Mazzullo, Jim_Wheatley, Peter - SAP R_3 for everyone_ step-by-step instructions, practical advice, and other tips and tricks for working with SAP (2005_2007, Prentice Hall_ BPrentice Hall Professional Technical Ref

Praise for SAP R/3 for Everyone
“This book captures the practical view of SAP R/3 by avoiding jargon and con-
sistently focusing on action-oriented approaches for end users. It is ideal for
beginners but covers some advanced tips and tricks, too.”
— Ted Sohn, SAP Platinum Consultant, SAP America
“SAP R/3 for Everyone is the perfect companion for those eager to take the mys-
tery out of navigating the R/3 application. If you’re a first-time R/3 user, read
this book first.”
— Dennis L. Prince, Author, SAP Specialist
“This book is the bible for the beginning end user of SAP R/3. SAP will provide
a wealth of information, but you need to know how to extract that information.
This book will prove very useful for students and users new to SAP. Wonderful
book.”
— Bob Meyer, Operations Manager
“SAP R/3 for Everyone helps new users quickly understand the basic concepts and
tasks they need to be effective right away. It’s a great foundation for the more
specific training they’ll get on the job.”
— Dan Bielenberg, Senior Learning Architect, Accenture Learning
This page intentionally left blank
SAP R/3 FOR EVERYONE
SAP R/3 FOR EVERYONE
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS, PRACTICAL ADVICE, AND
OTHER TIPS AND TRICKS FOR WORKING WITH SAP
Jim Mazzullo
Peter Wheatley
Prentice Hall Professional

Technical Reference
Upper Saddle River, NJ • Boston • Indianapolis • San Francisco

New York • Toronto • Montreal • London • Munich • Paris • Madrid
Capetown • Sydney • Tokyo • Singapore • Mexico City
Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their products are claimed as trademarks. Where
those designations appear in this book, and the publisher was aware of a trademark claim, the designations have been
printed with initial capital letters or in all capitals.
The authors and publisher have taken care in the preparation of this book, but make no expressed or implied warranty of
any kind and assume no responsibility for errors or omissions. No liability is assumed for incidental or consequential dam-
ages in connection with or arising out of the use of the information or programs contained herein.
The publisher offers excellent discounts on this book when ordered in quantity for bulk purchases or special sales, which
may include electronic versions and/or custom covers and content particular to your business, training goals, marketing
focus, and branding interests. For more information, please contact:
U. S. Corporate and Government Sales
(800) 382-3419
corpsales@pearsontechgroup.com
For sales outside the U. S., please contact:
International Sales
international@pearsoned.com
Visit us on the Web: www.phptr.com
This Book Is Safari Enabled

The Safari® Enabled icon on the cover of your favorite technology book means the book is available
through Safari Bookshelf. When you buy this book, you get free access to the online edition for 45 days.
Safari Bookshelf is an electronic reference library that lets you easily search thousands of technical books, find code
samples, download chapters, and access technical information whenever and wherever you need it.
To gain 45-day Safari Enabled access to this book:
• Go to http://www.awprofessional.com/safarienabled
• Complete the brief registration form
• Enter the coupon code REET-IQNG-8S9A-SWFE-79BR
If you have difficulty registering on Safari Bookshelf or accessing the online edition, please e-mail
customer-service@safaribooksonline.com.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Mazzullo, Jim.
SAP R/3 for everyone : step-by-step instructions, practical advice, and other tips and tricks for working with SAP /
Jim Mazzullo, Peter Wheatley.
p. cm.
Includes index.
ISBN 0-13-186085-2 (pbk. : alk. paper)
1. SAP R/3. 2. Business--Computer programs. 3.
Client/server computing. I. Wheatley, Peter. II. Title.
HF5548.4.R2M39 2005
658'.05'57585—dc22
2005007985
Copyright © 2006 Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. This publication is protected by copyright, and permission
must be obtained from the publisher prior to any prohibited reproduction, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission in
any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or likewise. For information regarding per-
missions, write to:
Pearson Education, Inc.
Rights and Contracts Department
One Lake Street
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
ISBN 0-13-186085-2
Text printed in the United States on recycled paper at RR Donnelley Crawfordsville in Crawfordsville, Indiana.
8th Printing November 2008

CONTENTS
Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiii
About the Authors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xv
Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xvii
Introduction: Design and Operation of the SAP

Application Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Menu Bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Menu Headers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
System Shortcut Menu Icon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Control Buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Standard Toolbar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Command Field . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Command Buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Title Bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Application Toolbar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Status Bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Central Work Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Panels and Panes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Storage Folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Data Fields . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Field Areas and Tabbed Subscreens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Selection Boxes, Check Boxes, and Radio Buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Command Buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Scroll Bars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Popup Screens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
SAP on the Web . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
vii
viii Contents
Part I Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Lesson 1 Logging On and Logging Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Logging On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Procedure: Logging On With the SAP Logon Pad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Procedure: Logging On With a Desktop Shortcut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Logging Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Procedure: Logging Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Lesson 2 Working With SAP Sessions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Controlling the Application Window Geometry and Location . . . . . . . . . . 33
Creating Multiple Application Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Procedure: Creating Multiple Application Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Killing a Session . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Procedure: Cancelling a Transaction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Customizing the Layout of Application Windows and Screens . . . . . . . . . . 37
Procedure: Customizing With the Options Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Procedure: Customizing With the New Visual Design Command . . . . . 40
Customizing the SAP Easy Access Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Procedure: Customizing the SAP Easy Access Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Creating Desktop Shortcuts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Procedure: Creating Desktop Shortcuts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Lesson 3 Entering User Profile Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Procedure: Entering User Profile Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Lesson 4 Changing Your Password . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Changing Your Password . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Procedure: Changing Your Password When You Log On . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Procedure: Changing Your Password After You Log On . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Part II Navigating Between Screens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Lesson 5 Navigating to Initial Screens With the Menu Folders . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Navigating With the Menu Folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
SAP and User Menu Folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Searching for Transactions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Procedure: Searching for a Transaction With Keywords . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Contents ix
Lesson 6 Navigating to Initial Screens With the Favorites Folders . . . . . . . . 65

Working With the Favorites Folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Adding Favorites Folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Procedure: Creating a Favorites Folder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Adding Transaction Links to the Favorites Folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Procedure: Adding a Transaction Link With Its Code to the
Favorites Folder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Procedure: Adding a Transaction Link Without Its Code to the
Favorites Folder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Adding Web, Intranet, and E-mail Links to the Favorites Folders . . . . . . . 76
Procedure: Adding a Web or an Intranet Link to the Favorites
Folders. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Procedure: Adding a Link to Your External E-mail Application in
the Favorites Folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Changing the Names of Favorites Folders and Links . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Procedure: Changing the Name of a Folder or Link in the
Favorites Folders. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Deleting Favorites Folders and Links . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Sharing Your Favorites Folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Procedure: Downloading Your Favorites Folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Procedure: Uploading Favorites Folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Lesson 7 Navigating to Initial Screens With Transaction Codes . . . . . . . . . 87

Navigating With Transaction Codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Procedure: Selecting Transaction Codes From the Command
Field List Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Identifying Transaction Codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Procedure: Displaying Transaction Codes on the SAP Easy
Access Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Procedure: Identifying Transaction Codes With the Menu Bar . . . . . . . 92
Procedure: Identifying Transaction Codes With the Status Bar . . . . . . . 93
Searching for Transactions by Transaction Codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Procedure: Searching for Transactions With Keywords . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Lesson 8 Navigating Between Screens With Menu Bars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

Navigating from the Initial Screen of a Transaction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Navigating from the Output Screen of a Transaction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Exploring SAP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
x Contents
Part III Setting Up Initial Screens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Lesson 9 Entering Codes and Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105

Tips for Entering Codes and Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Lesson 10 Searching for Codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

Short Hit List Screens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Multiple-Tab Search Screens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Procedure: Searching for a Code With a Single Search Criterion . . . . 115
Procedure: Searching for a Code With Multiple Search Criteria . . . . . 116
Tips for Using Multiple-Tab Search Screens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Structure Search Tree . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
List-Display Search Screens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Lesson 11 Entering Codes on Multiple Selection Screens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127

Design and Operation of a Multiple Selection Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Procedure: Copying Multiple Codes Onto the Multiple
Selection Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Using the Multiple Selection Screen: An Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Using the Multiple Selection Button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Procedure: Searching for Multiple Codes for the Multiple
Selection Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Lesson 12 Using Selection Options on Data Entry Fields . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141

Attaching Selection Options to Data Entry Fields . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Procedure: Attaching a Selection Option to a Data Entry Field . . . . . . 145
Procedure: Removing a Selection Option From a Data Entry Field . . . 145
What Do the Green Selection Options Do? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
What Do the Red Selection Options Do? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Lesson 13 Working With Screen Variants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149

Adding Data Entry Fields With the Dynamic Selections Button . . . . . . . . 150
Procedure: Adding More Selection Criteria to an Initial Screen . . . . . . 152
Creating Screen Variants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Procedure: Creating a Variant of an Initial Screen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Changing a Screen Variant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Procedure: Changing a Screen Variant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Procedure: Restoring a Default Screen Variant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Calling Up a Screen Variant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Procedure: Calling Up a Temporary Variant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Contents xi
Deleting a Screen Variant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164

Procedure: Deleting a Screen Variant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Single-Field Variants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Procedure: Creating a Single Default Data Entry on an
Initial Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Part IV Working With Output Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169

Lesson 14 Sorting, Filtering, and Summing Up Line-item Reports. . . . . . . . 171
Sorting and Grouping Line-item Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Example 1: Single-Column Sort of a Line-item Report . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Procedure: Single-Column Sort of a Line-item Report . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Example 2: Multiple-Column Sort of a Line-item Report . . . . . . . . . . 176
Procedure: Multiple-Column Sort of a Line-item Report . . . . . . . . . . 177
Example 3: Single-Column Sort of a Hit List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Filtering Line-item Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Example 1: Filtering the Line-item Report of the IH08 Transaction . . 182
Procedure: Filtering a Line-item Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Example 2: Filtering the Line-item Report of the Cost Center
A/P/V Transaction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Procedure: Filtering Positive and Negative Values in a Line-item
Report 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Example 3: Filtering Positive and Negative Values on the Usual
Filter Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Summing Up Data Columns in Line-item Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Procedure: Summing Up Data in a Column of a Line-item Report . . . 192
Procedure: Grouping and Subtotaling Data in a Line-item Report . . . 193
Lesson 15 Display Variants for Line-item Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195

Accessing the Display Variant Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
The Change Layout Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Creating a Display Variant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Procedure: Creating a Display Variant for a Line-item Report . . . . . . 202
Saving a Display Variant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Procedure: Saving a Display Variant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Applying a Display Variant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Procedure: Applying a Display Variant After the Fact. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Deleting a Display Variant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Procedure: Deleting a Display Variant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Working With Display Variants on Other Screens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
xii Contents
Lesson 16 Exporting Line-item Reports to Microsoft Excel and Word . . . . . 219

Front-Door Exports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Procedure: Exporting to MS Excel With the Option/Office
Integration Button. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Procedure: Exporting to MS Excel With the List Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Back-Door Exports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Procedure: Back-Door Export of a Line-item Report to MS Excel . . . 226
Lesson 17 Sending Line-item Reports via SAP E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231

The Create Document and Send Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
The Upper Subscreen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
The Lower Subscreen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Entering and Searching for the Names of Recipients . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Procedure: Searching for Recipients . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Working With Distribution Lists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Procedure: Creating Distribution Lists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Procedure: Searching for Distribution Lists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Reading SAP E-mail Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Procedure: Reading E-mail in the Business Workplace . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Procedure: Storing or Deleting an E-mail Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Sending E-mail From the Business Workplace Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Procedure: Creating and Sending New E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Procedure: Replying to E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Procedure: Forwarding E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Coda The Basic Transaction Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253

Transaction Type 1: Displaying an Object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Transaction Type 2: Displaying a List of Related Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Transaction Type 3: Creating an Object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Transaction Type 4: Changing an Object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Appendix Create a Plant Maintenance Order (IW31) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The authors would like to gratefully acknowledge SAP for its kind permission to
use its name and trademark, the name of its software product, SAP R/3, and
screen images from that product, in this book. We should note that SAP AG is
not the publisher of this book and is not responsible for its content in any way.
We would also like to thank our editor, Jill Harry, for her support of this project,
and her assistant, Brenda Mulligan, for her support of our efforts. In addition,
we would like to thank all the people at Pearson Education Publishing and
Addison-Wesley/Prentice Hall for their efforts in producing this book, including
Jim Markham, Ebony Haight, Karen Gettman, and Lara Wysong. Finally, we
thank our copy editor, Mary Lou Nohr, for her patient and diligent review of our
manuscript.
Jim Mazzullo: I would like to acknowledge the support and encouragement of

my better half, Maria Landau, who patiently endured my long, and sometimes
cranky, days and nights at the computer while I was writing this book. I would
also like to acknowledge the help of my good friend and former colleague,
Bob Meyer. In addition to his great skills as an SAP functional expert, Bob is an
outstanding and patient teacher, and he taught me much of what I know about
SAP—but not necessarily everything he knows. Bob did not contribute any con-
tent to this book, but the confident and practical approach that it takes to SAP
was entirely inherited from him.
Peter Wheatley: I would like to acknowledge my mother, father, and brother for
their unwavering support and lifelong guidance. I would also like to acknowledge
my loving wife, Ana, for her unearthly patience, understanding, and strength,
and my three sons, John, Austin, and Cameron, for their childlike wonder,
energy, and love. Lastly, I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge my friends
at SAP for their support, advice, and true friendship.
xiii
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Jim Mazzullo was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Joseph
and Mary Mazzullo, who operated a small luncheonette on Bath Avenue. He is a
graduate of Brooklyn College, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in geology
in 1977, and the University of South Carolina, where he earned his doctorate in
that same field in 1981.
Jim began his professional career as a research professor and an instructor of

geology at Texas A&M University, then worked for a large electric utility com-
pany in Portland, Oregon, where he developed, coordinated, and delivered
training in SAP and other system and desktop applications.
Jim is now a consulting scientific and technical trainer, curriculum developer,

and writer. He lives in Portland with his better half Maria, and their two very
spoiled cats, Smokey and Deva. You can learn more about him on his Web site:
www.JimMazzullo.com
Peter Wheatley was born in Frankfurt, Germany, the son of career military
officer CW4 John (Ret.) and Jean Wheatley. He is a 1993 graduate of the Uni-
versity of Texas at El Paso in management information systems and finance. He
also completed his master’s degree in business administration at the University
of Texas at El Paso in 1995.
Peter began his professional career as a developer for IBM, then continued as an
SAP developer and production planning analyst at Compaq. Peter has spent the
last seven years employed at SAP America in several roles: consultant, technical
consultant manager, and technical solutions architect.
Peter currently oversees SAP implementations as a customer engagement man-

ager in the Southwest region of SAP America. He lives in Houston with his wife,
Ana, and their three wonderful sons, John, Austin, and Cameron.
xv
PREFACE
Welcome to the world of SAP! You are now embarking on a journey into the
workings and use of SAP R/3, the leading business enterprise software in the
world.1
This book is written for the nontechnical end user of SAP R/3; that is, an
average person in a company who has perhaps had some experience with desk-
top applications like MS Word and Excel but little or no experience with more
complex enterprise software. This book provides these users with detailed
instructions for working with this outstanding and versatile software product.
These instructions do not address any specific purpose, such as working with
budget and cost data or managing the inventory of a warehouse. Rather, they
describe general or universal procedures for working with any part of the soft-
ware for any purpose. We firmly believe that a solid grasp of these general proce-
dures and the development of the skills for executing them are the real secret for
learning and managing SAP R/3 and using it effectively at your job.
In addition, this book is not intended to be comprehensive. SAP R/3 is very

complex in its design and operation, and a comprehensive description of this
software would require a much larger—not to mention more expensive—“bible”
of a book that most people could not lift. Rather, this book describes the tech-
niques and procedures that are most frequently employed by nontechnical end
users when they work with SAP R/3. We decided on its contents after years of
using this software, after consulting with other experienced users (the so-called
superusers) like ourselves, and after many hours in the classroom teaching it to
people like you.
Finally, this book is not intended to be a technical treatise about SAP R/3. If you
were looking for instructions about programming, developing, or implementing
1. SAP stands for Systems, Applications and Products in Data Processing; R/3 stands for Run-
time System 3—in other words, the third release of the software.
xvii
xviii Preface
the software at your workplace, you bought the wrong book. We do not describe
the inner workings or architecture of the SAP software (except very briefly in the
following pages), because we have found that such information does not help the
typical end user work with the software any more effectively. We also avoid the
use of technical jargon throughout this book, and instead say our piece in plain,
simple English. We do not use a 25-cent word when a 5-cent word will do.
Before we describe the contents of this book, we must devote some words to the
origin, design, and operation of SAP R/3.
What Is SAP R/3?

SAP R/3 is a package of integrated applications called modules that record and
track the activities and costs of doing business. Its roots extend back to 1972,
when five system analysts, all former employees of IBM in Germany, created the
software for collecting large volumes of business data in a single computer and
then processing this data in real time, when the user needs it. Real-time process-
ing was a particularly novel development at the time because the computers of
the 1970s were slow, lumbering machines that required minutes, and sometimes
even hours, to process large volumes of data.
Since that time, SAP has grown from a small regional company to the leading
provider of business enterprise software in the world. At last count, SAP R/3 is
now installed at 84,000 locations in 120 countries around the world, and it is
used by more than 10 million people every day. SAP is now the world’s third-
largest independent software vendor, and it is still growing strong.
The great strength and utility of SAP R/3 are due to a large degree to its architec-
ture or structure, which consists of functional modules, the SAP database, and
the graphical user interface or GUI2 (Figure P.1). We use the term system
throughout this book to describe this three-part assemblage of software.
The functional modules are discrete software packages that are dedicated to spe-
cific tasks, such as accounting, payroll management, and inventory control
(Table P.1). They are typically installed in application servers, which are com-
puters that are capable of rapidly processing or “crunching” large volumes of
data and then assembling the output of their work in a format that can be read by
the user.
2. Pronounced “gooey.”
Preface xix
Figure P.1 The SAP R/3 architecture of the database, functional modules, and
client graphical user interfaces (GUIs) and their respective hardware components.
The modules are all connected to one another, as well as to the database server
and the clients.
Table P.1 Some examples of SAP functional modules
Module Name Abbreviation Function

Managing and reporting product prices, orders,
Sales and Distribution SD and delivery, and analyzing production and
profit data
Managing and reporting all phases of a project,
Project System PS
including costs, design, approval, and resources
Managing and reporting purchasing,
Materials Management MM warehousing, and inventorying of goods and
materials
Managing and reporting maintenance;
Plant Maintenance PM inspection and servicing of plants and
equipment
Managing and reporting corporate cost
Financial Accounting FI
accounting and budget planning
Managing and reporting internal department
Controlling CO
costs and budgets
Continued
xx Preface
Table P.1 Some examples of SAP functional modules (continued)
Module Name Abbreviation Function

Managing and reporting employee data,
Personnel Management PM
recruitment, travel, benefits, and salaries
Managing and reporting employee time data
Time Management TM
and payrolls
Managing and reporting training courses,
Personnel Development PD
seminars, and business events
The database is the actual collection of business data. These data are stored
inside database servers, which are computers with huge amounts of storage
memory and the capacity to rapidly exchange data with the application servers.
The graphical user interface or GUI appears on the desktops of the computers or
clients that you use to access the software. The centerpiece of the GUI is the
application window (called a session by SAP), where you enter commands and
data on scenes or screens by means of your mouse and keyboard.
Note: Some users may access the SAP software through Web browsers such as
MS Internet Explorer. In these cases, the SAP GUI appears inside the frame of the
browser window.
There are many modules in the complete version of SAP R/3, but most business
enterprises do not use all of them. Rather, they purchase and install or implement
only those modules that they need to do their business. The selected modules
are then integrated or linked to one another and to the database servers and cli-
ents by programmers, and the screens are customized or configured to fit the
enterprise’s needs. Once the modules are integrated, the boundaries between
them vanish and they work with one another as a single, seamless software pack-
age. This aggregation of modules is also very flexible: The enterprise can often
add more modules whenever they want so that the software grows as their busi-
ness needs grow.
SAP Transactions
The word transaction describes a single business activity that is conducted with
SAP R/3. Some examples of end user transactions are
Creating a purchase requisition

Generating a budget report for a company department
Preface xxi
Scheduling the shipment of a material to a plant

Recording the activities of a maintenance job
Entering employees’ weekly work hours
Displaying the yearly sales for a product
Every transaction progresses through a four-step workflow of actions, com-

mands, and events (Figure P.2).
The typical workflow begins when the end user logs on the SAP system (Step 1).
This action calls up the SAP Easy Access screen, which is the default “home
page” for the software. The end user works with the elements on this screen to
call up or navigate to the initial screen of a transaction (Step 2), where they
instruct the software on its specific objectives and then execute it (Step 3). A few
seconds later, the output of the transaction appears (Step 4) in one of two forms:
A confirmation that some business process, such as the creation of a req-

uisition or the entry of an employee’s work hours into the database, was
accomplished. This message appears by default at the bottom of the ini-
tial screen.
A display of data from the database. This usually appears on its own out-
put screen.
Figure P.2 The SAP workflow. The four parts of this book each cover one step in this process.
A good bit of the communication between the SAP R/3 software and the end
user is accomplished during Steps 3 and 4 of this SAP workflow via technical
object codes.
A technical object is anything that is monitored and tracked by SAP R/3. This
includes tangible objects, such as employees, consumable materials, equipment,
and physical plants, and intangible ones, such as work orders, purchase requisi-
tions, and shipping orders.
Every technical object has a unique object code, which is assigned to it when its
specifications are entered in the SAP database and which is the primary shorthand
xxii Preface
means of identifying it. There are literally thousands of such codes in every SAP
database, but, fortunately, the software provides a way to search for them, so you
do not have to memorize or record them.
Organization and Contents of This Book

The body of this book consists of 17 lessons on the general use of SAP R/3.
They are grouped into four parts, which correspond to the SAP workflow.
Part I, Getting Started, describes the procedures for logging on and off
the SAP R/3 software, customizing the SAP application window and
screens to suit your preferences, entering personal and logistical data
about yourself, setting default values for the use of the software, and
managing your password.
Part II, Navigating Between Screens, describes three methods for navigating
from the SAP Easy Access screen to the initial screens of transactions,
and a fourth method for navigating between initial and output screens.
Part III, Setting Up Initial Screens, describes the procedures for entering
and searching for object codes and creating customized versions of ini-
tial screens.
Part IV, Working With Output Reports, describes the procedures for cus-
tomizing the output reports of certain transactions and e-mailing them
to other SAP users.
These lessons are preceded by the Introduction, which describes the design and
operation of the SAP application window and its screens, and followed by a Coda,
which presents a simple model of the four basic transaction types that are com-
monly executed by end users.
The instructions in the lessons of this book were written around and illustrated
with screens from version 4.7 of the SAP R/3 software. However, they can also
be applied to SAP 4.5 and 4.6, which are very similar in their design and opera-
tion to SAP 4.7. And with a little effort, they can also be applied to SAP 4.0,
which differs slightly in its screen design but not its operation.
Some Words About the Text and Screen Images

This book uses two conventions for highlighting certain texts:
The names of all screens and screen elements, including all menus, but-
tons, and fields, are always presented in bold type.
Preface xxiii
The names of transactions and software, as well as commands, options,

and slang terms, are always presented in italic type.
These conventions are intended to help the reader scan through the instructions
and easily pick out the critical references within them. The bold text can also be
found with page references in the index at the back of this book.
In addition, we hereafter refer to the SAP R/3 software simply as SAP, and to
people who work behind the scenes to install, configure, operate, and monitor
the use of the software as the SAP administrators.
Finally, we should point out that you will often see small differences between the
screen images in this book and your versions of the same screens.
Some of these differences arise because our screens are customized in a slightly
different way from your screens. For example, every business enterprise makes
use of a unique group of modules in their system, and so they display their own
unique set of folders on their SAP Easy Access screen. We are no exception to
that rule. In addition, we have the most current versions of screens at our dis-
posal, and they contain a few more or different elements, more “bells and whis-
tles,” than your screens.
In addition, we have altered many screen images in this book with Adobe Photo-
shop and other tools. For instance, we have routinely cropped nearly all images to
fit them on the pages and not consume too much space—otherwise, this book
would probably be twice its present length, weight, and price! In addition, we
have hidden screen elements and data that are either proprietary in nature or dis-
tracting and not relevant to the points of the lessons.
However, these are differences of degree, not of kind. For the most part, you will
not even notice the differences between our screens and your screens, and the
noticeable differences will neither confuse you nor obscure the lessons in this
book.
Introduction
DESIGN AND OPERATION OF THE SAP
APPLICATION WINDOW
We begin this book with a visual tour of the SAP application window1 and a
discussion of the design and operation of its screen elements.
When you launch SAP, a session or an application window appears on your com-
puter desktop with a display of a scene or screen inside its frame. This screen
changes in its appearance and function as you progress through the SAP work-
flow from the SAP Easy Access screen (the default “home page” of the system)
to the initial screen of a transaction (where you set up and execute it) and finally
to the output for that transaction.
Regardless of their function, however, seven features or elements are found on

every screen of the SAP application window (Figure I.1):
Menu bar (A)

Standard toolbar (B)
Title bar (C)
Application toolbar (D)
Central work area (E)
Status bar (F)
Popup screens (not shown here)
This lesson describes the design and operation of these screen elements—all of
which should be familiar to the reader, by the way, as they can also be found in
the application windows of many common desktop software applications, such as
1. SAP uses the term session to describe the frame of its screens, but we use the more fa-
miliar term application window throughout this book.
1
2 Introduction Design and Operation of the SAP Application Window
A
B
C
D
F
Figure I.1 The SAP Easy Access screen contains all the elements found on other
screens in the system.
MS Word and Excel. We use the SAP Easy Access screen as the principal source
of our screen images in this introduction because it contains all these screen ele-
ments and should be familiar to even the novice users of the system, but we also
present images from other SAP screens to bring some variety to this discussion.
Incidentally, this introduction focuses on the design and operation of the SAP
application window as it appears in the desktop GUI. However, some end users
access SAP through Web browsers such as MS Internet Explorer, where the SAP
application window is condensed into a simpler format. We describe and illus-
trate this condensed design at the end of this introduction.
Menu Bar
The menu bar is the uppermost element on all screens. It contains three com-
ponents (Figure I.2):
Menu headers (A)

System shortcut menu icon (B)
Control buttons (C)
Menu Bar 3
B A
D C
F
G
Figure I.2 The menu bar and its components, with a display of the Favorites menu and one of
its submenus.
Menu Headers
When the menu headers are clicked, they display lists or menus (D) of nearly
every command that can be executed on a screen. Some of the commands in the
menus have their own submenus (E), which are displayed when your cursor
lands on those commands. The presence of such submenus is indicated by
arrows to the far right of the commands.
To execute a command from the menu bar with your mouse:
Click a header to display its menu.

Scroll down and across the menu and submenus to the desired command.
Notice that each command is highlighted when your cursor lands on it.
When you reach the desired command, click your mouse again to select
it.
For example, the SAP Easy Access screen contains a set of folders called the
Favorites (F), in which you can store links to the initial screens of frequently run
transactions (see Lesson 6). You can shift the Budget and cost transactions folder (G)
upwards through the list of these folders by doing the following:
Click the folder to select and highlight it (G).

Click the Favorites header to display its menu (D).

Scroll down to the Move command, then slide over to the Up command
and click it.
This sequence of actions is called the menu path for that command. It is pre-
sented throughout this book in this format:
Favorites > Move > Up
You can also use your keyboard to display and select commands from
the menu bar, if you are so inclined.
Every header in a menu bar has one underlined letter in its name. For
instance, the Menu header of the SAP Easy Access screen has an under-
lined M, the Edit header has an underlined E and so on (Figure I.2). This
letter identifies the display key for that header.
You can display a menu by pressing and holding the Alt key on your
keyboard and then hitting its display key. Once the menu appears, use
the arrow keys to move up, down, left, or right through the menu and
submenus to the desired command, then hit the Enter key on your
keyboard to select it.
Menu bars are generally screen specific; that is, they change with the scene inside
the application window. For an example, let us compare the menu bars of the
SAP Easy Access screen (Figure I.2) and the output screen of the IE03 transac-
tion (Figure I.3).
The SAP Easy Access screen appears when you log on to the system and is the
starting point in the SAP workflow. From here, you move or navigate to the ini-
tial screen of a transaction, where you set it up and execute it. Consequently, the
first four menus in its menu bar—Menu, Edit, Favorites, and Extras—contain
commands for customizing the screen for easier navigation. For example, the
Favorites menu (D) contains all sorts of commands for working with the
Favorites folders, where links to your frequently run transactions are stored
(see Lesson 6).
In contrast, the output screen of the IE03 transaction displays data about a piece
of equipment. Consequently, the first six menus in its menu bar—Equipment,
Edit, Goto, Extras, Structure, and Environment—contain commands for working
with such data. For example, the Environment menu (Figure I.3A) contains
commands such as Orders, which displays a list of all the maintenance work done
Menu Bar 5
Figure I.3 The menu bar of the output screen of the IE03 transactions contains
headers that are appropriate to equipment displays.
on the equipment; Notifications, which displays a list of all maintenance requests

for it; and Schedule overview list, which displays its maintenance schedule.
However, the menu bar of every screen contains the System and Help menus at
its right end. The first menu contains commands for opening, closing, and cus-
tomizing the SAP application window, printing screens, logging off, and other
system-related processes, and the second gives you access to the help features of
the system. We describe some of the commands of these two menus in the les-
sons of Part I of this book.
System Shortcut Menu Icon

When it is clicked, the system shortcut menu icon displays a short menu of
commands (Figure I.4A) for working with the SAP application window. Most of
these commands can also be executed by the System menu of the menu bar and
by other, more convenient, means. The single exception is the Stop transaction
command, which kills a transaction after you start its execution.
Figure I.4 The system shortcut menu.

