Breakpoint 

Definition

Point at which a process is interrupted.

Use

You insert a breakpoint in a process model. This enables you to ensure that the system always interrupts the process at this point, or that the system interrupts the process at this point under certain conditions. You must then ensure that the process continues.

You use a process model to run payroll and the subsequent evaluations. However, you do not want to run the evaluations until the payroll control record of the payroll area you specified in the selection program has the status Exit Payroll. You therefore set a conditional breakpoint in front of process steps that contain evaluations. When you create the breakpoint, you specify function module HRPY_PROCESS_STOP_CNTRL_REC (Interruption if Status of Payroll Area is Not &1) and status 3 (Exit Payroll). By doing so, you determine that the process is interrupted if the payroll control record does not have the status Exit Payroll.

You execute the process. The payroll control record has the status Released for Correction. The system therefore interrupts the process at the breakpoint, and does not perform the evaluations.

After you have successfully concluded the payroll for all personnel numbers, you set the status of the payroll control record to Exit Payroll. You then restart the process. The payroll no longer needs to run for any of the personnel numbers in the payroll area in question, so the system skips the payroll process step when the process is performed a second time. The condition specified for the breakpoint has also been satisfied. As a result, the system no longer interrupts the process, and it performs the evaluations when the process is performed a second time.

Structure

The standard system includes the following types of breakpoint:

·        Unconditional breakpoint

The system always interrupts the process for this kind of breakpoint. To continue the process, execute the process step after the breakpoint.

·        Conditional breakpoint

The following types of conditional breakpoint exist:

¡        Breakpoint determined by percentage

The system interrupts the process for this kind of breakpoint if a specified percentage of personnel numbers included in the process could not be processed successfully. You determine the percentage when inserting the breakpoint in the process model.

¡        Breakpoint determined by function module

The system interrupts the process for this kind of breakpoint if the condition you specified in the function module is satisfied. The standard system includes function modules for the following conditions:

§         The payroll control record of personnel numbers included in the process does not have the specified status.

§         An IDoc created during the process is incorrect.

§         A posting run created during the process has the specified status.

§         A posting run created during the process does not have the specified status.

§         The system canceled the process step before the breakpoint was reached.

For more information, see the documentation on function modules. To display the documentation, select the required function module while inserting a breakpoint and then access its field help.

To define your own conditions for a breakpoint, you can create a customer-specific function module. The function module interface must have the following structure:

§         Import parameters

IMP_PROCESSID LIKE T52SPS-PROCESSID (process object key)

IMP_STEPID LIKE T52SPS-STEPID (process step object key)

IMP_RATE LIKE T52SMS-PERCENTAGE (percentage)

§         Exception

STOP_PROCESS (if this exception occurs, the process is interrupted)

To continue a process after a conditional breakpoint, restart it. If the condition specified for the breakpoint is satisfied when the process runs a second time, the system no longer interrupts the process. If the condition is still not satisfied, the system interrupts the process again.

Integration

To interrupt a process, you can also use a wait point. The differences between breakpoints and wait points are as follows:

·        Wait points only ever interrupt processes under certain conditions. Breakpoints can interrupt processes irrespective of conditions.

·        A process interrupted by the system at a wait point continues to run in waiting status. You cannot execute the process again while it has this status. You are also unable to execute the process steps that come after the wait point. A process interrupted by the system at a breakpoint does not continue. This means you can execute it again. You can also execute the process steps that come after the breakpoint.

·        After a wait point interruption, the system automatically continues the process. After a breakpoint interruption, you must continue the process yourself.

·        Wait points respond to events, among other things. If you want to interrupt a process under a condition for which the system does not trigger an event, you must use a breakpoint.