Using Text Symbols in Process Instructions (SAP Library

Using Text Symbols in Process Instructions

Use

You use this function in process instructions for the R/3 PI sheet to refer to the value of another characteristic from a short text or long text (or from an alphanumeric characteristic value).

In the process order, the system replaces the text symbol with the corresponding characteristic value:

When you start automatic characteristic value assignment
When you create the control recipe that contains the process instruction

Prerequisites

The text field is long enough and can accommodate the text symbol (see information on the syntax in the Features section).

In addition, one of the following requirements is met:

The value of the characteristic to which the text symbol refers can be assigned automatically in the process order or when you create a control recipe.
You maintain a process data request or process data calculation formula. The characteristic to which the text symbol refers is assigned as a message characteristic in the same process instruction.

The process instruction assistant does not support text symbols that refer to the value of a control characteristic.

Features

Depending on whether you maintain your process instructions in the process instruction assistant or on the characteristic overview, you create the text symbols with the help of the system or manually (see the Activities section).
If you create text symbols manually, you must use the following syntax:

For characteristics whose values can be assigned automatically:
&<characteristic name in capital letters>&
(refer to Text Symbols for Automatic Value Assignment - Example)

For message characteristics that are assigned to the same process instruction:
&<four-digit sort number assigned to the characteristic in the process instruction>&
(refer to Text Symbols for Message Characteristics - Example)

Activities

In the process instruction assistant, you insert text symbols in short texts with the help of the system (refer to Inserting Text Symbols in the PI Assistant).

In the following cases, you must insert text symbols manually following the syntax described above:

In short texts, if you maintain your process instructions on the characteristic overview

In long texts, irrespective of whether you use the process instruction assistant or the characteristic overview

To manually insert the text symbol, you proceed as follows:

If you use the SAPscript editor, you directly insert the text symbol in the text field.

For more information on how to insert text symbols in the PC editor, see Inserting Text Symbols in the PC Editor.