We describe the system shortcut menu and its functions in more detail in Lesson 2
of this book.
Control Buttons
The control buttons (Figure I.2C) of the menu bar affect the application win-
dow in three ways when they are clicked. (You should be familiar with their func-
tions from other applications, which often have these same buttons in the same
location.) The first reduces the window to a small application bar at the bottom
of the Windows desktop; the second maximizes and minimizes its size; and the
third closes it.
We describe and illustrate the uses of the control buttons in more detail in Les-
son 2 of this book.
You can use your mouse in four ways on the screen elements of the
SAP application window: You can click, right-click, double-click, and
click-and-drag.
When you are instructed to click a screen element, move your

cursor atop that element and then quickly click and release the
left button on your mouse.
When you are instructed to right-click a screen element, move
your cursor atop that element and quickly click and release the
right button on your mouse.
When you are instructed to double-click a screen element, move
your cursor atop that element and quickly click and release the
left button on your mouse twice.
When you are instructed to click-and-drag a screen element,
move your cursor atop that element; click and hold down the left
button on your mouse; slide the cursor across the screen to its
destination, then release the left button.
You can also use single or combination keystrokes to execute certain
commands. Keystrokes are written in this book in bold letters (for
example, “hit the Enter key”) to remind you that the action takes place
on your keyboard rather than your monitor.
Some keyboard commands require that you press and hold down one
key and then press a second key. For example, you can print a screen
by pressing and holding down the Control (Ctrl) key and then pressing
the P key on your keyboard. This particular command is presented in
the format Ctrl + P in this book.
Standard Toolbar 7
Standard Toolbar
The standard toolbar (Figure I.5) contains the command field and several
command buttons for working on screens and navigating between them. The
name of this toolbar comes from the fact that the functions of these components
are commonly executed on, or universal to, every screen, regardless of its specific
purpose. Consequently, this toolbar is found on every screen in the SAP application.
ut
tc
or
to n
p sk sio
sh
ld
el e s
p
H te d se
st ge e
fie
La t pa ag
Pr pa ain
ea ew
e
d
p
rs ag
ev ge
iz
ea e
an
ex s
Cr te n
Cr pag
N iou
m
Pr el
m
Se h
Fi ch
sto
c
nc
r
ck
m
Se t
ve
te
ar
ar
t
in
it
Co
Cu
Ca
Ba
En
Sa
Ex
Figure I.5 Components of the standard toolbar
Command Field
The command field is another tool for navigating to the initial screens of trans-
actions. Every initial screen in the SAP application is identified by a unique trans-
action code. You can navigate to that screen by entering that code in this field.
The command field also contains a list icon at its right end (Figure I.6A). This
feature, which is found inside other fields on many screens, displays a list of
recently entered transaction codes (B) when it is clicked.
Lastly, the command field is accompanied by its own control arrow (C), which
displays or hides the field when it is clicked. (We recommend that you keep this
field open at all times so that you can use it for navigation.)
We describe the use of the command field in more detail in Lesson 7 of this book.
B C
Figure I.6 The history button (A) of the Command field reveals a list of recently
used transaction codes (B).
Command Buttons
The command buttons execute universal tasks, such as entering and saving
data, printing a screen, and navigating back to the previous screen, when they are
clicked. You can display a label that describes the function of a button by placing
your cursor over it (Figure I.7). If the command can also be executed from your
keyboard, the keystroke will also be displayed in parentheses in the label.
Figure I.7 Place your cursor over a button to see a label with its description and an
alternative keystroke for that command (in this case, the F3 function button).
Here are some of the important design and operation features of the standard
toolbar.
1. You can vary the width of the application window with the frame grab-
ber in its lower-right corner (see Lesson 2). But if the window is too nar-
row, the buttons on the right end of the standard toolbar are cut off and
replaced by a list button (Figure I.8A). However, you can click this but-
ton to display a menu of the hidden commands (B), then scroll down and
click one to execute it.
A
B
Figure I.8 You can display the hidden commands of a shortened standard toolbar
by clicking the list button (A).
2. Some of the buttons in the standard toolbar provide convenient short-

cuts for commands that can be executed from the menu bar. For exam-
ple, the Create session and Create shortcut buttons are shortcuts for
the same commands in the System menu.
Title Bar 9
3. Some of the functions of the buttons can also be executed with key-
strokes. For example, you can print a screen’s content either by clicking
the Print button in the standard toolbar or by the keystroke Ctrl + P.
Similarly, you can enter data on a screen by clicking the Enter button in
the standard toolbar or by hitting the Enter key on your keyboard. We
always instruct you to use the keyboard for this command because it is
faster.
4. On any given screen, some of the buttons in the standard toolbar appear
in full color and others are “grayed out.” The full-colored buttons are
active or hot—that is, they function on that screen—while the gray ones
are inactive or cold because they serve no purpose there.
For example, the Save, Back, and Cancel buttons are all grayed out on
the SAP Easy Access screen because there is nothing to save, no screen
to return to (this is the “home page”), and nothing to cancel (Figure I.1).
Title Bar
The title bar displays the name of the screen in the application window. The
title bars of initial screens usually indicate the transaction type (see the Coda for a
discussion of transaction types) and the object of the transaction (Figure I.9A),
while the title bars of output screens usually display these same data along with
the code for the object of the transaction (Figure I.9B).
Figure I.9 Some examples of the title bars of initial (A) and output screens (B).
In this book, we refer to all screens by the name in their title bars, printed in
bold letters. When we refer to the name of an output screen, we replace the spe-
cific object code with a general reference. For example, we would present the
title of the screen in Figure I.9B as Display Service Order [Order Number]:
Central Header.
Application Toolbar
The application toolbar contains a second row of command buttons for execut-
ing certain tasks. Like the standard toolbar, the buttons of the application tool-
bar replicate commands in the menu bar. In addition, you can display a label that
describes the function of any button by placing your cursor over it. But unlike
the standard toolbar, the buttons of the application toolbar change from screen
to screen—that is, they change with the application or function of the screen.
For instance, the central work area of the SAP Easy Access screen (Figure I.1E)
displays the SAP User and Favorites folders, which contain links for moving to
the initial screens of transactions as well as the Business Workplace screen.
The application toolbar of this screen contains eight buttons for issuing com-
mands that are related to these screen elements (Figure I.10).
The first two buttons (A) display different versions of the folder sets in
the central work area (see Lesson 5).
The third button (B) calls up the Business Workplace screen (see Les-
son 17).
The last five buttons (C) enable you to create and manage the Favorites
folders of the central work area (see Lesson 6).
A B C
Figure I.10 The application toolbar of the SAP Easy Access screen has its own
unique set of command buttons.
On the other hand, the Display Actual Costs Line Items for Cost Centers
screen displays data about the expenditures for a department (or cost center) in a
company in a multicolumn line-item report (Figure I.11). Its application toolbar
contains a completely different set of buttons for working with this report. For
instance, it contains buttons for sorting its contents (A), summing up the numer-
ical values in its columns (B), and e-mailing the report to another SAP user (C).
A B C
Figure I.11 The application toolbar of the Display Actual Costs Line Items for Cost
Centers screen has its own unique set of command buttons.
Status Bar 11
Status Bar
The status bar (Figure I.12) contains three components: the message field (A),
system data field (B), and frame grabber (C).
The message field is one of two screen elements (the second is popup screens)
by which the system displays confirmations, warnings, errors, and other mes-
sages to users. For example:
When you set up and execute a transaction for creating a requisition, the
system confirms you have successfully completed the transaction and
displays by default the new requisition number in the message field (Fig-
ure I.12A). You don’t have to respond to the system in any way, although
you should probably record the requisition number.
If you try to log on with the wrong user ID or password, the system dis-
plays an error message to this effect in the message field. Once again,
you do not have to respond directly to this message, but you must cor-
rect your error when you try to log on again. You can also see more
information about a warning or an error by double-clicking the message.
A B C
Figure I.12 Components of the status bar.
The system data field displays technical data about your SAP environment; that
is, its hardware and software. Some of these data appear directly on the status
bar. For example, the system data field in Figure I.12 displays the name of the
database (CU6 (1) (800)) that we used to capture the screen images for this book,
and the server (tsphl874) through which we accessed this database (B).
You can also click the list icon (Figure I.13A) in the system data field to display
other sorts of technical data, including the name of the database (System) and
SAP server (Host name), your user ID (User), and the transaction code of the
screen (Transaction). You can permanently display one of these datatypes directly
in the first compartment of the status bar by scrolling down to it and clicking it
so that a check appears to the left of its name (B).
Finally, you can display or hide the system data field by clicking the control
arrow (Figure I.13C) to its left.
The frame grabber (Figure I.12C) allows you to adjust the size and shape of the
application window by clicking-and-dragging it into a new position.
C A
Figure I.13 The list menu icon (A) reveals other technical data about SAP.
Central Work Area

The central work area (technically called the Dynpro) lies between the applica-
tion toolbar and status bar of every screen. This is the principal working envi-
ronment for the SAP application. It contains many different screen elements for
navigating between screens, setting up transactions, and working with their out-
put. We describe the design and operation of these screen elements in the
remaining pages of this introduction.
Panels and Panes

The central work area can contain one or more panels. Single-panel work areas
are most common, but two- and three-panel work areas can also be found on the
SAP Easy Access screen and some initial and output screens (Figure I.14).
Wherever you find multiple panels, you can adjust their sizes by clicking-and-
dragging the dividers or panes between them (Figure I.14A).
Some multipanel screens have buttons in their main application toolbars (or in
secondary toolbars above the panels themselves) for displaying and hiding panels.
For example, the initial screen for the Create Purchase Order transaction (Figure
I.14) has a side panel that can be used for searching for older requisitions. You
can hide this panel, which is not required for running the transaction, by clicking
the Document overview off button2 (B) in the main application toolbar of the
screen. When this panel is hidden, this button changes into the Document
overview on button (Figure I.15A), which can be used to display the panel.
2. This button goes by other names, such as Navigation on/off and Close/Open, on oth-
er screens.
Central Work Area 13
Figure I.14 A two-panel central work area, with the button (B) for closing the left panel.
Figure I.15 The same central work area as in Figure I.14, with the side panel closed.
Storage Folders
Storage folders are present in the central work areas of two screens: the SAP
Easy Access screen, the “home page” of the system (Figure I.1) and the SAP
Business Workplace screen (Figure 17.17 on page 243), where you can create
and manage your e-mail. The folders of the first screen contain links to the ini-
tial screens of transactions (see Lesson 5), and the folders of the second screen
store e-mails and their attached documents.
The storage folders of these two screens are exactly the same in their design and
operation as the file storage folders in your personal computer. They are orga-
nized in a hierarchical or multilevel structure of folders and subfolders that you can
open and close by clicking the arrows to their left or double-clicking their
names.
We describe the design and operation of the storage folders of the SAP Easy
Access and SAP Business Workplace screens in more detail in Lessons 5 and 17.
Data Fields
Data fields are rectangular boxes that are found on nearly every initial and out-
put screen in the SAP system (Figure I.16). There are two types of these elements.
Data entry fields: These display their contents against a white back-
ground (A). They are read-write fields. You can enter data inside them if
they are empty, or edit their contents if they are already filled or prepopu-
lated with content.
Data display fields: These display their contents against a gray back-
ground (B). They are strictly read-only fields. You cannot enter data in
them or edit their contents.
Data fields are always accompanied by a label that identifies the class of data or
datatype that they can display or hold. The data can consist of object codes,
which are assigned to all activities and objects tracked by SAP; calendar dates,
such as 01/01/2005; and alphanumerical text, such as USD or Vehicle needs an oil
change.3
We describe the design and operation of data entry fields in more detail in Part II
of this book.
3. SAP uses the term parameter to describe a datatype, and values to describe data.
A
B
Figure I.16 Examples of data entry (A) and data display (B) fields.
Field Areas and Tabbed Subscreens

Some initial and output screens contain dozens and sometimes hundreds of data
fields. When this occurs, the fields are typically parceled out into separate field
areas, sometimes called frames, and tabbed subscreens (Figure I-17).
F G
C D
A
C B
Figure I.17 Large amounts of data are organized on subscreens and in field areas.
Field areas are groupings of data of related types (for example, Figure I.17 A and
B). Each field area is surrounded by a border and headed by a label (C), which
describes in general terms the contents of its fields. Where there are many field
areas, they are further separated onto subscreens (D). You can display one sub-
screen at a time by clicking its tab (E), which identifies its contents.
For example, Figure I.17 illustrates the central work area of the output for the
Display Equipment (IE03) transaction, which displays data about the installation
and maintenance of equipment. This output contains a huge volume of technical
and logistical data about the equipment and its history.
This mass of data is organized by parceling out the data onto ten subscreens,
including the HeaderData subscreen, which is shown in this figure. This par-
ticular subscreen contains field areas for service data (A) and the name of the
physical plant and plant manager responsible for the equipment (B), as well as its
own tabbed subscreen for address data (F).
Incidentally, the application window for the screen in Figure I.17 is wide
enough to display all the tabs of its subscreens (E). When the application win-
dow is too narrow, the tabs on the right end of the subscreens are cut off and
replaced by left and right control arrows and a list icon (Figure I.18A). You
can display a subscreen, despite the fact that its tab might be cut off, in one of
two ways.
Click a control arrow to display the next subscreen to the left or right, or
Click the icon to display a list of the available subscreens (B), then scroll
down and click a subscreen’s name.
Figure I.18 By clicking the list menu icon, you can display a list of those subscreens
whose tabs are hidden.
Finally, you can display or hide some field areas and tabbed subscreens by using
the Expand/close button, which lies directly outside their upper-left corner.
For example, the initial screen for the Create a Purchase Requisition (ME51N)
transaction (Figure I.19) contains two tabbed subscreens (Header at its top, Item at
its bottom) and a line-item table (at mid-screen) for entering data about the req-
uisitioned materials. When they are all displayed, this screen is fairly long, and
part of its content is hidden from view.
Therefore, it is common practice to display and work on only one part of this
screen at a time and keep the other two areas hidden from view. This can be
done with the Expand button (Figure I.19A), which displays an area when it is
hidden, and the Close button (B), which hides an area when it is displayed. We
have displayed the line-item table and hidden the Header and Item subscreens above
and below it (so that only their names appear) by these means in our example.
A
Figure I.19 The Expand (A) and Close (B) buttons display and hide (respectively)
parts of the central work area. In this image, the Header and Item subscreens are
both hidden, and only their names appear.
Selection Boxes, Check Boxes, and Radio Buttons

Selection boxes (Figure I.20) and check boxes (Figure I.21) are found on the
initial and output screens of many transactions, where they can be used to select
one or more options, objects, or commands from a roster of items. You can select
and deselect items in these rosters by clicking these boxes.
The difference between selection boxes and check boxes is simply the result of
clicking them. When you click a selection box, it highlights the name of the
selected item (Figure I.20A); when you click a check box, a check appears inside it.
Figure I.20 When a selection box is clicked, the name of the selected item is
highlighted (A).
Figure I.21 Check boxes.
Radio buttons (Figure I.22) serve a similar function to selection and check
boxes: they allow you to select an option, object, or command from a roster of
such items. However, they differ in one key regard: you can only select one item
from the roster with a radio button.
Figure I.22 Radio buttons.
Command Buttons
Command buttons can often be found in the central work areas of screens (see
Figure I.17G). Like the buttons of the standard and application toolbars, they
execute a specific task, which you can identify by placing your cursor over them
to display their label.
Scroll Bars
Scroll bars appear along the bottom and right margin of especially long or wide
screens. You use them to shift the scene in the central work area in the horizontal
or vertical direction (Figure I.23) in one of three ways.
1. Click the arrows at the end of a bar (A) to move the scene in small incre-
ments. This is the least effective and most tedious method, because the
scene “creeps” slowly through the central work area.
2. Click the blue stripe of the bar (B) to move the scene in large incre-
ments.
3. Click-and-drag the white bar (C) to move the scene by any distance.
Popup Screens 19
A C B
Figure I.23 Scroll bar.
You can also use the four page control buttons in the standard toolbar
(Figure I.5 on page 7) to shift the scene in a long central work area in the vertical
direction.
The first and last buttons, which have a design of double arrows over a page
icon, shift the scene to the very top and very bottom, respectively, of the central
work area. The two middle buttons, which have single arrows imposed over a
page icon, shift the scene to the next full scene above and below the present one.
Popup Screens
Popup screens (also known as dialog boxes) of all different sizes are often dis-
played within SAP application windows. Some appear in response to an action by
you or a command from you to the system, and others appear automatically
when the system wants to communicate information to you.
Popup screens can be informational, interrogatory, or procedural in their purpose.
Informational popup screens (Figure I.24) display a message from the system
and require only that you acknowledge that message by clicking an Enter but-
ton (which usually appears at its bottom) or hitting the Enter key on your key-
board. Such popup screens are generally small, given their limited function, and
they appear without a specific command on your part.
Figure I.24 An informational popup screen.
Interrogatory popup screens (Figure I.25) display questions from the system in
response to some action on your part and require some response from you. For
example, when you try to log off the system (see Lesson 1), the system displays a
popup screen that asks you to confirm or cancel that action with the Yes and No
buttons. Such popup screens are also generally small.
Figure I.25 A query popup screen.
Procedural popup screens allow you to conduct certain procedures outside the
central work area of screens. For example, you can control the display in the
central work area of the SAP Easy Access screen with a procedural popup
screen (Figure I.26), which you can call up by following the menu path Extras >
Settings on that screen. Procedural popup screens are medium to large in size
and fairly complex in their composition, often containing their own toolbar
(which usually runs along their bottoms), tabbed subscreens, and other screen
elements.
A
B
C
Figure I.26 A procedural popup screen.
The name of a popup screen is always displayed in a blue title bar across its top
(Figure I-26A). This bar also contains a control button at its right end (B) that
you can click to erase the screen. You will also find a button for this purpose,
along with other command buttons, in a toolbar at the bottom of a procedural
popup screen (C).
SAP on the Web 21
SAP on the Web

Many end users access the SAP system through an application window that is
displayed directly on their computer monitor’s desktop, or what is called the cli-
ent server GUI. However, it is also possible to access the system through a Web
browser such as MS Internet Explorer.
When you access SAP through a Web browser, the SAP application window
appears within the frame of the browser’s application window (Figure I-27). For
the most part, the design and operation of this Web GUI are identical to the
design and operation of the desktop window, except in one regard: the menu bar
and standard toolbar are collapsed onto the application toolbar, where they are
represented by buttons.
For example, Figure I-27 shows the design of the SAP Easy Access screen
within the Web browser window. This screen contains only the title bar and
application toolbar at its top; its menu bar and standard toolbar are replaced by
A B
Figure I.27 The SAP application window is condensed in design when it appears inside the
frame of a Web browser window: Its menu bar and standard toolbar are collapsed onto its
application toolbar. Click the Menu button to reveal the menu headers. The commands of the
Favorites menu are shown in this image.
the Menu button (A) and Tool button (B), which are situated on the applica-
tion toolbar. You need only click the Menu button to display and maneuver to
all its familiar command menus and submenus, and click the Tool button to dis-
play and select from its commands.
Part I
GETTING STARTED
“Begin at the beginning,” the King said, very gravely, “and go on till you come to the
end: then stop.” — Lewis Carroll (British author), Alice in Wonderland
Lesson 1: Logging On and Logging Off
Lesson 2: Working With SAP Sessions
Lesson 3: Entering User Profile Data
Lesson 4: Changing Your Password
23
Lesson 1
LOGGING ON AND LOGGING OFF
The SAP software and its database are installed in large centralized computers
called servers that are dedicated solely to this system and that have the memory
and processing speeds to support it. The servers are linked by cable and satellite
networks to remote or peripheral client computers, where end users like you
interact with the system.
Large corporate operators of SAP often maintain several classes of servers, such
as production, development, and training servers.
Production servers house a live SAP system; that is, the software and database
used by a business to manage its affairs and by all users to do their work with the
system. We use several production servers to house the SAP software and its
database in our organization, although they all provide the same access to the
entire system. These servers are assigned functional names such as Warehouse
Management and Purchasing in order to direct different types of users (warehouse
managers and purchasing agents, in this example) to different production serv-
ers. This distributes the workload more evenly among all these servers (a process
called “automatic load balancing”) and speeds the overall operating and response
times of the system for all users.
Development servers are used only by computer programmers and SAP special-
ists to develop and test customized versions of the software.
Training servers contain copies of a live database and are used as training “sand-
boxes” where new users can “play” with and learn the system without harm to
the live database. Most end users do not usually have access to these servers
except in training classes.
To log on to SAP, you must first select a logon server and then identify yourself to
the system with a user ID and password (and sometimes client and language
codes). Once the system verifies that you have an account with the SAP adminis-
trator, the SAP application window appears and displays the SAP Easy Access
screen. This screen is your gateway to the application and its database.
25
26 Lesson 1 Logging On and Logging Off
This first lesson provides instructions on logging on to the SAP system through
the available servers in your network, dealing with problems during logons, and
logging off the system.
Logging On
There are two procedures for logging on SAP. This first procedure calls up the
SAP Logon pad, where you select your logon server, and then the SAP screen,
where you enter identification codes of various types. This procedure gives you
the option of logging on a server of a specific class (production, development, or
training) or functional type (for example, a production server for purchasing
agents).
Procedure
Logging On With the SAP Logon Pad
Step 1. Click the Start button (A) of the Windows desktop, then follow a menu
path to the SAP logon command. The exact menu path depends on the
setup of your computer. For our organization, it is
Start > Programs > SAP Front End > SAPlogon (Figure 1.1).
Figure 1.1 Starting the logon process through the Windows operating system
menu.
Logging On 27
Step 2. The SAP Logon pad appears (Figure 1.2). It displays a list of the avail-
able servers in your network.
Double-click the name of a server, or
Click the name of a server to select and highlight it (A), then click the
Logon button (B).
Figure 1.2 The SAP Logon pad. This sample pad displays the names of several pro-
duction, development, and training servers. The live SAP system can be accessed
through any one of the production (PRD) servers.
Step 3. The SAP application window opens to display the SAP screen
(Figure 1.3). This screen contains four fields: Client, User, Password,
and Language. The Client and Language fields are often prefilled, or
prepopulated, with codes when this screen appears.1
Enter your user ID in the User field (A).
Enter your password in the Password field (B).
Option: Change your logon password. (See Lesson 4 for instructions.)
Hit the Enter key on your keyboard.
1. Most business enterprises use a single SAP database for all their divisions and functions.
This database is identified by a single client code. Business enterprises with several sub-
sidiary companies might maintain separate databases for each of these companies. In
this case, you must specify, with the correct client code, the database you want to access.
And if you work for a multinational business, you must specify your language in the
Language field.
Figure 1.3 The SAP screen, where you enter your user ID and password (and any
other required codes).
Step 4. The SAP Easy Access screen appears inside the application window.
You are now ready to work with the system.
End Procedure
End of procedure
Some end-users access the SAP software through Web browsers such
as MS Internet Explorer. They will be given a link by their SAP adminis-
trators that immediately calls up the SAP screen (Figure 1.3) when it is
clicked. Such end-users can skip Steps 1 and 2 of the previous proce-
dure, and simply follow the instructions in Step 3 to log on to the SAP
system.
The second logon procedure uses a desktop shortcut (Figure 1.4) to bypass the
SAP Logon 620 pad and the SAP screen and rapidly log on with just your
password.
Figure 1.4 An SAP desktop shortcut icon.

Logging On 29
You can create one or more desktop shortcuts for logging on to the system. (See
the instructions in Lesson 4.) Each desktop shortcut has the following conve-
nient features:
It is rigged to log on to a specific server, so you do not need to select a

server with the SAP Logon pad.
It is rigged to know your user ID, client number, and language code, so
you do not need to enter these data on the SAP screen. Rather, you
simply provide your password on a small popup screen.
It is rigged to display a specific target screen once you log on. The SAP
Easy Access screen, which is the home page of the system, is the usual
preferred destination (and the target of the desktop shortcut in Figure 1.4),
but you can also create desktop shortcuts that call up other screens when
you log on.
Procedure
Logging On With a Desktop Shortcut
Step 1. Double-click the icon for the desktop shortcut (Figure 1.4).
Step 2. The SAP Easy Access popup screen appears (Figure 1.5). It contains
only the User Name and Password fields.
Confirm your user ID in the User name field (A).
Enter your password in the Password field (B).
Figure 1.5 The SAP Easy Access popup screen allows for quick logons to the
system.
Step 3. The SAP application window appears and displays your target screen
(the SAP Easy Access screen, in this case). You are now ready to work
with the system.
End Procedure
End of Procedure
The most common problem you will probably encounter during

logon is the failure of the system to recognize a code that you might
have entered in one of the four fields of the SAP screen. When you
enter wrong codes, the system responds with a message in the status
bar of the screen (Figure 1.6) that something is not correct.
This error is most often due to typing errors. Check that the Caps Lock
key on your computer keyboard is disengaged, then reenter your
codes more carefully.
For security purposes, some SAP administrators program their system

to erase the SAP screen and freeze you out of the logon process when
you fail to log on with the correct codes several times in a row. When
this occurs, you must contact your SAP administrator to regain autho-
rization to use the system.
Figure 1.6 The system posts a message in the status bar if you enter the
wrong code on the SAP screen.
Logging Off
You can log off from any screen in the SAP system. There are three alternative
procedures for this action, depending on whether you have one or several open
sessions on your desktop.
Procedure
Logging Off
Step 1. If you have only one open session (application window), click the third control
button (A) in the menu bar (Figure 1.7).
If you have several open sessions, you can either
Follow the menu path System > Log off (B), or
Logging Off 31
Enter /nex in the command field2 (C), and hit the Enter key on your
keyboard.
A
C
Figure 1.7 You can log off by clicking the third control button, using the System
menu, or entering /nex in the command field.
Step 2. The Log Off screen appears, and you are asked to confirm the action
(Figure 1.8).
Click the Yes button, or
Figure 1.8 Confirm the log-off with this screen by clicking the Yes button or hitting
the Enter key on your keyboard.
End Procedure
End of procedure
2. We describe this and other uses of the command field in Lesson 7.

Lesson 2
WORKING WITH SAP SESSIONS
The SAP application window (technically called a session) is a graphical user

interface or GUI with which you communicate and interact with the SAP sys-
tem. This interaction occurs on three types of screens that are displayed within
the frame of the application window:
The SAP Easy Access screen, which is the default home page of the
system and the starting point for most transactions
The initial screens of transactions, where you set up and execute trans-
actions
The output screens of transactions, where the system displays the results
of transactions to you
This second lesson provides instructions on managing the properties of the SAP
application window and its screens. Six topics are discussed:
Controlling the session geometry and location

Creating multiple sessions
Killing a session
Customizing the layouts of sessions and screens
Customizing the SAP Easy Access screen
Creating desktop shortcuts
Controlling the Application Window Geometry

and Location
You can change the size, shape and location of the SAP application window with
several screen elements.
33
34 Lesson 2 Working With SAP Sessions
The size and shape of a window can be changed with the control buttons (A) in
its upper-right corner (Figure 2.1). The functions of these buttons should be
very familiar to you, for they are a common design feature in the application
windows of most software.
Click the first button to hide a window. This action reduces it to a bar in
the application toolbar at the bottom of your Windows desktop (Figure
2.2A). You can redisplay the window by clicking this bar.
Click the second button to maximize the window to fill your desktop,
and again to reduce it to a fraction of your desktop.
Click the third button to close a window and remove it from your
screen.1
You can also change the size and shape of an application window with the frame
grabber (Figure 2.1B) in its lower-right corner. Simply click-and-drag it across
the desktop to resize and reshape the window.
Finally, you can change the location of a window on your desktop by clicking-
and-dragging it by its menu bar.
Figure 2.1 The size, shape, and location of an application window can be changed
with the control buttons (A), frame grabber (B), and menu bar.
A
Figure 2.2 Clicking the first control button reduces an application window to a
bar with the screen name (A) in the application toolbar of your Windows desktop.
1. This same button is found alone in the upper-right corners of SAP popup screens; you
can use it to close the popup screens and to remove them from your desktop.
Creating Multiple Application Windows 35
Creating Multiple Application Windows

Once you log on to SAP, it is a good practice to create several application win-
dows and stow the extra ones in the application toolbar of your Windows desktop.
Why? Some transactions require fairly long execution times (on the order of several
tens of seconds to a few minutes) because they must comb through large volumes
of the database to locate and collect data. While they are running, an hourglass
replaces your screen cursor and the window is “frozen” from any further use until
the transaction is completed. When this happens, you can either sit and wait for
the transaction to run, or you can call up another window and work there.
You can create multiple application windows by following this procedure.
Procedure
Creating Multiple Application Windows
Step 1. Click the Create session button (A) in the standard toolbar (Figure 2.3) or
Follow the menu path System > Create Session (B).
Step 2. The new window appears. Click the first control button (Figure 2.1A) to
hide it in the application toolbar (Figure 2.2).
Step 3. Repeat as necessary.
A
B
Figure 2.3 You can create a new application window with the Create session button
or the System menu.
End Procedure
End of procedure
Killing a Session
Once you set up the initial screen of a transaction and execute it, a small stop-
watch (A) appears at the left end of the status bar of that screen and remains
there until the transaction is finished (Figure 2.4). During this time, you can can-
cel the transaction, or kill the session, through the system control menu.
There are two common situations in which you might decide to cancel a transac-
tion. Both occur during reporting transactions, which search through the database
for the records of one or more objects.2 (See the Coda at the end of this book for a
discussion of the basic transaction types.)
The first situation: You are running a display transaction, which displays the data-
base record for a single object, but you entered the wrong code for that object.
For instance, you may have wanted to display the data record for purchase requi-
sition #123456, but you mistakenly entered the code for purchase requisition
#654321 on the initial screen of the transaction.
The second situation: You are running a list-display transaction, which displays a
list of all objects that are related in some fashion. However, you define the search
so broadly that the system must search a large volume of the database, and so the
transaction takes a very long time to execute. For instance, you may have wanted
to display a list of all the purchase requisitions that you created for your depart-
ment during the last six months, but you neglected to enter this time period on
the initial screen of the transaction. This forces the system to search the database
for every requisition that you ever created for your department since you started
working there.
To kill any transaction (reporting or process), follow this next procedure.
Procedure
Cancelling a Transaction
Step 1. Click the system control menu icon (B) in the upper left-hand corner
to display the system control menu (Figure 2.4).
2. An object is anything that is assigned a code in SAP.

