Type 0: Definition of Input Validations (SAP Library

Type 0: Definition of Input Validations

Use

When defining characteristics in Customizing, you can specify an allowed value range for each characteristic. The settings you make here apply to all process instructions and messages in which the characteristic is used.

If you want to restrict the value range even further for a specific input value, you can define an input validation for it in the process instruction. In the input validation, you determine:

Which validation rule is used to check the input value in the browser-based PI sheet or process manufacturing cockpit

Whether invalid values are transferred to the PI sheet or cockpit and how this is done

Prerequisites

The following requirements must be met for both PI sheets and cockpits:

If you want to use a check function to check the input value, a suitable function module must have been created in the system.

To create or display function modules, go to Customizing for Process Management and choose Process Instructions -> Define PI Categories for R/3 PI Sheet Using Characteristic Overview -> Assign Characteristics to Dynamic Function Calls -> Create Function Modules for Dynamic Function Calls.

The following requirements must only be met for PI sheets:

If a signature must be entered to accept invalid input values in the PI sheet, you must specify in Customizing for Control Recipe Destinations which type of signature you want to use in the PI sheet. You have the following options:

Signature without a password check

Digital signature

If several individual signatures are to be executed, you also specify the signature strategy in the control recipe destination.

For more information about digital signatures and the required settings, see Approval Using Digital Signatures.

The following requirements must only be met for cockpits:

You can define Signatures without a password check in cockpits. Digital signatures may not be used.

Activities

Validation Rule

In the process instruction, you can define the validation rule for the input validation as follows:

As a check formula for numeric values

Characteristic	Meaning	Value
PPPI_VALIDATION_FORMULA	Check formula (max. 8 times)	Boolean formula (see Syntax of check formulas)

As a check function for all values

Characteristic	Meaning	Value
PPPI_VALIDATION_FUNCTION	Check function	Function module name

You must include the parameters of the function module in the process instruction directly after the characteristic for the check function. For more information, see Type 0: Definition of Export Parameters.

Processing Invalid Input Values

In addition to the validation rule, you can also enter the following information to control how invalid input values are processed:

Warning
If you enter an invalid value in the PI sheet, the system issues this warning in addition to the standard message.

Accept invalid values
If you do not specify anything here, invalid values can be accepted without restrictions. You can define the following restrictions:

Invalid values are not accepted
Invalid values are only accepted with a signature

Depending on the settings made in the control recipe destination, the PI sheet requests a signature without a password, one digital signature, or several individual signatures defined in a signature strategy. In cockpits, you may only use signatures without a password. You must also enter a comment for digital signatures.

The input value is not reported automatically when the signature is executed. Once you have entered a correct value again, the system automatically accepts this value, which means you do not need to execute another signature.

Authorization to execute the signature
For signatures without a password check or for digital signatures, you can specify that a user requires a special maintenance authorization for the PI sheet to execute the signature.

The system then checks if the activity specified in the process instruction has been included in authorization object C_CRPI_BER in the user master record.

Irrespective of the settings you make here, the system checks the following authorizations for digital signatures:

Activity 73 (Archive) in authorization object C_CRPI_BER (PI sheet)
For individual signatures in a signature strategy, the authorization group for the individual signature in authorization object C_SIGN_BGR (authorization groups for digital signatures)

Signature strategy for digital signatures in PI sheets
You can define a signature strategy for digital signatures in PI sheets. This ensures that invalid values must be signed by several people. In the signature strategy, you specify which individual signatures are required.
You can assign a signature strategy in the control recipe destination. This strategy is then used for all input validations. If you want to use a different strategy for a particular process instruction, you assign the strategy to this process instruction.
The signature strategy must be carried out synchronously in the PI sheet. This means that the individual signatures must be executed immediately one after another.

Activities

To enter this data in the process instruction, you assign the following characteristics immediately after the validation rule:

Characteristic

Meaning

Value

PPPI_TEXT_FOR_INVALID_INPUT

Warning

Long text (see also Using Text Symbols)

PPPI_ACCEPT_INVALID_INPUT

Invalid values are accepted

No
Yes
With signature only

PPPI_SIGNATURE_AUTHORIZATION

Authorization required for signature without a password or digital signature

Any value for the Activity field in the authorization object C_CRPI_BER

In PI sheets only:
PPPI_SIGNATURE_STRATEGY
(See also Process Instructions for Process Manufacturing Cockpits)

Signature strategy
(for digital signatures only)

Strategy defined in Customizing