Release Procedure for Contracts, Edit Characteristics, Edit Classes

x Release Procedure for Contracts

In this section, you set up a release procedure for contracts.

Requirements

If you want to use workflow to release contracts, you must make the standard and basic settings for workflow (Basis -> Business Management -> SAP Business Workflow).

How do you set üp a release procedure for contracts?

To set up the release procedure, you must make a series of settings in Customizing. This section provides you with an overview of the necessary activities.

You must perform the following steps:

1. Create characteristics and classes

For more on this topic, see Edit Characteristics and Edit Classes.

Note

If you wish to link your release procedure to workflow, you must perform steps 2 and 3. You make these settings in Customizing for Business Workflow (Basis -> Business Management).

Otherwise, continue with step 4.

2. Define organizational plan

For more on this topic, see Edit Organizational Plan.

3. Assign standard tasks and activate event-receiver linkage.

For more on this topic, see Perform Task- Specific Customizing.

4. Set up release procedure for contracts a) Create release group

b) Create release code

c) Create release indicator d) Create release strategy

Note

You need only carry out the following step if you wish to link your release procedure to workflow.

e) Assign release code to a user

For more on this topic, see Define Release Procedure for contracts.

5. Check release strategies

For more on this topic, see Check Release Strategies.

Further Notes

For more information, refer to

x Implementation of a Release Procedure for Purchasing Documents

x Release of Purchasing Documents (SAP Library -> Basis -> Business Management (BC-BMT) -> SAP Business Workflow (BC-BMT-WFM) -> Reference documentation -> BC Workflow Scenarios

in the Applications -> MM Materials Management: Workflow Scenarios)

x Edit Characteristics

In this step, you create characteristics for a release procedure for contracts.

Classification characteristics are the criteria for a release condition. If the criteria of a release condition are satisfied, the associated release strategy is assigned to the purchasing document (e.g. purchase order or RFQ).

Example

Release condition for release strategy EA:

Characteristic	Characteristic value
Total net value of PO	Above $10,000

If the total value of a purchase order exceeds $10,000, release strategy EA is assigned to this PO.

Requirements

In communication structure CEKKO you will find all the fields that can be used as characteristics for a release condition (e.g. BSART for the order type and GNETW for the total order value).

Check which fields you wish to use as characteristics for your release strategy. To do so, choose Tools -> ABAP Workbench -> Development -> Dictionary, enter CEKKO in the field Database table, and choose "Display".

Note

If you wish to define a separate release strategy for the various document categories (PO, RFQ, etc.), you must create a characteristic for each relevant document category.

Activities

1. Create a characteristic for each field from communication structure CEKKO that is to be a criterion for your release strategy. You have a free choice of names for the characteristic.

2. Enter the table name and the field name on the tab page Additional data (for example, table

CEKKO for field GNETW).

Note

o Do not select any of the indicators in the area Procedure for value assignment on the tab page Additional data. Only if none of these indicators is marked can you assign a value or value interval to the characteristic when defining your release strategy.

o When you create a characteristic for a currency-dependent field (e.g. GNETW), a box appears in which you must enter the currency for the relevant value. The system then converts the currency of the purchasing document into this currency.

3. Check the data for the chosen field on the tab page Basic data.

If you want to enter several values or a value interval for a characteristic, set the Multiple values

indicator in the area Value assignment.

Note

Value intervals can only be specified for numerical values (e.g. an interval of $10,000 to $15,000 for the value of the purchase order.

4. Check the texts for the field on the tab page Descriptions.

5. You can maintain default values for a characteristic on the tab page Values.

If you maintain values here, these values will be displayed as input help under Create Procedure with Classification -> Release Strategy -> Classification. If you wish to use not only the input help but also other values, you must select the Additional values indicator.

Note

You can also maintain ' ' as a default value. For example, for account assignment: ' ' for stock material, 'k' for cost center, and 'a' for asset.

6. If you want to restrict the use of a characteristic to particular class types, specify the relevant class types on the tab page Restrictions. For example, class type 032 for the release strategy.

Further Notes

Further information on characteristics is available in this Customizing activity via Help -> Application help.

Customer exits

Customer exit M06E0004 enables you to change the communication structure for determining the release strategy for purchasing documents.

x Edit Classes

In this step, you create classes for a release procedure for contracts.

You use a class to group together characteristics that are to constitute a release condition for a release strategy. In the step " Define Release Procedure for Contracts" you assign this class to the release strategy.

Activities

1. Create a class with the class type 032. You have a free choice of names for the new class (e.g. REL_RFQ for the release of RFQs).

2. Assign a name for the new class on the tab page Basic data.

3. You can view an error message if different characteristics with identical values have been assigned to a class. To be able to do so, select the Check with error message indicator in the Same classification area.

4. If appropriate, select terms to be used as search criteria in searches for your class on the

Keywords tab page.

5. Assign your characteristics to the class via the tab page Characteristics.