Generation Variant Editing

Purpose

For Reports with Reference to a Specification

The generation variant makes it possible for only permitted specification data to be output on a report because it links the report template with a leading validity area and one or more value assignment ratings (see Usage ).

A report can also contain sections with specification-related data for which you have defined discrete validity areas in combination with a language (for example, multi-language hazard labels). This assignment of discrete validity area and language is also part of the generation variant.

For Reports Without Reference to a Specification

After assigning the generation variant, the report is handled as a released report.

Process Flow

You can carry out the following activities in the initial generation variant editing screens:
- You can enter different search criteria and start searching for generation variants. If the required generation variant does not exist in the SAP system, you can create it.
- You can create a generation variant immediately.
The results of the search are displayed in the hit list . In the hit list, you edit the generation variants and create new ones.
When you create a generation variant, you first enter the data for the generation variant header . You thereby assign a report template and a leading validity area to the generation variant (see Generation Variant Indicators ).
You enter a description for the generation variant in different languages.
You specify the following definitions for the specification-related data of the generation variant (see Editing Ratings and Validity Areas for Generation Variants ):
- In the rating , you define the target group for the report template.
- The leading validity area is entered when a generation variant is created.
  
  If you want to define specific areas on a report in particular languages, you must enter additional discrete validity areas together with the respective language. You use repeating groups of type G to define the access to discrete validity-language combinations in the report template.
  
  Note
  For report templates without reference to a specification, the rating and the validity area have no significance.
  
  End of the note.

Result

You can test the generated layout of the report in a preview or in specification management and print it if you wish. To do this, the report template must have the status In Work or Released .

When the report template is released, you can create reports and, using the report management functions, release them for shipping.

Caution Caution

Any changes made to generation variants are not taken into account when you generate the report management worklist , that is, the system does not create any report requests for the reports affected when you change a generation variant. You should not, therefore, change a generation variant if it was already used for generating reports. Otherwise, you must create report requests manually for all reports that are affected by the changes to the generation variant.