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Set Up
Procedure with Classification
In this step, you set up the release procedure
with classification. You can also link the release procedure to workflow.
(Note that in this context "releasing" means "approving", or giving the "green
light" to a document.)
Requirements
- In the case of a release procedure linked to
workflow, you must have previously created in the organizational plan the user
names, positions, jobs, etc. that you here assign to the release code, and
must have linked them to the relevant standard tasks in task-specific
Customizing (Basis -> Business Management -> Business Workflow ->
Perform Task-Specific Customizing).
- You must assign the authorization
M_EINK_FRG to the persons who are to be involved in this release
procedure (Authorization Management -> Create Authorization
Profiles and Assign to Users).
Activities
Here you specify the following:
Release group
Define a release group for your release
procedure:
- Specify for the release group either "overall
release" or "item-wise release" using the OverReqRel (overall
requisition release) indicator.
Note
You determine whether a purchase requisition can be released in total or item
by item via the document type. If, for example, you have defined the former,
that is, the overall release, for document type "NB - purchase requisition", a
requisition of the document type "NB" cannot be released on an item-wise
basis. For this reason, the release group for overall release, for example,
only applies to the document types with overall release.
- Assign a class, thus defining release
conditions for the release procedure.
Note
You must assign the same class to all release groups with the same type of
release (item-wise or overall).
Example
You have assigned the class "banf_gesamt" to the release group for overall
release "01". If you create release group "02" for overall release too, you
must likewise assign the class "banf_gesamt" to this release
group.
Release codes
Here you create the
release codes that you need for your release
strategy and assign the codes to your release group. If a release code is to
be used in workflow, indicate this accordingly in the
Workflow field.
The Workflow indicator is also
used to control role resolution:
- "1 - Role Resolution with Group, Code and
Plant (T16FW)"
Here you use a role resolution that is supplied in the standard system. To do
so, you must assign the release point in the section Workflow (see
below).
- "9 - Role Resolution via User Exit"
Here you usecustomer exit M06B0001 to define a role resolution of your
own.
Release indicators
Arelease indicator shows the release status of
a purchase requisition. Predefined release indicators which you can use for
your release strategy are available in the standard system.
If you need additional release indicators, you
must maintain the following:
- Release status
In the Details area, you specify the status a requisition
with this release indicator is to have. For example, in the standard system it
is possible to solicit quotations in respect of a requisition with release
indicator "1 - RFQ".
- Field selection key
Via the field selection key, you specify which fields in a purchase
requisition with this release indicator can be changed or must be populated,
for example.
- Changes after start of release
process
- With the Changeability indicator, you
specify the effects of changes to a requisition. For example, certain changes
may require a new release strategy to be determined for the
requisition.
- Via the Value change field, you can
cause the release strategy to be re-started if the value of a purchase
requisition item is increased by more than a certain percentage (e.g. 10%). To
do so, set the Changeability indicator to "4 - Changeable, new
release in case of new strategy or value change" and enter a percentage in the
Value change field.
Attention:
The following release indicators are necessary for every
release procedure:
- Release indicator for initial
status
As a rule, a purchase requisition must be released before an RFQ/quotation or
a purchase order relating to the requisition can be entered. For this reason,
when a purchase requisition is created, a release indicator is assigned to it
which prevents an RFQ/quotation or purchase order from being created with
reference to the requisition.
On the detail screen for this indicator, you may not select
the indicator for release for the issue of RFQs and POs.
In the standard system, the release indicator "x - blocked" is already
defined.
- Release indicator for released
status
On the detail screen for this indicator, you must select the indicator for
release for the issue of RFQs or POs. At least one of the indicators must be
selected.
In the standard system, several release indicators are predefined in this way.
For example, quotations can be solicited for a requisition with the release
indicator "1 - RFQ".
Release strategies
Create a release strategy for your release
group and assign your release codes accordingly.
With
the
release
prerequisites, you specify the order in which the individual release points
(individuals or departments) represented by the release codes may release the
document.
Example
The following table
shows release prerequisites for a strategy with four release
codes:
Code/Release
prerequisite
|
|
01 |
02 |
03 |
04 |
|
01 |
- |
[ ] |
[ ] |
[ ] |
|
02 |
[x] |
- |
[ ] |
[ ] |
|
03 |
[x] |
[x] |
- |
[ ] |
|
04 |
[x] |
[x] |
[x] |
- |
|
In this release
strategy, the codes 01, 02, 03, and 04 must successively release the purchase
requisition.
Read the table from
left to right. For instance, the third line for release code 03: For code 03,
release via code 01 and code 02 is a prerequisite. That is to say, the
purchase requisition must be released via codes 01 and 02 before it can be
released via code 03.
Here you specify the
status a requisition has after certain release points have effected
release.
Specify which
release indicator/status a requisition is to have after having been released
via a certain release code.
In classification,
you maintain the values assigned to the characteristics. Via the
characteristics and their values, you specify the requisitions to which your
release strategy is assigned.
Maintain values
(individual values or intervals) for your characteristics.
Note
Value intervals can only be specified for numerical values. For example, an
interval of $10,000 to $15,000 for the value of a requisition
item.
Example
Two characteristics
and their values have been maintained in classification for release strategy
'BA':
- Document type -
'NB - purchase requisition'
- Total value -
above $10,000
All requisitions of
the document type 'NB' and a total value in excess of $10,000 are thus subject
to a release procedure with the release strategy 'BA'.
The release
simulation function enables you to check which status a requisition will
achieve with this release strategy if release is effected by a certain release
point.
Choose "Simulate
release" and release the document with the desired release code by
double-clicking. The system shows you which status the RFQ now has as a result
of this release.
Workflow
Note
You only have to
perform this step if you wish to link this release procedure to workflow and
are not using customer exit
M06B0001.
Assign a processor
ID to the workflow-relevant release codes. The processor (member of staff
responsible for processing the document) will then receive a work item when he
or she is required to effect release.
You can assign a
processor ID either directly or indirectly:
- Direct processor assignment:
Enter a user
name.
- Indirect processor assignment:
Enter ajob, for
example, or a position. At runtime, the system will then determine the
member(s) of staff responsible for processing the document.
Note
If you implement
Overall release for the purchase requisition, you must create
an entry for each combination of release group and workflow-relevant release
code. You do not specify a plant in this entry.
This entry is
required to enable the SAP System to assign a processor to a purchase
requisition that is subject to release, if the items in this purchase
requisition contain more than one plant.
Example
|
Group |
Code |
Plant |
Object type |
Processor ID |
|
01 |
02 |
|
User |
Miller |
|
Customer
exit
Customer exit M06B0001 enables
you to define your own role resolution, which determines the person
responsible for releasing purchasing documents in workflow.
Further
Notes
Further information on how to set up a release
procedure linked to workflow is available via the menu options Help
-> Application help.