Objects

With the help of the above materials management (MM) objects, you can archive
the following purchasing documents and master data:
Purchase requisitions: You archive and delete requisitions using the archiving
object MM_EBAN. There is no provision for the retrieval of previously archived
data. It is possible to display archived purchase requisitions.

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SCM516 Lesson: Archiving and Deleting

External purchasing documents


• You can archive and delete requests for quotation, purchase orders, contracts,
and scheduling agreements (purchasing documents other than requisitions)
using the archiving object MM_EKKO. There is no provision for the
retrieval of previously archived data. It is possible to display archived
purchasing documents.
• You can display archived purchase orders directly in the Enjoy transaction
Display Purchase Order. This transaction displays the header, items, delivery
schedule lines, conditions, PO history, texts, and change documents.
Addresses, confirmations, services, and limits are not displayed.
Purchasing info records: You can archive and delete info records with the
archiving object MM_EINA. There is no provision for the retrieval of previously
archived data. It is possible to display archived purchasing info records.
Service master records
• You can archive and delete service master records using the object
MM_ASMD. There is no provision for the retrieval of previously archived
data. It is possible to display archived service master records.
• You cannot archive source lists and quota arrangements. They can only be
deleted. The data cannot be reloaded into the database.
Source list: Source lists can be deleted with the program RM06WRE0. To delete
source lists, choose Master data → Source list → Follow-on functions → Delete
from the Purchasing menu.
Quota arrangement: Quota arrangement records can be deleted with the program
RM06QREQ. To delete source lists, choose Master data → Quota arrangement
→ Follow-on functions → Delete from the Purchasing menu.

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Unit 3: Document Maintenance SCM516

Figure 86: Accessing Customizing: Archiving and Deleting

With transactions SARA (no archiving object selected) and ME98 (related
archiving object shown as default MM_EKKO), you have access to complete
related customizing for archiving objects.
Application-specific customizing can also be accessed from the Implementation
Guide (IMG) by choosing IMG → Materials Management → Purchasing →
Purchase order → Define Tolerance Limit for Archiving.
• Purchase order can be replaced with required purchasing documents, such as
purchase requisitions or RFQs to access related customizing screens.
For contracts:
• IMG → Materials Management → Purchasing → Contract → Criteria for
Archiving → Define Tolerance Limit for Archiving
• IMG → Materials Management → Purchasing → Contract → Criteria for
Archiving → Set Up Additional Checks
For scheduling agreements:
• IMG → Materials Management → Purchasing → Scheduling Agreement →
Criteria for Archiving → Define Tolerance Limit for Archiving
• IMG → Materials Management → Purchasing → Scheduling Agreement →
Criteria for Archiving → Set Up Additional Checks
• IMG → Materials Management → Purchasing → Scheduling Agreement
→ Criteria for Archiving → Further Processing of Summarized Purchasing
documents

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SCM516 Lesson: Archiving and Deleting

Application-Specific Customizing

Application-specific customizing for PR, PO, RFQ, and scheduling


agreements:
Define tolerance limit for archiving
Application-specific customizing for contracts:
Define tolerance limit for archiving
Set up additional checks
Application-specific customizing for scheduling agreements:
Define tolerance limit for archiving
Set up additional checks
Further processing of summarized purchasing documents
Defining a tolerance limit for archiving basically allows you to specify
Residence Time 1 and Residence Time 2 for the combination of purchasing
document category, document type, and item category.
Residence time is expressed in days and determines which purchasing document
items are to be archived.
• Residence Time 1 (in days) specifies the minimum period after which the
reorganization program may set the deletion indicator for a purchasing
document.
• Residence Time 2 (in days) specifies the minimum period after which
the archiving program may archive a purchasing document for which the
deletion indicator has been set.
You can choose between a one-step and a two-step archiving procedure.
• With the one-step procedure, a deletion indicator is set for the items of
the purchasing document. In the process, Residence Time 1 is taken into
account. These documents are then archived in the same archiving run.
Residence Time 2 is not taken into account.
• In the two-step procedure, the deletion indicator is set in a first archiving
run, taking Residence Time 1 into account. In a second archiving run, the
documents are archived taking into account Residence Time 2.
In Customizing, you can also specify to check whether documents were used in
info records before archiving (For Purchase order and Scheduling agreement
only) For example, a PO item may not be archived if it belongs to the document
that is noted as the current document number in a purchasing info record.

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Unit 3: Document Maintenance SCM516

Figure 87: Application Specific Customizing (2)

Additional Customizing for Outline Agreements: Set Up Additional Checks


In this step, you specify the additional checks that are to be carried out prior to
the archiving of external purchasing documents. You can combine the following
additional checks with each other in line with your requirements:
• Target quantity of outline agreement reached
• Target value of outline agreement reached
• Validity period of outline agreement expired
• Outline agreement is not used
Example: With the aid of these additional checks, you can specify, for example,
that a purchasing document is only to be archived if the validity period has
expired and the target quantity or the target value of the outline agreement has
been reached.

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SCM516 Lesson: Archiving and Deleting

Figure 88: Application Specific Customizing (3)

Further Processing of Summarized Purchasing Documents


In this IMG activity, you can specify whether already summarized purchasing
documents are to be further processed and updated.
The reason for re-accessing older, summarized purchasing documents may be
one of the following:
• Subsequent price changes with revaluation
• Subsequent debit
• Retrospective negotiation of scheduling agreement prices for past periods
• Reversal of a goods movement
• Return delivery
• Cancellation of an invoice
• Release of a blocked invoice.
If you perform one of these functions with reference to an already summarized
document, the system will expand all affected documents.
Specify for a purchasing document category the types of purchasing document
for which further processing is to be possible even if they are summarized.

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Unit 3: Document Maintenance SCM516

Figure 89: Data Archiving Customizing

Cross-Archiving-Object Customizing
The settings you make here affect all archiving objects across
the board.
Data archiving monitor:
This tool provides the data archiving administrator with
archiving-specific functions to monitor processes, and to recognize and analyze
problems. This includes, for example, the progress indicator for processed
archive files, a general overview of all archiving sessions that have been
processed for all archiving objects, and alerts that point you towards current or
potential problems during archiving.
Access check during archive selection:
Archive files for which the access check returned negative
results are represented in the selection screen with a lightening bolt symbol.
Verification of archive files:
During the write phase, the program writes verification
information into the archive file for every data object. With this information, an
archive file can then be “check read” before the actual procedure takes place to
make sure that it and all of the data objects it contains have remained intact.
Automatic interruption of the write phase:
It may be necessary to interrupt the write phase due to low
system resources, or because the time frame for the archiving session is too
short. The interrupted write phase can be continued at a later point in time. The
interruption function is part of the Archive Development Kit (ADK).
Server groups for background processing:
When you schedule archiving sessions in the background, you can
enter the server groups on which the sessions are to be executed.
Check and delete:

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Contains customizing for Archiving Object for SAP Product Master Data.
• If you selected Checking Active: Determines whether an archiving object
participates in the cross- archiving-object check program or not.
• If you selected Delet. Active: Indicates whether or not the
cross-archiving-object delete program has been activated for an archiving
object.