Customizing the Layout of Application Windows and Screens 37
A
Figure 2.4 You can cancel a transaction with the system control menu, which is
displayed in the upper-left corner of the application window.
Step 2. Scroll down to the Stop transaction command, and click it to select it.
Step 3. The transaction is cancelled, and the initial screen of the transaction is
replaced by the SAP Easy Access screen.
End Procedure
End of procedure
Customizing the Layout of Application Windows

and Screens
The design and operation of SAP application windows and screens are, for the
most part, firmly established by the designers of the software. However, you can
customize a few layout features with the Customizing of local layout menu.
You can display this menu by clicking the Customize local layout button (A),
which lies at the right end of the standard toolbar (Figure 2.5).
Figure 2.5 The Customize local layout button reveals a long menu of commands,
including two commands for customizing the design and operation of SAP
windows and screens: Options and New Visual Design.
The Customizing menu (Figure 2.5B) contains a long list of commands, many
of which do not affect the layouts of application windows and screens. We
explore the use of some of these commands in later parts in this book. You may
also want to experiment with them to determine their functions on your own.
You can customize the layout with the first two commands in this menu: Options
and New Visual Design. Simply follow the next two procedures.
Procedure
Customizing With the Options Command
Step 1. Click the Customizing of local layout button (A) to display its menu,
then follow the menu path
Customizing of local options > Options (Figure 2.5).
Step 2. The Options popup screen appears (Figure 2.6). It displays one of six
scenes or subscreens, which can be selected with the tabs and tab con-
trols (A) at its top. The Options subscreen is displayed by default when
this screen appears.
Select the Quick option on the Options subscreen (B).
B D
E
Figure 2.6 The Options and Extras screens enable you to change some of the layout features of
sessions and screens.
Why do this? Whenever your cursor lands on a button on a screen, the

system flashes a label that identifies its function. This selection causes
that label to appear rapidly.
Optional: Select or deselect the Beep at message option in the Messages
field area (C).
Why do this? The system occasionally sends messages and warnings to
you. This option either sets the system to announce such messages with
a beep or disables that sound effect. (We chose to disable it because
beeps annoy us.)
Optional: Select any or all of the four Dialog box at [message type] options in
the Messages field area (C).
Why do this? SAP usually displays confirmation, warning, error, and
abort messages in the status bar at the bottom of the screen by default.
By selecting these options, the system instead displays such messages in
a popup screen in the central work area.
Step 3. Click the Expert tab.
Select the Show keys in all dropdown lists option (D).
Why do this? This action displays alternative keystrokes for many com-
mands in the menu bar and toolbars of the screens and in the labels of
command buttons.
Step 4. Click the other tabs, examine and test the other available options, and
set them to your liking. You will probably find (as we have) that they are
either obscure in purpose or set at acceptable default values.
Step 5. Click the Apply button, followed by the OK button, at the bottom of
the screen (E) to save your changes and erase it from your desktop.
End Procedure
End of procedure
Procedure
Customizing With the New Visual Design Command
Step 1. Click the Customizing of local layout button (Figure 2.5A) to display
its menu, then follow the menu path
Customizing of local options > New Visual Design.
Step 2. The SAP GUI Settings popup screen appears (Figure 2.7). It has two
tabs (A) at its top for displaying two separate subscreens. The General
tab is selected by default when the screen appears.
B
C
Figure 2.7 You can control font sizes and sound effects with the General subscreen
of the SAP GUI Settings screen.
Change the font size to a more practical size by adjusting the setting in
the Font size field area (B). This author has set his font size to its max-
imum of 120% to accommodate his terminal myopia.
The system often displays messages and warnings to the user on its
screens, and it can be set to announce them with a beep. Select one of
the two options in the Sound field area (C) to turn this alert sound on
or off. (We chose to disable this function.)
Step 3. Click the Color setting tab to display the Color settings subscreen. A
menu of available color schemes (Figure 2.8A) and a small representative
display of the selected colors (B) appear on this subscreen.
(Note: Some SAP administrators disable this screen so that users cannot
alter the color scheme of their screens.)
To change the color scheme, click its name once to select and highlight
it.
The Complementary option is selected and highlighted in this example.
A B
E
C C
F
Figure 2.8 The Color Settings subscreen allows you to change the color scheme of
application windows and screens and save or delete customized schemes.
To modify the foreground or background color, click the colored rectan-

gle in the Foreground color or Background color field area (Figure
2.8C) to call up the Color Picker popup screen (Figure 2.9).
B
A
Figure 2.9 Adjust the foreground or background color on this popup screen.
To modify the foreground or background color, slide the color control

bar (Figure 2.9A) or click a new color in the color tone field (B).
Hit the Enter key on your keyboard to record the change and erase the
popup screen.
Step 4. To save a modified color scheme, click the Save as button (Figure 2.8D).
The Save As popup screen appears (Figure 2.10). Enter a name for the
new color scheme (A).
Hit the Enter key on your keyboard to save the new color scheme and
erase the popup screen.
Figure 2.10 Save your new color screen on this popup screen.
Step 5. To delete a color scheme, click its name to select and highlight it (Figure
2.8A), then click the Delete button (E).
the SAP GUI Settings popup screen (Figure 2.8F) to save your
changes and erase this screen.
End Procedure
End of procedure
Customizing the SAP Easy Access Screen 43
Customizing the SAP Easy Access Screen

The SAP Easy Access screen (Figure 2.11) is the default home page of the sys-
tem. You can move or navigate to the initial screens of transactions from this
screen by either entering transaction codes in the command field of the stan-
dard toolbar or clicking the transaction links in the SAP menu and Favorites
folders, which appear in the left panel of its central work area. (See Part II for
further discussion of navigation.)
B D
C
Figure 2.11 Call up the Settings popup screen with the menu path Extras > Settings.
You can also customize the layout and contents of the SAP Easy Access screen
by following this next procedure.
Procedure
Customizing the SAP Easy Access Screen
Step 1. Follow the menu path Extras > Settings (Figure 2.11A).
Step 2. The Settings popup screen appears (Figure 2.12). It provides four
options for customizing the central work area.
You can place the Favorites folders (Figure 2.11B) in the lower part of
the central work area by selecting the Display favorites at end of list option.
This is a good choice if you do not use the Favorites folders to navigate.
You can display only the Favorites folders and hide the SAP menu
folders (Figure 2.11C) by selecting the Do not display menu, only display
favorites option. This is a good choice if you do not use the SAP menu
folders to navigate.
You can hide the picture in the right panel (D) by selecting the Do not
display screen option. (This action shortens the display time for the
screen.) You can also widen or narrow the two panels by clicking-and-
dragging the pane (E) between them.
You can display the transaction codes along with the names of transac-
tions in the Favorites and SAP menu folders by selecting the Display
technical names option. (We describe transaction codes in Lesson 7.)
Step 3. Select the desired options, then hit the Enter key on your keyboard to
record your changes and erase the Settings popup screen.
Figure 2.12 Customize the central work area with the options on this popup
screen.
End Procedure
End of procedure
Creating Desktop Shortcuts

Desktop shortcuts provide a fast way to log on to SAP (see Lesson 1). You can
create shortcuts for logging on to one or more servers in your network. You can
design the shortcuts to display either the SAP Easy Access screen, which is the
home page of the system, or any other “target screens” that you might use regu-
larly, when you log on.
For example, suppose that you are the administrative clerk in your company and
you use SAP for many different purposes. However, your most common task is
to enter employees’ work hours in the database, which requires the frequent exe-
cution of the Create Time Entry transaction. You may want to create two desktop
shortcuts: one that calls up the SAP Easy Access screen, which gives you gen-
eral access to all transactions, and a second that calls up the initial screen for the
Create Time Entry transaction.
Creating Desktop Shortcuts 45
Procedure
Creating Desktop Shortcuts
Step 1. Navigate to a screen that will be the target of the desktop shortcut. For
this example, we create a shortcut to the SAP Easy Access screen,
which is the most convenient starting point for working with the system.
Step 2. Click the Create shortcut button (A) in the standard toolbar of the
screen (Figure 2.13).
Figure 2.13 The Create shortcut button.
Step 3. The New SAP GUI Shortcut popup screen appears (Figure 2.14). It
contains several fields that are prepopulated with codes for the server
(A), client (B), language (C) and target screen (D) among others. (Note:
Session Manager is another name for the SAP Easy Access screen.)
Figure 2.14 The New SAP GUI Shortcut popup screen for creating and labeling a
desktop shortcut.
Enter a label for the new icon in the Title field (E). This label will
appear beneath the icon on your desktop.
the popup screen (F).
Step 5. A second SAP GUI Shortcut popup screen appears to confirm that
the desktop shortcut is created (Figure 2.15).
Hit the Enter key on your keyboard to erase this screen. The icon for
the new shortcut appears on your desktop.
Figure 2.15 The SAP GUI Shortcut popup screen confirms that a shortcut is
created.
End Procedure
End of procedure
Lesson 3
ENTERING USER PROFILE DATA
SAP stores a record of personal, organizational, and contact data about you in its
database. This record is called your user profile, and it includes your name,
title, location, and phone numbers, as well as your preferences on dates, number
formats, and output printer.
You are responsible for maintaining the data in your user profile. You should
enter data there as soon as you begin to use the SAP system, then update it
whenever there is some change in these data—for example, when you change
work location or get promoted to a new job. It is especially important to keep
your location and contact data current, because other users who are trying to
locate or communicate with you may call up your SAP user profile for this data.
Procedure
Entering User Profile Data
Step 1. Go to the menu bar at the top of any SAP screen and follow the menu
path System > User Profile > Own Data (Figure 3.1A).
Figure 3.1 The menu path for calling up the Maintain User Profile screen.
47
48 Lesson 3 Entering User Profile Data
Step 2. The Maintain User Profile popup screen appears (Figure 3.2). It can
display three subscreens, which you select with the tabs (A) at its top.
You can enter your user profile data on two of its subscreens: Address
and Defaults.
The Address subscreen is displayed by default when this screen
appears. It contains several fields for entering your personal, logistical,
and contact data.
Enter data in any fields on the Address subscreen. For this example, the
user entered his title, name, department, location, and telephone number.
Note: Some fields on this screen contain list icons (B). Click this icon to
reveal a list of possible entries for such a field, then scroll down to and
click the desired entry.
Figure 3.2 Enter personal and logistical data about yourself on the Address
subscreen of the Maintain User Profile screen.
Entering User Profile Data 49
Step 3. Click the Defaults tab to display the Defaults subscreen (Figure 3.3),
where you can enter default values for several functions and formats of
the system.
D
B
E
C
Figure 3.3 Enter default data for working with the system on the Defaults
subscreen of the Maintain User Profile screen.
We recommend these actions:

The Start menu field (A) enables you to set up the system to display a
specific screen when you log on. Most users prefer to start with the SAP
Easy Access screen. If this is your preference, leave this field blank.
Some users routinely go to the same initial screen as soon as they log on
to SAP. If this is the case with you, you can enter the transaction code1
for that screen here so that it appears automatically when you log on.
1. See Part II for more instructions about transaction codes.

50 Lesson 3 Entering User Profile Data
Enter the code for your printer in the Output Device field (B). This
action sets that printer as the default destination of printed output from
the system. You can search for its code by following the procedures
described in Lesson 10.
Enter a code for your local time zone in the Personal Time Zone of
the User field (C). You can search for the code by following the proce-
dures described in Lesson 10.
Select one of the options in the Decimal Notation field area (D) by
clicking its radio button. The first is the European standard format and
the default option of the system; the second is the American standard
format.
Select one of the options in the Date format field area (E) by clicking
its radio button. The first is the European standard format and the
default option of the system; the second is the American standard format.
Step 4. Click the Save button (F) to record your user profile data and close the
Maintain User Profile popup screen.
End Procedure
End of procedure
Lesson 4
CHANGING YOUR PASSWORD
You must enter a unique user ID and password (and sometimes client and lan-
guage codes) to log on to and access the SAP application and its database (see
Lesson 1).
Generally, your SAP administrator assigns your user ID—it might be your
employee number or social security number, for instance—and you cannot ever
change it. However, you have more control over your password.
You will be assigned a temporary password by the SAP administrator when you
begin to use SAP, but you are prompted by the system to change it when you log
on for the first time. Thereafter, you can change your password at any time.
It is, in fact, good practice to change your SAP password regularly to prevent
intruders from accessing the database through your account. Such unwelcome
guests can easily figure out your user ID (particularly if they work for the same
organization), but your password is (or should be) far less predictable. Conse-
quently, it is the only real barrier between intruders and the system.
For this reason, some SAP administrators program their system to force users to
change passwords regularly. In our organization, for instance, we must change it
every 90 days, like it or not.
Changing Your Password

You can change your SAP password during the logon process through the SAP
screen, which is displayed when you log on with the SAP Logon Pad. (You can-
not change it when you log on with a desktop shortcut.) Just follow this next
procedure.
51
52 Lesson 4 Changing Your Password
Procedure
Changing Your Password When You Log On
Step 1. Follow the procedure for logging on with the SAP Logon pad. (See
Lesson 1).
Step 2. When the SAP screen appears (Figure 4.1):
Enter your user ID and password (and, if necessary, client and language
codes) in the appropriate fields.
Click the New password button (A) in the application toolbar.
Figure 4.1 Enter your user ID and password (and any other required codes), then
click the New password button to change the password.
Step 3. The SAP popup screen appears (Figure 4.2).

Enter a new password in the New password and Repeat password fields.
Hit the Enter key on your keyboard to record your new password and
complete the logon.
Figure 4.2 Enter your new password twice on the SAP popup screen.
(Note: This screen pops up automatically when you first log on to the
system with a temporary password and prompts you to create a perma-
nent password. When the system is configured to force you to change
Changing Your Password 53
your password on a regular basis, this screen also appears automatically

at the scheduled time.)
End Procedure
End of procedure
When you create a password for SAP, you must follow these system
protocols and other common-sense rules:
It must be 6 to 8 characters long.
It can be a combination of any numbers, letters, or symbols.
It must not begin with a question mark (?), exclamation point (!), or
blank space.
It cannot start with three identical characters (for example,
BBBRalph).
It cannot be one of your more recently used passwords or your
user ID.
It cannot be pass or SAP.
It should not be the name of your spouse, favorite pet, birth date,
social security number, or anything else that is written some-
where or which could be guessed by an unwanted intruder who
knows you.
Once you log on, you can change your password on the Maintain User Profile
screen. Follow this next procedure.
Procedure
Changing Your Password After You Log On
Step 1. Go to the menu bar at the top of any SAP screen and follow the menu
path System > User Profile > Own Data (Figure 3.1 on page 47).
Step 2. The Maintain User Profile screen appears (Figure 4.3).
Click the Password button (A) in the application toolbar.
B
A
Figure 4.3 Click the New password button to change your password.
54 Lesson 4 Changing Your Password
Step 3. The Change Password for User popup screen appears (Figure 4.4).
Enter your current password in the Old password field (A).
Enter your new password in the New password and Repeat password
fields (B).
Hit the Enter key on your keyboard to erase the screen from your
desktop.
A
B
Figure 4.4 Enter your new password twice on this screen.
Step 4. Click the Save button (Figure 4.3B) in the standard toolbar of the
Maintain User Profile screen to save your new password and erase this
screen from your desktop.
End Procedure
End of procedure
Part II
NAVIGATING BETWEEN SCREENS
The great thing in this world is not so much where you stand, as in what direction
you are moving. — Oliver Wendell Holmes (American jurist)
Lesson 5: Navigating to Initial Screens With the Menu Folders
Lesson 6: Navigating to Initial Screens With the Favorites

Folders
Lesson 7: Navigating to Initial Screens With Transaction Codes
Lesson 8: Navigating Between Screens With Menu Bars
55
Lesson 5
NAVIGATING TO INITIAL SCREENS WITH THE
MENU FOLDERS
This lesson describes the method of navigating to the initial screens of transac-
tions with the menu folders of the SAP Easy Access screen.
The default version of the SAP Easy Access screen displays two sets of folders
in its central work area: the menu folders and Favorites folders (Figure 5.1).
These folders contain links (A) that lead you to the initial screens of transactions
with just a double-click of the mouse.
The menu folders are exactly the same in their design and operation as the stor-
age folders in your personal computer. They are organized in a hierarchical or
multilevel structure of folders and subfolders. The lower-level or lower-order fold-
ers are generally few in number and define the general organization of the trans-
action links, separating them into broad functional groups such as Human Resources
and Accounting. The higher-order folders, which are stored inside the lower-
order ones, are far more numerous because they each represent a more narrowly
defined functional group. At their highest level, they contain a small number of
transaction links of a related type.
For example, consider the structure of the upper menu folder in the central work
area of the SAP Easy Access screen in Figure 5.1.
The first-order or root folder is called SAP menu. It contains a series of

second-order folders for seven major functional groups: Office, Cross-
Application Components, Logistics, Accounting, Human Resources,
Information Systems, and Tools. The names and icons of these folders
are indented to reflect their position in the folder hierarchy.
The Human Resources folder opens to display four third-order fold-
ers: Time Management, Payroll, Organizational Management, and
Personnel Management (Figure 5.2).
57
58 Lesson 5 Navigating to Initial Screens With the Menu Folders
2nd order
Figure 5.1 The first- and second-order folders of the SAP Easy Access screen.
The transaction links of the Favorites folders are also displayed here (A). Notice
that the folders and links are identified by different icons.
3rd order
4th order
B
5th order
A C
Figure 5.2 The higher-order folders and links in the Human Resources folder of
our SAP Easy Access screen. Notice again the different icons of the folders and
links.
Navigating With the Menu Folders 59
The Personnel Management folder opens to display four fourth-order

folders: Recruitment, Personnel Development, Benefits, and
Administration.
The Administration folder opens to display three fifth-order folders
for working with administrative data: Tools, Settings, and HR Master
Data.
The HR Master Data folder opens to display the links (A) to four
transactions for reporting human resource data. Note the different icon
for such links.
Navigating With the Menu Folders

To navigate to the initial screen of a transaction with menu folders, start at the
root folder in the structure and open or expand a succession of folders and sub-
folders until you find its link, then double-click it to jump to the initial screen.
You can expand a folder in one of two ways:
Click the control arrow (Figure 5.2B) of a folder to its open (down)
position, or
Double-click the folder name.
For example, to call up the initial screen for the Display HR Master Data (PA20)
transaction, you must open in succession the SAP menu, Human Resources,
Personnel Management, Administration, and HR Master Data Folder, then
double-click the PA20 - Display link (C).
This succession of folders and links is called the menu path for the transaction.
It is written in this format throughout this book:
Root folder > Folder 1 > Folder 2 etc. > Transaction link
For example, the menu path for the PA20 - Display transaction would read:
SAP > Human Resources > Personnel Management >

Administration > HR Master Data > PA20 - Display
SAP and User Menu Folders

Many SAP administrators provide two alternative sets of menu folders to their
users: the SAP menu folders (Figure 5.1 and Figure 5.2) and the User menu
folders (Figure 5.3).
The SAP menu folders contain links to the initial screens of every transaction1
in all the installed modules in your system. They are basically the generic menu
folders that come with the software.
For example, the Human Resources folder of the SAP menu holds the links for
every transaction in a package of several modules that are used by organizations
to manage their recruitment efforts, personnel, benefits, budgets and pensions,
records, and time-entry data. Similarly, the Accounting folder holds the links
for all the transactions in the Financial and Controlling modules, which are used
to manage budgets and costs, and the Logistics folder holds the links for all the
transactions in the Purchasing and Inventory modules (among others), which are
used to manage the purchasing, storage, and inventory of equipment and con-
sumable materials.
The User menu folders are custom-made by the SAP administrator for each
user of their system. They store links to the initial screens of only those transac-
tions that are used to do the company’s business and which a given user is autho-
rized to execute. The root folder of this folder set, User menu (Figure 5.3A),
usually displays the name of that user.
For example, all employees in a company might be authorized to search the SAP
database for a record of their work hours with the Display HR Master Data
(PA20) transaction. If this is the case, their personal user menu folders will con-
tain a subfolder, perhaps called HR Master Data, which holds a link to that trans-
action (Figure 5.3B).
You can choose to display either of the two sets of menu folders, along with the
Favorites folders, with the first two buttons in the application toolbar of the
SAP Easy Access screen.
Click the first, the User menu button (C), to display your customized
User menu folders.
Click the second, the SAP menu button (D), to display the generic
SAP menu folders.
1. The one exception is customized screens.

Searching for Transactions 61
You can also follow the menu path Menu > User menu or Menu > SAP menu
to display one of these two sets of menu folders.
C
A
B
Figure 5.3 The User menu contains links to only those transactions that a particu-
lar user is allowed to execute.
Searching for Transactions

You can search the menu folders by keywords for specific folders and transaction
links by using the Find (Figure 5.4A) and Find again buttons (B) of the stan-
dard toolbar. Follow this procedure.
Procedure
Searching for a Transaction With Keywords
Step 1. Click the Find button (A), or
Hit the Ctrl + F keys on your keyboard.
Step 2. The Search in menu tree popup screen appears (inset).
Enter one or more keywords in the Find field (C). For this example, we
entered purchase order.
Select the In texts option (it should be preselected) so that the system
searches the names of the transactions (D).
A B
Figure 5.4 You can search for folders and transaction links with keywords via the
Search in menu tree screen.
Step 3. The system expands the menu folders and displays the first occurrence
of the keywords (Figure 5.5A), which is highlighted.
Click the Find again button (Figure 5.4B) or hit the Ctrl + G keys on
your keyboard to locate the next occurrence of the keywords (Figure 5.5B).
Continue until you find the folder or transaction link you are looking for.
You may wonder: Why are there multiple occurrences of keywords?
This reflects the integrated nature of the SAP modules. They are dis-
crete building blocks of the system, like the bricks of a wall, but once
they are hooked together, the boundaries between them disappear
and you can communicate and move between them with great ease.
For instance, the transaction for creating purchase orders is a part of

the Purchasing module, and thus you will find a link to its initial
screen in that module’s menu folders. However, warehouse operators,
physical plant managers, administrative assistants, computer trainers,
and many other business people need to order supplies, so there are
also links to this same transaction in the Warehouse, Plant Mainte-
nance, Human Resources, and Learning Management folders, among
others.
Searching for Transactions 63
Figure 5.5 The search starts at the top of the menu folder and progresses steadily
downward each time you click the Find again button. The results of the first two
searches with the keywords “purchase order” are shown in these two screen
images.
End Procedure
End of procedure
Lesson 6
NAVIGATING TO INITIAL SCREENS WITH THE
FAVORITES FOLDERS
This lesson describes the creation, management, and use of the Favorites folders
for navigating to the initial screens of transactions.
The default version of the SAP Easy Access screen displays two sets of navigation
folders in its central work area: the SAP or User menu folders (see Lesson 5)
and the Favorites folders (Figure 6.1). Both folder sets contain links to the initial
screens of transactions and are organized in a multilevel or hierarchical structure
of folders and subfolders. You can expand the folders to display their contents by
either clicking their control arrows or double-clicking their names.
You have no control over the structure and contents of the SAP and User menu
folders on your SAP Easy Access screen. The SAP menu folders are generic
components of the software: They contain links to the initial screens of every
transaction in the modules in your system. And the User menu folders are cre-
ated by your SAP administrator to hold links to the initial screens of only those
transactions that you are authorized to execute, and no others.
However, you have total control over your Favorites folders. You can create
their structure of folders and subfolders, and you can control their contents,
which can include links to any of your favorite or frequently run transactions as
well as links to your favorite Web pages and e-mail system.
Figure 6.1 is an example of the Favorites folders that was created by a physical
plant manager in a shipping company. Notice its structure and contents:
There are four folders for the manager’s favorite work management,
material management, finance (budget and cost), and purchasing transac-
tion links (A). Because he uses a small number of transactions in his work,
most of these links are displayed with one double-click of a folder’s name.
This is a good design philosophy for your favorites: The links should be
only one or two clicks of a folder away.
65
66 Lesson 6 Navigating to Initial Screens With the Favorites Folders
C
A
B
A
A
A
Figure 6.1 Favorite transactions are close at hand when their links are put in the
Favorites folders.
He created two subfolders, Notifications and PM orders, to hold links

for two distinct groups of work management transactions (B).
He created a link to a Web site (C), where he can search for and down-
load SAP job aids, cheat sheets, and other support materials.
The Favorites folders provide quick “point and click” or mouse-directed naviga-
tion from the SAP Easy Access screen to the initial screens of transactions (and
other places). This lesson describes the tools and procedures for creating and
managing them and their contents.
Working With the Favorites Folders 67
Working With the Favorites Folders

Following are the five tools for creating and managing your Favorites folders
and their links:
Favorites menu
Favorites shortcut menus
Command buttons of the application toolbar
Keystrokes
Mouse
Favorites Menu
The Favorites menu of the main menu bar contains all the available commands
for creating and managing the Favorites folders and their links (Figure 6.2).
Add: adds transaction links to folders.

Change: renames folders and links.
Move up and Move down: rearrange the order of folders and links.
Delete: deletes folders and links.
Insert folder: creates new folders.
Insert transaction: adds transaction links to folders by using their transac-
tion codes.
Add other objects: adds links to Web links, mail systems and other destina-
tions to folders.
Download to PC: downloads the Favorites folders to your personal com-
puter or another external storage site.
Upload from PC: uploads the Favorites folders from your personal com-
puter or another external storage site.
To use the Favorites menu to manage your folders and links, you will usually
follow this simple procedure:
Click the object of the command (a folder or a link) to select and high-
light it (A).
Follow the menu path Favorites > [Command] to execute it on that
object.
Figure 6.2 Select and highlight the object of the command, then select the
command from the Favorites menu to execute it.
Shortcut Menus
Three shortcut menus together contain all the available commands for creating
and managing the Favorites folders and their links. You can display them by
right-clicking the folders and links (Figure 6.3).
Right-click the Favorites root folder for a menu of commands for add-
ing and deleting folders, links, and other objects to this folder (A).
Right-click the higher-order folders for a menu of commands for man-
aging them and their contents (B).
Right-click the links for a menu of commands for working with them,
along with commands for navigating to initial screens and adding short-
cuts to your desktop (C).
To use the shortcut menus to manage your folders and links:
Right-click the object of the command to select and highlight it (D) and
simultaneously display its menu (C).
Scroll down this menu and left-click a command to execute it on the
object.
Working With the Favorites Folders 69
Figure 6.3 The three shortcut menus for working with the Favorites folders.
Application Toolbar
The last five buttons in the application toolbar of the SAP Easy Access screen
(Figure 6.4) provide shortcuts for the Add, Delete, Change, Move down, and Move
up commands of the Favorites menu. You can use them to manage your folders
and links as you would that menu.
D dd
M han e
ge
ov n
up
C et
M w
A
el
o
e
d
e
ov
Figure 6.4 The five favorites shortcut buttons of the application toolbar.
Click the object of the command to select and highlight it.

