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The partner function category Undefined Partner is a free category that you can use when none of the other partner function categories suits your needs. The benefit is that you can create partner functions, and include them in transactions, even when none of the predefined categories is appropriate.

 

The system's processing of the category Undefined Partner is limited. Normally, there are certain system functions or rules associated with a function category, for example the system “knows” that a sales transaction must include a sold-to party. However, in the case of the Undefined Partner there are almost none.

  • You can specify that a partner function assigned to this category must be included in a certain transaction type, just as you would with any other category. The system then searches for and enters a partner, or asks the user to do so manually.

  • When you assign a partner function to this category, you can choose any relationship category, either an existing one or one you create yourself, to correspond to it. However, the relationship category Is the Undefined Partner Of corresponds only to the partner function category Undefined Partner.

Example

Using “Undefined Partner”

When you have determined that none of the pre-defined partner function categories suits your needs, undefined partner is the best choice:

  1. You have an investment business, and to help keep track of your customers, you have created the new relationship category Is the Stock Options Analyst. You want the system to be able to handle partners of this category in transactions, and therefore you need a corresponding partner function.

  2. You define the new partner function Stock Options Analyst, but there is no partner function category that fits your needs, and so you choose Undefined Partner. You enter Is the Stock Options Analyst as the corresponding relationship category.

  3. You can now enter this partner function in transactions, and the system will recognize that the partners with the relationship Is the Stock Options Analyst can carry out this function.

Customizing activities:

  •   Cross-Application Components   SAP Business Partner   Business Partner Relationships   Extensibility  

  •   Customer Relationship Management   Basic Functions   Partner Processing   Define Partner Functions  

Avoiding “Undefined Partner”

Because the system's processing of this partner function category is limited, we recommend you avoid using it when one of the other categories works:

  1. You have a real estate company, own several apartment buildings and rent the apartments to tenants. You want to create the new partner function Tenant, but the partner function category Tenant does not exist. However, you do not need to use Undefined Partner or create the new relationship category Is the Tenant Of, as there is a simpler solution.

  2. In terms of the business processes in which they are involved, your tenants are basically Sold-To Parties. Therefore, you maintain master data for them either with no specific role or the role Sold-To Party, and you create the new partner function Tenant and assign it to the partner function category Sold-To Party. There is no corresponding relationship category for Sold-To Party, so you leave this blank.

  3. You can then include this new partner function in transaction documents, enter your tenants as the partners carrying out this function, and the system automatically enters other necessary data.