Figure 90: Data Archiving Customizing (2)

Archiving-Object-Specific Customizing
The settings you make here only apply to the archiving object
that you entered previously in archive administration.
Logical file name:
Here you choose the logical file name under which the archive files are to be
stored in the file system. At runtime, a complete, platform-specific file name,
including the path, is determined for the logical file name. The logical file
name is maintained with transaction FILE.
Archive file size:
Here you can enter the maximum size an archive file can reach before it is closed.
The file size can be determined either by entering a size, such as 100 MB, or by
specifying the maximum number of data objects an archive file is to contain. When
one of these values is reached, the archive file is closed and a new one is created.
Max number of data objects:
This parameter controls the maximum number of data
objects per archive file. Before a data object is written to an archive file, the system
checks whether the maximum number allowed would be exceeded. If this is the
case, the current archive file is closed and a new one opened for the data object.

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Settings for delete program:


Here you can determine whether the delete program is to
be executed in test or production mode, and whether or not the delete program is
to be started automatically.
Place file in storage system:
If you are using an external storage system, you can enter
the content repository in which the archive files are to be stored. You can also
determine here whether the archive files should be stored automatically and
whether the storage step should take place before or after the delete phase.
Archive routing:
You can use this function to create rules and conditions based on which archive
files are routed to specific content repositories. The criteria used in the rules and
conditions can be on the level of organizational unit (such as company code) or it
can ben time-based (such as fiscal year).

Figure 91: Data Archiving Customizing (3)

Here you enter the file name and file paths used for the archive files. To define
a logical file name, you need a name and a path. The path is of a logical nature,
meaning that there is a rule that determines at runtime (platform-dependent) what
the physical path is to be, based on the information you entered. File names and
paths can be either client-specific (transaction FILE) or cross-client (transaction
SF01).
The write program simply uses the logical file name entered in
archiving-object-specific Customizing. The system resolved the logical file name
and, depending on the archive file, finds the corresponding physical path for the
archive file.

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You can use the following procedure to check the settings that have been entered:
1. The system reads the entry for logical file name in the technical settings of
the archiving object, for example “ARCHIVE_DATA_FILE”.
2. System reads logical file name in the FILE transaction. An entry for the
logical file path, such as “ARCHIVE_GLOBAL_PATH”, is saved in the
logical file name.
3. The system reads logical file path in the transaction FILE.
4. The system reads the logical path-physical path assignment, which is specific
for the operating system you are using. You can have the following entries:
• Windows NT: <P=DIR_GLOBAL>\<FILENAME>
• UNIX: /usr/sap/<SYSID>/SYS/global/<FILENAME> ARCHIVE

Figure 92: Maintain Variants

When you schedule jobs for the execution of archiving programs, such as the
Preprocessing, Write or Delete programs, you must enter a variant. The purpose
of this variant is to define which data is to be processed, and to allow the user to
make other necessary settings for the processing of the data.
These variant settings can be made when you are scheduling jobs, using the
Maintain function.
Variant maintenance is always dependent on the corresponding archiving object.
Therefore, the variants may vary considerably depending on the archiving object.
These differences, however, occur mainly in the section of variant maintenance in
which data selection takes place.

Note: For more information about the variant maintenance for a specific
archiving object, see the corresponding documentation for the archiving
object in the SAP Library.

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The rest of variant maintenance is the same for most archiving objects. The
following settings are possible (depending on the type of program to be scheduled).
Under Processing Options, you can determine whether the program is to run in
test or production mode.
Test mode: In the test mode, the program is only simulated, meaning that no actual
changes take place on the database (no data is written or deleted from the database).
Production mode: In this mode, the data is physically processed according to your
selection criteria and, if applicable, additional archiving-object-specific criteria.
For example, during the delete phase, data is actually removed from the database
by the Delete program.

Figure 93: Maintain Variants: Additional Settings

Additional settings in variant maintenance:


Detail log: In this field you can decide whether a detail log (Complete option)
is to be generated in addition to the summarized log during the execution of
the program. The summarized log contains each message only once. For each
message, the number of affected objects is listed, as well as an example of an
object. The detail log contains all processed objects including the corresponding
messages.
• If you choose Without success messages, no success messages are written
to the detail log.
• Detail logs should only be generated if you are processing a small number
of objects, or in test mode. Otherwise the program may terminate due to
a memory overflow.

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Log Output: Here you can determine whether the log should be output to the list
(spool for background programs), to the application log, or to both.
• The advantage of the application log output is that the log messages are
displayed during program runtime. With background programs, this occurs
every 30 minutes; with dialog programs, it occurs about every 10 seconds.
Logs that were output to the list can only be viewed after the program has
finished.
• With the list output, you have the option to automatically store the log in
a storage system. Logs that were written to the application log can only
be stored manually from within the display view. Moreover, logs that
were output to the list are automatically removed when the corresponding
background job is deleted. Logs written to the application log must be
deleted manually.
Archiving Session Note: Here you can enter a short text to help you identify and
better find the archiving session in Archive Management.

Figure 94: Deletion Criteria for MM_EKKO

The preprocessing program the deletability of Purchasing documents items for


which the deletion indicator has not yet been set. If appropriate, the system sets
the deletion indicator.
RFQs: One of the following criteria must be satisfied for RFQs to be deleted:
• The RFQ is obsolete, that is, the deadline for submission of quotations
occurred before the date that you entered on the selection screen.
• A quotation relating to the RFQ exists.
• The quotation has been rejected.

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Purchase orders: Both of the following criteria must be met before purchase
orders can be deleted:
• Delivery for the purchase order must have been completed (within the
tolerance limits).
• Invoicing must be complete.
Contracts: The following criteria are checked if Customizing for purchasing
has been set up accordingly:
• The target value has been reached (within the tolerance limits).
• The target quantity has been reached (within the tolerance limits).
• The validity end date has been reached.
• They are no longer in use.
– Prerequisite: All release orders must have been logically deleted
(deletion indicator L set) or archived.
Scheduling agreements: The following criteria are checked if Customizing for
purchasing has been set up accordingly:
• The target value has been reached (within the tolerance limits).
• The target quantity has been reached (within the tolerance limits).
• The validity end date has been reached.
• They are no longer in use.
– Prerequisites: Delivery with respect to the scheduling agreement has
been completed (within the tolerance limits). Invoicing with respect to
the scheduling agreement is likewise complete (within the tolerance
limits).

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Figure 95: Archiving and Deleting: Procedure

Scheduling preprocessing programs


In the Archive Administration: Initial Screen (transaction SARA), enter the name
of the archiving object in the Object Name field.
• Preprocessing programs prepare the data in the database for archiving, for
example, by marking records for archiving. Archive files are not created.
Preprocessing is not usually necessary if documents needing to be archived
are already marked with deletion flag.
Choose Preprocessing. The Archive Administration: Preprocessing screen
appears, in which you can schedule a background job for the program.
Choose a variant using input help. If there are no existing variants, choose
Variants to maintain the desired variant.
• You can only use a variant in one job. Otherwise, data could be archived
more than once. If you use a variant again, a dialog box notifies you of
this. Choose Jobs with Selected Variant to access an overview of all jobs
that already have variants created. In the job overview, you can delete jobs
using a specific variant.
To schedule archiving jobs, you must maintain the start date and the spool
parameters. The spool parameters for printing the archiving log are maintained
and a start date is required to start the archiving action. These are shown with the
help of traffic lights on the screen . A green traffic light means “data maintained”.
Yellow is for “Data Preset”, and red indicates “Data not maintained”.

