You can use this function to display several process instructions of type Simple data request together in a table in the browser-based PI sheet. In this way, you can display information of the same kind in a clearly laid-out and structured way.

In Repeated data requests, by contrast, one process instruction is copied and displayed in a table.

The grouped process instructions must meet the following requirements:

• They are of the type Simple data request.
• They belong to the same process instruction category.
• Their logical structure with regard to input fields, output fields, and so on is identical.
• No text symbols are used in the labels.

You can group all process instructions of the same process instruction category. Whether a characteristic must have the same value in all process instructions, depends on the characteristic. However, the following characteristics must be at the same logical position in all grouped process instructions:

To group process instructions of the same kind, you enter an XML definition in the long text for characteristic PPPI_LAYOUT in the layout definition. You have the following options:

• To specify explicitly that all process instructions of the same process instruction category are grouped automatically, you add a * (asterisk) in the <INSTRUCTIONS>/<GROUP> tag.

• If you only want to group process instructions of a specific process instruction category, you specify the corresponding process instruction category. You can define any number of <GROUP> tags.

• If you want to specify explicitly that no grouping is to take place, you only define the <INSTRUCTIONS> tag without any further specifications.

The following example illustrates how you can create a clearly structured material list:

1. In Customizing for the SAP System, you define a process instruction of type 0 in which:

• The required information is output
• All required entries for an individual item in the material list can be made

2. In Customizing of the SAP System, you define for the control recipe destination to be used that this process instruction is to be generated automatically at the beginning of the control recipe for every item in the material list.

In the standard style sheet, all generated process instructions are automatically grouped and displayed in a table with a heading.

This process instruction example contains the following definitions:

• An output field for the material description
• An output field for the target value
• An output field for the unit of measure
• An input field with a default value (= target value) and an input validation (actual value = target value +/- 5%)
• An input field for the batch
• An input value for the signature

The system automatically generates the following:

• Two process messages (PI_CONS and SIGN) from the data during processing
• One table line for every item in the material list
• A unique variable name ('MYVAR&0050&') for the default value for every reservation item using PPPI_RESERVATION_ITEM as the text symbol (&0050&). The variable is also used in the formula.