Issue Sequence

Definition

The issue sequence lists the issues of a media product in the order in which they are delivered to customers. Each entry in the issue sequence corresponds to a media issue.

Use

Product planning

The issue sequence is used in planning of the media issues for a media product . When you access the issue sequence for a media product, you can restrict the period displayed according to publication dates, copy numbers, or media issues.

You have the following options for planning the media issues for a media product in the issue sequence:

  • Editing of issue sequence using the following functions:

    • Creation of entries in the issue sequence using a rule for assigning default entries, by copying another issue sequence or by selecting the publication dates from a graphical calendar.

    • Management of entries in the issue sequence (insert, delete, mark entry for generation)

    • Generation of media issue master records according to the entries in the issue sequence

    • Setting archiving indicator in the issue sequence

      This process is only available if you have activated the business function Media: Press Distribution 2 (MED_PDEX_1).

      The system checks if there are dependent objects for the media issues. If this is not the case, the system selects the archiving indicator To Be Archived indicator in the issue sequence. The system also sets a deletion flag in the material master record for the media issue. You use the archiving object for material master records to archive the media issue. The system only archives a media issue if the above indicator is selected for it in the issue sequence. Once it has been archived, the media issue remains in the issue sequence and is marked Archive. For more information about archiving media issues, see Media Product Master Records .

  • Display of media issues for a media product

    The issue sequence gives you an overview of the planned media issues, those marked for creation, and those created for the media product. Each entry in the issue sequence is assigned a traffic light symbol, which indicates the status of the entry as follows:

    Status

    Icon

    Meaning

    Planned

    Red

    No master record in the media product master for the entry.

    Marked

    Yellow

    The entry is flagged for generation of the corresponding media issue master records. When you save the issue sequence, the system responds as follows:

    • If the allowed number of media issues that can be created in dialog processing (specified in Customizing) is not exceeded, the system creates the corresponding media issues immediately.

    • Otherwise, the system displays a dialog box, in which you can make the following decisions:

    • Start generation immediately in background processing

    • Start date and time for generation in background processing

    • Manual start of generation (separate execution of the generation function)

    Active

    Green

    The entry contains a media issue whose master record has been created in the media product master.

  • Chronological sequence

    You can select an indicator in the issue sequence specifying that the issues in the sequence are always sorted in chronological order. This setting applies to all media products that are synchronized with the product master in Subscription Sales and Distribution. It is also a prerequisite for the following processes:

    • Search for issues by date intervals

    • Creation of certain data such as fixing intervals in quantity planning or suspensions of quantity planning in the business partner (POS planning calendar).

    • Contract data: It is possible to check the validity of a contract or an issue sequence.

      If the indicator is not selected, the chronological sequence of the media issues is irrelevant. This means, for example, that you can also make entries without specifying a publication date.

    Note Note

    Note that many follow-on functions in Media Product Sales and Distribution are not available to you for non-chronological issue sequences.

    End of the note.

The diagram below illustrates the structure and the most important maintenance functions in the issue sequence for a media product – from creating the entries (1) through marking them for generation (2) and generating the media issue master records (3).

Structure

The issue sequence is displayed as a table and you can determine its content by selecting columns. The entries for the issue sequence can contain the following data:

  • Operative data

    • Media issue (material number)

    • Sequence number

  • Planned data

    • Template media issue

    • Copy number

    • Year number

    • Actual issue variant type

    • Standard issue variant type

    • Issue number

    • Publication date

    • Short Name

    • Maintenance status of material

    • Assignment of media issue to quantity plan horizon

    • Status (traffic light symbol)

Integration

Quantity Plan Horizon

You can use the buttons Set Start and Set End to define an interval of media issues as the quantity plan horizon on the screen for the issue sequence.

Note Note

You can only change the start and end of the quantity plan horizon if the selection covers the entire horizon as a minimum.The quantity plan horizon covers an interval in the issue sequence without gaps.

End of the note.

The quantity plan horizon has the following effect on quantity planning: if the quantity plan horizon is defined, the system only creates missing quantity plan records for media issues that are within the horizon when you access the quantity plan. (If no horizon is defined, the system creates plan records for all the media issues in the issue sequence.) The quantity plan records are required for quantity planning and are not visible in the user interface.

You must restrict the quantity plan records created automatically for archiving purposes. You can only archive quantity planning records before the start of the horizon. You cannot create new quantity plan records in the archived period (outside the quantity plan horizon). By moving the horizon into the future ( Start of the navigation path Edit Next navigation step Quantity Plan Horizon Next navigation step Move End of the navigation path ), you release quantity plan records for archiving.

You can use the background function for moving the quantity plan horizon for a selection of media products (program RJKSDHORIZONSHIFT) to refresh the horizons automatically at regular intervals, for example, daily.

Product Synchronization

Product synchronization for media issues in the product master in Periodical Sales and Distribution (with issues) takes place based on the issue sequence.

Note Note

Only media issues that are in an issue sequence are updated as issues during product synchronization.

End of the note.

Circulation planning for issues in Periodical Sales and Distribution is only possible for a period if the corresponding media issues are included in the issue sequence for the entire period and have been created.

No Product Synchronization

If product synchronization with Periodical Sales and Distribution does not take place, you can also include media issues for which the publication date is not relevant in an issue sequence, for example copies without a publication date, serials.