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Figure 96: Archiving and Deleting: Procedure (2)

Create Archive Files


In the Archive Administration: Initial Screen (transaction SARA), enter the name
of the archiving object in the Object Name field and choose Write.
If archiving has already taken place for the archiving object and there are still
unprocessed archive files for the archiving session, a dialog box warns you of this.
The same applies to interrupted archiving sessions. If you archive the same data
more than once, you may run into problems. Therefore, some archiving objects
require that data only exist once in the archive, because duplicate data can lead to
erroneous results in the totals of archived data.
Always make sure:
• The job that is to be newly scheduled does not select the same data contained
in archive files that have not yet been processed by the Delete program.
• You do not use variants with overlapping selection values.
If the variant that you have selected is already being used for other jobs, you
can display these jobs by choosing Jobs with Selected Variant and, if required,
delete them.
Select a variant using input help. If there are no existing variants, choose Variants
to maintain the required variant.

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If Start Automatically is set for the delete program in archiving-object-specific


Customizing, and a production Write program variant is chosen, the Delete
program is also executed with its production variant. In other words, database
deletions are made after the archiving session.
Maintain the Start Date and the Spool Parameters.
Archiving and Deleting: Procedure (4)

Activities performed in a typical archiving process:


Schedule preprocessing programs
Create archive files
Store archive files
Retrieve archived files
Delete archived data from the database
Schedule post processing
Read archive files
You can store archive files when you have not specified in archiving-object-specific
Customizing that archive files are to be transferred automatically after their
creation to a connected storage system. You can store the archive files
afterwards using the Content Management infrastructure (which also contains the
ArchiveLink /CMS interface).
Some prerequisites needs to be fulfilled before you execute this transaction:
• You need to have an external storage system linked to your SAP system.
• The content repository to which you want to transfer the file must be
maintained in archiving-object-specific Customizing for the archiving object.
Procedure:
1. Choose Storage System. The Store/Retrieve Archive Files menu box appears.
2. Choose Store Files. The Store/Retrieve Archive Files menu box appears.
3. Using Archive Selection, choose the archive files you want to store and
specify the Start Date
4. Confirm your storage request by choosing Execute.
• The selected archive files will be transferred to the storage system at
the specified time.
• The Storage System function is also available in Archive
Administration.
Archiving and Deleting: Procedure (5)

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Activities performed in a typical archiving process:


Schedule preprocessing programs
Create archive files
Store archive files
Retrieve archived files
Delete archived data from the database
Schedule post processing
Read archive files
Using the Content Management Infrastructure (also contains the ArchiveLink/CMS
interface), archive files stored in a storage system can be retrieved and brought
back into the SAP system for further processing, such as evaluation.
This transaction can be executed either from Archive Administration of the
archiving object for which you want to retrieve archive files, or from Archive
Administration.
Procedure:
1. Choose Storage System. The Store/Retrieve Archive Files menu box appears.
2. Choose Retrieve Files. The Archive Administration: Retrieve Files screen
appears.
3. Using Archive Selection, select the archive files you want to retrieve and
specify when you want the retrieval to commence.
4. Confirm your retrieval request by choosing Execute.
• The selected archive files will be retrieved into the SAP system at the
specified time for further processing.
Archiving and Deleting: Procedure (6)

Activities performed in a typical archiving process:


Schedule preprocessing programs
Create archive files
Store archive files
Retrieve archived files
Delete archived data from the database
Schedule post processing
Read archive files
In the Archive Administration: Initial Screen (transaction SARA), enter the name
of the archiving object in the Object Name field.

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Procedure:
1. Choose Delete. This takes you to the Archive Administration: Reload
Archive screen, where you can schedule a background or online job. If you
only want to run the Delete program for test purposes (so that the data is not
deleted from the database), choose the Test Mode option.
2. Choose Archive Selection. You access a dialog box with the archiving
sessions that are available for the archiving object. Usually, this is only the
latest session that was run.
3. If you want to edit a complete archiving session, select an archiving session
and choose Continue. You return to the initial screen. If you want to edit
one or several specific archive files, expand the archiving session. Select
the required archive files and choose Continue.
4. Maintain the Start Date and the Spool Parameters.
You have now entered all the data needed for the background job. To create the
job, choose Execute.
When all the deletion jobs are completed for the run, the system event
SAP_ARCHIVING_DELETE_FINISHED is started by the ADK. This triggers
subsequent processes, such as file backup using external tools.
Archiving and Deleting: Procedure (7)

Activities performed in a typical archiving process:


Schedule preprocessing programs
Create archive files
Store archive files
Retrieve archived files
Delete archived data from the database
Schedule post processing
Read archive files
The postprocessing program processes the data after the archiving session in
the database, for example, by deleting log data that is no longer required or by
updating statistics. No access to the archive files is required. Postprocessing is
not usually necessary.
A postprocessing program exists for the archiving object (not all archiving objects
have a postprocessing program).
To access the transaction, access the Archive Administration: Initial Screen
(transaction SARA). Enter the name of the archiving object in the Object Name
field.

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Procedure:
1. Select Postprocessing. This takes you to the Archive Administration:
Postprocessing screen, in which you can schedule a background job for
the program.
2. Choose a variant using input help. If there are no existing variants, choose
Variants to maintain the desired variant.
3. Maintain the Start Date and the Spool Parameters.
4. Choose Execute to start the postprocessing transaction.
Archiving and Deleting: Procedure (8)

Activities performed in a typical archiving process:


Schedule preprocessing programs
Create archive files
Store archive files
Retrieve archived files
Delete archived data from the database
Schedule post processing
Read archive files
In addition to the data in the online database, archived data can also be read
or analyzed. When data is analyzed it is read sequentially, and elementary
information such as item number, customer, and order date is displayed in list
form. It is possible to run an analysis for one or several archiving sessions.

Note: Not all archiving objects offer an analysis program.

Procedure:
1. Choose Read. You access the Archive Administration: Start Read Program
screen, where you can schedule your job.
2. In the Batch/Dialog field, specify whether the analysis program is to run in
the background (batch) or online (dialog).
3. In the Read Program field, select a read or analysis program and choose
Execute. Depending on the selected archiving object, you access a specific
selection screen.
4. Enter your selection and choose Execute. You access the Archive
Management: Select Files to Read dialog box.
5. Select the archive file that you want to read or analyze and confirm the
selection by choosing Continue.