Click a shortcut button to execute a command on that object.
Keystrokes
You can use keystrokes to execute commands on objects in your Favorites fold-
ers. The available keystrokes are identified on the right side of the Favorites
menu (Figure 6.2B).
To use keystrokes to manage your folders and links:
Click the object of the command to select and highlight it (Figure 6.2A).
Hit the keystrokes to execute the command on that object.
Mouse
You can rearrange your Favorites folders and their links by clicking-and-
dragging them with your mouse. For instance, you can insert folders inside
one another, extract subfolders from folders, and move links from one folder
to another with this tool.
For example, we can place the Purchasing transactions folder in Figure 6.5
inside the Material Management transactions folder (in other words, we can
make it a subfolder of the MM folder) by following these steps:
Step 1. Click the object of the command to select and highlight it (A), and hold
down the left button on the mouse.
Step 2. Drag the cursor towards the new “home” for the object. While it is
moving toward its destination, a small box appears on the end of the cur-
sor (B).
Step 3. When the cursor lands on its destination, the folder is outlined with a
dashed box (C). Release the object there by releasing the mouse button.
B
A
Figure 6.5 Clicking-and-dragging one Favorites folder into another.
Adding Favorites Folders 71
We could reverse this process and put the Purchasing transactions folder on
the same level as the MM folder by clicking-and-dragging the Purchasing
transactions folder into the Favorites root folder.
SAP accommodates the varied preferences of its users by providing

several keyboard- and mouse-directed methods for working in its
application window. This is especially true with the Favorites folders: It
provides three complete menus—the mouse-driven Favorites and
shortcut menus, along with keystrokes—for creating and managing
favorites, along with five shortcut buttons and a mousing technique.
With so many choices, which do you choose?
If you prefer to work with the mouse, the shortcut menus are the
most efficient tools for working with your favorites.
They contain every available command for working with the fold-
ers and links;
They are displayed automatically when you select and highlight
the object of a command; and
They appear right next to the object of a command, so they are
easy to reach and select.
The Favorites menu also contains every command for working with the
folders and links, but it does require more “mousing” across the SAP
Easy Access screen to use: You must first select the object of a com-
mand in the central work area, then move up to the menu bar and
scroll down the Favorites menu to execute that command. The useful-
ness of this menu is further diminished by the application toolbar,
which contains handy shortcut buttons for five of the ten commands
in the Favorites menu.
We do not want to impose our preferences on the readers. Conse-

quently, we provide instructions for several possible methods of
working with the Favorites folders in the following sets of procedures,
and let you decide which of them to use.
Adding Favorites Folders

The first step in working with the Favorites folders is to design and create its
structure by adding folders and subfolders to the Favorites root folder. The
basic design philosophy is to create the least number of levels in a structure so
that your favorite links are just one or two clicks away—in other words, to keep
the menu paths short.
Figure 6.6 shows a set of Favorites folders with a second level of folders for four
distinct classes of transactions. We can insert a new subfolder called Time entry
transactions inside the Human resources folder by following this procedure.
Procedure
Creating a Favorites Folder
Step 1. Click the intended destination of the new folder to select and highlight
it (Figure 6.6A), then follow the menu path Favorites > Insert folder,
or
Right-click the destination of the new folder, then select the Insert folder
command from the shortcut menu.
A
Figure 6.6 Select the location for a new favorites folder.
Step 2. The Creating a Folder in the Favorite List popup screen appears
(Figure 6.7).
Enter a name for the new folder in the Folder name field (A).
Figure 6.7 Enter a name for the new folder on this screen.
Adding Transaction Links to the Favorites Folders 73
Step 3. The new folder appears in its selected spot (Figure 6.8A).
A
Figure 6.8 The new folder appears inside the selected folder.
End Procedure
End of procedure
Adding Transaction Links to the Favorites Folders

Once you create your folders and subfolders, you can add transaction links to
them in one of two ways, depending on whether or not you know their transac-
tion codes (see the next lesson for an explanation of transaction codes and how to
display them on the SAP Easy Access screen).
For an example, we insert a link for the List-Display Purchase Requisitions transac-
tion, which has the transaction code ME5A, into the Purchasing transactions
folder in both of these ways.
Procedure
Adding a Transaction Link With Its Code to the Favorites Folder
Step 1. Click the intended destination of the link to select and highlight it (Fig-
ure 6.9A), then follow the menu path Favorites > Insert transaction, or
Right-click the destination of the link, then select the Insert transaction
command from the shortcut menu.
A
Figure 6.9 Select the location for the new favorites link.
Step 2. The Manual entry of a transaction popup screen appears (Figure 6.10).
Enter the transaction code in the Transaction code field (A).
Figure 6.10 Enter the transaction code on this screen.
Step 3. The new link appears in its selected spot (Figure 6.11A).
Figure 6.11 The new link appears inside the selected folder.
End Procedure
End of procedure
Procedure
Adding a Transaction Link Without Its Code to the
Favorites Folder
Step 1. Follow the menu path through the SAP menu folders or User menu
folders to the link for the transaction (Figure 6.12A).
Step 2. Click-and-drag the link toward its destination in the Favorites folders.
As you slide the link through the menu folders, the cursor appears as a
slashed circle (B). When it passes into the Favorites folders, the circle is
replaced by an arrow with a small box attached to its end (C).
Step 3. Point the cursor on the destination folder, and its name is outlined by a
dashed line (D). Release the link there by releasing your mouse button.
Adding Transaction Links to the Favorites Folders 75
Figure 6.12 Click-and-drag a copy of a transaction link from the menu folders to
your Favorites folders.
Step 4. A copy of the transaction link appears in the Favorites folders (Figure
6.13A); the original link still appears in the menu folders (B).
Figure 6.13 The transaction link is copied, not moved, into the selected folder.
End Procedure
End of procedure
Adding Web, Intranet, and E-mail Links to the

Favorites Folders
In addition to transaction links, you can add links to other objects, including
Web and Intranet sites and e-mail applications such as MS Outlook and Eudora,
to your Favorites folders. They can be handy tools for collecting and distribut-
ing information while you are working with SAP.
For instance, the users in a company might be advised to create a favorites link to
the Intranet sites of their company’s SAP support groups, where they can down-
load job aids and cheat sheets with instructions for working with the system. If
the users run into a problem while they are working with the system—for exam-
ple, if they don’t know how to set up a particular transaction or how to print the
output of a transaction—they can just click this link to jump immediately to that
Intranet site, where they will find the resources they need.
Users in a company might also be encouraged to create favorite links to useful

Web sites such as America’s SAP Users Group (www.asug.com), an organization
that provides resources, advice, and information to SAP users around the coun-
try, and SAP’s corporate Web site (www.sap.com), where users can find informa-
tion about their products and links to other support and resource sites. We
create a link to this second Web site in the following procedure.
Procedure
Adding a Web or an Intranet Link to the Favorites Folders
Step 1. Click the intended destination of the new link to select and highlight it
(Figure 6.14A), then follow the menu path Favorites > Add other
objects, or
Right-click the destination of the new link, then select the Add other
objects command from the shortcut menu.
Figure 6.14 Select the location for the new Web/Intranet link.
Adding Web, Intranet, and E-mail Links to the Favorites Folders 77
Step 2. The Add additional objects popup screen appears (Figure 6.15).
Select the Web address or file option (A) if it is not already selected by
default.
Figure 6.15 Select the type of link.
Step 3. The Add a Web address or file path popup screen appears (Figure
6.16).
Enter a name for the link in the Text field (A).
Enter the URL—the Web or Intranet address—in the Web address or
file field (B). For this example, we entered www.sap.com.
Note: You can also highlight the address in the address field of your Web
browser, copy it with the keystroke Ctrl + C, then paste it in the field
with the keystroke Ctrl + V.
A
B
Figure 6.16 Enter a name and address for the new favorite link on this screen.
Step 4. The Web link (A) appears in the selected spot in your Favorites folders
(Figure 6.17).
Figure 6.17 The new Web link appears in the selected folder.
End Procedure
End of procedure
Procedure
Adding a Link to Your External E-mail Application in the
Favorites Folders
Step 1. Click the intended destination of the new link to select and highlight it
(Figure 6.18A), then follow the menu path Favorites > Add other
objects, or
Right-click the destination of the new link, then select the Add other
objects command from the shortcut menu.
Figure 6.18 Select the location for the new application link.
Step 2. The Add additional objects popup screen appears (Figure 6.19).
Select the External mail system option (A).
Adding Web, Intranet, and E-mail Links to the Favorites Folders 79
Figure 6.19 Select the type of link.
Step 3. The Change node popup screen appears (Figure 6.20).

Enter a name for the link in the Text field (A).
Click inside the Object description field to call up its search button
(B), then click that button.
Figure 6.20 Enter a name for the new link.
Step 4. The Open screen of your computer’s operating system appears (Figure
6.21).
Locate the Execute file of your e-mail application (it will probably be in
the Programs folder of your computer). The file name usually consists
of the application name (Outlook in this example) followed by .exe.
Click the Execute file to select and highlight it (A), then click the Open
button (B).
Figure 6.21 Select the execution file of the e-mail application.
Step 5. The path to the Execute file is entered in the Object description field of
the Change node screen (Figure 6.20).
Hit the Enter key on your keyboard, and the link appears in the
selected spot in the Favorites folders (Figure 6.22A).
Figure 6.22 The new application link appears in the selected folder.
End Procedure
End of procedure
Changing the Names of Favorites Folders and Links

You can change the names of folders and links in your Favorites folders at any
time. For example, you may want to rearrange your folders and then rename
them to reflect their new order, or you may want to rename a transaction link to
something that is more distinctive or accurate.
It is, in fact, fairly common to change the names of favorite transaction links as
soon as you create them. When you add links to the Favorites folders, they are
Changing the Names of Favorites Folders and Links 81
given default names by the system, and sometimes these names are vague or
too wordy.
For instance, there is a transaction in the Plant Maintenance module that creates
a work order, technically called a Plant Maintenance or PM order, for installing
and repairing equipment. When you create a favorite link for this transaction, it
bears the name Create Order by default.
But this name is vague, because there are several other types of orders in other
modules of SAP, including purchase orders, internal orders, and sales orders.
More precision in its name would help distinguish this PM order transaction link
from those of other types of orders.
Another example: there is a transaction in the Controlling module that displays

planned expenses and actual costs—that is, a budget—for a group or department
in a business enterprise. A favorite link for this transaction bears the default
name Cost Center Actual/Plan/Variance, but Budget Report would be a better name,
and a shorter one too.
Follow this next procedure for changing the names of Favorites folders and
links.
Procedure
Changing the Name of a Folder or Link in the Favorites Folders
Step 1. Click the object of the command to select and highlight it (A), then click
the Change button in the application toolbar (Figure 6.23), or
Click the object of the command, then follow the menu path Favorites
> Change, or
Right-click the object of the command, then select the Change command
from the shortcut menu.
Figure 6.23 Select the location for the new link.

Step 2. The Change a favorite popup screen appears (Figure 6.24).

Enter a new name for the object in the Text field (A).
Figure 6.24 Enter the new name of the object.
Step 3. The object’s new name appears in your Favorites folders (Figure
6.25A).
Figure 6.25 The object is renamed.
End Procedure
End of procedure
You can shuffle and organize the contents of your Favorites folders at
any time with your mouse and the buttons of the application toolbar.
You can arrange your Favorites folders and their links easily by clicking-
and-dragging them into new positions. For instance, you can click-
and-drag folders into other folders, pull subfolders out of other folders,
and move links in and out of folders, all with this tool.
You can change the list order of a folder or link by clicking it to select
and highlight it (Figure 6.26A) and then clicking the Move down (B) or
Move up (C) button in the application toolbar to move it down or up
the folder list (D).
Deleting Favorites Folders and Links 83
B
D
Figure 6.26 Use the Move down (B) or Move up (C) button to reposition an
object in the Favorites folders.
Deleting Favorites Folders and Links

You can delete your Favorites folders (all but the root folder) and links in three ways:
Click the object of the command to select and highlight it (A), then click
the Delete button (B) in the application toolbar (Figure 6.27), or
Click the name of the object, then follow the menu command Favorites
> Delete (C), or
Right-click the name of the object, then select the Delete command from
the shortcut menu.
Figure 6.27 Deleting an object in the Favorites folders.

Sharing Your Favorites Folders

You can easily share your Favorites folders with other users. You can download
its contents into your personal computer and store it in a file there. You can then
e-mail it to your colleagues, who can upload it from their personal computer
into the Favorites folders of their SAP Easy Access screen and then work with
the same transactions that you use.
Follow these next two procedures for downloading and uploading favorites. For
both procedures, we use the example of a favorites file that is downloaded into,
and then uploaded from, the storage folders of a personal computer running the
Windows operating system.
Procedure
Downloading Your Favorites Folders
Step 1. Follow the menu path Favorites > Download to PC to download your
Favorites folders (Figure 6.28).
Figure 6.28 Menu path for downloading your Favorites folders.
Step 2. The SAP Custom - Save File As screen appears (Figure 6.29).
Select a storage location in the Save in field (A).
Enter a file name in the File name field (B).
Hit the Enter key on your keyboard, and the file appears in the selected
storage location in a plain text format that can be read by any personal
computer. Send it to a colleague by e-mail or other means (e.g., disk).
Sharing Your Favorites Folders 85
Figure 6.29 Save your Favorites folders as a file on your personal computer.
End Procedure
End of procedure
Procedure
Uploading Favorites Folders
Step 1. Follow the menu path Favorites > Upload from PC to upload a favor-
ites file from your personal computer (Figure 6.30).
Figure 6.30 Menu path for uploading a favorites file into your Favorites folders.
Step 2. The Open screen appears (Figure 6.31).

Locate the favorites file in your personal computer’s storage folders (A)
and double-click it to upload it into your Favorites folders.
Figure 6.31 Select the file with the Favorites folders on your personal computer.
End Procedure
End of procedure
Lesson 7
NAVIGATING TO INITIAL SCREENS WITH
TRANSACTION CODES
This lesson describes the use of transaction codes to navigate to the initial
screens of transactions.
Every SAP transaction is assigned its own unique transaction code or t-code,
which is often used as a shorthand name for the transaction itself. The codes are
usually four or five characters long, although they can be longer, and they are
organized according to their functions, which are often indicated in the transac-
tion code itself. For example:
Purchasing transactions have four- and five-character codes that begin

with ME. For instance, you can create a purchase requisition with the
ME51N transaction, display a list of requisitions from your department
with the ME5A transaction, and create a vendor purchase order for an
approved requisition with the ME59 transaction.
Equipment-maintenance transactions have four-character codes that
begin with IW. For instance, you can create a work order for maintain-
ing a vehicle with the IW31 transaction, display the costs of that work
with the IW33 transaction, and close the books on the work with the
IW32 transaction.
Reporting transactions often have very long codes because there are so
many varieties of them. For instance, you can display a yearly budget for
a department with the S_ALR_87013611 transaction and a yearly budget
for a large work project with the S_ALR_87013543 transaction. But you
can also display the monthly budget of a project with the S_ALR_87013614
transaction and display the budget for each contractor working on that
project with the S_ALR_87013615 transaction.
You can navigate to the initial screen of transactions by entering their transaction
code in the command fields of screens. This navigation method can be used on the
SAP Easy Access screen, where it provides a rapid, keyboard-driven alternative
87
88 Lesson 7 Navigating to Initial Screens With Transaction Codes
to pointing-and-clicking through the menu or favorites folders to a transaction

link, as well as on any initial or output screen.
Navigating With Transaction Codes

To navigate from the SAP Easy Access screen to the initial screen of any trans-
action, simply enter its transaction code in the command field (Figure 7.1A),
then hit the Enter key on your keyboard, and the initial screen appears.
Figure 7.1 Entering a transaction code in the command field of the SAP Easy Access
screen.
To navigate from any other screen (initial or output) to the initial screen of any
transaction, enter the prefix /n or /o, followed by the transaction code, in the
command field and hit the Enter key on your keyboard (Figure 7.2). The pre-
fix instructs the system that you are interrupting the present transaction to start a
new one.
When you attach the /n prefix to a transaction code (A), the initial screen
of the new transaction is displayed inside the existing application window.
When you attach the /o prefix to a transaction code (B), the initial screen
of the new transaction is displayed inside a new application window,
which is automatically opened by the system.
Figure 7.2 Navigating from other screens to start a new transaction in the same
application window (A) or in a new application window (B).
Navigating With Transaction Codes 89
You can also select and enter a transaction code in the command field from its
list menu, where your most recently entered transaction codes are recorded.
Just follow this next procedure.
Procedure
Selecting Transaction Codes From the Command Field List Menu
Step 1. Click the list icon at the right end of the command field (Figure 7.3A)
to display a list menu of recently entered transaction codes (B).
Step 2. Scroll down the menu and click a transaction code, and it is entered in
the command field.
Note: You must follow the usual protocol when you are making this
selection: select a raw transaction code (for example, IW33) whenever
you are navigating from the SAP Easy Access screen, or an appended
code (for example: /nIW33 or /oIW33) whenever you are navigating
from any other screen.
Step 3. Hit the Enter key on your keyboard, and the initial screen appears.
A
B
Figure 7.3 Selecting a transaction code from the list menu of the command field.
End Procedure
End of procedure
Finally, you can manage the application window by entering the following codes
in the command field:
Enter /n and hit the Enter key to end a transaction. The system returns
you to the SAP Easy Access screen without asking you to confirm this
action, and any data that you entered on the transaction screens is not saved.
Enter /i and hit the Enter key to close a single application window. If
there is only one open window, you are asked to confirm that you want
to close it and thereby log off from the system.
Enter /nex and hit the Enter key to close all your open application win-
dows and log off the system. The system does not ask you to confirm this
action before you are logged off.
Enter /nend and hit the Enter key to close all your open application
windows and log off the system. The system does ask you to confirm this
action before you are logged off.
Identifying Transaction Codes

Generally, many users learn the transaction codes for the transactions they use
for their work from other users in their department or group, as well as from job
aids, cheat sheets, and other tools that document the procedures for executing
transactions. This mode of communication is made easier by the common use of
transaction codes as shorthand names for transactions. For instance, a new
employee in a department may be instructed by their manager to enter employ-
ees’ work-time data in SAP by “running the CATS2 transaction” or asked to gen-
erate a list of pending work orders by “running the IW39 transaction.”
However, you can also identify transaction codes on-screen in several ways.
First, you can display the transaction codes of transactions alongside their names
in the menu and Favorites folders of the SAP Easy Access screen by follow-
ing this procedure.
Procedure
Displaying Transaction Codes on the SAP Easy Access Screen
Step 1. Follow the menu path Extras > Settings (Figure 7.4A).
Figure 7.4 Menu path for calling up the Settings popup screen.
Identifying Transaction Codes 91
Step 2. The Settings popup screen appears (Figure 7.5).

Select the Display technical names option (A).
Figure 7.5 Settings popup screen.
Step 3. The transaction codes (A) appear ahead of the transaction links in the
menu and Favorites folders (Figure 7.6).
Figure 7.6 The transaction links of the navigation folders now show their transac-
tion codes.
End Procedure
End of procedure
You can also display the code of a transaction from any screen (initial or output)
of that transaction through the menu bar or the system data field of the status
bar by following these next procedures.
Procedure
Identifying Transaction Codes With the Menu Bar
Step 1. Follow the menu path System > Status (Figure 7.7A).
Figure 7.7 Calling up the Status popup screen through the System menu.
Step 2. The Status popup screen appears (Figure 7.8). The transaction code is
displayed in the Transaction field (A).
Step 3. Click the close button (B) to erase the Status popup screen.
Figure 7.8 The System status popup screen displays a wealth of mostly technical
information—and the transaction code of the main screen.
End Procedure
End of procedure
Searching for Transactions by Transaction Codes 93
Procedure
Identifying Transaction Codes With the Status Bar
Step 1. Click the list icon (Figure 7.9A) in the system data field, which lies at the
right end of the status bar.
Step 2. The system data menu appears with the transaction code (B).
Note: If you scroll down and select Transaction on this menu so that a
check mark appears to its left, the transaction code of the screens will
always appear in the status bar of all your screens.
Figure 7.9 The system data menu displays the transaction code of a screen.
End Procedure
End of procedure
Searching for Transactions by Transaction Codes

You can search the menu folders and transaction links by transaction code with
the Find button (A) of the standard toolbar (Figure 7.10). Follow this next pro-
cedure.
Procedure
Searching for Transactions With Keywords
Step 1. Click the Find button (A), or
Hit the Ctrl + F keys on your keyboard.
Figure 7.10 Start the search by clicking the Find button (A).
Step 2. The Search in menu tree popup screen appears (Figure 7.11).
Enter the transaction code in the Find field (A). For this example, we
entered the transaction code ME51N.
Select the In Technical Name option (if it is not already selected) to search
by transaction code (B).
A
B
Figure 7.11 Search for transaction links by transaction codes with the Search in
menu tree popup screen.
Step 3. The system expands the menu folders and displays the first occurrence
of the transaction code (A), which is highlighted (Figure 7.12).
Searching for Transactions by Transaction Codes 95
Figure 7.12 The system locates the first occurrence of the transaction code in the
menu folder.
End Procedure
End of procedure
Transaction codes are generally the fastest, most convenient way to navigate to
the initial screens of transactions. You can only navigate with the menu folders
and Favorites folders from the SAP Easy Access screen, but you can navigate with
transaction codes from any screen, including the initial and output screens of
transactions. In addition, you do not have to navigate by pointing-and-clicking
your way through a long, hard-to-remember menu path; rather, you simply enter
a short code in the command field and hit the Enter key on your keyboard to
reach your destination.
For this reason, we recommend that you learn to navigate with transaction
codes. To remember them, write the names and codes of your favorite transac-
tions on an index card and post it on or near your computer monitor for handy
reference—not the most high-tech solution, we admit, but it works for us.
However, we mentioned at the beginning of this lesson that there are certain
classes of reporting transactions that have very long transaction codes. These
transactions are the exception to the rule about the supremacy of transaction
codes, for even the most adept typist will often err in entering such long codes
in the command field. We recommend that you create and use links in your
Favorites folders to navigate to the initial screens of these transactions.
Lesson 8
NAVIGATING BETWEEN SCREENS WITH
MENU BARS
The last three lessons discussed three methods for navigating to the initial
screens of transactions from the SAP Easy Access screen. This last lesson con-
cludes this discussion with a brief mention of navigating to initial screens of
transactions from other initial and output screens.
Consider these two situations:
Situation 1: You navigate from the SAP Easy Access screen to the ini-
tial screen of a transaction with transaction codes or links, only to realize
that you went to the wrong screen. You wanted the initial screen of a
transaction that displays the data on an object, but instead you mistakenly
navigated to the initial screen of the transaction that creates the data
record for that object.
Situation 2: You execute a transaction that displays the data on an object.
Once you see those data, you decide to execute another related transac-
tion on that same object.
In both situations, you could either return to the SAP Easy Access screen and
find the correct link for the next transaction in the menu folders, or you could
enter the transaction code for its initial screen in the command field to move
there. However, there is a third alternative: you can use the menu bar of the
screen in front of you to navigate to the desired one.
This short lesson provides some examples of using the menu bar for this purpose.
Navigating from the Initial Screen of a Transaction

You can navigate from one initial screen to another initial screen for a related
transaction via the object menu. This is the first menu in the menu bars of many
97
98 Lesson 8 Navigating Between Screens With Menu Bars
initial screens, and it contains a set of commands for navigating to the initial
screens of related transactions. They are not present on every initial screen, but
where they are, object menus are handy navigation shortcuts.
For example, suppose you call up the initial screen of the Display Equipment
(IE03) transaction, and then realize you meant to call up the initial screen of the
Change Equipment transaction. You can use the object menu of the first screen to
take a shortcut to the second one: click it to display its commands, then select the
Change command (Figure 8.1A).
Figure 8.1 The object menu of the Display equipment initial screen (its name is
partly hidden behind the menu) contains commands that lead you to the initial
screens of other equipment transactions, including the Change equipment initial
screen.
For another example, suppose you call up the initial screen of the Display Mate-
rial (MM03) transaction, but then decide to navigate to the initial screen of the
Change Material transaction instead. Once again, you can select the Change com-
mand from the object menu of the first screen to jump to the second (Figure 8.2A).
Figure 8.2 The object menu of the Display Material initial screen (its name is partly
hidden behind the menu) contains commands that lead you to the initial screens
of other material transactions. We are selecting the Change command in this
example.
Navigating from the Output Screen of a Transaction 99
Navigating from the Output Screen of a Transaction

We use the example of an equipment display transaction to illustrate the method
of navigating from the output screen of one transaction to the initial screen of a
related transaction.
The output screen for the Display equipment (IE03) transaction (Figure 8.3) displays
technical and logistical data on a piece of equipment (in this case, equipment
number 10005662), including its make, model, serial number, purchase price,
and the plant that is responsible for its installation and operation. However, the
output does not contain data on its maintenance history, such as the number of
times it was sent to a maintenance shop and the repair work done during those
visits. This sort of data appears in the plant maintenance (or PM) order records for
the equipment.
Figure 8.3 The Display equipment output screen and the Environment menu. This
menu leads you to the initial screens of other transactions that you can execute to
gather different types of data about the equipment.
You can display a list of all the plant-maintenance orders for this equipment with
the Display PM Order (IW39) transaction. For this purpose, you call up the initial
screen of that transaction (Figure 8.4), enter the equipment code in the Equip-
ment field (A), and execute it.
100 Lesson 8 Navigating Between Screens With Menu Bars
Figure 8.4 The initial screen for displaying a list of PM orders. This screen is set to
display a list of orders for the calendar years 2002 through 2004 for equipment
number 10005662.
There are two ways to call up the initial screen of the Display PM Order (IW39)
transaction.
The first way is to return to the SAP Easy Access screen, navigate from there
to the initial screen of the transaction, manually enter the equipment code in the
Equipment field (Figure 8.4A), and execute it. That’s four steps.
The second is to use the menu bar of the Display equipment (IE03) transaction
output screen (Figure 8.3). This bar contains three menus—Goto, Extras, and
Environment—that contain commands for starting other transactions which
report data on the equipment in question. For this particular case, you would
display the Environment menu (A), from which you would then select the
Orders command.
This action takes you immediately to the initial screen of the Display PM Order
transaction (Figure 8.4), where you will find that the equipment code is already
entered in the Equipment field (A). Once there, all you need to do is execute
the transaction. That’s just two steps.
Exploring SAP 101
Exploring SAP
The Environment menu and other “shortcut menus” to related transactions
can be found on many output screens, but unlike the object menu of initial
screens, they are neither consistently named nor placed in the menu bar. You
may receive instructions in the form of a job aid that alerts you to their availabil-
ity and functions, but if not, you should simply explore the menu bars of output
screens and test out the available commands you find there.
What, are you crazy, you might be thinking, just start executing commands at ran-
dom in SAP? The answer is Yes. SAP is not Dr. Strangelove, and you can learn a lot by
experimenting.
You will not crash computer servers, bankrupt your company, or launch a nuclear
missile strike by exploring the functions of the commands in the menu bars of
output screens or, for that matter, by experimenting with the many menu com-
mands, buttons, popup screens, and other screen elements that you might
encounter with this software and which we do not have time or space to describe
in this book. The system has all sorts of safeguards to protect itself, its database,
and the global village from you.
For example, if you are not authorized to execute a particular transaction, you
will not be able to execute it from an initial or output screen, just as you will not
be able to execute it from the SAP Easy Access screen.
Similarly, if a click of a button or a selection of a menu command triggers some

sensitive process, such as placing a large purchase order with a vendor, granting a
huge pay raise to your colleagues, or firing the CEO of your company, there are
many built-in checks and approval processes in the SAP workflow to guarantee
that the process is not carried out without approval from the appropriate author-
ities in your company.
To the contrary, you can learn a lot about SAP by exploring its functionality on
your own. We are expert users of the system and have sat through many training
classes and read many books about it. But we know that no book or class can tell
you everything about this complex and sophisticated software—sometimes, you
just have to play with it and see what else it can do. We have learned all sorts of
tricks and capabilities in this manner, and we strongly encourage you to do the
same.
Part III
SETTING UP INITIAL SCREENS
Before anything else, preparation is the key to success. — Alexander Graham Bell
(American scientist)
Lesson 9: Entering Codes and Text
Lesson 10: Searching for Codes
Lesson 11: Entering Codes on Multiple Selection Screens
Lesson 12: Using Selection Options on Data Entry Fields
Lesson 13: Working With Screen Variants
103
Lesson 9
ENTERING CODES AND TEXT
White, read/write data entry fields are found on the initial screens of all SAP
transactions, as well as search screens (described in the next lesson) and other
procedural popup screens. They accept several types of data from you, including
Object codes, which are alphanumerical codes for any objects, persons,
and activities that are tracked by SAP, such as purchase requisitions, con-
sumable materials, goods shipments, department budgets, and employees;
Date codes, such as 01/01/2004 (January 1, 2004);
Unit-of-measure codes, such as USD (US dollars) or lbs (pounds);
Text, including short phrases such as Equipment is damaged or longer
sentences and paragraphs.
Data entry fields appear in four formats on initial screens: single fields, paired
fields, line-item fields, and long-text fields.
Single data fields allow you to enter either a single code for any object, date, or
unit of measure or a short text phrase of any wording (Figure 9.1).
A
B
Figure 9.1 Single data fields for code (A) and text (B) entries.
Paired data fields, which are separated by the word to, give you the option of
entering either one code or short-text entry in the first (left) field or a range of
codes and text in both fields (Figure 9.2). When you enter a range of data in
paired fields, they must be in ascending alphabetical or numerical order. For
instance, when you enter object codes, you must enter the lower-numbered code
in the first field and the higher-numbered one in the second (right) field.
105
106 Lesson 9 Entering Codes and Text
For example, Figure 9.2 illustrates two different setups for the paired Material
fields, in this case taken from the initial screen of a transaction that displays data
about consumable materials. The first screen image (A) shows that only one code
is entered in the first of the two fields. Consequently, this transaction will only
display data about the one material with that object code. The second screen
image (B) shows that a range of codes is entered in the paired fields. Conse-
quently, this transaction will display data about every material with a code that
falls inside this range.
Figure 9.2 You can enter a single code (A) or a range of codes (B) in paired fields.
Line-item fields are strings of fields in which you can enter several bits of coded
and short-text data about an object. For instance, the initial screen for a transac-
tion that creates a requisition contains a table with several rows of line-item
fields (Figure 9.3). Each row contains a string of fields in which you enter the
details on one material or service that is being requisitioned, such as its descrip-
tion and code, the desired quantity and its unit of measure, and the delivery date.
Incidentally, notice that this line-item table is headed by an application toolbar (A).
You can use this toolbar to sort, filter, and otherwise customize the data entries
in the table. We describe the procedures for doing so in Part IV of this book.
Figure 9.3 Line-item fields for entering coded and short-text data about a pur-
chase requisition.
Tips for Entering Codes and Text 107
Long-text fields are read/write fields in which you enter many lines and para-
graphs of text. In some cases, you can partition these text entries into different
categories by using text descriptors that are attached to the field.
For instance, the initial screen for creating a requisition (Figure 9.4) contains a
long-text field (A) for entering written information about a purchase. This field
is accompanied by four text descriptors (B). Click the first one, Item text, and you
can enter any general information about the requisition in the long-text field.
Click another descriptor, such as Delivery text, and the item text disappears. You
can now enter any information about the delivery in the long-text field.
B A
Figure 9.4 A long-text field (A) and its accompanying text descriptors (B). Click one of the text
descriptors to enter or display different classes of text data.
Tips for Entering Codes and Text

