Actions for Document Distribution

Every action has a specific logic and algorithm to determine a suitable partner or partners for the current document - lead or opportunity. For example, you can build a rule that states uses the attribute (Condition) Lead Priority to distribute leads (Action) to Gold Partners.

Actions are defined in the E-Mail Response Management System (ERMS) Repository.

Features

All actions for document distribution locate business partners by using specific logic. Consequently, the result of an action consists of the following:
- Proposal List
  A set of business partners determined by the search procedure.
  
  Note
  
  The proposal list is only displayed in case of semi-automatic distribution.
  
  End of the note.
- Receiver
  The business partner who receives the document. This partner must be contained in the proposal list.
- Partner Function
  The receiver is added to the document by using the partner function.
- Status (optional)
  The user status is set for the document.
The following parameters are available for every action in the rule modeler:
- PARTNER_FUNCTION
  Sets the partner function information in the result structure. If it is left empty, the document cannot be updated and an error is logged.
- STATUS
  Sets the status information in the result structure. (Optional)
- STOP_BEHAVIOR
  Determines the rule engine behavior concerning further actions that can be modeled after the current action is completed. The Stop behavior includes the following options:
  - Stop after execution if partner(s) found.
    
    If at least one business partner is found, no further actions are executed
  - Stop after execution (even if no partner(s) found).
    
    No further actions are executed.
  - Continue (even if partner(s) found).
    
    Further actions are executed.
    
    Note
    
    In rule modeling, if the stop behavior parameter is missing or left empty, the default stop behavior is Stop after execution if partner(s) found.
    
    End of the note.
PARTNER_ID (Partner by ID)
Specific Parameter: PARTNER_ID

The action returns the business partner whose ID is passed via the parameter PARTNER_ID. An existence check on the partner is executed.
PE_FUNCTION (Responsible at Partner by Function)
Specific Parameter: FUNCTION (Function)

The action returns the business partner whose function is passed via the parameter FUNCTION.
PE_QUALIFICATION (Responsible at Partner by Qualification)

Specific Parameters: PE_QUALIFICATION (Qualification), PROF_FROM (Proficiency From), PROF_TO (Proficiency To)

The action returns the business partner that possesses the qualification passed via the parameter PE_QUALIFICATION with a proficiency inside the range passed via parameters PROF_FROM and PROF_TO.
PE_REGIONAL (Responsible at Partner by Proximity
Specific Parameter:

The action returns those employees of the sales partner of the document who are located as close as possible (in a regional sense) to the prospect of the document. A three-step procedure is carried out:
1. Determination of all contact partners of the sales partner with the same country and ZIP code as the prospect.
2. Only executed if the previous step did not locate partners:
  - Variant 1 (Action service property SEARCH_BY_REGION is set): Determination of all contact partners of the sales partner with the same country and region as the prospect
  - Variant 2 (Action service property SEARCH_BY_REGION is not set): Again, a search via country and zip code is carried out, but with a zip code where the last two digits are truncated. This is repeated until at least one employee is found.
3. Only executed if the previous steps did not locate partners:
  
  Determination of all contact partners of the sales partner with the same country as the prospect. You must apply Variant 2 if you are working in a country where the accordance of two shortened zip codes implies proximity. This is the case for most countries. Exceptions include the United Kingdom and Canada. Apply Variant 1 for such countries.
PE_RESP_TTYPE (Responsible at Partner by Responsibilities: Transaction Type)
Specific Parameter: TTYPE_CRIT_NAME (Responsible for Transaction Type)

The action returns the business partner who is responsible for a certain transaction type. The parameter TTYPE_CRIT_NAME contains the criterion name used for assignment of transaction type responsibilities for partner employees (but not the transaction type itself).
RELAT_TYPE (Partner by Relationship)
Specific Parameter: REL_TYPE (optional)

The action returns business partners with a specific relationship to the prospect of the document. If no relationship type is given, the relationship type CRME02 (End-Customer relationship) is taken as the default.
SP_REGIONAL (Sales Partner by Proximity)
Specific Parameter: PARTNER_STATUS (optional) PARTNER_PROGRAM (optional)

The action returns those sales partners that are located as close as possible (in a regional sense) to the prospect of the document. An additional filtering on partner status and partner program can be performed. A three-step procedure is carried out:
1. Determination of all sales partners with the same country and zip code as the prospect
2. Only executed if the previous step did not locate partners:
  - Variant 1 (Action service property SEARCH_BY_REGION is set): Determination of all sales partners with the same country and region as the prospect.
  - Variant 2 (Action service property SEARCH_BY_REGION is not set): Again, a search via country and zip code is carried out, but with a zip code where the last two digits are truncated. This is repeated until at least one sales partner is found.
3. Only executed if the previous steps did not locate partners:
  
  Determination of all sales partners with the same country as the prospect. You must apply Variant 2 if you are working in a country where the accordance of two shortened zip codes implies proximity. This is the case for most countries. Exceptions include the United Kingdom and Canada. Apply Variant 1 for such countries.
SP_RESP_ZIP_PCAT (Sales Partner by Responsibilities: ZIP, Product Category)
Specific Parameter: CNTRY_CRIT_NAME (Responsible for Country) ZIP_CRIT_NAME (Responsible for ZIP Code) PRCAT_CRIT_NAME (Responsible for Product Category)

The action returns the business partner who is responsible for a certain combination of country, ZIP code and product category.
- The parameter CNTRY_CRIT_NAME contains the name of the criteria used for assignment of country responsibilities for sales partners (but not the country itself).
- The parameter ZIP_CRIT_NAME contains the name of the criteria used for assignment of ZIP code responsibilities for sales partners (but not the ZIP code itself).
- The parameter PRCAT_CRIT_NAME contains the name of the criteria used for assignment of product category responsibilities for sales partners (but not the product category itself).

More Information

New Attribute and Action Definition in SAP Solution Manager.