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Figure 97: Accessing Archived Data

SAP provides several options for accessing archived data, as shown in the above
figure.
Access using a standard display transaction means that the user departments can
access archived data using the same transactions they use to access data that has
not be archived.
Special archive read programs are special programs for accessing archived
data. These programs use either an application-specific index or read the selected
archive files sequentially and completely without an index.
The Archive Information System is a cross-application tool for indexing archive
files. An archive information structure (index) is often a prerequisite for accessing
archived data using a standard display transaction. The Archive Information
System also offers an option for displaying archived data. This option, however, is
a technical view and not a business view of the data.
The Data Retention Tool (DART) is capable of including archived data in the
files that it creates for tax audits. This means that it is able to access archived data.
The Reloading of Archived Data function is a corrective and not a reporting tool.
Analyses archived with ArchiveLink means, for example, that archived print
lists can be accessed.
The application decide which access options are available for their business
objects. This depends largely on which accesses are necessary in each case.

Note: Accessing archive files is possible only from the system in which
the data was archived.

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Figure 98: Archive Information System

Archive Information System (can be accessed from transaction SARA)


The Archive Information System is a generic tool for indexing data archives, and is
fully integrated into the data archiving environment. The indexes created with this
tool, which are called archive information structures, are used to display archived
data. The Archive Information System includes the following components.
Archive Retrieval Configurator (ARC)
The ARC enables you to create archive information structures
with the help of field catalogs, and to fill the structures with data from the archive.
The archive information structure, which represents a kind of archive index,
provides the basis for archive data reporting.
Archive Explorer
The Archive Explorer enables fast searches of archived data. It does this by
accessing the archive information structures that have been created and stored in
transparent database tables using the ARC. Furthermore, the Archive Explorer
allows direct accesses to individual data objects in the archive, which can then be
displayed in both technical and application-specific views.

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Figure 99: Accessing Archived Data (2)

The Archive Retrieval Configurator (ARC) allows you to create, change, display,
activate, and deactivate information structures.
To activate an information structure, choose Archive Information Structure →
Activate. The information structure is activated. This structure will be filled
automatically during the next delete phase for this archiving object.
Additional consequences of activating are:
• The archive info structure can be reported in the Archive Explorer.
• You can display status information on this information structure.
• You cannot make any changes to the information structure.
To deactivate an information structure, choose Archive Information Structure
→ Deactivate.
• This ensures that this information structure will be ignored during the next
delete phase for the archiving object, or if the archive information structure
is filled retrospectively.
Note: You can make changes to an inactive information structure.
However, if you make changes, be aware that you might also have to
regenerate the table. When doing this, you must delete the data in it.
Finally, you must refill the information structure.

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Figure 100: Accessing Archived Data (3)

The Archive Explorer enables you to search for archived data and allows
individual objects to be displayed from the archive.
The Archive Explorer uses functions of the SAP List Viewer. The fields appear in
the selection screen according to how they are stored in the archive information
structure.
In the selection screen, you can set which archived data should be read by the
Archive Explorer reporting program. An object list from the set information
structure is displayed as a result of this selection, from which you can access
single data objects in the archive.

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SCM516 Lesson: Archiving and Deleting

Exercise 7: Archiving and Deleting


Exercise Objectives
After completing this exercise, you will be able to:
• Perform archiving on purchasing documents.

Business Example
After being live with the SAP system for several years, the finance group has
requested that purchasing documents older then two years of age be archived. You
need to assist them in preparing and processing the documents

Task 1:

1. Archiving objects contains only archiving programs.


Determine whether this statement is true or false.
□ True
□ False

Task 2:

1. Archiving object MM_EKKO allow you to archive both internal and external
purchasing documents.
Determine whether this statement is true or false.
□ True
□ False

Task 3:

1. Variant definitions are optional and allow users to save used screen field
values.
Determine whether this statement is true or false.
□ True
□ False

Continued on next page

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Unit 3: Document Maintenance SCM516

Task 4:
Using the archiving object MM_EKKO, execute an archiving process.

1. Define residence time in customizing for archiving object MM_EKKO.

2. Execute a report to choose purchase orders to be archived. Make sure that


there is no follow-on document pending for these purchase orders and that
the purchase order date is outside the residence time.

3. Execute the Preprocessing task for the purchasing document.

4. Execute the Preprocessing task for the purchasing document

5. Display the purchase order in transaction ME23N.

Continued on next page

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SCM516 Lesson: Archiving and Deleting

6. Execute the Delete task for the purchasing document.

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Solution 7: Archiving and Deleting


Task 1:

1. Archiving objects contains only archiving programs.


Answer: False
Archiving objects not only contain programs, but customizing and defined
databases and business objects.

Task 2:

1. Archiving object MM_EKKO allow you to archive both internal and external
purchasing documents.
Answer: False
MM_EBAN is used to archive purchase requisitions (internal purchasing
document).

Task 3:

1. Variant definitions are optional and allow users to save used screen field
values.
Answer: False
For certain tasks, variants definitions are mandatory, such as for
Preprocessing and Write.

Continued on next page

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SCM516 Lesson: Archiving and Deleting

Task 4:
Using the archiving object MM_EKKO, execute an archiving process.
1. Define residence time in customizing for archiving object MM_EKKO.
Answer: Choose SAP Menu → Logistics → Material Management →
Purchasing → Purchasing Order → Follow-On Functions → Archive
(ME98), or execute transaction SARA and then enter archive object
MM_EKKO.
You are now in the Archive Administration initial screen.
Choose the Customizing button in the toolbar.
The Data Archiving Customizing dialog screen appears, in which you can
see the Application-specific customizing group.
Choose C-MM-PUR Reorganization PO.
Select the line with purchasing doc type NB and item category Standard
and choose Details.
Define Residence Time 1 as 1
Save and exit.
2. Execute a report to choose purchase orders to be archived. Make sure that
there is no follow-on document pending for these purchase orders and that
the purchase order date is outside the residence time.
Answer: Choose SAP Menu → Logistics → Materials Management →
Purchasing → Purchase order → List Displays → By Supplying plant.
Choose Execute and look for a purchase order for which Still to be delivered
and Still to be invoiced quantity is 0.

Continued on next page

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3. Execute the Preprocessing task for the purchasing document.


Answer: Choose the Preprocessing button. You are now in the Archive
Administration: Preprocessing screen.
Maintain the variant with any name in the variant field and choose Maintain.
Enter the purchasing document number to be archived, and select One-step
procedure. Select Processing option as Production Mode and select details
log.
Click on the Attribute button. This will take you to the Variant Attribute
screen.
Enter the Name of the attribute in the Meaning field.
Save and go back.
Maintain the start date by choosing the Start date button. Select the Start
time from within the dialog box. Select Immediate and then Save. You
should now see a green traffic light against Start date button.
You can maintain the spool parameters, although this is not mandatory.
Choose Execute.
Using the back icon, review your log by choosing the Logs button.
Choose the Job log button to check whether the purchasing document
selected has been scheduled or not.

