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Use

You can apply a multiple-level release procedure to the main functions involved in processing master data and flow data. The release procedure is based on the dual control principle, and can be set up differently for individual areas. For example, you can require two employees to release loan master data but three employees to release disbursements. A release status is used to determine the release levels.

Prerequisites

You must set the relevant release objects to active in Customizing for Loans by choosing Transaction Management ® Release ® Maintain Active Indicators. You must also define how many employees will be required to release each object under Define Release Status Parameters. You need to make further settings under Maintain Workflow Settings.

Make the settings for the release object SAP Business Partner under Basic Settings ® SAP Business Partner for Financial Services ® SAP Business Partner ® Control ® Release.

Features

If the release object has been set to active, you can use the release workflow to process and release the following:

Interdependencies

One feature of the release procedure is that all the master data for a loan has to be released before further activities can be carried out (such as postings, or generating planned records). The loan master data includes the data for the loan itself, for the collateral object and for all the partners assigned to the loan. Flow data always relates to accounting activities. These include disbursements, individual business operations, waivers and write offs, payment postprocessing, capital transfer and reversal.

Note

Before you release the data, you can make changes. If you make changes to the data after it has been released, you have to release it again. The release status changes back to the initial status.

Moreover, you cannot enter a new flow record for a loan if an existing flow for the same posting application or a different posting application still has to be released. For example, the system will not let you enter a processing charge if a disbursement created previously has not yet been released.

Starting the release procedure

Each time you create a new release object or change an existing one, the system generates a new Structure linkWork item, thus starting the release procedure. The work item appears automatically in the business workplace inbox of the person who is authorized to process the object and release it.

For decision-making, the release procedure must be triggered manually. This is a special case. For more information, see Structure linkDecision-Making.

Release using the Business Workplace

  1. To do this, choose Office ® Workplace ® Inbox. The system displays the objects to be released in a table with the Structure linkSAP List Viewer
  2. Select a work item and choose Execute. The system displays the release history for the object, where you can see the changes to the release status. The release history is split into several parts:
    1. You see the Date and Time at which the object was created or changed.
    2. The person who created or changed the object is identified in the First name, Last name and User fields. You also see details for the Telephone (area code and number), the Extension, and the Department.
    3. The release procedure assigns a release status to the objects to be released. The release status tells you the current status of the data record. The first digit represents the number of employees required in the release procedure. The second digit is the number of releases still to be made.

      4. Example 

      A data record is subject to the dual control principle involving two employees. In other words, two users have to release the record. When you create a record, the system assigns the initial status 22. After the first release, the release status is 21, and after the second release 20. The status 20 indicates that the record has been fully released.

    4. The Release indicator tells you whether the object has been created for the first time ('I') or has already been changed ('U'). This field remains empty when you release the object.
    5. The release principle applied (in other words, the number of employees required to release the object) is displayed in the Description field, which corresponds to the numeric Release status.

    Note

    You can also display the Release history when you create or change a release object. From here, however, you cannot process or release the object.

  3. To change data for an existing object, choose Change release object. Once you have saved your changes, the system returns automatically to your business workplace inbox. As a result of the change, the system replaces the existing work item with a new one. You can then process and release the object by choosing Execute.
  4. To display the object data, choose Display release object. The system automatically opens a new session, which allows you to compare the displayed object data with the change documents. To view the change documents, choose Display change documents for object. The Display change documents for object function is only supported for loan master data, business partners and collateral objects.
  5. To release an object, choose Release. Once an object has been fully released, in other words, the second digit of the release status is 0, the effect varies according to the type of object:

    6. Loan master data, collateral objects, business partners, new business tables

    The data for these objects is released.

    Disbursements, unscheduled repayments, charges, single postings, payoffs, waivers/write offs borrower change

    Upon release of the records, the system generates planned records, which are written to the database. These flows can now be posted.

    Note

    When processing payoffs and waivers/write offs, you can carry out subsequent processing (for example, activate or post) directly after releasing the records. You can control this in a separate screen for postprocessing.

    Capital transfers, incoming payment postprocessing, reversals

    When you execute the release, the system posts the data (actual records).

  6. You can also reject a release object. If you choose Reject release the system returns the release object to the person who initiated the release workflow (it appears as a work item in the person's business workplace inbox). You should specify the rejection reason in an attachment.

If a release object that you entered or initiated is rejected a Release rejected item appears in your Business Workplace inbox. After you have executed this work item you can use the Control function to start the release process again. You need to enter an attachment - in the same way as for a rejection - so that a new work item can be created for release.

Note

For more information, see BC-Basis ® SAP Business Workflow (BC-BMT-WFM).

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