Generally, you enter code or text in a data entry field by first clicking inside that
field to select and highlight it and then typing your entry on your keyboard.
However, there are some variations in this method that you should know.
Tip #1: Date and project codes contain several components that are separated
by slashes (/). For example, date codes might be written in a Month/Date/Year
format,1 whereas project codes might be written in a format such as Location/
Year/Type/ID.
When you are entering such codes into entry fields, however, you do not have to
enter the slashes: simply enter the components of the codes (Figure 9.5A) and hit
the Enter key on your keyboard, and the system automatically formats them
correctly for you (Figure 9.5B).
1. Dates can also be entered in a MM.DD.YY, a DD.MM.YY or a YY.MM.DD format,

among others. See Lesson 3 for instructions on setting your preferred formats for cal-
endar dates.
108 Lesson 9 Entering Codes and Text
Incidentally, whenever you hit the Enter key after any data entry, the system
checks the database and verifies that the entry is a valid one. If it is not, the sys-
tem alerts you to that effect with an error message.
A
B
Figure 9.5 Enter an abbreviated date (A) and hit the Enter key, and the system for-
mats the date for you (B).
Tip #2: You can copy an entry from one source, such as other SAP screens and
even the screens of other applications (such as MS Word), then paste it into an
entry field by following this procedure.
Step 1. Click-and-drag across the desired entry to select and highlight it.
Step 2. Hit the keystroke Ctrl + C to copy it into your computer’s clipboard
memory.
Step 3. Click inside the destination field for the entry to select and highlight it.
Step 4. Hit the keystroke Ctrl + V to paste it into the field.
Tip #3: Some data entry fields only accept a limited number of predefined entries
(called possible entries by SAP), which are set up by your SAP administrator. When
this situation exists, the field bears a list icon at its right end (Figure 9.6A). You
can enter one of the predefined entries (and no others) by following this two-
step procedure.
Step 1. Click the icon (A) to display a menu of the available entries (B).
Step 2. Scroll down the list to the desired entry and click it, and it is entered
automatically in the field.
A
B
Figure 9.6 The Title field accepts only four entries. Click the list icon (A) to select
one of them from a list (B).
Tip #4: You can move quickly from one data entry field to the next on any
screen with the Tab key on your keyboard instead of using your mouse. When
the cursor is sitting inside one field, hit the Tab key to move to the next avail-
able field on the screen, or use the Shift + Tab key to move to the previous field.
Tips for Entering Codes and Text 109
Tip #5: When you click (or tab) inside a data entry field, it is highlighted, and a
small search button (A) appears to its right (Figure 9.7A). You can click this but-
ton to call up a search screen, where you can search for an object code. We pro-
vide instructions on searching for codes in the next lesson.
A
Figure 9.7 A search button (A) appears when you click inside most data entry
fields.
Tip #6: Some data entry fields, and particularly date fields, are prepopulated with
codes when they first appear on the screen. However, the fields are still white
and in read/write mode, so you can change these default entries if necessary.
Tip #7: You can attach selection criteria (also called operational conditions) to
many code fields. For instance, the code in the first Equipment field in Figure
9.8 is preceded by the less than (<) operational condition (A). Consequently, this
transaction only affects equipment whose code is less than the entry (100500) in
the field. We describe selection criteria more fully in Lesson 12.
A
Figure 9.8 Selection criteria (A) can be used to set conditions to coded data
entries.
Tip #8: The system has a good memory: It remembers codes and texts that you
entered previously in many fields. When you start to type a data entry into a
field, the system searches its memory and displays a menu of matching entries.
You can then use the arrow keys on your keyboard to scroll down to one of these
entries, then hit the Enter key on your keyboard to enter it into the field.
For instance, we started to enter a work-order code in the Order field of the
Display Order initial screen (Figure 9.9). As soon as we entered the first num-
ber (2) in this field, the system displayed all our previous order-code entries that
begin with this number (A). We scrolled down to the second one with the arrow
keys, then entered it in the field by hitting the Enter key.
Figure 9.9 Once you start to enter code in a data entry field, the system calls up a
list of previously entered codes that begin with the same characters (A).
Lesson 10
SEARCHING FOR CODES
The previous lesson provided some basic instructions on entering the codes for
objects, dates, and units of measure in the data entry fields of initial screens. This
next lesson answers the question: What do I do if I don’t know the codes?
There are so many codes for so many objects in the SAP database that it is
impossible to remember them all and impractical to list them all on job aids,
cheat sheets, and the like. For instance, any good-sized company might well own
tens of thousands of pieces of equipment, each with its own unique code, which
it houses in its plants, which have their own codes. It may also stock the same
number of consumable materials, each with its own code, in its warehouses,
which also have their own codes.
Fortunately, SAP provides four easy-to-use popup tools for searching for codes:
Short hit list screens

Multiple-tab search screens
Structure search trees
List-display search screens
To start the process of searching for an unknown code, you simply click inside a
data entry field. This action highlights that field and displays a search button
(A) to its immediate right (Figure 10.1). Click it, and you are ready to search.
(If you are keyboard-oriented, you can alternatively click inside a data entry field
to highlight it, then hit the F4 function key on your keyboard.)
This lesson describes the design and operation of the four search screens in the
SAP system and concludes with some tips for using them effectively.
111
112 Lesson 10 Searching for Codes
A
E
B
C
D
Figure 10.1 Click inside a field to call up its search button (A), and click it to start a
search for the correct code for that field.
Short Hit List Screens

Some data entry fields can accept only a limited number of codes. When you call
up and click the search buttons for these fields, a short hit list screen appears
over the initial screen with a list of all the available codes and their descriptions.
Scroll down this hit list, locate the desired code, and double-click it; the code is
automatically entered in the field for you.
For instance, the Plant field is common to many initial screens, including the
initial screen of the IW39 transaction (Figure 10.1B). Generally, the number of
plants operated by any one company is relatively small, on the order of several to
several tens. Consequently, when you click the search button for this field, you
see immediately a short hit list screen with the names and codes of all the
plants (Figure 10.2).
For this example, the short hit list screen shows the names and codes of 41
plants; this number is displayed in both the title bar at the top of this screen and
the status bar at its base. Once you see this screen, scroll through the list, locate
the desired plant, and double-click its name; the plant’s code is automatically
entered in the Plant field of the initial screen.
Short hit list screens appear when you search for the correct code for many
objects, including bin numbers, material and movement types, priority codes,
purchasing groups, and order types. They are especially common to the data
entry fields of units of measure and dates.
Short Hit List Screens 113
Figure 10.2 A short hit list screen shows all the possible codes for an object.
For example, a search for the correct code for the Period field on the initial
screen of the IW39 transaction (Figure 10.1C) yields a short hit list screen with
several monthly calendars (Figure 10.3). Similarly, a search for the correct code
for the Currency field on this same screen (Figure 10.1D) yields a short hit list
screen with the codes for 184 currency types (Figure 10.4).
Figure 10.3 Short hit list screen for dates.

Figure 10.4 Short hit list screen for currency.
Multiple-Tab Search Screens

Many data entry fields, such as the Equipment and Material fields on the initial
screen of the IW39 transaction (Figure 10.1), could accept many hundreds or
thousands of codes for objects of many different stripes and colors. When you
are searching for the correct codes for these fields, the short hit list search
screen is not a practical tool.
Consider the case of searching for the correct code for the Equipment field on
the initial screen of the IW39 transaction (Figure 10.1E). When you click the
search button for this field, a multiple-tab search screen appears over this ini-
tial screen (Figure 10.5).
The critical design elements on this search screen are its many data entry fields,
which allow you to enter multiple criteria for searching for an object code.
There are usually so many fields on the screens, in fact, that they are distributed
throughout several subscreens, which can be displayed in one of three ways.
Click one of the tabs (A) at the top of the screen.

Click the left or right control arrow (B) to the right of the tabs to
move to the next or previous subscreen in the series.
Click the list icon (C) to the right of the control arrows to display a list
of subscreens (D), then scroll down and click the desired one.
Multiple-Tab Search Screens 115
A
E B C
Figure 10.5 The multiple-tab search screen for the Equipment field. This screen is
set to search for all pieces of equipment with the word pump in their descriptions.
You can enter one or more search criteria on any one subscreen of a multiple-tab
search screen. For an example, we searched for the codes for all the pumps that
are owned by a company by following this next procedure, which makes use of a
single search criterion.
Procedure
Searching for a Code With a Single Search Criterion
Step 1. Locate any subscreen that contains the Equipment descript field (Fig-
ure 10.5E), and enter the phrase *pump*. (We explain the significance of
the asterisks in the next part of this lesson.)
Step 2. Hit the Enter key on your keyboard, or
Click the Enter button (F) in the lower-left corner.
Step 3. The system responds with a hit list of equipment that matches the sin-
gle search criterion (Figure 10.6). Each line of this list displays the name
and the object code for one piece of equipment that has the word pump
in its description.
We scrolled through this list, located the desired pumps, and double-clicked
its line to enter its code in the Equipment field of the initial screen.
Note: If you do not find the desired object code on the hit list, you may
want to return to the multiple-tab search screen and enter a new set of
search criteria. To return to that search screen, click the bar (A) directly
below the tabs on the hit list.
Figure 10.6 The hit list for a single-criterion search for an equipment code.
End Procedure
End of procedure
But what if you wanted to search for pumps that were stored at one specific plant
in a company? You would follow this next procedure to search for them with
these two criteria.
Procedure
Searching for a Code With Multiple Search Criteria
Step 1. Locate a subscreen that contains the Maintenance plant and Equip-
ment descript fields (Figure 10.7).
Step 2. Enter the plant code in the Maintenance plant field (A).
Step 3. Enter the phrase *pump* in the Equipment descript field (B).
Step 4. Hit the Enter key on your keyboard, or
Click the Enter button (C) in the lower-left corner.
Multiple-Tab Search Screens 117
D
C
Figure 10.7 The multiple-tab search screen for the Equipment field. This screen is
set to search for all pieces of equipment at maintenance plant 1000 with the word
pump in their descriptions.
Step 5. The system responds with a hit list of every piece of equipment that
meets the two search criteria (Figure 10.8). Once again, each line of this
hit list displays the description and code of one piece of equipment with
Figure 10.8 The hit list for a two-criteria search for an equipment code. The
header shows that all the pumps are housed at maintenance plant 1000 (A).
the word pump in its description. The header of the screen shows that all
these pumps are located in the specified plant (A).
Scroll through this hit list to locate the desired vehicle and double-click
its line to enter its code in the Equipment field of the initial screen.
End Procedure
End of procedure
Tips for Using Multiple-Tab Search Screens

We are going to draw upon these examples of searches for equipment codes to
discuss some general tips for using multiple-tab search screens.
Tip #1: When you click the search button for any data entry field to call up its
multiple-tab search screen, the subscreen that appears will be the last one you
used when you searched for this same datatype code.
The system has a good memory for your preferences in search screens (and other
things). You can always change the subscreen by clicking another tab, however.
Tip #2: Entry fields for the most useful search criteria appear on nearly every
subscreen.
The most commonly used search criterion for equipment codes is their descrip-
tion. (This is also true for many other objects.) Consequently, you will find the
Equipment descript field on every subscreen of the equipment multiple-tab
search screen.
Tip #3: Enter a few characters or partial words or phrases, preceded and fol-
lowed by asterisks (*), in object description fields.
Asterisks serve as wildcards in a search: They represent any characters, words, or

phrases in the description of an object other than the exact content between
them. In the previous two examples, they trigger a search for any equipment
with the word pump and anything else in its description.
Tip #4: The greater the number of search criteria, the shorter the hit list.
When we searched for all the pumps in our company, the hit list displayed data
for 1,245 pumps (Figure 10.6B). When we restricted this search to pumps in one
maintenance plant, the hit list displayed data for 87 pumps (Figure 10.8B).
Tips for Using Multiple-Tab Search Screens 119
The same rule applies for an entry in an object description field: the longer it is,
the shorter the hit list. For instance, if we had entered *pump, etanorm* in the
Equipment descript field during our two searches, the hit lists would have been
considerably shorter, for very few pumps have that phrase in their description.
But too short an entry in an object description field is not a good thing either. For
instance, if we had entered *p* in the Equipment descript field during our
example searches, the hit lists would have been ridiculously long, because they
would have displayed the data for every piece of equipment with the letter p in its
description.
Tip #5: Don’t assume that descriptions are spelled out, or spelled correctly.
Suppose you want to search for the code for an electrical transformer. You may
be inclined to enter *transformer* in the Equipment descript field, but you
would be making a mistake: Utility workers use the jargon xformer to describe
this sort of equipment.
Similarly, suppose you want to search for the code for electrical conductor (that
is, wire). You may be inclined to enter *conductor* in the Equipment descript
field. You are assuming that everyone (including the folks who configured SAP
for your company) knows how to spell this word correctly (they might misspell it
conducter).
And of course, you must watch out for regional differences in spelling. The most
obvious example is the spelling of colour by British speakers of the English lan-
guage versus its spelling as color by American speakers of English. When you are
dealing with two people separated by a common tongue, such discrepancies can
happen frequently.
Tip #6: Consider the possible number of hits you might get in a search, and set
up the search screen accordingly.
Every subscreen of every multiple-tab search screen contains a field called

Maximum no of hits (see Figure 10.7D). This field contains a default value—in
our case, 100—that restricts the contents of the hit list to the first 100 objects
that meet your selection criteria. If the search finds more than 100 objects that
match your criteria, it displays only these first 100 matches and posts a message
in its status bar that reads More than 100 input options (Figure 10.9A).
When this happens, you must return to the search screen, delete the entry in the
Maximum no of hits field and execute the search again. Save yourself the extra
work and delete this entry before you conduct a search if you suspect there might
be more than 100 hits.
Figure 10.9 The hit list tells you with a message in its status bar (A) that more than
100 objects matched your search criteria.
Tip #7: You can attach operational conditions (called selection options) such as
greater than (>) or less than (<) to any data entry field by double-clicking inside it
and selecting the condition from a popup screen.
See Lesson 12 for more instructions on using selection options.
Tip #8: Search hit lists display their output in the order of the object code by
default. For example, a hit list for equipment displays the matching objects in the
order of the equipment code (Figure 10.10). This makes it difficult to locate a
specific piece of equipment on the hit list by its description, because the column
for the equipment code datatype (with the header Equipment description) is ran-
domly ordered.
However, you can sort a hit list according to the contents of any column by
clicking that column’s header. For instance, one click of the header of the
Equipment description column (Figure 10.10A) sorts the hit list in alphabeti-
cal order (Figure 10.11), and a second click sorts it in reverse order.
Tips for Using Multiple-Tab Search Screens 121
Figure 10.10 This hit list for an equipment search displays its output in the order
of the equipment code.
Figure 10.11 Click the header of the Equipment description column to reorganize
this hit list in the order of that datatype.
Structure Search Tree

There may be circumstances in which you are searching for the correct code for
an object that is part of a larger hierarchy of objects. Some objects that fall into
this category include the following.
Personnel in a company or an organization: for example, personnel

organized in a hierarchy of president, vice presidents, managers, assis-
tant managers, administrative assistants, and so on down
Equipment in an assemblage of functionally related equipment: for
example, a transformer that is part of a neighborhood power substation,
which is part of a regional electrical generation and distribution system
Organizational units in a business: for example, a department within a
business unit within a regional office of a global corporation
When this case arises, you might find a Structure search tab (Figure 10.12A)
on the multiple-tab search screen for the object. Click it, and the search screen is
replaced by a multilevel structure tree (Figure 10.13).
Figure 10.12 Click the Structure Search tab (A) on a multiple-tab search screen to
display a structure search tree for organizational units.
Structure search trees are very similar in their design and operation to menu
folders and Favorites folders (see Lessons 5 and 6). For example:
First-level “branches” in a structure tree identify the major classes of the

object. For example, the first-level branches in Figure 10.13 identify the
key business groups in a corporation, including Sales UK, Accounting,
Avanex, and Bose (A).
Second-level branches identify subdivisions of the major classes. For
example, the second-level branches in Figure 10.13 identify departments
Automotive Products and Home Entertainment (B) within the Bose business
group.
Structure Search Tree 123
A
C
A
B
E
D G
F
Figure 10.13 A structure search tree for organizational units.
You can expand the branches in a structure tree to display their upper-level
branches in one of three ways.
Click the control arrow (C) to the left of a specific branch name to
reveal the next set of branches beneath it, or
Double-click a branch name to reveal the next set of branches beneath
it, or
Click the Expand all button (D) to expand all the branches in the struc-
ture tree. This is the least optimal method, because it takes some time
for the system to display all the branches in the structure tree.
You can select one or more objects in the structure tree by clicking their selec-
tion boxes to place checks inside them (E), then clicking the Enter button (F) to
enter them in a data entry field. If you select multiple objects, they are automati-
cally entered on the multiple selection screen for a field.
You can also select all the objects in one level of the structure tree—for example,
both departments in the Bose business group—by selecting the lower-level
branch above it (Bose), then clicking the Select all button (G).
You may also encounter a simpler structure search tree when you search for the
correct codes for certain objects. For example, when you trigger a search for the
correct code to describe structural damages to equipment, the system automati-
cally displays a structure search tree with folder icons (A) in place of the control
arrows (Figure 10.14). You would then open its folders and subfolders to locate
the correct code by clicking the icons once, then double-click the desired code to
enter it in the data field in question.
Figure 10.14 A simple structure search tree with folder and subfolder icons.
List-Display Search Screens

When you click some tabs on a multiple-tab search screen, this screen is erased
and replaced by a full-sized screen with many entry fields for your search crite-
ria. This screen is actually identical to the initial screens of list-display transactions
(which we discuss at the end of this book), but it can be used for searches in the
exact same manner as the smaller subscreens of a multiple-tab search screen.
For example, the multiple-tab search screen for equipment codes contains a tab
called Equipment by equipment list. When you click it, this search screen is
replaced by the Display Equipment: Equipment Selection screen, a much
larger search screen with many data entry fields (Figure 10.15). Despite its size,
however, you can use this list-display search screen as you would any sub-
screen of the multiple-tab search screen: Enter one or more search criteria in the
available fields, and then click the Execute button (A) to execute the search and
display a hit list.
Suppose you call up this list-display search screen and then decide to use
another subscreen of the multiple-tab search screen. How do you get back to
that search screen?
Simple: Click the Back button (B) in the standard toolbar of the list-display
search screen to call up the Selection of Input Help popup screen (Figure
10.16). This screen contains a list of the other available subscreens of that
multiple-tab search screen. Double-click the desired one, and it appears.
List-Display Search Screens 125
Figure 10.15 A full-sized list-display search screen.
Figure 10.16 A menu of subscreens for the multiple-tab search screen for equip-
ment codes.
Lesson 11
ENTERING CODES ON MULTIPLE SELECTION
SCREENS
The first two lessons of this part of this book provided instructions on searching
for and entering single codes and data values, or ranges of codes and data values,
in the data entry fields of initial screens.
Now consider this scenario. You are a warehouse manager, and you want to gen-
erate a report on the available stock of about 100 different consumable materials
at your warehouse. Some of these materials have randomly numbered, noncon-
secutive object codes (called material numbers or material codes), and some have
consecutively numbered material codes that fall within three different ranges.
To acquire this data, you would execute the MM60 transaction, which reports the
stock levels and storage locations of materials. You would navigate to the initial
screen of the transaction (Figure 11.1), enter the codes for the materials in ques-
tion in the Material fields (A) and the warehouse code in the Plant field (B),
then click the Execute button (C) to generate the report.
C
A
B
D
Figure 11.1 The initial screen of the MM60 transaction, with the Material fields (A)
and its accompanying Multiple selection button (D).
127
128 Lesson 11 Entering Codes on Multiple Selection Screens
However, the initial screen for the MM60 transaction contains only one set of
paired Material fields, in which you can enter either one material code or one
range of codes. There is no place on this screen for entering the codes for all 100
materials on which you want to report.
Of course, you could simply execute this transaction several times, each time
entering a different single material code or range of codes in the Material fields.
However, you can also enter multiple nonconsecutive codes and multiple ranges
of codes with the multiple selection screen for these fields, which you can call
up by clicking the Multiple selection button (D) to their immediate right.
This lesson provides instructions on using the multiple selection screen. We

use this example of reporting material stocks to illustrate these instructions, but
be assured that this screen is exactly the same in its design and operation for all
data entry fields on all initial screens.
Design and Operation of a Multiple Selection Screen

The Multiple Selection for Material screen (Figure 11.2) displays four sub-
screens, which you call up by clicking their tabs (A). (We show two of these sub-
screens in the figure.) Each subscreen contains either one column of single data
entry fields or two columns of paired fields, wherein you enter the codes for the
object in question. The bottom of the screen contains a row of buttons (B),
which you use to work with the contents of the screen.
The tabs of a multiple selection screen are color-coded—the first two contain a
green light, the last two contain a red light—and are named either Single vals
(that is, values) or Ranges. This combination of color and name defines the differ-
ent functions of the subscreens.
The first, the green-lighted Single values tab, displays a subscreen where
you can enter multiple codes for individual objects you want to include in
a transaction.
The second, the green-lighted Ranges tab, displays a subscreen where
you can enter multiple ranges of codes for objects you want to include in
a transaction.
The third, the red-lighted Single values tab, displays a subscreen where
you can enter multiple codes for individual objects you want to exclude
from a transaction.
The fourth, the red-lighted Ranges tab, displays a subscreen where you
can enter multiple ranges of codes for objects you want to exclude from a
transaction.
Design and Operation of a Multiple Selection Screen 129
B
Figure 11.2 Two of the four subscreens of the Multiple Selection for Material
screen for equipment codes.
You enter codes in the data entry fields of the multiple selection screen in the
same manner as you enter them on an initial screen.
Click inside a field to select and highlight it, and then type your entry on
your keyboard.
Copy data from another source into your clipboard, then click inside a
field on the multiple selection screen and hit the keystroke Ctrl + V to
paste the data there.
Search for the correct code for a field by clicking inside it to call up its
search button, then clicking it to start the search.
Apply selection options to a single field by double-clicking inside it to
call up a menu of options, then select one of them (see the next lesson
for instructions).
Click-and-drag across an entry to select and highlight it, then delete it
by hitting the Delete or Backspace key on your keyboard.
Enter abbreviated calendar dates (such as 010104), then hit the Enter key
on your keyboard to correctly format them (as 01/01/2004 in this case).
In addition to copying-and-pasting a single code into a field on the multiple

selection screen, you can also copy-and-paste multiple codes into a column of
fields. For example, you can copy-and-paste a column of codes from an Excel
spreadsheet (Figure 11.3) onto the multiple selection screen by following this
next procedure.
Procedure
Copying Multiple Codes Onto the Multiple Selection Screen
Step 1. Click-and-drag down the length of a single column of data cells on the
Excel spreadsheet to select and highlight them (Figure 11.3A).
Figure 11.3 Copying a column of data from an Excel spreadsheet into your
computer’s clipboard.
Design and Operation of a Multiple Selection Screen 131
Step 2. Copy the data into your clipboard by clicking the Copy button (B), or
Hit the keystroke Ctrl + C.
Step 3. Click inside the first available field (Figure 11.4A) in a single column of
data entry fields on the Multiple Selection for Material screen.
Step 4. Hit the keystroke Ctrl + V to paste the data from your clipboard into
the column. The system automatically adds any additional fields that are
needed to fit all the copied data onto the screen.
Figure 11.4 Pasting copied data from the clipboard to the Multiple Selection for
Material screen.
End Procedure
End of procedure
A multiple selection screen has a row of buttons at its bottom for working with
its contents (Figure 11.5). The functions of some of these buttons, most notably
the Enter, Selection options, Delete selection (that is, delete a line), and
Paste from clipboard buttons, are executed more efficiently by the methods
that were described above, so we do not describe them here.
The most important button on the multiple selection screen is Copy. Once you
complete all your entries on the screen, you must click the Copy button to save
your entries and return to the initial screen.
The other useful buttons at the bottom of the multiple selection screen are
Insert line, which adds another single field or set of paired fields to a
subscreen;
Delete all, which deletes the contents in all the fields on all the sub-
screens;
Multiple selection, which allows you to search for and enter multiple
codes in one fell swoop on a subscreen (and which we describe at the end
of this lesson);
Cancel, which terminates the setup of the screen and returns you to the
initial screen. (A control button in the upper-right corner also serves this
purpose.)
)
ne
d
ip e
ar
(li
el cl fil
bo
et e ons
el ll on
nc m xt
Ca fro m te
D t lin pti
H te a ecti
o
e l
ste ro
el e
se n
D es
In ctio
Pa rt f
py
po
Se r
p
r
te
le
el
Co
Im
En
Figure 11.5 The tool buttons of the multiple selection screen.
When you click the Copy button to save your entries on the multiple selection
screen, the screen is erased and you can complete the setup of the initial screen
of the transaction. However, you will notice a change to the fields in which you
entered the multiple codes (Figure 11.6).
If you entered multiple codes on the green-lighted Single values sub-

screen, the first of those codes appears in the first of the two paired fields
(A) and the Multiple Selection button is highlighted with a green rectan-
gle (B).
A B
C D
Figure 11.6 The first entries on the multiple selection screen appear in the
datatype fields, and the Multiple selection button (B and D) is highlighted to
indicate that codes have been entered on that screen.
Using the Multiple Selection Screen: An Example 133
If you entered multiple ranges of codes on the green-lighted Ranges

subscreen, the first of those ranges appears in the paired fields (C) and
the Multiple Selection button is highlighted with a green rectangle (D).
At this point, you can always recall the multiple selection screen and edit its con-
tents by clicking the Multiple selection button again. Once there, add, edit, or
delete the codes, then click the Copy button to save your changes and return to
the initial screen.
Using the Multiple Selection Screen: An Example

Let’s return to the scenario described at the start of this lesson. A warehouse
manager wants to create a report of the available stock of 100 consumable mate-
rials by executing the MM60 transaction. The object codes for these materials are
given in Table 11.1.
Table 11.1 Object codes for the scenario
Report on these materials Exceptions to ranges

100500
361010
410885
638477
914242
200600-200620 but not 200615 and 200617
564400-564425 but not 564411 through 564417
711015-711115 but not 711035 through 711075
The manager would follow these steps to report the stock levels on all these
materials in one transaction.
Step 1. Click the Multiple selection button for the Material field (Figure
11.1D) to call up its multiple selection screen.
Step 2. Click the green-lighted Single vals tab, and enter the five single codes
in the left column of Table 11.1 in the first five single fields (Figure
11.7). This sets up the transaction to report the stock data for these five
materials.
Figure 11.7 Five object codes are entered on this green-lighted subscreen. The
objects will be included in the output report of the MM60 transaction.
Step 3. Click the green-lighted Ranges tab, and enter the three ranges of codes
in the left column of Table 11.1 in the first three paired fields (Figure
11.8). This sets up the transaction to report the stock data for all the
materials with codes within these three ranges.
Figure 11.8 Three ranges of object codes are entered on this green-lighted sub-
screen. The objects with codes within these ranges will be included in the output
report of the MM60 transaction.
Using the Multiple Selection Screen: An Example 135
Step 4. Click the red-lighted Single vals tab, and enter the two exceptional sin-
gle codes in the right column of the table in the first two single fields
(Figure 11.9). This sets up the transaction to exclude these two materials
from the report.
Figure 11.9 Two object codes are entered on this red-lighted subscreen. The
objects will be excluded from the output report of the MM60 transaction.
Step 5. Click the red-lighted Ranges tab, and enter the two exceptional ranges
of codes in the right column of the table in the first two open range
fields (Figure 11.10). This sets up the transaction to exclude all materials
with codes within these two ranges from the report.
Step 6. Click the Copy button at the bottom of the Multiple Selection for
Material screen (Figure 11.10A) to save the entries and return to the
initial screen.
Step 7. Continue the setup of the initial screen, then execute the transaction.
This is a fairly complex example of the use of a multiple selection screen, in that
it uses all four subscreens to enter codes for objects to be included and excluded
from the transaction. Generally, you might use one or two of the subscreens, not
all four. We used this example to demonstrate that it is a relatively simple task to
set up the screen for even such a complex task, and a great time saver to boot.
A
Figure 11.10 Two ranges of object codes are entered on this red-lighted sub-
screen. The objects with codes within these ranges will be excluded from the
output report of the MM60 transaction.
Using the Multiple Selection Button

We have already mentioned that you can search for the correct code for any field
on the multiple selection screen in the usual manner: Simply click inside the field
to call up its search button, click it, then follow the instructions in the previous
lesson.
This process enables you to search for and enter a single code for a field. How-
ever, you can also search for and enter multiple codes on the multiple search
screen by using the Multiple selection button at its bottom.
To illustrate this, we search for the codes for several pumps by following this
next procedure. This procedure begins after the multiple selection screen for the
Equipment field of an initial screen has been called up.
Procedure
Searching for Multiple Codes for the Multiple Selection Screen
Step 1. Click the green-lighted Single vals tab (A) on the multiple selection
screen (Figure 11.11). (Note: This procedure works only on the single-
value subscreens of the screen.)
Using the Multiple Selection Button 137
Step 2. Click the Multiple selection button at the bottom of this screen (B).
Figure 11.11 The first two steps in searching for multiple codes for the multiple
selection screen.
Step 3. The multiple-tab search screen for equipment codes appears (Figure
11.12). Enter search criteria on the appropriate subscreen. For this
example, we entered 1000 in the Maintenance plant field (A) and
*pump* in the Equipment descript field (B).
Figure 11.12 Search criteria are entered on the multiple-tab search screen.
Step 4. Hit the Enter key on your keyboard to conduct the search.
Step 5. The system responds with a hit list of matching objects (Figure 11.13).
Notice that each line of the list has a selection box on its left end (A).
Select the desired objects by clicking their selection boxes to place check
marks inside them.
Figure 11.13 The hit list for the search. Select multiple objects by clicking their
selection boxes (A).
Step 6. Hit the Enter key on your keyboard to return to the Multiple Selec-
tion for Material screen, where the selected object codes are now
entered in the fields (Figure 11.14).
Using the Multiple Selection Button 139
Figure 11.14 The codes for the objects selected in Figure 11.13 are entered on the
Multiple Selection for Material screen.
End Procedure
End of procedure
Lesson 12
USING SELECTION OPTIONS ON DATA
ENTRY FIELDS
This lesson describes the procedure for attaching selection options to data
entry fields on initial screens, search screens, and multiple selection screens.
Selection options are conditional indicators that mark the limits of the codes in
data entry fields. To explain this definition, we offer two examples from the ini-
tial screen of the IW29 transaction, which displays a list of notifications1 for a
maintenance-plant manager.
For our first example, we set up the initial screen of the IW29 transaction to gen-
erate a list of all completed notifications for equipment 100500 that were created in
2004 by doing the following (Figure 12.1):
We selected the Completed option (A) in the Notification status field

area.
We entered the object code 100500 in the first of the two Equipment
fields (B).
We entered 01/01/2004 and 12/31/2004 in the Created on fields (C).
1. A notification is a record in the SAP database that equipment needs maintenance work
because it is malfunctioning or not operating at its optimal level.
141
142 Lesson 12 Using Selection Options on Data Entry Fields
Figure 12.1 The initial screen of the IW29 transaction, set up for the first example.
For our second example, we set up the initial screen to generate a list of all com-
pleted notifications for equipment 100500 that were created before the year 2004 by
doing the following (Figure 12.2):
We again selected the Completed option (A) in the Notification status

field area.
We again entered the object code 100500 in the first of the two Equip-
ment fields (B).
We entered 01/01/2004 in the first of the two Created on fields, then
attached the green less than selection option to the field. This option is indi-
cated by the less than (<) symbol to the left of the field (C). This entry
alerts the system that there is a condition to the transaction: We want to
generate a list of only those notifications with dates less than—that is,
prior to—January 1, 2004.
Attaching Selection Options to Data Entry Fields 143
Figure 12.2 The initial screen of the IW29 transaction, set up for the second exam-
ple, which includes a selection option on the Created on field.
Attaching Selection Options to Data Entry Fields

You can attach selection options to many data entry fields on many initial
screens, as well as those on search screens and multiple selection screens. You
select the desired option from the Maintain Selection Options popup screen,
which you call up by double-clicking inside a data entry field.
The Maintain Selection Options screen displays a menu of six green-colored

selection options by default (Figure 12.3). It also has two menu buttons directly
below this menu (A):
Select, which displays the menu of green selection options

Exclude from selection, which displays an alternative menu of six red-
colored selection options on the Exclude Initial Value from Selection
screen (Figure 12.4)
Both menus contain six selection options:
Single value, which is represented by the = symbol

Greater than or equal to, which is represented by the > symbol
Less than or equal to, which is represented by the < symbol
Greater than, which is represented by the > symbol
Less than, which is represented by the < symbol
Not equal to, which is represented by the ≠ symbol
Figure 12.3 The green selection options menu.
Figure 12.4 The red selection options menu.