Continued on next page

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SCM516 Lesson: Archiving and Deleting

4. Execute the Preprocessing task for the purchasing document


Answer: Choose the Write button. Select Continue through any warning
message you may receive. You are in now Archive administration: Create
archive files.
Maintain the variant with any name in the variant field and choose Maintain.
In the Variants: Change screen assignment dialog box, select the created
column for full screen and choose Continue.
Enter the purchasing document number to be archived and select Processing
option as Production Mode. Select Delete with test variant. Set details log as
Complete and Log output as List and Application Log.
Choose Edit → Attribute.
Enter the name of variant in the Meaning field.
Save and go back using F3.
Maintain the start date by clicking on the Start date button. Within the Start
time dialog box, select Immediate and then Save. You should now see a
green traffic light against the Start date button.
You can maintain the spool parameters, although this is not mandatory
(choose Execute /F8).
To view the log, go back and choose the Logs button.
You can view your Write job under the Write folder. Select your task and
click on Job log. This log contains success/failure message, path, and name
of the new archive file.
5. Display the purchase order in transaction ME23N.
Answer: Execute transaction ME23N.
Choose and enter your purchase order number.
Choose Other document.
The system displays the purchase order with a message:
• “Purchasing document already archived”
• The system also does not allow you to make any changes in this
purchase order.

Continued on next page

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6. Execute the Delete task for the purchasing document.


Answer: Choose the Delete button. You are now in Archive administration:
Execute Delete Program.
Make sure that test mode is deselected.
Select archive files by choosing the Archive selection button. In the Archive
administration: Select files for delete program dialog box screen, select
session and files by selecting it from the list.
Choose Continue. You should see a green traffic light in front of Archive
selection.
Maintain the start date by clicking on the Start date button. This will bring
up the Start time dialog box. Select Immediate and then Save. You should
now see a green traffic light against Start date button.
To check if the system scheduled the delete job, and to check the log, go
back click on Logs.
Select the delete job and choose the job log button. You can also see the
Spool list for complete details, such as deleted database space in MB, number
of deleted data objects, log summary, and details log.
Execute ME23N to determine if the purchase order has been deleted from
the system.

Hint: The system issues a hard error: “document doesn’t exist”.

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SCM516 Lesson: Archiving and Deleting

Lesson Summary
You should now be able to:
• Explain the needs, benefits and important terms of archiving
• Outline the process of archiving purchasing documents
• Perform a simple archiving process.

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Unit Summary SCM516

Unit Summary
You should now be able to:
• State the benefits of configuring search help
• Explain how configure search help
• Configure and test search help.
• State the benefits of configuring copy rules
• Outline the process for configuring copy rules
• Configure and test copy rules.
• Describe the mass maintenance function for purchasing documents
• Outline the mass maintenance process
• Perform automatic document adjustment.
• Explain the needs, benefits and important terms of archiving
• Outline the process of archiving purchasing documents
• Perform a simple archiving process.

178 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


Unit 4
Adjusting SAP Standard Software

Unit Overview
Adjusting the SAP Standard Software:
• Explain the terms original, copy, correction, repair, customizing,
modification, and enhancement
• Describe which options are available for adjusting the SAP standard software
to your company’s requirements
• List the disadvantages of modifications and the advantages of SAP
enhancements
• List and explain the different enhancement types.

Unit Objectives
After completing this unit, you will be able to:
• Explain the terms original, copy, correction, repair, customizing,
modification, and enhancement
• Describe some options that are available for adjusting SAP standard software
to your company’s requirements.
• Find the different enhancement types provided by SAP and decide which
one to implement.

Unit Contents
Lesson: Adjusting SAP Standard Software .................................180
Lesson: Enhancement Types .................................................191
Exercise 8: Using Business Add-Ins .....................................207

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Unit 4: Adjusting SAP Standard Software SCM516

Lesson: Adjusting SAP Standard Software

Lesson Overview

Lesson Objectives
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• Explain the terms original, copy, correction, repair, customizing,
modification, and enhancement
• Describe some options that are available for adjusting SAP standard software
to your company’s requirements.

Business Example
You want to make adjustments to the SAP Standard but in doing so, you want to
avoid modifications because of their disadvantages.

Figure 101: Basic Options for SAP Software Adjustment

In the system in which it was developed, an ABAP Repository object is called


original. In another system, in which the object arrives by means of transport,
it only exists as a copy. The original system (the “birth place”) of a repository
object is noted in the object attributes.

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SCM516 Lesson: Adjusting SAP Standard Software

Usually, changes should only be made to the original. These changes are then
transported to subsequent systems to change the corresponding copies. This
ensures that repository objects are consistent in all systems. It is possible to
change copies, but this could result in the systems becoming inconsistent if the
changes are not made to the respective original.
Originals can never be overwritten in transports.

Figure 102: Corrections and Repairs

Changing an original is called a correction. Corrections are made in


development/correction type tasks.
Changes to a copy are called repair. Repairs are made in repair type tasks.
After a customer object has been repaired (for example, as a consequence of an
emergency in the production system), the change should always be reproduced in
the original to ensure that the systems remain consistent.
Repairing an SAP object in a customer system is also called modification.

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Unit 4: Adjusting SAP Standard Software SCM516

Figure 103: Modifications During Upgrade

During an upgrade, the modified SAP objects in your system might be overwritten
by new versions of the objects that are supplied by SAP. You need to make a
modification adjustment to get your modification back into the system. When
you do this, you must compare your old, modified version with the newly supplied
version and copy earlier changes to the SAP standard into the new version.
Such a comparison can be very time-consuming. Hence, you should use an SAP
enhancement instead of a modification. Enhancements also provide the option
of adjusting the SAP functionality. However, they do not depend on the release
and are thus low maintenance.
We recommend only making the modification adjustment in the development
system and then transporting the adjusted objects to subsequent systems
(by releasing the request you used). This ensures consistency between the
development system and subsequent systems.

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SCM516 Lesson: Adjusting SAP Standard Software

Figure 104: Options for SAP Software Adjustment

Customer development: You can develop your own repository objects under
consideration of the customer name space. This may be necessary when there is
not a functionality in the SAP standard that is similar to the one you require.
Customizing: You can set certain system properties and functionalities by means
of appropriate maintenance transactions. SAP has planned for and organized such
adjustments. Customizing is a mandatory part of setting up an SAP system.
Enhancements: Repository objects can be adjusted without modifications by
means of enhancements. Enhancements are relase-independent and do not
require any adjustments. However, not all customer requirements are covered by
enhancement options.
Modifications: Modifications should only be made when there is no appropriate
enhancement option in the system, as they might cause an increased workload due
to adjustments that may be required. To support an organized modification and to
facilitate the subsequent adjustment, the Modification Assistant was integrated in
the system as of SAP R/3 4.6b.

Hint: For detailed information on the Modification Assistant, refer to the


online documentation for the ABAP Workbench (changes to the SAP
standard).

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Unit 4: Adjusting SAP Standard Software SCM516

Figure 105: Enhancement Types

SAP has implemented program exits in some SAP programs, to which you, as the
customer, can attach the appropriate source code. This is also processed at runtime
of the SAP program. This way, you have the option of realizing additional or
alternative functions without changing the SAP program. Program exits are the
most important type of enhancement.
SAP uses certain techniques to implement program exists:
• User exits
• Customer exits
• Business Transaction Events (BTEs)
• Business Add-Ins (BAdIs)
There is a special search function for each enhancement technique, which you can
use to find the program exits prepared by SAP.

