Change pointers, and in some applications document indices for the created documents, are used as source data for adjusting documents in line with condition changes.

When you save changed conditions, specific change pointers that indicate the type of change are updated to database table BDCP. In addition to technical data, the table also stores the user name of the person who changed the data, and when the change occurred.

The following settings must be maintained so that these change pointers can be updated:

• Updating of change pointers must apply client-wide. You make this setting in Customizing for ALE distribution under Widespread activating of change pointers.

• You must actively switch on updating of change pointers for message type CONDBI (condition index for document changes). You make this setting in Customizing for ALE distribution under Activate change pointers for each message category.

• Database table TBD62 specifies the changes to conditions for which change pointers should be updated. As such, this table acts as a filter, as only change pointers for the types of condition changes that have been entered there are updated to table BDCP.

As well as change pointers, document indices also have a role to play in document adjustment in the application areas Purchase order and Pricing. Once saved, these document indices are updated to the relevant document in table S111 based on application-specific Customizing.

The document indices contain information as to the conditions upon which the document is structured. Using this information, the system can quickly determine the documents affected by condition changes. Document indices are therefore a connecting link between documents and their underlying conditions.

Purchase orders and sales price calculations can be based on many conditions of different types. However, there are two reasons why analyzing condition changes for all condition types is not always useful. As document adjustment is a very time-consuming process, if all condition types are included then the performance of the programs in question can be severely affected. In addition, from a business point of view, it is neither necessary nor desirable to take all changes into account, because some condition changes have, for example, no particular effect on price determination, or necessitate very frequent document adjustment.

In Customizing for both these applications you can therefore enter which condition types should be taken into account in change analysis (table T6I1). For each condition type, you must also specify the condition tables you want and the condition origin. Document indices are only written to the condition types entered here.

The difference between both application areas in Customizing tableT6I1 and for the document indices (table S111) is made through the document category.

Updating document indices to calculation documents can be controlled using Customizing and the Business Add-In (BAdI) SPC_DOCINDEX_CONTROL. The BAdI is used as a filter for the document indices that are to be created on the basis of the pricing worklist settings in Customizing. You can therefore exclude all, or individual document indices from the update.