Attaching Selection Options to Data Entry Fields 145
Procedure
Attaching a Selection Option to a Data Entry Field
Step 1. Double-click inside the field to call up the Maintain Selection Options
screen.
Step 2. Select either the red or green menu with the menu buttons (Figure
12.3A).
Step 3. Double-click a selection option in the menu. The Maintain Selection
Options screen is erased, and the symbol for the selected option is
added to the data entry field on the initial screen.
End Procedure
End of procedure
Procedure
Removing a Selection Option From a Data Entry Field
Step 1. Double-click inside the field to call up the Maintain Selection Options
screen.
Step 2. Click the Delete row button (e.g., Figure 12.4A) at the bottom of the
screen.
Step 3. Hit the Enter key on the keyboard to save your change.
End Procedure
Which is green and which is red?
The symbols for selection options are colored green and red, but you
can’t see these colors in this book. We describe the green and red
selection options under different headers of this lesson so that you
won’t get them confused.
However, you can also tell them apart by the font colors: the green
symbols appear in a black-colored font against the background,
and the red symbols appear in a white-colored font against the
background.
What Do the Green Selection Options Do?

We attach green selection options to the Equipment fields of the initial screen
of the IW29 transaction to explain and illustrate their functions.
The green single value selection option causes this transaction to impact only the
object whose code is entered in the first Equipment field. For example, the ini-
tial screen in Figure 12.5 is set to generate a list of notifications for only the sin-
gle piece of equipment with the object code 100500.
Figure 12.5 Using the green single value selection option.
There is really no purpose to attaching this selection option to any data entry
field, because it is implicit that any transaction impacts the objects whose codes
are entered in the fields of its initial screen. Nonetheless, you will find that it is
automatically attached to some fields, particularly on search screens and multi-
ple selection screens (for example, Figure 12.6A).
Figure 12.6 Selection options are commonly entered automatically on search

screens.
The green greater than or equal to selection option causes this transaction to impact
only those objects whose code is equal to or greater than the code in the first
Equipment field. For example, the initial screen in Figure 12.7 is set to generate a
list of notifications for all equipment with the object codes 100500 and higher.
What Do the Green Selection Options Do? 147
Figure 12.7 Using the green greater than or equal to selection option.
The green less than or equal to selection option causes this transaction to impact only
those objects whose code is equal to or less than the code in the first Equipment
field. For example, the initial screen in Figure 12.8 is set to generate a list of
notifications for all equipment with the object code 100500 and lower.
Figure 12.8 Using the green less than or equal to selection option.
The green greater than selection option causes this transaction to impact only those
objects whose code is greater than the code in the first Equipment field, but not
the object with that code. For example, the initial screen in Figure 12.9 is set to
generate a list of notifications for all equipment with object codes greater than
100500, but not the equipment with that same code.
Figure 12.9 Using the green greater than selection option.
The green less than selection option causes this transaction to impact only those
objects whose code is less than the code in the first Equipment field, but not the
object with that code. For example, the initial screen in Figure 12.10 is set to
generate a list of notifications for all equipment with object codes less than
100500, but not the equipment with that same code.
Figure 12.10 Using the green less than selection option.
The green not equal to selection option causes the transaction to exclude the object
whose code is entered in a field.
We don’t recommend using this selection option on any initial or search screen:
If you don’t want to include an object in a transaction, don’t enter its code on the
screen. We also don’t recommend its use on multiple selection screens, where you
have two red-lighted subscreens for entering the codes of objects to be excluded
from a transaction.
What Do the Red Selection Options Do?

The red selection options have exactly the opposite impact of the green ones.
For example, the red greater than or equal to selection option causes the transaction
to ignore those objects whose code is equal to or greater than the code in a data
entry field. For example, the initial screen in Figure 12.11 is set to ignore the
notifications for all equipment with object codes 100500 and higher.
Figure 12.11 Using the red greater than or equal to selection option (if you must).
Once again, we don’t recommend the use of the red selection options on most
screens for the same reason that we don’t recommend the use of the green not
equal to selection option. The exception to this generalization is filter screens,
which are discussed in Lesson 14.
Lesson 13
WORKING WITH SCREEN VARIANTS
We discussed the different methods for entering data on the initial screens of
transactions in the previous lessons in this part of our book. We now close this
part with a discussion of screen variants.
Screen variants are customized versions of initial screens. When SAP is imple-
mented by your SAP administrators, there is always some customization or con-
figuration work performed on the initial screens by computer developers so that
the default versions of these screens address the needs and practices of your com-
pany. For example, they might program the system to show selected data entry
fields on initial screens; to hide the fields for data that are not collected by your
company; or to automatically enter default values (such as company codes or
dates) in some fields.
However, you can further customize some of the initial screens that you regu-
larly use so that you can work with them more easily and efficiently. Specifically,
you can
Add data entry fields that are not present on the default versions of ini-
tial screens, but which you might need for your work;
Create default values for data entry fields in which you always enter the
same content;
Hide data entry fields that you do not need for your work but that are
present on the default versions of initial screens;
Save your customized screens so that they appear automatically when
you call them up in the future.
This lesson provides instructions for customizing your initial screens in these
ways.
149
150 Lesson 13 Working With Screen Variants
Adding Data Entry Fields With the Dynamic

Selections Button
List-display transactions are one of the four basic SAP transaction types
(which we describe at the end of this book). Generally, they are used to create
lists of related objects, such as:
Equipment operated and maintained by a physical plant

Purchase requisitions created by a purchasing agent
Employees working in a business department
The initial screens of list-display transactions usually contain several data entry
fields in which you enter one or several selection criteria and thereby define the
relationship between the objects in question.
For an example, consider the initial screen for the CJI3 list-display transaction
(Figure 13.1). This transaction generates a line-item cost report (which is a list
of actual expenses) for construction and maintenance projects. It contains three
field areas in which you define the relationship between the costs you want to see
in the cost report:
The Project Management Selections field area, in which you enter

the codes for one or more projects or one or more components of a
project (known as WBS elements)
The Cost Elements field area, in which you enter the codes for one or
more cost categories (called cost elements) such as salaries, travel, and medi-
cal costs, or the code for a cost element group (a set of cost categories)
The Posting Data field area, in which you enter dates to limit the
report to costs that were charged during certain time periods
We set up the initial screen in Figure 13.1 by entering the code for a project in
the first of the two Project fields (A); the code for the salary cost element in the
first of the two Cost Element fields (B); and a range of dates in the Posting
date fields (C). The output of the transaction will then list costs that meet those
three selection criteria: that is, all salary costs to that project during that time
period, and only those costs.
Adding Data Entry Fields With the Dynamic Selections Button 151
D
A
Figure 13.1 The initial screen for the CJI3 transaction.
Now suppose you want to limit the output of this report even further in these
two ways.
First, you want to limit it to the salary costs for the construction workers
who operate out of one of several physical plants in your company.
Second, you want to limit it to the construction workers in one depart-
ment (called a cost center) in that physical plant, for example, the Electri-
cal Installation department.
For this purpose, you must enter the codes for the physical plant and department
in question in the Plant and Cost Center fields—except there are no such fields
on the initial screen.
Why not? When SAP was first implemented by your SAP administrator, the
computer developers probably did not anticipate that you might want to use this
transaction in this way, so they didn’t include these two fields on the default ver-
sion of its initial screen.
Fortunately, the folks at SAP know that business practices change with time, so
they created a tool for adding selection criteria to initial screens to accommodate
those changes. We demonstrate the procedure for using this tool by adding the
Plant and Cost Center fields onto the initial screen of the CJI3 transaction in
this next procedure.
Procedure
Adding More Selection Criteria to an Initial Screen
Step 1. Click the Dynamic selections button in the application toolbar of the
initial screen of the transaction (Figure 13.1D).
Step 2. A menu of folders appears at the top left of the initial screen (Figure
13.2A). Each folder contains several related selection criteria that can be
added to the screen.
Locate the folder that contains the desired selection criteria, and click its
control arrow (B) to open it and display its contents. For this example,
we opened the Org units definition folder.
Figure 13.2 The Dynamic selections button displays a menu of folders bearing
additional selection criteria. Click their control arrows to open them.
Adding Data Entry Fields With the Dynamic Selections Button 153
Step 3. Scroll down the list of selection criteria in the folder (Figure 13.3A), and
double-click the desired ones. For this example, we double-clicked
Plant and Cost Center.
Step 4. The Dynamic selections field area appears at the top right of the ini-
tial screen with data entry fields for the new selection criteria (Figure
13.3B).
Note: These new fields are fully functional. You can search for the cor-
rect code for them in the usual manner, and you can enter multiple
codes by using the multiple selection buttons to their right.
You can delete any new field by clicking its name once in the menu to
select and highlight it, then clicking the Delete button (C).
D
C
B
Figure 13.3 Double-click selection criteria in the menu (A), and they appear on the screen (B).
Step 5. If you cannot find the selection criteria you need in this menu, click the
Further selection criteria button (D) in the application toolbar of the
initial screen, and a second popup screen, the Define More Selection
Criteria screen, appears with more folders bearing even more selection
criteria (Figure 13.4).
Follow Steps 3 and 4 to select additional selection criteria and display
their data entry fields on the Define More Selection Criteria screen.
For this example, we opened the Organizational units folder and from
it added the Company Code and Business Area fields (Figure 13.4A).
Enter codes in these additional data entry fields.
Click the Save button (B) to save these entries and return to the initial
screen.
Step 6. Complete the initial screen by entering codes in all the necessary data
entry fields, including the two new ones, and execute the transaction.
Figure 13.4 Click the Further selection criteria button to call up a screen with more
selection criteria.
End Procedure
End of procedure
We should point out that some initial screens contain only the Further selec-
tion criteria button in their application toolbar. For instance, this is the case for
the initial screen of the KSB1 transaction (Figure 13.5), which creates a line-item
cost report for a department (called a cost center) in a business or an organization.
Figure 13.5 Some initial screens, like this one for the KSB1 transaction, have only
one tool in their application toolbar for displaying additional selection criteria
options.
Creating Screen Variants 155
When you click this button (A), you do not get an on-screen menu of folders and
selection criteria; rather, the Define More Selection Criteria screen pops up
over the initial screen with these objects (Figure 13.6). Once again, follow the
instructions in Step 5 to add more selection criteria to the initial screen of the
transaction.
Figure 13.6 The Define More Selection Criteria screen for the initial screen of the
KSB1 transaction.
Creating Screen Variants

We now demonstrate the procedure for creating and saving screen variants. This
procedure can be used on all initial screens, but for an example, we create a vari-
ant for the initial screen of the ME5A list-display transaction (Figure 13.7). This
transaction creates a list of related requisitions for the purchase of materials.
This initial screen contains many data entry fields and selection boxes for defin-
ing the selection criteria for the output report. We set up our initial screen, for
instance, as follows.
We enter the code for the purchasing agent who handles requisitions for
our department in the Purchasing group field (A) so that the report
only lists the requisitions for our department.
We enter the code for our work location in the Plant field (B) so that
the report is limited to materials that are delivered there, rather than to
another office of our department in another state.
Figure 13.7 The initial screen for the ME5A transaction, set up with our usual
choices of selection criteria and showing the menu path for creating a screen
variant.
We select the Partly ordered requisitions and Released requisitions only

options (C) so that the report is limited to materials that have not been
delivered.
We always make these same three entries and selections whenever we run this
transaction, because they always yield a list of all our requisitions. Sometimes,
however, we cut down the length of this list by adding more selection criteria in
other fields. For example, when we want to limit the list to the requisitions for a
specific material, we enter its code in the Material field; when we want to limit
the list to materials from a specific source, we enter a vendor code in the Fixed
vendor field; and so on.
By the same token, we never enter selection criteria in many other fields,
including the Document type, Release date, Order, and Materials planner/
controller fields, because we do not track these data in our work (though users
in other departments do). In addition, we never select the Assigned purchase requi-
sitions option (we don’t assign requisitions in our company) or Closed requisitions
option (we are not interested in completed requisitions).
Given the way that we use this transaction, we created a customized variant of its
initial screen by following the steps in this next procedure.
Procedure
Creating a Variant of an Initial Screen
Step 1. Navigate to the default initial screen of the transaction.
Step 2. Enter those data and select those options that you want to have prepop-
ulated on the initial screen variant when you navigate to it. We entered
codes and text in the Purchasing group and Plant fields and selected
the two of the requisition type options (Figure 13.7A–C).
Step 3. Follow the menu path Goto > Variants > Save as Variant (Figure
13.7D), or
Hit the keystroke Ctrl + S, or
Click the Save button in the standard toolbar.
Step 4. The ABAP: Save as Variant screen appears (Figure 13.8). Enter a
name for your variant in the Variant name field (A). You have two
options here.
To create a temporary variant, give it any name. When you return to the
initial screen, this variant appears. However, if you navigate to another
screen or log off and then return to the initial screen later, the default
version will appear. If you want to use your screen variant at that point,
you will have to call it up by a separate procedure (described later).
To create a permanent variant, precede its name with a slash mark (for
example, /Short ME5A). This variant will always appear hereafter when-
ever you call up this initial screen.
For this example, we gave the variant the temporary name of Short
ME5A.
Step 5. Enter a short description of the variant in the Meaning field (B).
E
A
Figure 13.8 The ABAP: Save as Variant screen allows you to protect and hide selec-
tion criteria on an initial screen and create a screen variant. The top part only of
this long screen is shown here.
Step 6. Scroll down to the Selection screen objects field area. It contains a list
of all the data entry fields and selection options on the initial screen (C).
Each line is accompanied by several selection boxes. The key to these
boxes appears in the Field attributes field area directly above them
(D). The two critical selection boxes are Protect field and Hide field.
Click the Protect field selection box for any data entry fields or selection
options that you want to appear in an unalterable, prepopulated mode
(with the entries and selections you made in Step 2) in the screen
variant.
Click the Hide field selection box for any data entry fields or selection
options that you want to remove from the initial screen.
Step 7. Click the Save button (E) to save your input. The initial screen returns
with a message in its status bar that the variant is saved Figure 13.9A).
Figure 13.9 A variant for the initial screen of the ME5A transaction, trimmed in
length and with our usual selection criteria protected.
End Procedure
End of procedure
Notice the convenient features of our screen variant.
First, it is considerably shorter than the default screen because we hid

the data entry fields and selection options that we never use. Every data
entry field and selection option of importance appears “above the
fold”—that is, we do not have to scroll down the length of the screen to
find them.
Second, the data entries and selections that we always make are prepop-
ulated for us and grayed out so they cannot be changed (unless we decide
to change the variant itself). We do not have to enter any codes—or even
remember them, for that matter.
Third, the screen still contains the other data entry fields that we use on
occasion, so it is still very flexible in terms of its potential use.
A word of caution.
All in all, screen variants are tremendous time savers, particularly for transac-
tions that you regularly set up and execute in the same manner. However, you
should be careful about creating screen variants, and particularly creating per-
manent ones, because you can confuse yourself.
When we chose the data entry fields and selection options to protect and hide
in our screen variant, we did so with the confidence that comes from ample
experience with that particular transaction. We knew with absolute certainty
that there were some fields and options that could be protected and prepopu-
lated because they would not change as long as we still worked in the same
office and did the same job. We also knew with equal certainty that there were
fields and options that could be hidden because we would never use them, and
other fields that had to remain available in case we wanted to use them.
The potential for confusion arises six months or a year after you create a screen
variant, when you suddenly find yourself working in another department or with
different job responsibilities. At that point, you might want to use this same
transaction to generate a list of requisitions with different selection criteria, but
you cannot find the data entry fields or selection options for these criteria on
the initial screen—and you have forgotten that you are looking at a trimmed-
down version of that initial screen, not the fuller default version.
So be careful with screen variants. Don’t create a variant for the initial screen of
a transaction until you are very familiar with that transaction and the many ways
that you might use it at your job. And when you decide to create a variant, exer-
cise some caution in the choices you make on the ABAP: Save as Variant screen,
and leave some flexibility on the screen so that you can still use it for other
purposes.
Changing a Screen Variant

When you navigate to the initial screen of a transaction and find a screen variant
there, you can change it in one of two ways.
Procedure
Changing a Screen Variant
Step 1. Follow the menu path Goto > Variant > Save as Variant (Figure
13.7D).
Changing a Screen Variant 161
Step 2. The ABAP: Save as Variant screen appears (Figure 13.8). Change the
protect and hide selections for any data entry fields and selection
options.
Step 3. Option 1: Save this revised version of the screen variant with the same
name.
Click the Save button (Figure 13.8E).
The system responds with a popup screen that asks you to confirm the
overwrite (or revision) of the variant (Figure 13.10).
Hit the Enter key on your keyboard, or
Click the Yes button on the popup screen (A).
Option 2: Save this revision version of the screen variant as a new variant.
Enter a name for the new variant in the Variant name field of the
ABAP: Save as Variant screen (Figure 13.8A).
Click the Save button (Figure 13.8E) to save the new variant and return
to the initial screen, where it is now displayed.
Figure 13.10 Confirm a change of a screen variant on the Overwrite variant screen.
End Procedure
End of procedure
Procedure
Restoring a Default Screen Variant
Step 1. Click the All selections button in the application toolbar of the screen
variant (Figure 13.9B).
Step 2. The default version of the initial screen, with all its data entry fields and
selection options, is displayed.
End Procedure
End of procedure
Calling Up a Screen Variant

If you create a permanent screen variant for a transaction (by attaching a slash to
the beginning of its name), this customized version of the initial screen appears
automatically when you navigate to it.
If you created a temporary screen variant for a transaction, the default version of
the initial screen appears when you navigate to it. You can call up a screen variant
by following this next procedure.
Procedure
Calling Up a Temporary Variant
Step 1. Once you arrive at the initial screen for the transaction, follow the menu
path Goto > Variants > Get (Figure 13.11A).
Figure 13.11 The menu path for calling up a temporary variant.
Step 2. The Find Variant screen appears (Figure 13.12) This is a search screen
on which you can enter one or more search criteria. You have several
options.
Enter your name or SAP user ID in the Created by field (A), and the
system searches for all the screen variants that you created for this trans-
action, or
Enter part of the name of the variant, preceded and followed by asterisks
(*), in the Variant field (B), or
Do not make any entries, and the system searches for all the available
screen variants for the initial screen.
Once you complete this screen, click the Execute button (C).
Calling Up a Screen Variant 163
B
A
Figure 13.12 The Find Variant screen enables you to find a variant for an initial
screen.
Step 3. The ABAP: Variant Directory of Program RM06BA00 screen

appears with a hit list of screen variants that match your search criteria
(Figure 13.13). Locate the desired variant and double-click its name to
call it up.
Note: You can arrange this list in the alphabetical or reverse-alphabetical
order of either the Variant name column or the Short description
column by clicking the header of one of those columns (A) and then
clicking one of the two Sort buttons (B) in the upper-left corner of the
screen.
Figure 13.13 Display a screen variant on this popup screen by double-clicking it.
End Procedure
End of procedure
Deleting a Screen Variant

When you navigate to the initial screen of a transaction and find an unwanted
screen variant there, you can delete it by following this next procedure.
Procedure
Deleting a Screen Variant
Step 1. Follow the menu path Goto > Variants > Delete (Figure 13.14A).
Figure 13.14 The menu path for deleting a screen variant.
Step 2. The Find Variant screen appears (Figure 13.15). This is a search screen
on which you can enter one or more search criteria. Follow the instruc-
tions in Step 2 of the previous procedure (Calling Up a Temporary Vari-
ant) to use it.
Figure 13.15 The Find Variant screen enables you to find a variant for an initial
screen.
Step 3. The Delete variants screen appears (Figure 13.16). Double-click the
name of the screen variant that you want to delete.
Deleting a Screen Variant 165
Figure 13.16 Select the screen variant to be deleted on this popup screen by
double-clicking it.
Step 4. The Delete variant screen appears, asking you to confirm the deletion
(Figure 13.17). Hit the Enter key on your keyboard.
Figure 13.17 Confirm the deletion of a variant on this screen.
Step 5. The ABAP: Delete Variants screen (Figure 13.18) appears, asking you
to select one of two options: In all clients or Only in current clients. Select
one, then click the Continue button (A).
Note: The usual choice is In all clients, but it can vary with the SAP
system.
Figure 13.18 Delete the variant in all clients or just the one you’re working in?
Step 6. The initial screen returns with a message in its status bar that the variant
was deleted (Figure 13.19).
Figure 13.19 Confirmation that a screen variant is deleted is displayed in the sta-
tus bar of the initial screen.
End Procedure
End of procedure
Single-Field Variants
You can quickly create a default data entry for any single field on an initial screen
by following a simple shortcut procedure, rather than creating a full-blown
screen variant. You have two options in this process.
You can have the default data entry appear in a white, read/write field so
that it can be changed if necessary.
You can have the default data entry appear in a gray, read-only field so
that it cannot be changed (that is, it is protected).
For an example, in this next procedure we create a default entry of 1000 for the
Plant field of the initial screen in Figure 13.20.
Procedure
Creating a Single Default Data Entry on an Initial Screen
Step 1. Enter the default data in the field (A).
Step 2. Follow the menu path System > User profile > Hold Data to place
the default data inside a white, read/write field, or
Follow the menu path System > User profile > Set Data to place the
default data inside a gray, read-only field (B).
Figure 13.20 Creating a single default data entry via the System > User profile menu.
End Procedure
End of procedure
Deleting a Screen Variant 167
To undo this action:
Step 1. Click inside the field to select and highlight it.

Step 2. Follow the menu path System > User profile > Delete Data.
Part IV
WORKING WITH OUTPUT REPORTS
Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in. — Michael Corleone (Al
Pacino), Godfather III
Lesson 14: Sorting, Filtering, and Summing Up Line-item

Reports
Lesson 15: Display Variants for Line-item Reports
Lesson 16: Exporting Line-item Reports to MS Excel and Word
Lesson 17: Sending Line-item Reports via SAP E-mail
169
Lesson 14
SORTING, FILTERING, AND SUMMING UP
LINE-ITEM REPORTS
This is the first of two lessons on customizing the layouts and contents of line-
item reports. It deals with the procedures for sorting, filtering, and summing up
their data.
Line-item reports are the typical format for the output of list-display transactions,
which generate lists of related objects (see the Coda at the end of this book) as well
as the hit lists of code searches (see Lesson 10). They are also found on the initial
and output screens of some create, display, and change transactions, including many
purchasing and human resources transactions.
Each row in a line-item report displays the data about a single object, such as a
vehicle, material, or business expenditure. The data are arrayed in columns,
which are capped by headers that identify the data, and the rows are usually
organized vertically by default according to the contents of the first column.
For example, we demonstrate some of the procedures in this lesson on the output
of the IH08 list-display transaction. This output consists of a line-item report on
mechanical equipment that is operated and maintained by physical plants in a
company. When we run this transaction for plants in our company, the default
output contains four columns of data (Figure 14.1):
Equipment (that is, an equipment type code)

Construction Year
Description of technical object
Acquisition value
171
172 Lesson 14 Sorting, Filtering, and Summing Up Line-item Reports
Figure 14.1 The default version of the output of the IH08 transaction is a line-item
report with four columns of data. Each line displays the data on one piece of
equipment.
However, you can change the default layout and content of a line-item report
directly on its output screen in several ways. For example, we customized our
sample report in these ways, which are shown in Figure 14.2.
We arranged or sorted the line items in order of their equipment code,

then clustered those line items with the same code so that they appear as
groups in the first column.
Within each group, we sorted the line items in order of their construc-
tion year, then clustered those line items with the same construction
year so that they appear as subgroups in the second column.
Sorting, Filtering, and Summing Up Line-item Reports 173
We filtered the report to eliminate line items with an acquisition value of

less than $1,000. (Notice the absence of any dollar value less than $1,000
in the Acquisition value column.)
We attached a grand total for the acquisition values of all the equipment
to the very bottom line of the report (A).
We subtotaled the acquisition values for each equipment-code group
(for example, B) and construction-year subgroup (for example, C).
Figure 14.2 Our version of the output of the IH08 transaction, after we custom-
ized the line-item report with filters, sorts, and sums.
We demonstrate in this lesson the procedures for customizing line-item reports

in these ways, using examples from several initial screens, output screens and the
hit lists of search screens.
Sorting and Grouping Line-item Reports

The sorting function rearranges the rows of line-item reports according to the
contents of one or more selected data columns (which we call the sorting columns).
You can rearrange these rows in either alphanumerical (for example, A to Z or 1
to 1000) or reverse alphanumerical order in one of two ways.
The first method makes use of the Sort ascending (A) and Sort descending (B)
buttons (Figure 14.3). We demonstrate their use in the next three examples.
A B
Figure 14.3 The Sort ascending (A) and Sort descending (B) buttons.
Example 1: Single-Column Sort of a Line-item Report

Our first example demonstrates a single-column sort on the output of the Cost
Center Actual/Plan/Variance (A/P/V) transaction1 (Figure 14.4). This transaction
displays the budget of a department (or cost center) in a line-item format.
Each row of the A/P/V report shows the budget for a single cost category or cost
element, which is identified in its first column (Figure 14.4). Each row displays
the actual and planned costs for a cost element and the difference or variance
between them in dollar values and percentages. The report is organized in order
of the cost element code, which ranges from 400000 to 799000. This sorting col-
umn (the first) is automatically highlighted to distinguish it from the other data
columns.
We can sort the contents of this line-item report according to the contents of
another column by using the Sort ascending and Sort descending buttons in
its application toolbar (A). For an example, we can rearrange the rows in order of
1. We have not used the transaction code in this name because it is very long and clumsy:
S_ALR_87013611.
Sorting and Grouping Line-item Reports 175
Figure 14.4 The default output of the Cost Center Actual/Plan/Variance transaction, with the
rows sorted in order of increasing cost element code.
their actual costs, with those rows with the highest costs at the top of the report
and those with the lowest at the bottom, by following this two-step procedure.
Procedure
Single-Column Sort of a Line-item Report
Step 1. Click the header of the Actual costs column (Figure 14.4B) to select
and highlight it.
Step 2. Click the Sort descending button.
This procedure reorganized the report so that its rows are organized in order of
descending actual costs (Figure 14.5). In addition, it placed a sort-descending
icon in the header of the Actual Costs column (A) to indicate that the report is
arranged in that order.
Figure 14.5 The customized output of the Cost Center Actual/Plan/Variance transaction, with
the rows sorted in order of descending actual costs.
End Procedure
End of procedure
Example 2: Multiple-Column Sort of a Line-item Report

This second example demonstrates a multiple-column sort on the output of the
IH08 transaction, which displays data about equipment in a line-item format. The
rows in the default version of this report are organized in order of the equipment
code, which appears in the first column (Figure 14.6).
We can rearrange this report so that the rows are organized first in order of
increasing equipment code (we will call this the “primary sorting column”), then
in order of increasing construction year (we will call this the “secondary sorting
column”), by following this next procedure.
Figure 14.6 The default output of the IH08 transaction, with the rows sorted in
order of increasing equipment code.
Procedure
Multiple-Column Sort of a Line-item Report
Step 1. Click-and-drag across the headers of the sorting columns (if they are
next to one another) to select and highlight them (A).
Note: When you use this method, the first (left) column becomes the pri-
mary sorting column, the second becomes the secondary sorting col-
umn, and so on. See the next lesson for instructions on rearranging the
orders of columns if it is necessary.
or alternatively
Press and hold the Ctrl key on your keyboard, click the headers of the
sorting columns to select and highlight them, then release the Ctrl key.
Note: When you use this method, click the primary sorting column first,
the secondary sorting column second, and so on.
Step 2. Click the Sort ascending button (B) in the application toolbar.
This procedure had three effects on the line-item report (Figure 14.7):
It clustered all the rows with the same equipment code into groups (A),
and sorted the groups in order of increasing code.
This grouping occurs automatically whenever there are rows with the
same data in the sorting columns.
It clustered all the rows in each group with the same construction year
into subgroups (B), and sorted the subgroups in order of increasing
year.
It placed icons in the headers of the Equipment and Construction
Year columns (C) to indicate that they are sorted.
A B
Figure 14.7 The customized output of the IH08 transaction, with the rows
grouped and sorted by model number and construction year.
End Procedure
End of procedure
Example 3: Single-Column Sort of a Hit List

This third example demonstrates the method of sorting the hit lists of search
screens.
Search hit lists are usually displayed in a line-item format, and occasionally you
will see the Sort ascending and Sort descending buttons somewhere on their
screens (see Figure 13.13 on page 163 for an example). When this occurs, you
can use the same procedures that were described in the last two examples to
rearrange their contents.
When the hit list screen does not display these two buttons, you can still rear-
range their contents by simply double-clicking the header of a data column.
For example, the hit list for a search for plant codes is a two-column line-item
report (Figure 14.8A). However, it is organized in order of the plant code, and
the plant names are randomly organized. When you scroll through the hit list, it
is hard to find a plant by its name because of this lack of organization.
You can solve this problem by double-clicking the header of the Name column:
One double-click reorganizes it in alphabetical order (B), and a second click
reorganizes it in reverse alphabetical order (not shown here).
A B
Figure 14.8 The hit list for a plant code search, in the default order (A) and reorga-
nized in order of plant name (B).
We described the means of reorganizing the line-item reports of out-

put screens and hit lists here. You will also find line-item tables on the
screens of some create, display, and change transactions. They can be
reorganized in the same manner.
For instance, the initial screen of the ME51N transaction, which cre-
ates requisitions for materials and services, contains a line-item table
for entering data about those items (see Figure 9.3 on page 106). This
table has its own application toolbar, which includes the Sort ascend-
ing and Sort descending buttons. You can use them in the same way
that you would use them on an output screen.
Filtering Line-item Reports

The filtering function edits the contents of line-item reports and shortens them
by removing rows that contain certain data values, or filtering criteria, in specified
columns.
You can filter a report whenever you see the Threshold button (also called the
Set filter button on some screens) in the application toolbar of the output screen
of a report (Figure 14.9). To start this procedure, click the header of the column
that contains the filtering criteria to select and highlight it, then click this button.
Figure 14.9 Click the Threshold button to start the process of filtering line-item
reports.
This action calls up the Determine values for filter criteria screen (Figure
14.10), which contains data entry fields for each filtering criteria that you want to
apply to the report. You can search for and enter codes and texts in these fields,
attach selection options to them, and enter multiple codes and ranges, by follow-
ing the procedures that were described in Part III of this book.
The base of the filter screen contains a row of command buttons, including the
Enter button (A), which has the same effect as hitting the Enter key on your
keyboard, and the Cancel button (B), which erases the screen and returns you to
the main screen. You can delete one filtering criterion by clicking inside one of
its data entry fields and then clicking the Delete row button (C), or you can delete
all the filtering criteria on the screen by simply clicking the Delete button (D).
Filtering Line-item Reports 181
A C B
D
Figure 14.10 Enter your filter criteria on the Determine values for filter criteria
screen as you would enter them on any initial screen.
Don’t see the Threshold button on your screen? Follow the menu path
Settings > Options to call up the Options screen (Figure 14.11), select
the Expert mode option (A) and hit the Enter key on your keyboard.
Figure 14.11 You must select the Expert mode option on the Options
screen in order to see the Threshold button on the output screen.
We now illustrate the filtering of line-item reports with two examples.
Example 1: Filtering the Line-item Report of the IH08

Transaction
Once again, we use the output of the IH08 transaction, which displays data about
equipment, to demonstrate the procedure for filtering a line-item report. The
report is generated by a list-display transaction, and it was originally set up to dis-
play data on every pump operated and maintained by a physical plant (Figure 14.12).
Figure 14.12 The unfiltered output of the IH08 transaction.