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SCM516 Lesson: Adjusting SAP Standard Software

Figure 106: Other Enhancement Types

In addition to program exits, the following enhancement types exist:


• Menu exit: Some SAP menus contain entries prepared by SAP, which you
can link to your own functionality (customer source code) and activate.
• Screen exit: Some screens contain SAP subscreen areas in which you can
integrate your own screens.
• Field exit: Customized input checks on SAP screen fields can always be
implemented without modifications by means of field exits. This does
not require any preparation by SAP. Furthermore, you can overwrite the
field documentation and field labels of an SAP data element in the ABAP
Dictionary:
– Overwriting the field documentation: You can replace the SAP field
documentation that is displayed when the user presses F1 with your
own texts.
– Overwriting the field labels: You can overwrite the different field
labels of an SAP data element with your own texts.

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Unit 4: Adjusting SAP Standard Software SCM516

Apart from the enhancement types already mentioned, there are also others,
such as:
• Append structure: You can attach an append structure with the required
additional fields to most transparent tables. You can implement additional
columns in SAP application database tables without modifications.
• Source texts areas commented out by SAP: Some SAP programs contain
source code areas that have been commented out. If recommended by SAP,
you can remove the comments to obtain additional functionality. Technically,
however, this is a modification.

Figure 107: Function Module Exit: Process Flow

The figure above shows the flow of a program providing an enhancement in the
form of a function module exit.
The function module exit is called in the Process After Input (PAI) logic of a screen
at a position determined by the SAP application developer. Within the function
module, the user can add functions in the customer namespace using an include.

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SCM516 Lesson: Adjusting SAP Standard Software

Figure 108: Finding Function Module Exits

The most frequently asked question concerning enhancements is, “how can you
see if an application program offers a function module exit?” There are a number
of ways to find the answer to this question.
To see quickly if an application program offers a function module exit, you can
follow the path on the left-hand side of the graphic (by choosing System → Status,
you can display the name of the current application program). In our example, a
suitable character string would be CALL CUSTOMER. Use the Find icon and
search globally in the program. If your search does not provide any results, you
can define a larger search area. Determine the environment for the corresponding
program and look for the specific character string in the program environment.
The right side of the figure shows you how to find the name of the required
enhancement using search tools. You can restrict the search in the Repository
Information System using different criteria: These are:
• Development class (also try generic entries)
• Technical name of the enhancement.

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Unit 4: Adjusting SAP Standard Software SCM516

Figure 109: Menu Exits: Overview

Menu exits allow you to attach your own functions to menu options in SAP menus.
SAP application programmers reserve certain menu entries in your GUI interface
for this. This allows you to define a text for the reserved menu entry and add your
own logic, often in the form of a related function module exit.
Once you activate menu exits, they become visible in the SAP menu. Whenever
this menu option is chosen, the system processes either a function provided
by SAP application programmers, or your own function, which you have
implemented in a function module exit.

Figure 110: Screen Exits: Overview

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SCM516 Lesson: Adjusting SAP Standard Software

Screen exits allow you to make use of reserved sections of a main screen
(subscreen areas).
In these areas, you can display either additional information or input data. You
define the necessary input and output fields on a customer screen (subscreen).

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Unit 4: Adjusting SAP Standard Software SCM516

Lesson Summary
You should now be able to:
• Explain the terms original, copy, correction, repair, customizing,
modification, and enhancement
• Describe some options that are available for adjusting SAP standard software
to your company’s requirements.

190 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


SCM516 Lesson: Enhancement Types

Lesson: Enhancement Types

Lesson Overview

Lesson Objectives
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• Find the different enhancement types provided by SAP and decide which
one to implement.

Business Example
You want to explore the different enhancement types provided by SAP and decide
which one to implement.

Figure 111: Software Delivery Process

Compared to earlier releases, the software delivery process now looks quite
different. Previously, only two parties were involved in the delivery: SAP
produced the software and delivered it to its end-customers. Customers could
enhance this standard using customer exits.
However, now that the software is more component-oriented, more parties are
involved in the process. SAP provides the R/3 standard to each industry solution,
which uses it as a basis to add on its own encapsulated functions. The next link in
the chain might be a partner firm, which builds its own Complementary Software
Program (CSP) solution based on R/3. The last link in the chain is the customer.

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Unit 4: Adjusting SAP Standard Software SCM516

All of the parties involved in this process are potential users and providers of
enhancements. This requirement cannot be satisfied by customer exits, which can
only be used once. Consequently, SAP developed a new enhancement technique
in release 4.0, which allows enhancements to be reused.

Figure 112: Finding a Business Transaction Event

To find out whether an application transaction offers business transaction events,


you can use the procedure described on the left-hand side of the above figure. In
the program source text, search for the character string OPEN_FI_PERFORM.
The number that completes the name of the function module is also the name
of the event.
In Customizing in the Implementation Guide (IMG), you will find the entry Use
business transaction events under the Financial Accounting Global Settings node
of the Financial Accounting area. Choosing this entry calls transaction FIBF,
where you can execute all the actions necessary for using Business Transaction
Events.
Under Environment in the IMG, you will find search functions that you can use to
identify appropriate business transaction events. You can view the documentation
for the event from the list.

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SCM516 Lesson: Enhancement Types

Figure 113: Customer Exits vs. Business Transaction Events

In contrast to customer exits, business transaction events are client-specific. This


means that the same event can be used in different clients for different purposes.
Business transaction events may also be used more than once.
With publish and subscribe interfaces, you can choose which enhancement you
want to use.
With process interfaces, the system executes a single component in the
hierarchical sequence: SAP application, add-on, or customer.
Business Add-Ins: Motivation
Business Add-Ins: Motivation

• Disadvantages of earlier enhancement techniques:


– Could be used only once (customer exits)
– No screen enhancement (BTEs)
– No menu enhancements (BTEs)
– No administration level (BTEs)
• Requirements for new enhancement techniques:
– Reusable
– All enhancement types (program / menu / screen)
– Administration level
– Implemented using latest technology

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Unit 4: Adjusting SAP Standard Software SCM516

Figure 114: Business Add-Ins: Architecture

Unlike customer exits, Business Add-Ins take into account changes to the software
delivery process. The top part of the above figure illustrates the typical delivery
process. It no longer consists merely of provider and user. Instead, it can now
contain an entire chain of intermediate providers.
The bottom part of the figure explains how Business Add-Ins work. Enhancements
are made possible by SAP application programs. This requires at least one
interface and an adapter class to implement it. The interface is implemented by
the user.
The main advantage of this concept is the capacity for reuse. Once implemented, a
Business Add-In can be re-implemented by other links in the software chain.
Furthermore, an implementation can also offer Business Add-Ins of its own.

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SCM516 Lesson: Enhancement Types

Figure 115: Comparison with Other Enhancement Techniques

Business Add-Ins are a natural extension of conventional enhancement techniques.


They have adopted the concept of the administration layer from customer exits,
along with availability of the various enhancement components.
BAdIs adopted the idea of reusability from business transaction events, and have
been implemented using a consistent object-oriented approach.
Object-oriented implementation provides previously unavailable opportunities.
For example, it is possible to enhance the Document object. It is then possible to
provide a new instance of the enhancement for each individual document.

