Progress Tracking enables you to closely monitor the progress of network components in the Project System and purchase orders in Materials Management, by tracking events that you have defined in Customizing for Progress Tracking or in the Progress Tracking function itself.

Progress Tracking is a new function that contains all the features of the Monitoring Dates function related to Materials Management in the Project System. Progress Tracking, however, is enhanced by a more flexible Customizing for creating default settings, as well as additional functions, such as status information, mass change, copying, filtering, and printing features, and overall analysis. The use of new technology enables you to create user and application-specific layouts and provides a more user-friendly interface.

You can use Progress Tracking for the following objects:

• Network components
• Purchase orders

The object that you monitor in Progress Tracking is referred to as the Progress Tracking object.

Before you reach the main Progress Tracking screen, there is a two-stage selection process, which enables you to select those network components or purchase orders whose progress you wish to monitor. On the initial selection screen, you have the option of using customer-specific data fields to limit your selection.

The main Progress Tracking screen has a clearly arranged and intuitive interface, which is independent of the current object that you are tracking. As it is made up of two SAP List Viewer (ALV) overviews, you can define and maintain user or application-specific layouts.

To monitor the progress of a Progress Tracking object, you define Progress Tracking events in Customizing for Progress Tracking or in the Progress Tracking function itself. You can define whichever events you require, for example, milestones in the production or purchasing process, such as a goods receipt, or an internal event such as the creation of a purchase order.

For the events, you can:

• Enter up to four date types
• Stipulate dates for events using enhancements for either system dates or external data
• Schedule dates for events, and analyze variances

Progress Tracking provides numerous enhancements (Business Add-Ins) that you can configure individually for the functions offered.