Operative Object Links

This function allows you to specify one particular object type to be associated with a task type or checklist type. Operative object links provide quick access to objects that are frequently required by the task or checklist item processor for their daily work, for example, the Plant Material object type is essential for design tasks.

When operative object links have been enabled for a task type or checklist type, an extra tab for the relevant object type, for example, Plant Material, will appear for the task or checklist item and this tab will contain links to objects of that object type only.

Operative object links are available for the following object types:

Plant Material (0PLANTMATERIAL)
Material in PLM Web UI (0PLMCOREMAT)
Recipe in PLM Web UI (0PLMCORERCP)
Engineering Record in PLM Web UI (0PLMCOREER)

The object-specific tab for operative object links, for example, Plant Material, is intended to replace the more generic Object Links tab for tasks and checklist items only. The existing Object Links tab appears in addition to the operative object links tab only if the task or checklist item still has links to objects with other object types.

To access this tab, open the project’s Structure view, select the task or checklist item in the structure tree, and choose the Detail subview. The tab for operative object links, for example, Plant Material, is available.

For more information about object links in SAP Portfolio and Project Management, see Object Links. The features of the operative object links differ from those of the standard object links and are described in detail below.

Prerequisites

The use of object links is enabled in the Define Project Types Customizing activity under Start of the navigation path SAP Portfolio and Project Management Next navigation step Project Management Structure End of the navigation path .

The master switch 0022 Activate Operative Object Links is activated. You can check this setting under Start of the navigation path SAP Portfolio and Project Management Next navigation step Project Management Override Default Global Settings End of the navigation path .

The settings for object links, and operative object links in particular, are made in the Make Settings for Linked SAP Objects Customizing activity under Start of the navigation path SAP Portfolio and Project Management Next navigation step Connection to External Systems Object Links in SAP Systems Make Settings for the Linked SAP Objects End of the navigation path .

The type of operative object link to be associated with a task type and/or checklist type is defined. You can make the relevant settings in the Define Task Types and/or Define Checklist Types Customizing activities under Start of the navigation path SAP Portfolio and Project Management Next navigation step Project Management Structure End of the navigation path .

Features

You can use the following features on the tab for operative object links:

Creation of New Linked Objects in Original System
You can choose Create to create an object that you need for your task or checklist processing and that you want to link on the tab. The system asks you to save your project and navigates to the original system hosting the object that you want to create. Note that you need a user and password for the original system of the objects to use this feature. After you have created the object, and navigate back to PPM, the link to the object will be available there.
Assignment of Objects
The assignment of multiple links for the same object type is supported on the tab for operative object links. When using the search function to identify the linked object, you can create multiple links at a time. If the object to which you want to link has not yet been created, you can plan the link by creating an object link without assigning an object. Once the object has been created you can add the missing object data.

The following features apply for link assignment:
- You can identify objects using a search function
- Before creating a link, the system verifies the existence of the specified object in the source system
- If you have not entered a name for the object, the system transfers the name of the linked object from the source system to the object link
For more information, see the detailed documentation on Creating Object Links for a Project Element.
Link Overview and Details
The operative object link tab of a task or checklist item displays an ABAP List Viewer (ALV) table that provides a generic overview of all links created for the project element. You can define the object-type-specific columns that you want to see here via the frame in the Operative Object Links activity in the Make Settings for the Linked SAP Objects Customizing activity mentioned in the prerequisites. If no frame is defined, predefined columns are displayed.

You can view the details for an object in the list details by selecting an entry in the table and checking the details screen area below the ALV table. In this screen area, detailed header data of the selected object is displayed. It is updated every time you select a new entry in the ALV table.
Displaying and Changing of the Object in the Original System
You can choose Display… or Change… to display or change the object in its source system. For objects that are located in a separate system, you may have to log on to this system before the application is started.
Integration with Project Evaluations
You can take linked objects into consideration in the evaluations you perform for your project. By selecting an entry in the table and choosing You Can Also Check Severity , you can display the threshold value violations determined during the evaluation and set a manual severity for the object.

For more information, see Evaluations.
Using Additional Services
Any services specified in addition to Display... and Change..., will be available in the You Can Also dropdown list on the tab for operative object links. For example, you can see an object’s relationships to other objects by choosing to display that object in the object navigator.

Example

As a designer, I want one easy-to-use project interface that gives me all the information I need to carry out my tasks. The tab for operative object links enables me to see the plant materials that are relevant for a particular task within the details for that task in my project’s user interface. I no longer need to navigate away from my project. When I look at a design task, I see a tab that is exclusively for Plant Materials, where I have direct access to the plant materials relevant for that particular design task.