Sending of Short Messages Using Paging (SAP Library

Sending of Short Messages Using Paging

Use

When processing notifications and orders, you can send short messages to one or more partners using paging. This is possible from various screens:

Partner screen for the notification or order
Notification or order header
Graphical monitor for resource planning

Depending on where you are sending short messages from, you can reach different partners. The following partner types are available:

Contact person
User
Personnel
Customer

Integration

The components SAPoffice® and SAPconnect must be implemented to use the paging function. For more information, see BC – Basis Services / Communication Interface.

SAP provides a complete installation routine based on Install Shield. This can be used to install the required server programs on the communication server (Windows® 95, NT®). You should consult your certified SAP partner regarding extensions to ini-files.

Connection Between the Individual Components

Prerequisites

General Prerequisites

To send short messages, you must define sub-types for the pager services in Customizing by choosing Cross-Application Components ® General Application Functions ® Address Management.

When defining sub-types, you should consider the information made available by the certified paging provider for the R/3 System. This includes, for example:

Country	Certified Paging Provider	Supported Paging Services
Germany	Balloon	Telekom: For example, D1 SMS, Skyper, Cityruf, Scall Mannesmann: D2 SMS
USA	RPA	MCI, Skytel

Prerequisites for Sending from the Partner Screen

From the partner screen, you can send short messages to partners of the following partner types:

Contact person
User
Personnel
Customer

The partner function, which you specify on the partner data screen, must be assigned to one of these partner types using the partner determination procedure. The following data must also be defined for the partners:

Contact person Customer	These partner types are linked to the central address management function. Communication type PAG must be entered in the address data for these partners under Further communication.
User	Communication type PAG must be entered in the user master record under Further communication.
Personnel	The personnel master record must be assigned to info type 105 (communication) and a system user name. Communication type PAG must be entered in the assigned user master record under Further communication.

You must also define the sub-types for the pager services, which are available to the partner, in each address or user master record and select one as the standard service.

Prerequisites for Sending from the Notification Header

To send short messages from the header screen, you must define in Customizing the partner function for paging in the partner determination procedure, which is assigned to the notification or order type.

For notification types, choose:

Plant Maintenance and Customer Service ® Maintenance and Service Processing ® Basic Settings ® Partner Determination Procedure ® Define Partner Functions, Order Types and Other Notification Parameters

For order types, choose:

Plant Maintenance ® Maintenance and Service Processing ® Maintenance and Service Orders ® Partner Determination Procedure ® Assign Partner Determination Procedure to Order Types

In the standard system, a short message is always sent to one user. This means that communication type PAG must be entered in the user master record under Further communication. You must also define the sub-types for the pager services, which are available to the partner, and select one as the standard service.

Prerequisites for Sending from the Graphical Monitor

To send short messages from the graphical monitor, you must define the following data in the personnel master record for the technician:

You assign the personnel master record to a work center using Organizational Assignment.
You enter info type 105 (communication) and assign the system user name. You must also define the sub-types for the pager services in the assigned user master record and select one as the standard service.

You enter the personnel master record in the accompanying order under Technician.

Features

You can send short messages one after another to one or more partners. These short messages can also be predefined standard texts.

The integrated partner determination function offers the following advantages:

When you create a notification and specify a reference object, the partners from the reference object are copied to the notification.

When you create an order and specify a reference object or make reference to a notification, the partners are automatically copied from the reference object or notification to the order.

In both cases, you do not need to enter the partners first, but can contact them directly.

It is only possible to send short messages if the notification or order has not yet been completed. In addition, the notification or order must not be flagged for deletion. You can restrict the sending of short messages with user statuses.

When the first short message is sent, the system status PAGE is set automatically.

The short messages are only sent when the notification or order is saved. After the message has been transmitted, the pager provider confirms various communication or paging statuses. The following statuses are possible:

Triggered
Successful
Warning

Error

The pager provider does not inform the R/3 System whether the short message has reached its recipient.

The paging status can be displayed from the header screen, partner screen and graphical monitor. For the partner selected, you see all of the notifications and orders, from which short messages have been transmitted. The last status transmitted by the paging provider is displayed for each short message.

When using list editing, you can select notifications or orders according to particular paging statuses.

In the action log for a notification or an order, you can find an overview of all the short messages sent for each partner. For each address and message sent, the system generates an entry with the corresponding status.

All the short messages sent and the send history appear in the document flow for the notification and order. From there, you can also display the texts.

All short messages and their statuses are archived together with the notifications or orders.

Activities

Sending from the Header Screen

Choose Paging.

Sending from the Partner Screen

Select the required partner and choose Paging.

Sending from the Graphical Monitor

To send a short message with reference to the order, position the cursor on the order and choose Paging. The system proposes a standard text if one has been predefined for the order type.

To send a short message without reference to the order, position the cursor on the technician name and choose Paging. The system does not propose a standard text.