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 Rule-Based Reduction of Data Volume: Maintenance

Use

The standard SAP system supports the function for the rule-based reduction of the data volume for the following distribution scenarios in the Maintenance area:

  • Distribution of maintenance notifications or maintenance orders

    Example Example

    Maintenance notifications and maintenance orders that are not required in the target system (for example, older objects), but are determined during the normal FOX explosion, are not unnecessarily distributed.

    End of the example.

  • Forwarding of change authorizations for maintenance notifications or maintenance orders to a different system

    Example Example

    The forwarding of change authorizations for objects is not always desirable and can thus be disabled depending on filters.

    End of the example.

The system supports distribution from the central system to decentralized systems. The system does not support distribution between decentralized systems or from decentralized systems to the central system.

Features

Filter Rules

You use a customer BRFplus application to define the filter rules you require.

  • The BRFplus Workbench (transaction BRFPLUS) standard application provides you with the BRFplus application /ISDFPS/DISTR_FILTER as a template . You can copy this BRFplus application and adapt this copy to suit your requirements.

    In Customizing , you assign your BRFplus application and its components to the relevant object types. The system then uses the filter rules defined using this application during the FOX explosion to determine objects that are to be excluded from the distribution scope.

  • The signature of the functions that belong to the BRFplus application /ISDFPS/DISTR_FILTER comprises the following structures:

    • Structure with scenario-specific attributes

      • Sending system/receiving system

        These attributes describe the direction of distribution.

      • FOX explosion profile/reason for distribution

        These attributes describe the business reason for the distribution and thus the functional trigger of the distribution process.

    • Structure with object-specific attributes

      This structure comprises the object-specific properties of the objects that you want to exclude from the distribution, or their change authorization that you do not want to forward.

    • Result data object

      You use the fields Object Filter and Distribution of Change Authorization to control whether a rule affects the distribution of an object and/or the forwarding of its change authorization.

      In the relevant decision table of a BRFplus function, you use these attributes to define in which scenarios which objects and/or change authorizations are to be excluded from distribution/forwarding.

In routine operation, during the FOX explosion, the system determines for each object whether the scenario-specific conditions are fulfilled and whether the object-specific filter criteria apply. For this purpose, the system evaluates the entries in the decision table from top to bottom for each object.

Distribution of Objects

As soon as the system finds a rule for an object, where the filter values correspond to the object and the value TRUE is set for the rule in the field Object Filter , the object is excluded from distribution. Other subsequent rules are not considered for this object.

Note Note

In scenarios in which no change authorization is forwarded, the system ignores the field Distribution of Change Authorization .

End of the note.
Forwarding of Change Authorization

In scenarios in which in addition to objects being distributed, change authorization is forwarded for these objects, you can define separate rules for distributing objects and for forwarding the change authorization. For this purpose, the field Distribution of Change Authorization is also available. The following value combinations are thus possible:

Filter Control for Change Authorization

Object Filter

Distribution of Change Authorization

Meaning

TRUE

TRUE

The object and its change authorization are to be excluded from distribution.

FALSE

TRUE

The object is to be distributed and its change authorization is to be excluded from distribution.

FALSE

FALSE

The object and its change authorization are to be distributed.

Note: This value combination is only useful as a restricting rule for an exclusion rule.

TRUE

FALSE

Note: This value combination is not useful since in this case, the object is to be excluded from distribution but its change authorization is to be distributed.

Since it is not useful to forward the change authorization without distributing the relevant object, contrary to this value combination, the system prevents the change authorization being forwarded.

In scenarios for forwarding change authorization, if an object is excluded from distribution without the change authorization also explicitly being excluded (TRUE / FALSE), but this object is then included in distribution anyway through a predefined condition , the system also forwards the change authorization. If an explicit exclusion rule exists for the change authorization (FALSE / TRUE), in this case the system distributes the object without forwarding the change authorization.

Restriction of Filter Rules

To restrict an exclusion rule (TRUE), meaning retaining a partial quantity of the specified objects or change authorizations in the distribution scope, you can define an additional rule that describes this partial quantity. Set the value FALSE for this rule. This rule must be positioned before the exclusion rule in the decision table.

Recommendation Recommendation

Avoid FALSE rules where possible. The functions in the BRFplus Workbench for differentiating the individual filter values usually allow exact mapping of the criteria you want.

End of the recommendation.
Conditions Predefined by the System for Distributing Objects

To ensure data consistency, the system predefines some conditions for distributing maintenance orders and maintenance notifications; you cannot use filter rules to change these conditions. Thus, the system prevents data that is required in the target system for distribution to be successful from being excluded via filter rules. For this purpose, the system predefines the following fixed conditions that can override certain exclusion rules:

  • Maintenance notifications for a maintenance order

    The system includes maintenance notifications that are referenced by a maintenance order that is to be distributed in the distribution scope, even if a filter rule would exclude these objects from distribution. The same applies to maintenance orders to be distributed that are referenced by a maintenance notification. Only thus is it possible to distribute the objects successfully.

  • Technical status

    The system includes maintenance notifications with a technical status in the distribution scope, even if a filter rule would exclude these objects from distribution. This ensures that the technical status is set correctly for higher-level objects. You can use filter rules to exclude from distribution the change authorization of maintenance notifications with a technical status.

  • Objects in the logbook

    The system includes objects that belong to a logbook that is to be distributed in the distribution scope, even if a filter rule would exclude these objects from distribution. You can use filter rules to exclude from distribution the change authorization of objects that belong to such a logbook.

  • Order hierarchy

    You cannot use BRFplus rules to exclude from distribution maintenance orders that are part of an order hierarchy. The system includes the maintenance orders in the distribution scope.

  • Revisions

    The system still includes lower-level objects from revisions that are not yet completed that are excluded from distribution via a rule in the distribution scope.

Vice versa, you cannot use FALSE rules to include any objects in distribution that are not distributed anyway for whatever reason (for example, due to archiving or exceptions), regardless of your BRFplus rules.