Figure 116: Finding a Business Add-In

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Unit 4: Adjusting SAP Standard Software SCM516

There are various ways to search for Business Add-ins.


You can search in a relevant application program for the string
“CL_EXITHANDLER”. If a Business Add-In is called from the program, the
“GET_INSTANCE” method of this class must be called.
You can then reach the definition of the Business Add-In using forward navigation.
The definition also contains documentation and a guide for implementing the
Business Add-In.
Use the application hierarchy to restrict the components in which you want to
search. Start the Repository Information System, then choose Enhancements →
Business Add-Ins to start the relevant search program.
Alternately, you can use the entries in the relevant component of the IMG.

Figure 117: New Enhancement Concept: Overview

As of SAP NetWeaver Application Server 7.0, two new enhancement options have
been added: enhancement points and enhancement sections. Enhancements using
implicit enhancement points – unlike enhancements implemented using previous
enhancement technology – require no preparation from SAP.
SAP also introduced a new BAdI technology for performance reasons.
The figure above displays how enhancement points and sections, as well as BAdIs
that have been created using the new technology, are grouped together and
managed using enhancement spots. Collected enhancement spots comprise both
simple enhancement spots and other collected enhancement spots. They serve to
semantically bundle enhancement spots.

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SCM516 Lesson: Enhancement Types

Previous BAdIs (classical BAdIs) exist in the system, as before. However, in the
future, SAP will only implement BAdIs using the new technology.

Note: Elements of the central SAP Basis cannot be enhanced.

Figure 118: Enhancement Points

An enhancement point is an option that allows you to add source code, variable
declarations, and parameter declarations to SAP programs, function modules, and
classes without having to make a modification.
Explicit enhancement points are insertion options that are prepared by SAP, while
implicit enhancement points are present at particular points in SAP objects by
default – that is, without any particular preparation by SAP.

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Unit 4: Adjusting SAP Standard Software SCM516

Implicit Enhancement Points

• At the end of a structure (type) declaration before “END OF ...”


– To include additional fields
• At the beginning and end of:
– Subprograms
– Function modules
– Methods of local classes / globales classes (to insert additional
functions)
• At the end of the of the IMPORTING/EXPORTING/CHANGING
declaration block of methods of local classes
– To include additional interface parameters
• In interface definitions of:
– Function modules
– Methods of global classes (to include additional interfaces parameters)
The mapping above shows where implicit enhancement points are present. To use
an implicit enhancement point, implement an enhancement implementation.
To use implicit enhancement points, which you can use to insert source code
(implicit source code plug-ins):
• Display the SAP object (program, function module, method).
• Choose the Enhancement button in the GUI status.
• Choose Edit → Enhancement Operations → Show Implicit Enhancement
Options.
To display the implicit enhancement options:
• Use the editor's context menu to create an enhancement implementation.
• Enter the source code.
• Choose the Activate button in the GUI status.
Note: When you enhance a structure (or structure type) declaration
immediately before “END OF ...”, you must use the syntax “DATA
<addidional fileld> TYPE <type>.”

Interface enhancement of SAP function modules and methods of global classes:


• Open the Function Builder or Class Builder and choose Function Module →
Enhance Interface or Class → Enhance to add a new interface parameter
and type assignment.
• Interface parameters added in this way are usually optional, and can be
addressed in source code enhancements to the corresponding function
module or method.

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SCM516 Lesson: Enhancement Types

Implicit Enhancement Points (2)

• At the end of the public/protected/private section of a local class


– Define additional attributes and methods
• You can define any of the following for global classes:
– Additional attributes
– Additional methods
• You can define one of the following for a method of a global class:
– A pre-method
– A post method
• At the end of the IMPLEMENTATION block of a local class
– To implement additional declared methods
• At the end of includes
– To implement additional functions
Defining additional attributes / methods of global classes:
• In the Class Builder, choose Class → Enhance to define additional attributes
and methods.
• Double-click on an additional method to open the method editor to
implement it.
Such additional attributes or methods can be addressed in source code
enhancements of methods of the global class.
Defining a pre/post/overwrite method for the method of a global class:
• Open change mode in the Class Builder by choosing Class → Enhance.
• Select the desired SAP method.
• Choose Edit → Enhancement Operations → Insert (Pre/Post) Method or
→ Add Overwrite Method.
• Click the new button in the (Pre/Post/Overwrite) Exit column to implement
the corresponding method.
You can define a pre or post method for each SAP method.
As an alternative, you can create an overwrite method, which replaces the SAP
method. Such methods are called automatically at the described points in the SAP
method. They are instance methods of an automatically generated local class, and
possess an attribute called CORE_OBJECT, which is a reference to the current
instance of the SAP application.

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Unit 4: Adjusting SAP Standard Software SCM516

Figure 119: Explicit Enhancement Points and Sections

An explicit enhancement point is an option provided in advance by SAP to allow


you to enhance the SAP source code without making a modification. An explicit
enhancement section is an option provided by SAP that allows you to replace the
SAP source code without making a modification. Explicit enhancement points and
sections are always embedded in enhancement spots
Implicit enhancement sections do not exist.
Explicit enhancement points and sections that enable source code changes or
replacement are called “dynamic”. Explicit enhancement points and sections that
enable declaration enhancement or replacement are called “static”.
To use explicit enhancement points and sections, implement an enhancement
implementation (an implementation of the higher-level enhancement spot).
The following step sequence describes the procedure for using explicit
enhancement points and enhancement sections:
• Display the SAP object (program, function module, or method).
• Find the desired enhancement point(s) / sections(s).
• Choose the Enhancement button in the GUI status.
• Create the enhancement implementation for the enhancement
point/enhancement section using the context menu.
• Specify the enhancement implementation name.
• Enter the source code.
• Choose the Activate Enhancements button in the GUI status.

200 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


SCM516 Lesson: Enhancement Types

Reasons for the New BAdI Technology

• Why new BAdl technology?


– Performance improvement
– Implementation of additional functions

- Enhanced filter concepts


- Option to inherit attributes from cample implementation
Classes (selective method redefinition)
• Integration into the new Enhancement Framework
– Together with enhancement points and enhancement sections
• Integration into the Switch Framework
SAP introduced the new BAdI technology in SAP NetWeaver Application Server
7.0 primarily to improve performance and enhance functions.
The integration of the new BAdIs, as well as enhancement points and enhancement
sections, into the enhancement framework enables you to use the new enhancement
options within a single, unified tool.
By integrating the new enhancement technology into the Switch Framework, SAP
enables you to use switches to activate and deactivate the BAdI implementations
implemented by industry solutions.
Older BAdIs, which were created using the classical technology, remain in the
system. In the future, new enhancements will only be implemented using the new
BAdI technology or using explicit enhancement points and enhancement sections.