Suppose we want to limit this line-item report to all those pumps in our plant
that cost between $1,000 and $2,000. We can edit it along those lines by follow-
ing this next procedure.
Procedure
Filtering a Line-item Report
Step 1. Click the header of the Acquisition value column (A) to select and
highlight it, then click the Threshold button (B).
Step 2. The Determine values for filter criteria screen appears with data
entry fields for the acquisition value (Figure 14.13).
Enter 1000 in the first field and 2000 in the second field. Do not use
commas or dollar signs.
Figure 14.13 Filtering the report to limit it to pumps with acquisition values of
$1,000 to $2,000.
Step 3. The line-item report returns, and now displays only the data for pumps
with an acquisition value of $1,000 to $2,000 (Figure 14.14). A small
icon also appears in the header of the Acquisition value column (A) to
indicate that the report is filtered according to the contents of that col-
umn.
Suppose we want to further limit this report to all pumps that were constructed
after 2001. We would continue in this way:
Step 4. Click the header of the Construction year column (Figure 14.14B) to
select and highlight it, then click the Threshold button (C).
A B
Figure 14.14 The filtered output of the IH08 transaction.
Step 5. The Determine values for filter criteria screen returns with a second
set of data entry fields for the construction year (Figure 14.15A).
Double-click inside the first of the two Construction year fields to call
up the Maintain Selection Option screen (see Figure 12.3 on
page 144), and double-click the green greater than (>) option to attach it to
the Construction year fields (B).
Enter 2001 in the first Construction year field.
A
B
Figure 14.15 Adding a second filter to the output of the IH08 transaction, this time
using a selection option.
Step 6. The line-item report returns, and now displays only the data for those
pumps that were acquired after 2001 at a cost of $1,000 to $2,000
(Figure 14.16).
Figure 14.16 The twice-filtered output of the IH08 transaction.
End Procedure
End of procedure
Example 2: Filtering the Line-item Report of the Cost

Center A/P/V Transaction
We return to the output of the Cost Center Actual/Plan/Variance (A/P/V) transac-
tion (Figure 14.17) to demonstrate the use of a second filtering screen that you
may encounter in some modules.
We filter this line-item report according to the contents of the Abs variance
column (A), which shows the numerical differences between the actual and
planned costs of cost elements. Notice that some of the values in this column are
positive, and some are negative. We can apply a filter to the report that removes
those line items with variance values less than $5,000, regardless of whether they
are positive or negative, by following this next procedure.
Figure 14.17 The default output of the Cost Center Actual/Plan/Variance transaction. Notice
that there are positive and negative dollar values in the Abs var column.
Procedure
Filtering Positive and Negative Values in a Line-item Report 1
Step 1. Click the header of the Abs var column to select and highlight it (Fig-
ure 14.17A), then click the Threshold button (B).
Step 2. The Maintain Threshold Value Conditions for Selection 001
screen appears (Figure 14.18). It contains two sets of identical field
areas in which you can apply one or two filters. We use the first set of
field areas in the top half of the screen to apply one filter in this procedure.
Select the Active option (A) to activate the top filter.
A
B
Figure 14.18 The Maintain Threshold Value Conditions screen contains field areas
for two separate filters. We use it to apply one filter to the report.
Step 3. Enter the greater than or equal to (>=) condition code in the Condition
field (B) by doing the following.
Click inside the field to call up the Threshold value condition search
screen (Figure 14.19).
Figure 14.19 Select a condition code from this screen.

Double-click the greater than or equal to condition code (A), and it is

entered in the Condition field (Figure 14.18B).
Step 4. Enter 5000 (again, without a dollar sign or comma) in the Threshold
value field (Figure 14.18C).
Step 5. Verify that the correct filtering column is entered in the Ref column
field (D). If it is not, click its search button to call up a list of columns,
and double-click the correct one to enter it there.
Step 6. Select the Ignore +/- sign option (E). This action sets the filter to remove
all line items with variances less than $5,000 whether they are positive or
negative.
Step 7. Hit the Enter key on your keyboard to return to the output screen, where
the filter is now applied to the line-item report (Figure 14.20). Notice
that a filter icon (A) is attached to the header of the Abs var column.
Figure 14.20 The filtered output of the Cost Center Actual/Plan/Variance transaction, with all
line items with variances less than $5,000 removed.
End Procedure
End of procedure
Once you apply a filter by this procedure, you can remove it by recalling the
Maintain Threshold Value Conditions screen and deselecting the Active
option (Figure 14.18A).
Example 3: Filtering Positive and Negative Values on

the Usual Filter Screen
The Maintain Threshold Value Conditions for Selection 001 screen (Fig-
ure 14.18) is associated with only a few output screens in SAP. However, it is
quite convenient for filtering numerical data with both positive and negative val-
ues, thanks to the Ignore +/- option.
You may encounter positive and negative numerical values on other line-item
reports where you have the usual Determine values for filter criteria screen at
your disposal for filtering them. In these cases, filtering positive and negative
numerical values is a little more cumbersome.
For example, consider the example of the line-item report on the Display
Actual Cost Line Items for Orders screen (Figure 14.21). This report con-
tains the Val in rep cur column (A), which displays both positive (credit) and
negative (debit) dollar values. If you want to filter this report according to the
contents of this column, you will find that the Determine values for filter cri-
teria screen contains data entry fields for these dollar values, but no handy
Ignore +/- option (Figure 14.22).
B
A
Figure 14.21 The line-item report of the Display Actual Cost Line Items for Order
screen contains the Val in rep cur column, where you will find positive and negative
dollar values.
Figure 14.22 Use the multiple selection screen of the Val in rep cur fields to filter a
data column of positive and negative values.
To apply a filter to these dollar values that takes into account their positive and
negative values, you must use the multiple selection option on the Determine
values for filter criteria screen.
For example, if we wanted to apply the same filter that we used in the previous
example, we could click the multiple selection button for the Val in rep cur
fields on the filter screen (Figure 14.22A) to call up a multiple selection screen
(Figure 14.23), and then do the following.
Click the green Single vals tab (Figure 14.23A).

Enter 5000 in the first field of that screen, and attach a greater than or
equal to selection option to it. This action filters out all positive values less
than $5,000.
Figure 14.23 Setting up the multiple selection screen to filter out dollar values
less than $5,000, whether they are positive or negative.
Enter -5000 in the second field of that screen, and attach a less than or
equal to selection option to it. This action filters out all negative values
greater than $5,000 (that is, between 0 and -5000).
Hit the Copy button (B) to save your entries and return to the Deter-
mine values for filter criteria screen.
Hit the Enter key on your keyboard to save your filter and return to the
output screen, where the data would be filtered.
We could also set up the multiple selection screen in this way (Figure 14.24):
Click the red Interval tab (A).

Enter -5000 and 5000 in the first line of paired fields. This action filters
out all values within this range.
Hit the Copy button (B) to save your entries and return to the Deter-
mine values for filter criteria screen.
Hit the Enter key on your keyboard to save your filter and return to the
output screen, where the data would be filtered.
Figure 14.24 Setting up the multiple selection screen to filter out dollar values
between -$5,000 and $5,000.
Summing Up Data Columns in Line-item Reports

You can attach grand totals beneath the bottom lines of data columns, as well as
subtotals beneath the bottom lines of groups and subgroups, in line-item reports.
This is possible whenever you see the Summation button in the application
toolbar of the output screen for the report (Figure 14.25A). This button can only
be applied to columns with data such as dollar values and total quantities. It cannot
be applied to columns with dates, model number, object codes, text, and the like.
Figure 14.25 The default output of the IH08 transaction and its Summation
button (A).
For example, we can attach a grand total for the acquisition value beneath the
bottom line of the line-item report of the IH08 transaction with this two-step
procedure (Figure 14.25).
Procedure
Summing Up Data in a Column of a Line-item Report
Step 1. Click the header of the Acquisition value column to select and high-
light it (B).
Step 2. Click the Summation button (A), and the grand total for the selected
column appears in a highlighted line at the very bottom of the screen
(Figure 14.26A).
Summing Up Data Columns in Line-item Reports 193
Figure 14.26 A grand total appears for the Acquisition value column at the bottom
of the line-item report.
End Procedure
End of procedure
As soon as we added a grand total to this report, the Subtotal button (Figure
14.26B) appears in the application toolbar of its screen. We can use this button
to simultaneously group and subtotal line items in this same report.
For an example, we group and subgroup the line items in our sample report by
equipment code and construction year, respectively, and subtotal their acquisi-
tion values by following this next procedure.
Procedure
Grouping and Subtotaling Data in a Line-item Report
Step 1. Click-and-drag across the headers of the Equipment code and Con-
struction year columns to select and highlight them (C), or
Press and hold the Ctrl key on your keyboard, click the headers of the
two columns to select and highlight them, then release the Ctrl key.
Step 2. Click the Subtotal button (B). The line items are automatically
grouped and subgrouped, and subtotals for the acquisition value appear
on the bottom line of each group and subgroup (Figure 14.27).
Note: If the line items were already grouped and subgrouped before you
began this procedure, you could still use the Subtotal button for this
same result.
Figure 14.27 Groups and subgroups of line items, each with their own bottom-
line subtotal of acquisition values.
End Procedure
End of procedure
Lesson 15
DISPLAY VARIANTS FOR LINE-ITEM REPORTS
This is the second of two lessons on customizing the layouts and contents of
line-item reports. It deals with the procedures for creating and working with
display variants.
Line-item reports are the typical format for the output of list-display transactions,
which generate lists of related objects (see the Coda at the end of this book) as
well as the hit lists of code searches (see Lesson 10). They are also found on the
initial and output screens of some create, display, and change transactions, including
many purchasing and human resources transactions.
Each row in a line-item report displays the data about a single object, such as a
vehicle, material, or business expenditure. The data are arrayed in columns,
which are capped by headers that identify the data, and the rows are usually
organized vertically by default according to the contents of the first column.
However, the content and layout of a line-item report—the data it displays and
the ways in which the data are arranged vertically and horizontally—are usually
fixed by computer programmers, with the help of functional experts, when SAP
is configured for your company. They may not necessarily meet your needs or
interests as a user of the system.
For example, we demonstrate the procedures for creating and working with dis-
play variants in this lesson with the output of the KSB1 transaction. This output
consists of a line-item report of the actual costs or expenditures for a department
(or cost center) in a business or an organization. We run this transaction periodi-
cally for our department to keep track of our costs and to monitor the status of
our budget. The output of this transaction displays these data about our costs on
each line of the report by default (Figure 15.1):
The number and name of the cost element or cost category (such as salary,
travel, and lodging) in the first two columns
The dollar value of the cost in the Val in rep curr column
The currency type in the Obj curr column
195
196 Lesson 15 Display Variants for Line-item Reports
The total quantity

The name and number of the offsetting account (the corporate ledger
account from which costs are ultimately paid, which is not the same as
our department budget account) in the last two columns
Figure 15.1 The default version of the output report of the KSB1 transaction.
This is not an especially useful report for us, for several reasons.
It displays both the name and the number of the cost element in two col-
umns. This is redundant. We need only one of these two bits of data—
preferably, the name of the cost element.
It displays the currency type. While our company is global in reach, all
our costs are incurred in the United States, where the currency is always
U.S. dollars, and so this column of data is not necessary.
It contains a column for the total quantity, which is meaningless when
dealing with salaries and other types of costs—so much so, in fact, that
there are usually no data in this column.
Display Variants for Line-item Reports 197
It displays both the name and number of the offsetting account in two
columns. Once again, this is redundant, but more important, these are
the sorts of data that our accountant needs to worry about, not us.
It does not display data on who spent our money, what exactly they spent
it on, and what document they filed in the database to charge the cost to
our account (very useful in case we need to have our accountant verify a
charge).
To satisfy our business needs, we created a display variant for the output of the
KSB1 transaction (Figure 15.2). This customized version of the line-item report
displays these data for each cost:
The cost element name (but not the number)

The name, business group code (User), and department code (PaCC) of
the person who charged the cost to our account
The dollar amount of the charge (Val in RC—representative currency)
The number of the fiscal document that was created in SAP to charge
that cost to our account
B D
Figure 15.2 Our display variant for the output report of the KSB1 transaction.
The document header text, which is a brief description of the nature of

the expenditure that was charged to our account
In addition, we modified the layout of this line-item report to do the following:
Display a grand total of all our expenditures at the bottom of the Val in
RC column
Group the line items by the cost element name, and subtotal the costs
for all the line items in each cost-element group (A)
This customized report is far more useful for our purposes, because it tells us in
a nutshell who (by name and affiliation) spent our hard-earned money on what
(by cost element name and document header text). In addition, it provides a doc-
ument number that we can pass to our accountant in case we have questions
about a charge to our account. Finally, it contains no data about offsetting
accounts, currency type, or anything else that is either obvious or not of interest
to us, so it is brief and to the point.
Line-item reports are one of the most common transactions that are executed in
SAP, and display variants are a powerful tool for customizing their contents and
layouts. This lesson provides instructions on creating and using display variants.
Accessing the Display Variant Functions

You can create a display variant for a line-item report whenever you see either
the Change layout button (Figure 15.2B) or Current display variant button
(Figure 15.3A) in the application toolbar of its output screen. Wherever you see
the Change layout button, which starts the procedure for creating a display
variant, it is accompanied by two other buttons for working with display variants:
Choose (sometimes labeled Get), which enables you to apply an exist-

ing variant to a line-item report (Figure 15.2C)
Save, which enables you to save a variant once you create it (Figure 15.2D)
Figure 15.3 Command buttons for working with display variants are found in the
application toolbars of many output screens.
Accessing the Display Variant Functions 199
(The Change Layout button is not usually accompanied by these two buttons,
however.)
In addition to these buttons, you can also follow the menu path Settings >
Layout to display four commands for working with display variants (Figure 15.4).
Three of these commands are redundant with the buttons in the application
toolbar.
Change (or Current on some screens), which begins the procedure for
creating a display variant
Choose (or Get on some screens), which enables you to apply an existing
display variant to a line-item report
Save, which enables you to save a display variant once you create it
Administration (or Manage or Management on some screens), which
enables you to delete an existing variant (and the only variant command
without a corresponding button in the application toolbar)
Figure 15.4 The menu bar of all output screens contains all four commands for
working with display variants. The menu path for starting the procedure for creat-
ing a display variant is shown here.
You may be asking yourself, Why are there two separate sets of but-
tons and commands for executing the same functions in a software
application?
The reason for this discrepancy is that SAP is not really a single soft-
ware application, but a set of separately developed applications that
are programmed to work together. Consequently, design changes that
are made in some modules are not always immediately carried over
into other modules.
Where such discrepancies occur, we identify all the alternative but-

tons and commands that you might encounter throughout SAP.
The Change Layout Screen

The first few steps in the procedure for creating a display variant are carried out
on the Change Layout screen (Figure 15.5). You can call up this screen in one
of two ways.
Click the Change layout or Current display variant button in the

application toolbar (Figures 15.2B and 15.3A), or
Follow the menu path Setting > Layout > Change or Current
(Figure 15.4).
A
F G
B C H
I
Figure 15.5 The menu path for starting the procedure for creating a display
variant.
The Change Layout screen contains a row of five tabs at the top (A). The first
tab is selected by default to display the Column subscreen, which is the main
working environment on the screen.
The Column subscreen is dominated by the Columns (B) and Column Set
(C) windows. They are separated by two control arrows, which you use for
transferring datatypes between them (D).
The Columns window displays a list of all the datatypes that appear in the
original version of the line-item report. This list is often accompanied by the
Creating a Display Variant 201
selection boxes of the Summation column (E), which you can click to attach
totals to the bottoms of numerical data columns. The Columns window is over-
lain by the Search button (which we never use) and four positioning buttons
(F), which you use to change the horizontal order of the data columns in the dis-
play variant.
The Column Set window displays the names of other datatypes that are avail-
able for the report. It is overlain by the Search button (again, which we never
use) and the Filter button (G), which controls the display inside the window.
When this latter button reads All (its default setting), the display shows all the
available datatypes for the report. However, you can limit the display to a partic-
ular class of datatypes (such as Time characteristics) by clicking this button and
selecting that class from its selection menu (H).
The base of the Change Layout screen contains the Enter and Cancel but-
tons (I). The function of the first button, which is to save your changes on the
screen, can also be executed by hitting the Enter key on your keyboard. The
function of the second button, which is to cancel your changes, can also be exe-
cuted by clicking the control button in the upper-right corner of the screen.
The Summation column is not always present in the Columns window

of the Change layout screen. However, you can attach totals to columns
on the main output screen, following the procedures described in the
previous lesson.
Creating a Display Variant

The procedure for creating a display variant can be divided into two main tasks.
The first task, which is performed on the Change Layout screen, is to select
those datatypes that you want to display in the line-item report, lay them out in
their proper horizontal order, and attach totals to the bottoms of numerical data
columns. The instructions for this task are provided in Steps 1 through 7 of the
following procedure.
The second task, which is performed on the output screen, is to adjust the layout
of the report (and specifically, the column widths) and filter, sort, group, and
total its contents. The instructions for this task are given in Steps 8 and 9 of this
next procedure.
Procedure
Creating a Display Variant for a Line-item Report
Step 1. Click the Change layout or Current display variant button in the
application toolbar of the report screen (Figure 15.2B and Figure
15.3A), or
Follow the menu path Settings > Layout > Change (Figure 15.4).
Step 2. The Change Layout screen appears. Examine the list of the currently
reported datatypes in the Columns window (Figure 15.6A), and trans-
fer the unwanted ones to the Column set window (B) in one of these
three ways.
Double-click a datatype. This is the fastest way to transfer single
datatypes.
D
C
A
Figure 15.6 Select one or more unwanted datatypes in the Columns window (A),
then move them to the Column set window (B) with the right-pointing control
arrow (D).
Click a datatype once to select and highlight it (C), then click the right-
pointing control arrow (D) between the two windows.
Click multiple datatypes while holding the Ctrl key on your keyboard
to select and highlight them, then click the right-pointing control arrow
(D) between the two windows.
For this example, we removed the Cost element, ObjCurr, Total

quantity, Offsetting account no., and Name of offsetting account
datatypes from the Columns window, leaving behind only Cost
element name and Val in rep cur (Figure 15.7).
Figure 15.7 The Columns window is now free of the unwanted datatypes. Click
the header (A) in the Column Set window to alphabetize the list of datatypes
there.
Step 3. Click the Column name header (Figure 15.7A) in the Column set win-
dow to rearrange the listed datatypes. One click puts them in alphabeti-
cal order (Figure 15.8), and a second click puts them in reverse-alphabetical
order. This step makes it easier to find datatypes in the window.
Step 4. Examine the list of available datatypes in the Column set window, and
transfer the desired ones into the Columns window on the left by using
the same three methods that were described in Step 2—but this time,
use the left-pointing control arrow (Figure 15.8A) to transfer them.
For this example, we transferred these five datatypes: User (the business
group code); Name; Partner co code (cost center code); Document
number; and Document header text (Figure 15.9).
Figure 15.8 Select one or more desired datatypes in the Column set window, then
move them to the Columns window with the left-pointing control arrow (A).
Figure 15.9 The desired datatypes are now in the Columns window and will appear
in the display variant. Use the positioning buttons (A) to rearrange selected
datatypes (B).
Step 5. Once you have the desired datatypes in the Columns window, rear-
range them with the positioning buttons (Figure 15.9A). Their vertical
order in the window corresponds to their horizontal order in the line-
item report.
To rearrange the datatypes:
Click a datatype to select and highlight it (Figure 15.9B), or
Click several datatypes while you hold the Ctrl key on your keyboard to
select and highlight them.
Click one of the four positioning buttons to reposition the selected
datatypes. The single-arrow buttons shift the positions of the datatypes
up or down the list by one line, and the double-arrow buttons move
them to the very top or bottom of the list.
Following are two guidelines to keep in mind when repositioning data

columns during Step 5 of this procedure.
First, place logically related data columns together. For example, we

put the employee name, number, and cost center columns next to
each other in our report. We did the same for the document number
and header text (Figure 15.10).
Second, if you plan to group and subgroup the line items in your
report by one or more datatypes, place their columns on the left side
of the report. For example, we plan to group the line items in our
report by the cost element name, so we moved this datatype to the
top of the list. If we had wanted to then subgroup them by a second
datatype, we would have placed it second on the list.
Step 6. If you want to display totals for numerical data at the bottoms of their
columns in the line-item report (and have that option on the screen),
click their selection boxes (Figure 15.10A).
Step 7. You are now finished with the Change Layout screen. Click the Enter
key (Figure 15.10B) to record your changes and return to the main out-
put screen.
Step 8. The line-item report appears with the new datatypes in their proper
order (Figure 15.11).
However, notice that the report is not laid out well: Some columns are
so narrow that they cut off the display of their contents, and other col-
umns are wider than they need to be. You can adjust the column widths
in two ways.
Figure 15.10 The datatypes are now arranged in a logical order. Use the selection
boxes (A) in the Summation column to attach totals to numerical data columns.
Figure 15.11 The line-item report returns with new datatypes in their proper
order. Use the menu path to fix all the column widths at once.
Adjust all the columns at once by following the menu path Settings >
Columns > Optimize Width (Figure 15.11A). The system adjusts the
width of all columns so that they fully display all their contents.
Adjust the width of a single column by clicking-and-dragging its right
header margin to a new position. As you click-and-drag the header
margin, the cursor changes to a two-sided arrow (Figure 15.12A), and

remains in that configuration until you release the margin.
A
Figure 15.12 Fixing the column widths in the line-item report.
Step 9. Sort and group the line items in the report, add filters to edit their con-
tents, and total and subtotal numerical data columns by following the
procedures that were described in the previous lesson.
For this example, we grouped the line items by their cost element name
and subtotaled the Val in rep curr column for each of the groups (Fig-
ure 15.13A).
Figure 15.13 The display variant is now grouped by cost element name, and the
groups are subtotaled (A). It is now finished.
End Procedure
End of procedure
This completes the procedure for creating a display variant. Where you once
had a line-item report of dubious utility, you now have a report that shows the
data you need to see, and only that data, in a well-organized layout (Figure
15.13).
This is the essence of a good report: It presents the least amount of data to con-
vey the most amount of information. The data in our sample report—the cost
element name, employee name, costs, and so on—are all needed to address the
question: Who spent our money on what? There are no data in this report that do
not address this question, for they would distract the reader from its message—
and consume additional space while they did so.
We mentioned earlier that there are four other subscreens on the

Change Layout screen, but we did not use them in this procedure.
Frankly, we never use them when we are working with display vari-
ants, because their functions are more easily performed on the output
screen itself.
For example, the Sort order, Filter, and View subscreens (Figure 15.14A,
B, and C) could be used to sort and filter the data in a line-item report
and convert it into an MS Excel spreadsheet. However, we prefer to
perform such functions directly on the output screen, where we can
see immediately the results of our effort.
The Display subscreen (Figure 15.14D) is perhaps the exception to this

rule because it enables you to quickly remove row and column guide-
lines, column headings, and other features from a line-item report.
However, the default settings on this screen are set to make the report
very readable—the guidelines, for instance, help a reader follow a line
of data across the screen—and we have never had reason to change
them.
Of course, you can use these subscreens at any time if you prefer. The
first two subscreens work exactly like the Columns subscreen—you
transfer certain datatypes into the left window and then sort, sum, and
filter them there—and you select or deselect the options on the other
two subscreens by clicking their selection boxes.
Figure 15.14 The four remaining subscreens of the Change Layout screen.
Saving a Display Variant

Once you create a display variant for a line-item report, you will probably want
to use it whenever you execute this same transaction in the future so that you can
compare the same data in successive reports. To do this, you must first save your
new display variant by following the next procedure.
Procedure
Saving a Display Variant
Step 1. Click the Save Layout button (Figure 15.2D) if it is displayed in the
application toolbar, or
Follow the menu path Settings > Layout > Save (Figure 15.15), or
Hit the keystroke Ctrl + F10.
Figure 15.15 Menu path for saving a new display variant.
Step 2. The Save layout screen appears (Figure 15.16). It is headed by two
tabs, Save as and Save with (A). The first tab is preselected to display the
Save subscreen, where a list of other display variants for the same
report appears (B).
Enter a name for your new display variant in the Save layout field (C)
of this subscreen.
Enter a short description of your new display variant in the Name field
(D) of this same subscreen.1
Step 3. Optional: Select the User-specific option, the Default setting option, or both
by clicking their selection boxes (E) to place check marks inside them.
(Note: Some SAP administrators disable one or both of these options.)
1. Yes, this field is wrongly named. Stuff happens, even in the best software.
Saving a Display Variant 211
If you select the User-specific option, the new display variant is stored
inside the desktop computer or workstation where it was created, and it
can only be accessed by a user working at this machine.
If you do not select this option, the new display variant is stored inside
an SAP server, where it can be accessed by other users. This is a global
variant, and a good way of sharing your variant with other users.
If you select the Default setting option, the new display variant appears
automatically whenever you run the same transaction in the future.
If you do not select this option, the default variant appears whenever you
run the same transaction in the future. To apply the new display variant
in this case, you must call it up with one of the next two procedures.
C
D
Figure 15.16 Enter a name (C) and description (D) of the new display variant on
the Save subscreen, and select from the options at its bottom (E).
Step 4. Optional: Click the second tab to display the Save with subscreen (Fig-
ure 15.17). This subscreen lists other customization features that you
applied to the display variant, including filters and sorts. They are prese-
lected, and they will be saved as a permanent part of the variant unless
you deselect them.
Figure 15.17 Customization features of the new display variant are indicated on
this subscreen. Deselect them if you don’t want to save them with the variant.
Step 5. Hit the Enter key on your keyboard. The Save Layout screen is
erased, and a message appears in the status bar of the output screen that
the variant is saved (Figure 15.18).
Figure 15.18 Confirmation that you have saved a display variant appears in the
status bar of the output screen.
End Procedure
End of procedure
Applying a Display Variant

You have the option of saving a display variant in default mode so that it is applied
automatically to the line-item whenever you execute the same transaction.
However, it is common for users to create more than one display variant for a
given transaction. For example, we maintain several display variants for the line-
Applying a Display Variant 213
item report of the KSB1 transaction, including the variant that we set up in the
first procedure in this lesson and a second variant that reports accounting data
(when we need to discuss our costs with our bookkeeper). Consequently, we did
not identify a default display variant for the transaction. Rather, we apply one of
our several variants on an ad hoc basis, depending on our specific needs at the
moment.
There are two ways to apply a display variant in this way. We describe them as
before-the-fact and after-the-fact applications.
You can apply a display variant before the fact—that is, before you execute the
transaction—if its initial screen contains the Layout field2 (Figure 15.19A).
When it does, enter the name of the variant there and execute the transaction,
and the line-item report appears automatically in the format of that variant. (If
you don’t remember its name, click the search button (B) of the field to call up a
hit list of the available display variants for the transaction.)
A B
Figure 15.19 You can often enter the names of display variants in the Layout field
of the initial screens of many list-display transactions.
2. This screen element is not always found on the initial screens of transactions that allow
display variants.
When the initial screen of the transaction does not contain the Layout field or if
you forget to enter the name of the display variant there before you execute the
transaction, you can apply it after the fact—that is, after a transaction is executed
and the line-item report appears in its default format—by following this next
procedure.
Procedure
Applying a Display Variant After the Fact
Step 1. Click the Choose or Get button (Figure 15.2C) in the application tool-
bar of the output screen, or
Follow the menu path Settings > Layout > Choose or Get (Figure
15.20), or
Hit the keystroke Ctrl + F9.
Figure 15.20 Menu path for applying a display variant to a line-item report after
the fact.
Step 2. The Choose layout screen appears with a list of available variants (Fig-
ure 15.21).
Optional: Rearrange the list in order of the layout description by clicking
its column header.
Locate the desired variant and double-click its line.
Step 3. The line-item report is reformatted in the style of the selected variant.
Deleting a Display Variant 215
Figure 15.21 Select the display variant from this screen.
End Procedure
End of procedure
Deleting a Display Variant

You may very well accumulate a collection of display variants over time as you
use the system and your job function changes. You should “clean house” on occa-
sion and get rid of out-of-date variants by following this next procedure.
Procedure
Deleting a Display Variant
Step 1. Follow the menu path Settings > Layout > Administration or Manage
or Management (Figure 15.22).
Figure 15.22 Menu path for deleting a display variant.

