Editing Step Lists and Assigning Variants (SAP Library

Editing Step Lists and Assigning Variants

1. Choose Steps to access the step list for the background job, to edit the desired steps, or to assign variants to them.

A job can consist of multiple steps to be processed sequentially. A step consists of a single program (ABAP program or an external program), and possibly a variant and user name as well. Several reports can be started within a given background job. If you plan a background job, this defines a minimum of one step when you enter the program. You can assign a variant to this step.

Note

Choose Goto ® Maintain variants to leave the step list and display the ABAP Variant Maintenance initial screen. Here you can edit the standard variants that come with the program or create new variants for the program.

2. To edit a job and assign the desired variants to it, select the desired job and use the following functions:

Change

In the Steps editing screen, you can determine which of the previously defined, online variants should be used for the report. In the Variants field, enter the variant you wish to use when processing the report.

Choose Variant list to display a directory of all saved variants. Variants can be incorporated into the step's Change screen from this overview.

The User and Program name fields are defaulted, but you can overwrite them.

Choose Print specifications to display the print parameters screen for background processing. Enter the output device, the number of printouts, and, if necessary, the spool control data and the output format.

Caution

Remember to save the print specifications and the step variants. Afterwards, save the job definition. Saving this information releases the job for processing.

Create

Choose Create if you have already entered a background job and would like to add more steps.

If you choose ABAP program, you can vary the program, the variants, the user, or any combination of these three fields. The step defined in this manner will be added to the selected job.

Choose External program to enter the name, parameter, and target host.

Select/Move

Choose Select and Move to change the order of the steps in the step list. To do so, choose Select to mark a step, select the location where you want the step to be moved to, and choose Move.

Display

The data for the selected step appears.

Delete

This deletes the selected step.

Spool list

Provides information about created spool requests.

For more information, see the Process Example: Enhancing a Background Job.