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Unit 4: Adjusting SAP Standard Software SCM516

Figure 120: New BAdIs: Architecture

The new BAdI technology works in the same way as the old technology. However,
adapter classes are no longer required, which saves the SAP application program
from having to instantiate them.
Instead, at the application program's runtime, the system generates a BAdI handle
in the kernel, which performs the same function as the adapter class, but calls the
available implementation methods much more efficiently.
Searching for BAdIs

• Free Search: SE84


– List of freely selected BAdIs or enhancement spots
• Application related search: SE81 → SE84
– List of application-related BAdIs or enhancement spots
• Program-related search:
1. Global search for “GET BADI”
(you may also search in called function modules and methods)
2. Double-click on the reference variable to navigate to the variable
definition
3. Double-click on the BAdI name to navigate to the display for the
corresponding enhancement spot.

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SCM516 Lesson: Enhancement Types

Figure 121: Filter-Dependent BAdIs

The figure above displays the concept of filter-dependent BAdIs, which


corresponds to the classical BAdI concept.
However, the functions have been enhanced. Numerical filters can now also be
used.
Also, you can now specify, for implementations, not only individual filter values,
but also filter conditions by using the operators <>, >, <, >=, <=, CP, and NP.
You can also define filters for a given BAdI.

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Unit 4: Adjusting SAP Standard Software SCM516

Figure 122: Switch Framework

The Switch Framework was conceived to give SAP customers the option to
activate industry solutions or Enterprise Add-Ons, rather than having to install
them.
The figure above displays the relationship between individual repository objects,
switches, business functions, and business function sets (industry solutions). You
can use transaction SFW5 to activate industry solutions or Enterprise Add-Ons.
Only then are the corresponding repository objects available.
If a switchable package contains enhancement implementations, they only become
active in the system when you activate the corresponding business function.

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SCM516 Lesson: Enhancement Types

Figure 123: SAP Software Change Registrations

When a developer creates or changes a repository object for the first time, the
system will prompt him or her for a developer key. This key can be obtained by
means of a corresponding one-time SSCR developer registration. The developer
key is linked to the developer’s user ID and the license number of the SAP system.
You need an object-related access key (object key) for every repository object that
is to be modified. You can get this by means of SSCR object registration. When
you register, you must specify the repository object name, the object type, and the
SAP system license number and its release.

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Unit 4: Adjusting SAP Standard Software SCM516

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SCM516 Lesson: Enhancement Types

Exercise 8: Using Business Add-Ins


Exercise Objectives
After completing this exercise, you will be able to:
• Implement an enhancement with Business Add-Ins.

Business Example
The customer service personnel in the agency want the list of bookings that you
implemented in the exercise on menu exits to contain more information. The list
should contain the name of the customer in addition to his customer number.

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Unit 4: Adjusting SAP Standard Software SCM516

Task 1:
The CATT needs to create SAPBC425_BOOKING_##.
Check if program SAPBC425_BOOKING_## (## = group number) can be
enhanced.

1. Check the program for ways in which it can be enhanced.

2. Check if an enhancement option is suitable for outputting further information


in the list.

Task 2:
Implement the enhancement you found. Call your implementation ZSCM615##.

1. What data is passed to the interfaces of the methods? Are there already fields
here that should be displayed in the list?

2. Table SCUSTOM contains the information about the customers. Get the
customer's name from his customer number. Output the name.

Task 3:
Format the list.
1. How can you move the vertical line so that the additional fields are displayed
within the frame?
2. Is the CHANGE_VLINE method suitable for changing the position of the
vertical line? If so, use it.

Continued on next page

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SCM516 Lesson: Enhancement Types

Task 4:
Check your results

1.

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Unit 4: Adjusting SAP Standard Software SCM516

Solution 8: Using Business Add-Ins


Task 1:
The CATT needs to create SAPBC425_BOOKING_##.
Check if program SAPBC425_BOOKING_## (## = group number) can be
enhanced.
1. Check the program for ways in which it can be enhanced.
Answer: Place the cursor in the list and choose F1 → Technical Info.
Double-click on the program name (You can also start directly in the ABAP
Editor.). Look for the character string CL_EXITHANDLER in the program.
Double-click the transfer parameter exit_book. Double-click the interface
used to define the type of exit_book. The name of the Business Add-In is
the name following IF_EX_ ( BADI_BOOK##).
2. Check if an enhancement option is suitable for outputting further information
in the list.
Answer: Start transaction SE18 (Business Add-In definition). Read the
documentation about Business Add-Ins.

Task 2:
Implement the enhancement you found. Call your implementation ZSCM615##.
1. What data is passed to the interfaces of the methods? Are there already fields
here that should be displayed in the list?
Answer: Add-Ins using Implementation → Create. Call your
implementation ZSCM516##.
You can display the interface parameters by double-clicking the method in
transaction SE18. In the Class Builder, place the cursor on the required
method and choose “Parameters”. The transfer structure does not contain the
fields that you want to display in the list. You have to read the corresponding
data separately.

Continued on next page

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SCM516 Lesson: Enhancement Types

2. Table SCUSTOM contains the information about the customers. Get the
customer's name from his customer number. Output the name.
a) Double-click on the method name to go to the Editor. A proposal for
implementing the methods is given below (group 00):
METHOD if_ex_badi_book00~output.
DATA:
name TYPE s_custname.
SELECT SINGLE name
FROM scustom
INTO name
WHERE id = i_booking-customid.
WRITE: name.
ENDMETHOD.

Task 3:
Format the list.
1. How can you move the vertical line so that the additional fields are displayed
within the frame?
a) Parameter c_pos defines the position of the right vertical line
2. Is the CHANGE_VLINE method suitable for changing the position of the
vertical line? If so, use it.
a) The method can be implemented as follows:
METHOD if_ex_badi_book00~change_vline.
c_pos = c_pos + 25.
ENDMETHOD.

Task 4:
Check your results
1.
Answer:

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Unit 4: Adjusting SAP Standard Software SCM516

Lesson Summary
You should now be able to:
• Find the different enhancement types provided by SAP and decide which
one to implement.

212 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


SCM516 Unit Summary

Unit Summary
You should now be able to:
• Explain the terms original, copy, correction, repair, customizing,
modification, and enhancement
• Describe some options that are available for adjusting SAP standard software
to your company’s requirements.
• Find the different enhancement types provided by SAP and decide which
one to implement.

2008 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 213


Course Summary SCM516

Course Summary
You should now be able to:

• Configure and apply Master Data Enhancements to both the material and
vendor Master
• Create Quickviews with the help of Quickviewer
• IDOC Generation
• Activate Workflow Process for Procurement
• Define search helps
• Define Text Copy Rules
• Perform Mass Maintenance and Document Adjustment
• Perform Archiving and Deleting.

Related Information
Recommended Follow-Up Courses
• SAPSRM
• SRM100
• SMI410
• SM520
• SM510
• SM100
Recommended Follow-Up Activities
• Go through the exercises using IDES data or your own data
• Read the online documentation
• Read the Implementation Guide (IMG)
• Read Release Notes.

214 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 2008


Feedback
SAP AG has made every effort in the preparation of this course to ensure the
accuracy and completeness of the materials. If you have any corrections or
suggestions for improvement, please record them in the appropriate place in the
course evaluation.

2008 © 2008 SAP AG. All rights reserved. 215

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