Correspondence Using SAP Smart Forms 

Use

SAP Smart Form technology was developed in Basis (available as of Basis Release 4.6D) and replaces the previously used SAPscript forms. SAPscript forms are still available but there will be no further development on them. Migration from SAPscript to Smart Forms is possible, as is the use of SAPscript texts in Smart Forms.

Smart Forms are not word processing per se. They define the layout and output characteristics of templates, and generate documents in the output activity, based on the templates. The documents are not processed directly.

Integration

Using SAP Smart Forms you can make simple changes to forms and form logic with simple graphic tools. In 90% of all cases no additional programming is required. This makes it possible for a user who is familiar with the tools to configure forms and fill them with data from the SAP System for business processes. Smart Forms can be compared with function modules that can be called up in the SAP System after they are activated.

The form logic is completely reflected in the Smart Form. To print a form, you access it in the application program from where the application data is retrieved. Data retrieval and form logic are separate from each other, which has the advantage that only the Smart Form has to be modified if the logic is changed. The application program transfers the data to the Smart Form by way of the function module interface.

 

Features

Advantages

·        Enables high-performance mass printing (also as batch processing) with optional document archiving using the SAP ArchiveLink interface.

·        In typical Real Estate correspondence processes, there are no limits on retrieval and output of R/3 data. The system also supports the output of data in table form, as well as determining, calculating and displaying of customer-specific data.

·        Flexible, automatic control of the documents that are created for each business partner (role) (Correspondence Activities).  Correspondence activities are defined in Customizing. To do so, choose the following path in the application menu:

Customizing ® Customizing RE-FX ® Correspondence ® Smart Forms (Mass Print and Single Print) ® Correspondence Activities and Applications ®  Correspondence Activities

·        Support of e-mail and fax, depending on the technical options available to the business partner

·        Integration in the development landscape: transport connection, translation tools, and so on

 

 

Disadvantages

You cannot change a document once it is created! However, before you create a document you can copy any section of the text into a text editor. This text is then output in the correct place in the template.

This procedure is suitable for short pieces of correspondence such as a general letter. It is not suitable for a complicated contract with several individual text passages.

 

 

Activities

Correspondence activities are defined by the system and relate to one specific Real Estate object. The following correspondence applications are defined for master data objects:

·       General letter

·       Master data summary

The following correspondence applications are available for contracts:

·       General letter

·       Master data summary

·       Contract form

·       Tenant account form

·       Service charge settlement

·       Notice/confirmation of notice

Each correspondence application has a transaction for mass print  and single print.

Dunning correspondence is an exception because it is handled using correspondence functions of the Financial Accounting component. The Smart Form variant of the dunning form is used in Flexible Real Estate Management but you have to make the Customizing settings and access the dunning correspondence in Financial Accounting. To do this, choose the following path:

SAP Customizing Implementation Guide ® Financial Accounting ®Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable ® Dunning ® Printout.