Define Release Procedure for Contracts, Check Release Strategies

x Define Release Procedure for Contracts

In this step, you set up the release procedure for contracts and can link it to workflow. (Note that in this context "releasing" means "approving", or giving the "green light" to a document.)

Requirements

x In the case of a release procedure linked to workflow, you must have previously created the user names, positions, jobs, etc. that you here assign to the release code in the organizational plan and must have linked them to the relevant standard tasks in task-specific Customizing (Basis -> Business Management -> Business Workflow -> Perform Task-Specific Customizing).

x You must assign the authorization M_EINK_FRG to the persons who are to be involved in the release procedure (Authorization Management -> Create Authorization Profiles and Assign to Users).

Activities

Here you define the following:

x Release group

x Release codes

x Release indicator x Release strategy x Workflow

Release group

Create a release group for your release procedure and assign it to a class. In the process, you assign

release conditions to the release procedure.

Release codes

Here you create the release codes you need for your release strategy and assign the codes to your release group. If a release code is to be used in workflow, indicate this accordingly in the Workflow field

The workflow indicator is also used to control role resolution:

x "1 - Role Resolution with Group, Code and Plant (T16FW)"

Here you use a role resolution that is supplied in the standard system. To do so, you must assign the release point in the section Workflow (see below).

x "9 - Role Resolution via User Exit"

Here you use the customer exit M06E0005 to define a role resolution of your own.

Release indicators

A release indicator shows the release status of a contract.

Via the following settings, you can define the release indicators you need for your release procedure:

x The Released indicator is used to specify whether messages (contract documents in output format)

may be transmitted for a contract with this indicator.

x The Changeability indicator shows the effect of changes to the contract (a change to a contract may require a new release strategy to be determined, for instance).

x By means of the Value change indicator, you can specify that the release strategy is to be re- started if a contract is changed and the value of a contract item thereby increases by a certain percentage (e.g. 10%). Set the Changeability indicator to "4 - Changeable, new release in case of new strategy or value change" or "6 - Changeable, new release in case of new strategy or value change/outputted" and enter a percentage in the Value change field.

Attention:

The following release indicators are necessary for every release procedure:

o Release indicator for initial status

If the contract is subject to a release strategy, it must normally be released before it can

be transmitted to the vendor. Therefore, when a contract is created, it is assigned a release indicator that blocks it from being outputted in message form.

The Released indicator must not be selected for this indicator.

o Release indicator for released status

This indicator is assigned to the contract when it is released.

The Released indicator must be selected for this indicator.

Release strategies

Create a release strategy for your release group and assign your release codes accordingly.

x Release prerequisites

With the release prerequisites, you specify the order in which the individual release points (individuals or departments) represented by the release codes may release the document. Example

The following table shows release prerequisites for a strategy with four release codes: Code/Release prerequisite

		01	02	03	04
	01	-	[ ]	[ ]	[ ]
	02	[x]	-	[ ]	[ ]
	03	[x]	[x]	-	[ ]
	04	[x]	[x]	[x]	-

In this release strategy, the codes 01, 02, 03, and 04 must successively release the contract. Read the table from left to right. For instance, the third line for release code 03: For code 03, release via code 01 and code 02 is a prerequisite. That is to say, the contract must be released via codes 01 and 02 before it can be released via code 03.

x Release statuses

Here you specify the status a contract has after certain release points have effected release.

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Specify which release indicator/status a contract is to have after having been released via a certain release code.

x Classification

In classification, you maintain the values assigned to the characteristics. Via the characteristics and their values, you specify the contracts to which your release strategy is assigned.

Maintain values (individual values or intervals) for your characteristics.

Example

Two characteristics and their values have been maintained in classification for release strategy

'EA':

- Document type - 'NB - standard purchase order'

- Total value - above $10,000

All POs with the document type 'NB' and a total value in excess of $10,000 are thus subject to a release procedure with the release strategy 'EA'.

x Release simulation

The release simulation function enables you to check which status a contract will achieve with your release strategy if release is effected by a certain release point.

Choose "Simulate release" and release the document with the desired release code by double-

clicking. The system shows you which status the contract now has as a result of this release.

Workflow

Assign a processor ID to your workflow-relevant release codes. The processor (member of staff responsible for processing the document) will then receive a work item when he or she is required to effect release.

You can assign a processor ID either directly or indirectly:

o Direct processor assignment: Enter a user name.

o Indirect processor assignment:

Enter a job, for example, or a position. At runtime, the system will then determine the member(s) of staff responsible for processing the document.

Customer exit

Customer exit M06E0005 enables you to define your own role resolution, which determines the person responsible for releasing purchasing documents in workflow.

Further Notes

Further information on how to set up a release procedure linked to workflow is available via the menu options Help -> Application Help.

x Check Release Strategies

In this step, you can check whether the basic settings for your release strategy are complete and correct.

Checks

The following checks are carried out for purchasing documents:

x Basic checks

The system checks whether the necessary release groups exist in the system. For example: Whether a release group has been deleted even though an associated release strategy still exists.

x Checks regarding release groups and release classes

The system checks whether the release groups and the assigned classes have been maintained correctly. For instance, whether

o A class has been assigned to the release groups and whether it exists in the system

o Characteristics - which exist in the system and are linked to the communication structure - have been assigned to the class

o A customer exit must be maintained for a characteristic

x Checks regarding release codes

The system checks whether the release codes have been maintained correctly

x Checks regarding release indicators

The system checks whether the release indicators have been maintained correctly. For example: Whether release indicators exist for the statuses "Blocked" and "Released".

x Checks regarding release strategies

The system checks whether the release strategies have been maintained correctly. For example,

o Release codes have been assigned to the release strategy

o The relevant release indicators have been assigned to the initial and final statuses of a release strategy

x Checks regarding link to workflow

The system checks whether the link between your release procedure and workflow has been maintained correctly. For example, whether:

o A processor (member of staff responsible for processing) has been assigned to a workflow-relevant release code and is defined in the organizational plan

o A customer exit is necessary for the role resolution

Result

The result of these checks is displayed in a log. Further information is available in the Customizing activity under Help -> Application Help.

Activities

1. Start the check by performing the Customizing activity.

2. Check whether any error or warning messages are displayed.

3. If necessary, correct your Customizing settings for the release procedure.

4. Re-run the check after making corrections.