General SAP Status Management

Use

Use the general SAP status management if you require user status.

Status

The current processing status of an object is documented by one or more statuses. A status is an indicator that fulfills two functions:

It informs you that a particular status has been reached (for example, The order has been released )
It influences the number of business transactions you can perform.

If you execute a business transaction, this can then set or delete one or more statuses for the specified object.

( )

You can set any number of statuses for an object.

Statuses can be displayed in two different ways in the system:

As a 30-character text
As a 4-character identification code

Both display variations are language dependent.

The system displays the active status of an object in list form or in a status row. The status row may contain up to a maximum of eight statuses. You use the status profile to define the position in which the application status is displayed in this row. The system can output several statuses in the same position. The system uses the Priority column in the status profile to determine which status is actually displayed The list display shows all active statuses (arranged according to position and priority).

A status can be either active or inactive: A status can

Allow a business transaction
Allow a business transaction with a warning
Prohibit a business transaction

If a business transaction is allowed with a warning for a particular object, the system issues a warning message when you execute the business transaction. You can then decide whether to ignore the warning and continue with the business transaction.

Example Example

You want to flag a released internal order for deletion. However, the internal order has not yet reached the Closed status. In this case, the system first issues a warning indicating that the order has not yet been closed.

End of the example.

To use a business transaction, the following is required:

At least one active status must allow the business transaction.
No active status may prohibit the business transaction.

General SAP status management distinguishes between system status and user status.

System Status

The system sets a system status informing the user that the system has executed a certain business transaction for an object. You can only influence this status by executing a business transaction that changes the system status.

Example Example

If you release an internal order, the system automatically sets the Released system status.

End of the example.

User Status

You can set a user status in addition to the existing system status. You specify the user status in a status profile, which you create for each order type in Customizing. You can specify and activate any number of user statuses.

Example Example

In a production order you can simultaneously set the Released , Pre-costed , Printed , and Finally confirmed statuses.

End of the example.

The system status and the user status influence the business transactions in the same way.

Status Profile

A status profile contains a user-defined quantity of user statuses and rules. You can define status profiles in customizing for each order type. See the Define Status Profiles activity in the IMG:

The status profile allows you to:

Define the user status and document its functions with a corresponding long text.
Assign a status number that specifies the order in which the system reaches the user statuses.
Define an initial status, which is then automatically set when an object is created.
Determine that a user status is automatically set when you execute a business transaction.
Permit or forbid specified transactions, if a status is active.

Status Number

User statuses can be used to determine a sequence for the different steps involved in processing an object. For each step, you specify a user status and give it a status number You should assign these status numbers so that they are reached in ascending order.

If you assign a status number to a user status, specify a lowest and highest status number for the user status. These numbers limit the status number interval from which the subsequent user statuses can be chosen.

Example Example

You require the user status to monitor individual steps during construction of a building. You create the following user status in a status profile:

End of the example.

Status number	Status	Short text	Lowest status number	Highest status number
10	PLAN	Planning	10	20
20	APRV	Plan approval	10	30
30	CNST	Construction	30	40
40	HDVR	Handover	30	50
50	CMPL	Completed	50	50

The system usually works through the statuses in numerical order (status numbers). In this example however, it would be impossible to change directly from status PLAN to status CNST, because from status number 10 you can only switch to maximum status number 20 APRV . Similarly, once you reach the CNST , you can no longer return to the PLAN or APRV statuses.

Activities

To activate general SAP status management for internal orders, assign the status profile that you require to the appropriate order type in customizing for internal orders (see the Define Order Types IMG activity).