Implementation of a Release Procedure for Purchasing Documen

Implementation of a Release Procedure for Purchasing Documents

This section describes how the system determines the release strategy for a purchasing document, i.e. how a release procedure with classification is implemented. This basic knowledge will enable you to set up your own release procedure.

Prerequisites

You must have specified that the relevant purchasing document (for example, RFQ or PO) is subject to a release procedure.

When you define your release procedure, you assign the characteristics of a class to a release strategy via the release group. You assign values or value intervals to these characteristics individually for each release strategy.

Process Flow

The system carries out the following activities in order to determine the release strategy for a purchasing document:

Filling the communication structure

When you process a purchase order (PO), for example, the system passes on the data from the document to the communication structure CEKKO. Certain fields of the latter are determined from the PO data prior to the transfer. For example, the total value of all items is determined and passed on in this way.

Note

If you wish to use fields that are not included in the communication structure CEKKO to determine the release strategy, you must insert the relevant fields in the communication structure CEKKOZZ.

Via the customer exit M06E0004, you can then include in the communication structure data that is not included in the structure in the standard system.

Object search

After the data has been passed on to the communication structure, the system initiates an object search:

1. The system checks which class is defined in Customizing for the release procedure.
Note
There can be only one class for all purchasing documents (POs, contracts, scheduling agreements, etc.). This one class then constitutes the basis for the release procedures for all purchasing documents.

2. The system assigns the values from the communication structure CEKKO to the characteristics of this class.

3. Via the object search function, the system then identifies a release strategy whose characteristics accord with the values from the communication structure or lie within the specified interval.
The following search results are possible:

Just one release strategy is found.
The system assigns this release strategy to the purchasing document.

Several release strategies are found.
The system assigns the first release strategy found to the purchasing document.

No release strategy is found.
The system does not assign a release strategy to the purchasing document. The latter can be processed further without having to be released.

Example

In your enterprise, all purchase orders with a total value exceeding $5,000 have to be approved. Final release (final approval) must be effected by different "release points" (individuals or departments), depending on the value of the PO:

$5,000 to $10,000 - by the project manager

$10,000.01 to $15,000 - by the department manager

Above $15,000.01 - by the cost center manager

For this reason, three release strategies have been defined in Customizing:

	Strategy '01'	Strategy '02'
Char.	Value	Value		Value
Doc. type	NB	NB		NB
Tot. value	$5,000-10,000	$10,000.01-15,000	>$15,000.01

Process Flow

1.This purchase order with the document type 'NB' is created in the SAP System:

Item	Material	Qty.	Price/pc	Value of item
010	Telephone	350 pc	$200	$7000
020	Swivel chair	300 pc	$150	$4500
			___________
Total value of purchase order			$11,500

2.The data from the PO is passed on to the communication structure CEKKO. At the same time, the data is aggregated. For example, the total value of the PO ($11.500 DM) is determined and passed on to the communication structure.

3.The system checks the settings in Customizing for the release procedure. The class 'eink_bel' is assigned to the release procedure for purchasing documents.

4.The system assigns the values from the communication structure CEKKO to the characteristics of the class 'eink_bel'.
- Document type: NB
- Total value of PO: $11,500

5.The object search function is started and delivers release strategy '02' as the result, since the characteristics of the purchase order accord with the characteristics of the release strategy. The release strategy is assigned to the purchase order.