The PI sheet represents the result of a control recipe that was sent to a process operator and whose content is displayed as text on the screen. This means the PI sheet is an instruction for the process operator that describes how and in which order a product is manufactured. The PI sheet can, for example, contain information about the picking of raw materials as well as instructions about charging the mixer, filling silos, and so on.

The R/3 PI sheet is designed for processing on the screen, which means that the process operator should enter, confirm, report, or complete data interactively. In this way, the R/3 PI sheet enables communication between the R/3 System (PP-PI) and process operators in production lines that are operated manually (either fully or partially).

Depending on the process instructions contained in a control recipe, the PI sheet supports the following functions:

• Displaying control information such as instructions for the process operator on how to carry out production steps
• Displaying additional notes, such as notes on specific rules that must be followed when dealing with dangerous goods
• Recording of actual process data
• Reporting of entered and calculated values using process messages, for example, posting goods issues and receipts or time-ticket confirmations
• Navigating to other R/3 applications outside of PP-PI to make entries and afterwards return to the PI sheet
• Performing calculations, such as calculating dates
• Triggering a dialog or requesting data from internal or external applications

Each PI sheet consists of a header and a number of elements defined via the process instructions in the control recipe or by the process operator when he or she maintains the PI sheet.
These elements include:

• Control information and notes with additional information for the process operator
• Comments by the process operator
• Input fields for the actual process data to be reported
• Fields for values to be calculated by the system
• Pushbuttons that enable the process operator to call user-defined function modules or the QM function for recording inspection results

The data contained in the PI sheet is displayed on an overview screen and various detail screens for the individual elements.

The header is shown at the very top of a PI sheet's overview screen. It contains information on the following:

• The status of the PI sheet
• The process order for which the PI sheet was created
• The material to be produced
• The process operator or group of process operators responsible for maintaining the PI sheet

The lower section of the PI sheet comprises the phases. Depending on the content of the process instructions, they can contain the following information:

• Control information
  Control information for the process operator is displayed on the overview screen of the PI sheet. The information to be displayed is defined in a process instruction of the type "process parameter". In the PI sheet, the number of the process instruction and the corresponding phase of the process order is displayed before the control information.

• Additional information
  Additional information on a process step can be displayed on detail screens within the PI sheet. The information to be displayed is defined as a note in a process instruction of the type "process parameter".
  On the overview screen of the PI sheet, one or more pushbuttons are displayed below the corresponding control instruction. You can use these pushbuttons to call up the information on the detail screens.

• Comments
  Within the PI sheet, the process operator can create comments on individual process steps. These comments can either be saved in a special comment sheet within the PI sheet, or they can be reported to process management using a process message.
  The comment sheet can be accessed from the PI sheet's overview screen by choosing the corresponding menu option or the corresponding pushbutton in the header.
  Comment messages always refer to a specific process step. If a comment message has been created in the PI sheet, the document symbol as well as the beginning of the comment are displayed to the right of the corresponding control information. You can display the entire comment on a detail screen.

• Input values
  On the overview screen of the PI sheet, input fields are provided for the actual process data to be reported. The values to be reported are defined in process instructions of the type "process data request".
  Single input fields are displayed to the right of the preceding control instruction. If several values of the same type are to be reported, a corresponding table is displayed below the control instruction and the other input fields.

• Values to be calculated
  If you want the system to calculate a value in the PI sheet, a field for this value is displayed on the overview screen to the right of the preceding control instruction. If the value has not yet been calculated, the field contains a question mark (?). Values to be calculated are defined in process instructions of the type "process data calculation formula".

• Inspection results
  If inspection results are to be recorded for an operation or phase, the Record inspection results pushbutton is displayed in the PI sheet to the right of the preceding control instruction. Using this pushbutton, you can branch to the QM function for recording inspection results.
  The operations or phases for which inspection results are to be recorded are defined using a process instruction of the type "inspection results request".

• Dynamic function calls
  If an R/3 function module is to be called within the PI sheet (for example, to access order confirmation or material quantity calculation, or to start a user-defined function), a pushbutton with which you can start the function is displayed to the right of the preceding control instruction.
  The function to be called is defined using a process instruction of the type "dynamic function call".