Step 2. The Layout: Management screen appears with a list of available dis-
play variants. Each variant has a selection box to its left (Figure 15.23A).
Select a variant by clicking its selection box.
Click the Delete button (B) in the application toolbar.
Figure 15.23 Select the display variant to delete (A), click the Delete button (B),
then click the Save button (C) to return to the output screen.
Step 3. The display variant is erased from the list.

Click the Save button (C) to record your changes and return to the out-
put screen, where confirmation of your action appears in the status bar
(Figure 15.24).
Figure 15.24 Confirmation that you deleted a display variant appears in the status
bar of the output screen.
End Procedure
End of procedure
Working With Display Variants on Other Screens 217
Working With Display Variants on Other Screens

We described the various procedures for using display variants on the output
screens of list-display transactions throughout this lesson. However, you can also
apply the same procedures to the line-item tables that you will find on the initial
and output screens of other transactions.
For example, the initial screen for the ME51N transaction, which creates requisi-
tions for materials and services, contains a line-item table (A) for entering data
about those requisitions (Figure 15.25). The output screen for the ME53N trans-
action, which displays requisition data, contains this same table in a read-only
format. Each line of these tables contains data for one requisitioned material
item or service, which are entered in a long series of columns. To see all these
data, you must scroll horizontally along the length of the table.
However, it is possible to create a display variant for this table with fewer col-
umns. The procedure begins at the Layout Settings button (B) in the applica-
tion toolbar of the table. Click this button to display a list of variant-related
commands, then follow the same procedures that we offered in the earlier part of
this lesson.
Figure 15.25 The initial screen for creating a requisition contains a line-item table. You can
create and work with variants for this table with the commands of the Layout Settings
button (B).
Lesson 16
EXPORTING LINE-ITEM REPORTS TO
MICROSOFT EXCEL AND WORD
The previous lessons described the procedures for customizing line-item reports
with various tools that are available in SAP. But thanks to a strategic alliance
between SAP and Microsoft, it is also possible to convert SAP line-item reports
into Excel spreadsheets and Word documents (where you can then use the tools of
these powerful applications to customize them) or into unformatted data (which
can easily be pasted into an e-mail message).
There are two classes of methods for exporting SAP line-item reports to these
applications. For the lack of better names, we call them front-door exports and
back-door exports.
Front-door exports use menu paths and tool buttons in the application
toolbars of output screens to automatically convert reports into fully for-
matted Excel spreadsheets and Word documents.
Back-door exports simply “dump” raw unformatted SAP data into an
external storage location, such as the hard drive on your personal com-
puter. You must then convert them into Microsoft spreadsheets and doc-
uments by executing several additional steps.
This lesson describes the procedures for exporting SAP line-item reports to
these applications, and specifically into MS Excel. We limit this discussion to MS
Excel for three reasons.
Converting SAP line-item reports into MS Excel spreadsheets is by far

the most common and obvious use of the export tool, and some output
screens are set up exclusively for this purpose.
SAP line-item reports are converted into tables when they are exported
into MS Word. Excel is the better tool for working with tables.
The procedures for exporting SAP reports to MS Word are exactly the
same as those for exporting them to MS Excel.
219
220 Lesson 16 Exporting Line-item Reports to Microsoft Excel and Word
However, we also make mention of the means of exporting SAP reports to MS

Word whenever it is appropriate.
We should also note that we only describe the procedures for exporting SAP
line-item reports to Excel in this lesson. We do not describe the procedures for
customizing them once they arrive there: You will have to buy another book to
learn about that!
Front-Door Exports
We describe here two procedures for front-door exports of SAP line-item
reports to MS Excel.
This first procedure can be executed whenever you find the Option/Office
Integration button in the application toolbar of the output screen of a line-item
report (Figure 16.1A). This button enables you to instantly convert the report
into an Excel spreadsheet, but not a Word document.
We demonstrate this first procedure with the output of the Cost Center Actual/
Plan/Variance transaction. This transaction displays the budget of a department
(or cost center) in a business or an organization in line-item format (Figure 16.1).
Each line of the report shows, for a single cost category or cost element, the actual
and planned costs and the difference or variance between them.
Figure 16.1 Use the Option/Office Integration button to call up the Options screen.
Front-Door Exports 221
Procedure
Exporting to MS Excel With the Option/Office Integration
Button
Step 1. Click the Option/Office Integration button (Figure 16.1A) in the
application toolbar of the output screen.
Step 2. The Options screen appears (Figure 16.2). The screen is divided into
four field areas. The lowest one, Office Integration, contains three radio
buttons for controlling the format of the report.
Inactive, the default setting, displays the report in SAP format.
Microsoft Excel displays the report as an Excel spreadsheet.
Lotus 123 displays the report as a Lotus spreadsheet.
Select the Microsoft Excel option (A).
Step 3. Optional: Select the Worksheet protection option (B) to create a read-only
Excel spreadsheet.
C
A
Figure 16.2 Click the Microsoft Excel option to convert the line-item report into
an Excel spreadsheet.
Step 4. Hit the Enter key on your keyboard, and the line-item report is refor-
matted as an Excel spreadsheet (Figure 16.3).
This spreadsheet appears inside an MS Excel application window that is
itself embedded inside the SAP session. However, the Excel application
window is fully functional: It possesses all the menus, tools, tabs, and
other features that are associated with this software.
Step 5. Save the spreadsheet in an external storage location by
Following the menu path File > Save as in the menu bar of the Excel
application window, or
Clicking the Save button (A) in its toolbar.
Figure 16.3 The spreadsheet appears in an Excel application window, which is

embedded inside the SAP window.
To convert the spreadsheet back into SAP format, recall the Options
screen and select the Inactive option (Figure 16.2C) from the Office
Integration field area.
End Procedure
End of procedure
You can use this second procedure whenever you find the List Export menu in
the menu bar of the output screen of line-item reports. This menu contains two
commands, Spreadsheet and Word Processing, for exporting a report to MS Excel
and Word (Figure 16.4A). You may also find buttons in the application toolbar
of some (but not all) screens for executing these same commands (Figure 16.4B
and C).
We demonstrate this second procedure with the output of the KSBI transaction
(Figure 16.4). This transaction displays the expenditures or actual costs for a
department (or cost center) in a business or an organization in a line-item format.
B C
Figure 16.4 Use the Spreadsheet and Word Processing menu commands (A) or the Word
Processing (B) and Spreadsheet (C) buttons to export line-item reports.
Procedure
Exporting to MS Excel With the List Menu
Step 1. Follow the menu path List > Export > Spreadsheet (Figure 16.4A), or
Click the Spreadsheet button (C) in the application toolbar (if it is
there).
Step 2. A popup screen with the same title as the output screen appears to
inform you that any filters, sorts, and sums that you added to the report
will not be carried over into the Excel spreadsheet (Figure 16.5).
Figure 16.5 Just hit the Enter key to continue past this popup screen.
Step 3. The Export list object to XXL screen appears with radio buttons for
three alternative export options (Figure 16.6).
Select the Table option (A) to create a normal spreadsheet. You also have
the option of creating a pivot table.
Figure 16.6 Select either the Table (or Pivot table) option for a spreadsheet.
Step 4. A second Export list object to XXL screen appears with the Microsoft
Excel option, which is already selected for you (Figure 16.7).
Figure 16.7 No choice on this screen, so hit the Enter key on your keyboard.
Step 5. The spreadsheet appears in an MS Excel application window, which

opens outside the SAP application window (Figure 16.8).
Save the spreadsheet in the usual way.
Figure 16.8 The spreadsheet appears in its own application window.
End Procedure
End of procedure
Back-Door Exports
You can export line-item reports to MS Excel and Word with a convenient “back
door” command in the System menu. You can use this method on any output
screens with line-item reports, but it is a particularly handy tool for search hit list
screens and other output screens that do not have the Option/Office Integra-
tion button in their application toolbars or the List menu in their menu bars.
In addition, this tool creates a file that is considerably smaller than an Excel or a
Word file, and thus easier to e-mail to other users.
This procedure is slightly longer than front-door exports because it involves two
separate phases. First, you export the data in the line-item report to an external
storage location, where it is stored in a comma-separated values (csv) formatted file.
Once this is done, you must call up the file in Excel or Word and reformat it there.
We again demonstrate this procedure by exporting the output of the Cost Center
Actual/Plan/Variance transaction to MS Excel.
Procedure
Back-Door Export of a Line-item Report to MS Excel
Step 1. Follow the menu path System > List > Save > Local file (A) on the out-
put screen of the line-item report (Figure 16.9).
Figure 16.9 Menu path for a back-door export.

Back-Door Exports 227
Step 2. The Save List in File screen appears with five selection options (Figure
16.10).
Select the Spreadsheet option (A).
Figure 16.10 Select Spreadsheet to create a raw csv file with the report data.
Step 3. The Save as screen for the Windows operating system (or the equivalent
screen for another operating system) appears (Figure 16.11).
Select an external storage location in the Save in field (A).
Enter a name for the raw data file in the File name field (B), followed
by the file extension .xls (dot xls).
Check that the entry in the Save as type field (C) reads EXCEL Files
(*.XLS). If it is not correct, change it.
Hit the Save button (D) to save the file, which is stored in csv format.
B D
C
Figure 16.11 Save the file with the .xls extension.
Step 4. Boot up the MS Excel application on your computer in the usual way.
Step 5. Follow the menu path File > Open (A) in the menu bar of the applica-
tion, or click the Open button in its standard toolbar (Figure 16.12).
Figure 16.12 Boot up Excel, then open the file through the menu bar or toolbar.
Step 6. The Open screen for the Windows operating system (or the equivalent
screen for another operating system) appears (Figure 16.13).
Locate the exported file in your external storage location, and double-
click its name or icon to open it.
Note: If you forget to add the .xls extension to the file name in Step 3,
you won’t see the file because the screen is set to display only Excel files
(A). Change the entry in the Files of type field to All files and you will
then see it.
Figure 16.13 Locate the file on the Open screen and double-click it.
Step 7. The Text Import Wizard - Step 1 of 3 screen appears (Figure 16.14).
Click the Finish button (A).
Back-Door Exports 229
Figure 16.14 No need to go through all three steps on the Text Import Wizard
screen: just click the Finish button (A).
Step 8. A properly formatted spreadsheet appears in an MS Excel application

window, which opens outside the SAP application window.
Reformat and save the spreadsheet in the usual way.
End Procedure
End of Procedure
Incidentally, you can use this procedure to export the hit lists of search screens to
MS Excel and Word with one small change to the previous procedure.
This change comes in Step 1 because hit lists do not have menu bars. Rather,
right-click the hit list to call up a shortcut menu (Figure 16.15A), then scroll
down and select the Download command at its very bottom. Continue the proce-
dure at Step 2.
To export a line-item report to MS Word through the back door:
1. Select either the Rich text or HTML format in Step 2.

Rich text format exports the reports to MS Word in that format,
which is the raw material for creating Word text documents.
HTML format exports the report to MS Word in that format, which
is the raw material for creating Web pages.
2. Save the file with the extension .rtf or .html in Step 3.
3. Boot up Word in Step 4.
Figure 16.15 Right-click a hit list to call up a shortcut menu, and select the
Download command as Step 1 of the back-door export.
Lesson 17
SENDING LINE-ITEM REPORTS VIA
SAP E-MAIL
Once you generate a line-item report with a list-display transaction, you may
want to share it with other people in your company or organization. Of course,
you could always print the report by clicking the Print button in the standard
toolbar of the output screen (Figure 17.1A) so that you can manually distribute
the hard copy to the interested parties. You could also export the report to MS
Excel, and then e-mail it to them as an attachment with MS Outlook or another e-
mail application.
However, SAP has its own e-mail application that you can use to send line-item
reports, messages, and other documents to other users of the system. You can start
this process from the output screen of any line-item report in one of two ways.
Click the Mail recipient button (B) in the application toolbar, or

Follow the menu path List > Send to > Mail recipient or List > Save >
Office (depending on the module).
A B
Figure 17.1 You can access the SAP e-mail application through the menu bar or the applica-
tion toolbar.
This action calls up the Create and Send Document screen (Figure 17.2) on
which you can address the e-mail to its recipients, add a cover letter and attach
other documents to it, and send the report. The recipients receive and read your
e-mail and its attachments in their Business Workplace, where they can also
store them and send e-mail to other users.
231
232 Lesson 17 Sending Line-item Reports via SAP E-mail
This lesson describes the procedures for sending and receiving line-item reports
(along with other messages and documents) with the SAP e-mail application. It
also introduces you to the Business Workplace, where you can send, receive,
and store e-mail with this application.
The Create Document and Send Screen

The Create Document and Send screen (Figure 17.2) appears when you click
the Mail recipient button (Figure 17.1B) or follow the appropriate menu path
on the output screen of a list-display transaction.
This screen contains two subscreens in which you can create a cover letter, attach
other documents to the e-mail, define its properties, and enter the names of one
or more recipients. The subscreens are overlain by the Title field (Figure 17.2A),
in which you can enter a title or description for the message and its contents.
Figure 17.2 Entering a title (A) and a cover letter (C) for the e-mail.
The Create Document and Send Screen 233
The Upper Subscreen

The display of the upper subscreen of the Create Document and Send screen
is controlled by three tabs: Document contents, Attributes, and Attachments
(Figure 17.2B). The first tab is selected by default when the screen appears.
The Document content subscreen contains a text field in which you can enter
a cover letter to its recipient (Figure 17.2C). The use of this text field is optional.
The Attributes subscreen contains seven data fields, in which the e-mail and its
attached documents are described (Figure 17.3A). The first two, Document
class and Document size, appear in the gray read-only mode. The first
describes the attached document as either SAP Editor Document (if it is a line-
item report) or PC Document (if it was created by a desktop application such as
Excel or Adobe Acrobat). The second field describes the document size in bytes.
Figure 17.3 Setting the attributes of the e-mail and its attachments.
The remaining five fields of the Attributes subscreen contain list icons (B),
which you can click to display and select from a drop-down menu of optional
entries.
Change option: by which the sender can set the attached document as
Changeable by any user; Changeable by the author only; or Not changeable
by any user
Language: which is usually set by default by the SAP administrator
Sensitivity: by which the sender can describe the attached document as
Standard (not sensitive) or Confidential (readable only by the recipient)
Expiry date: by which the sender can set a date on which the message is
deleted automatically if it has not been read by its recipients
Priority: which can be defined as Low, Medium, or High
The Attachments subscreen provides a description of the attached document,

including its size and type (Figure 17.4A). This subscreen also has its own appli-
cation toolbar, which contains three especially useful buttons.
B C
D
A
F
H
Figure 17.4 Working with the attachments to e-mail.

The Create Document and Send Screen 235
The Create attachment button (B) enables you to attach other docu-
ments from an external storage location, such as the hard drive of your
personal computer, to the e-mail. Simply click it to call up the Import
file screen of the Windows operating system (Figure 17.5A), locate the
document, and double-click its name to attach it.
The Export attachment button (C) enables you to store a copy of a
document in an external location. Simply click the document line to
select and highlight it, then click the button to call up the Export file
screen of the Windows operating system (Figure 17.5B), on which you
can name and store the document.
The Delete button (D) enables you to delete an attached document
from the e-mail. Simply click the document line to select and highlight
it, then click this button.
Figure 17.5 Select a new attachment from the Import file screen (A), or store an
attachment in an external site using the Export file screen (B).
The Lower Subscreen

The display of the lower subscreen of the Create Document and Send screen
is controlled by two tabs: Recipient and Trans options (Figure 17.4E). The
first tab is selected by default when the screen appears.
The Recipient subscreen contains a line-item table for entering data about the
recipients of the e-mail. You can enter the names of single recipients and the
names of distribution lists of multiple recipients in its Recipient column (F)
by following the procedures in the next two sections of this lesson.
Each line of this subscreen also contains three selection boxes (G). From left to
right, they are:
Express mail: Sends a message to a recipient that an e-mail is waiting in

the recipient’s Business Workplace. This message is flashed on the
screen when the recipient logs on to SAP (Figure 17.6). To read the e-
mail, the recipient would click the Execute button on this screen (A).
Send as copy: Sends a copy of the e-mail to a recipient, and lists the
recipient’s name in the header of the e-mail for all other recipients to see.
Send as blind copy: Sends a blind copy of the e-mail to a recipient, so that
the blind-copy recipient’s name does not appear in the header of the e-mail.
Figure 17.6 Express mail causes this message to appear on the recipient’s monitor
when the recipient logs on to SAP.
The Trans options subscreen enables you to set the conditions for transmit-
ting the e-mail (Figure 17.7A).
You can schedule its transmission by entering a date in the Do not send
before field.
You can prevent the recipients from forwarding it to other users by
clicking the No forwarding option.
You can store a copy of the e-mail in your own Business Workplace by
selecting the After sending, move to outbox option.
Entering and Searching for the Names of Recipients 237
Figure 17.7 Setting the conditions for transmitting the e-mail.
Once you enter messages, attach documents, and select options on these five
subscreens, you can send your e-mail by clicking the Send mail button (Figure
17.7B), which can be found in the application toolbar and at the bottom of the
Create Document and Send screen.
Entering and Searching for the Names of Recipients

You can enter the names of individual recipients on the Recipients subscreen
by entering their first or last name in the first available field of the Recipient
column (Figure 17.4F), then hitting the Enter key on your keyboard. One of
two things will then happen.
If there is one user of your system with that name, the system automati-
cally enters that user’s full name in the field.
If there is more than one user with that name, the Address manage-
ment: Find contact person hit list screen appears with all their first
and last names, as well as their affiliations and telephone numbers (Fig-
ure 17.8).
Scroll through the list, locate the desired recipient, and double-click that
person’s name to enter it in the Recipient column.
Figure 17.8 The hit list for a search for individual recipients of an e-mail.
If you are not certain of the name of the recipient, you can search for it by this
next procedure.1
Procedure
Searching for Recipients
Step 1. Click inside the first available field in the Recipient column to call up
its search button (Figure 17.4H), then click it.
Step 2. The Selection screen appears with radio buttons for several recipient
types (Figure 17.9). The Internal User option (A) is selected by default.
Enter the last name of the recipient in the Srch field (B). (You can also
enter a first name, but this will probably result in a very long hit list,
unless that first name is not a common one.)
Click the Detailed search button (C) at the bottom of the screen.
1. See Lesson 10 for a complete description of search procedures.

Working With Distribution Lists 239
C
Figure 17.9 Searching for the correct name of an individual recipient.
Step 3. The Address management: Find contact person hit list screen
appears with a list of matches to your search criteria (Figure 17.8).
Scroll through the list, locate the correct recipient, and double-click the
person’s name to enter it in the Recipient column.
End Procedure
End of procedure
Working With Distribution Lists

Distribution lists are lists of multiple recipients for e-mail messages. You can
create such lists by following this next procedure.
Procedure
Creating Distribution Lists
Step 1. Enter the names of all the members of the new list in the Recipient col-
umn of the Recipients subscreen (Figure 17.10A).
Step 2. Click the selection boxes (B) of all the individuals you want to include on
this list to select and highlight them. You can select all the names on the
subscreen by clicking the Select all button (C) in its application toolbar.
Step 3. Click the Create dist button (D) in the application toolbar.
Step 4. The Create Distribution List Header screen appears (Figure 17.11).
Enter a name for the new list in the Name field (A).
Enter a description for the new list in the Title field (B).
C D
B A
Figure 17.10 Enter the names of all the members of the new distribution list here.
A
B
Figure 17.11 Name the new distribution list here.
Step 5. A message appears in the status bar of the Create Document and Send
screen that the list is created (Figure 17.12).
Figure 17.12 Confirmation that the distribution list is created comes in the status
bar of the Create Document and Send screen.
End Procedure
End of procedure
Working With Distribution Lists 241
You can enter the names of distribution lists in the Recipient column by fol-
lowing the same procedure for entering the names of recipients. For example, if
you know the exact name of the list, enter it in the first available field of the
Recipient column and hit the Enter key on your keyboard. If you don’t know
the exact name of the list, follow this next procedure.
Procedure
Searching for Distribution Lists
Step 1. Click inside the first available field in the Recipient column to call up
its search button (Figure 17.4H), then click it.
Step 2. The Selection screen appears with radio buttons for several recipient
types (Figure 17.13).
Select the Distribution lists option (A).
Click the Detailed search button (B) at the bottom of the screen.
Figure 17.13 Select the Distribution list option to search for lists.
Step 3. The Selection Criteria for Distribution Lists screen appears (Figure
17.14).
Figure 17.14 Enter your search criteria here.

Enter part of the name of the list, preceded and followed by asterisks (*),
in the Name field (A).
Step 4. If there is only one match to your selection criteria, it is automatically
entered in the Recipient column.
If there are multiple matches to your criteria, the Selection Distribu-
tion Lists screen appears (Figure 17.15). Locate the desired list(s).
Double-click the name of one list, and it is entered in the column.
Click the selection boxes (A) of several lists to select and highlight them,
then hit the Enter key on your keyboard to enter them in the column.
Figure 17.15 Hit list for a distribution list search.
End Procedure
End of procedure
Reading SAP E-mail Messages

SAP e-mail and their attached documents can be read and managed on the Busi-
ness Workplace screen. You can navigate to that screen from the SAP Easy
Access screen by clicking the Business Workplace button in its application
toolbar (Figure 17.16A). You can also navigate there from any screen by entering
the transaction code /nSBWP in its command field (B).
Reading SAP E-mail Messages 243
A
Figure 17.16 Navigating to the Business Workplace screen via the application tool-
bar (on the SAP Easy Access screen only) or the command field (on any screen).
The Business Workplace screen has the same general design as other screens
in the SAP system (Figure 17.17). For instance, it has a menu bar, standard tool-
bar, title bar (which displays your name), and an application toolbar at its top; a
status bar for messages and warnings at its base; and a central work area between
them. The key difference is the design of its central work area: It is divided into
the folder (A), contents (B) and preview (C) panels, which are separated by
panes (D). You can adjust the sizes and shapes of the three panels by clicking-
and-dragging these panes into new positions.
A
B
G
F
E
D
Figure 17.17 Elements of the Business Workplace screen.

The Business Workplace screen serves many different functions for its users. How-
ever, we limit our discussion in this lesson to its use for sending, receiving, and
storing e-mail messages, which is the most frequent use of this screen by most
users of the system.
Why? The simple reason is that we could write a whole book about this screen
and its functions—except that there is already such a book, which you can down-
load from this screen by clicking the Customizing of local layout button (Figure
17.18A) in its application toolbar and selecting the SAP GUI help command (B).
Figure 17.18 Downloading a free manual for working in the Business Workplace.
That book contains a complete description of all the functions of the Business
Workplace screen, including the procedures for creating and managing folders,
sending all sorts of messages and attachments from it, and working with substi-
tutes. It is an excellent resource for the “heavy users” of this screen.
Reading SAP E-mail Messages 245
The folder panel contains several subfolders for storing your incoming and out-
going e-mail, and a trash bin (Figure 17.17E) for deleted e-mail. Each folder
usually contains several subfolders, which you can display or hide by clicking the
control arrows (F) to the left of their names.
Incoming e-mail is automatically stored by the system in the Unread Documents

subfolder (G) of the Inbox folder. The number of unread e-mail messages is
indicated to the right of the subfolder name. To display and read e-mail, follow
this next procedure.
Procedure
Reading E-mail in the Business Workplace
Step 1. Open the Inbox folder and click the Unread Documents subfolder to
select and highlight it (Figure 17.17G).
Step 2. The e-mail in the subfolder appears in a line-item table in the contents
panel (B). Each line displays the title, attributes, source, and date of one
e-mail.
To read the cover letter of an e-mail, click its name to select and high-
light it, and the letter is displayed in the preview panel (C).
Step 3. To access the entire e-mail, including its attached documents, double-
click its name in the contents panel (B).
Step 4. The Display Document [Title] screen for the e-mail appears (Figure
17.19). It contains tabs (A) near its top for displaying four subscreens.
The Doc contents subscreen is selected by default, and displays the
cover letter of the e-mail (if there is one) and links (B) to the attached
documents.
To display an attached document, double-click its link. A second applica-
tion window appears with a display of that document. If the attachment
is an SAP data output screen, you will be able to read that screen, but
not drill down into it.
Step 5. Once you read the e-mail and its attached documents, do the following.
Close the application window of the document.
Optional: Reply to the e-mail or forward it to another user. (See the pro-
cedures at the end of this lesson.)
Click the Back button (Figure 17.19C) in the standard toolbar of the
Display Document [Title] screen to return to the Business Work-
place screen.
B
Figure 17.19 Display of the cover letter and attachment of an e-mail.
End Procedure
End of procedure
When you return to the Business Workplace screen, you will find that the read
e-mail has been automatically transferred to the Documents subfolder of the
Inbox folder. You can transfer it (or any other e-mail) to another folder or delete
it entirely by following this next procedure.
Procedure
Storing or Deleting an E-mail Message
Step 1. Click the folder where the e-mail is stored to select and highlight it (Fig-
ure 17.20A).
Sending E-mail From the Business Workplace Screen 247
Step 2. The contents of the folder are listed in the contents panel (B). Locate
the e-mail, and click-and-drag it (C) into another folder, or
Click the Delete button (D) in the application toolbar of the contents
panel to delete the message.
A D
B
Figure 17.20 Click-and-drag a selected e-mail to another folder, or delete it through the
application toolbar of the contents panel.
End Procedure
End of procedure
Sending E-mail From the Business Workplace Screen

You can create and send new e-mail and reply to or forward received e-mail from
the Business Workplace screen. The procedures for these actions are similar
to the procedure for e-mailing output reports to other SAP users.
Procedure
Creating and Sending New E-mail
Step 1. Click the New message button (A) in the application toolbar of the
Business Workplace screen (Figure 17.21).
Figure 17.21 Starting new e-mail from the Business Workplace screen.
Step 2. The Create Document and Send screen appears (Figure 17.22). This
is the same screen that you can use to e-mail an output report, except that
it does not have a tab for the Attachments subscreen (because the mes-
sage has no attachments—yet).
To attach documents to the new e-mail:
Click the Attach documents button (A) in the application toolbar of
the screen.
The Import file screen of the Windows operating system appears (Fig-
ure 17.5A). Locate the document and double-click its name to attach it.
Step 3. Complete the remaining subscreens in the usual way.
Create a cover letter on the Document Content subscreen.
Define the properties of the e-mail and the attached document on the
Attributes subscreen.
Enter the names of recipients and distribution lists on the Recipient
subscreen.
Set the conditions for transmitting the e-mail on the Trans options
subscreen.
Step 4. Click the Send button (B) in the application toolbar to send the e-mail.
B A
Figure 17.22 Create a new e-mail on the Create Document and Send screen.
End Procedure
End of procedure
Procedure
Replying to E-mail
Step 1. Double-click the line of the e-mail in the contents panel of the Busi-
ness Workplace screen (Figure 17.20B).
Step 2. The Display Document [Title] screen appears (Figure 17.23).
Click the Reply button (A) in its application toolbar.
Figure 17.23 Starting a reply to e-mail.

Step 3. The Create Document screen appears (Figure 17.24). It contains only
two tabs (A) for two subscreens. The Document contents subscreen is
displayed by default when the screen appears.
Enter a name or description for the e-mail in the Title field (B).
Enter a cover letter in the text field (C) of the Document contents
subscreen.
Optional: Click the Attach documents button (D) to attach documents
to the e-mail.
Display the Attributes subscreen (not shown) and define the proper-
ties of the e-mail and any attached documents.
Step 4. Click the Send button (E) in the application toolbar to send your reply.
E
B
A
Figure 17.24 Create a cover letter and attach documents to new e-mail on this
screen.
End Procedure
End of procedure
Procedure
Forwarding E-mail
Step 1. Display the e-mail in the contents panel of the Business Workplace
screen (Figure 17.25), and click its line once to select and highlight it (A).
Step 2. Click the Send button (B) in the application toolbar of the contents
panel.
Figure 17.25 First step in forwarding e-mail.
Step 3. The Send Document screen appears with a line-item table for enter-
ing the names of recipients and distribution lists (Figure 17.26). Follow
the procedure for entering these data, which was described earlier in this
lesson.
Step 4. Click the Send mail button (A) at the bottom of this screen to forward
the e-mail to its recipients.
Figure 17.26 Enter the names of the recipients on this screen.
End Procedure
End of procedure
Coda
THE BASIC TRANSACTION TYPES
“A simplistic but comprehensible model is better than a precise but incomprehensible

one.” — Patrick Domenico (American scientist)
The lessons in this book provide instructions on the general use of SAP. They
describe procedures that are universal to this system: that is, procedures that can
be used in every module and on all transactions, regardless of their specific
purposes.
We close this book with a final lesson about the transactions themselves. When
you look through the SAP menu folders of the SAP Easy Access screen, you
will see a dizzying array of hundreds of transactions. For the most part, you will
probably work with only a handful of them, maybe one or two dozen at most,
but nonetheless, you may still wonder, How will I learn all of these different
procedures?
There are two answers to that question.
First, your employer will probably give you job aids or other help documents
that describe the execution of specific transactions in great detail. Job aids are
especially helpful in this regard because they show you every screen you will see,
every field in which you will enter data, every button you will click from the
beginning to the end of a single transaction (see the sample in the Appendix).
Second, you should not be overwhelmed by the number of transactions and

seeming complexity of the SAP system, because there is less there than meets the
eye—at least, from the vantage point of the typical end-user. When you step
back and look at all the transactions, you will see that there are only four general
tasks that they can do—that is, there are really only four basic transaction
types, and nearly every transaction can be classified as one of these four types.
Furthermore, once you learn to run one transaction of a given type, you will
253
254 Coda The Basic Transaction Types
know how to run all transactions of that type, because they all require you to
enter roughly the same data on their initial screens and they all generate roughly
the same sort of output.
The four basic transaction types can be grouped into two classes, which we call
the reporting and processing transactions.
The reporting transactions display objects—that is, they display the SAP database
record for a tangible object (such as a department, piece of equipment, or con-
sumable material), or an activity (such as a work order or purchase requisition)—
and display lists of related objects. Because they only read the database and do not
alter its contents, they are the most commonly executed types of transactions for
most end-users.
The processing transactions create and change objects (that is, their SAP database
records). They have a significant impact on the content, and hence quality, of the
SAP database. Consequently, they are usually executed only by a select few
employees in a company, and most users do not have access or authority to use
them.
This book ends with an overview of the four basic transaction types and their
common properties and procedures. To illustrate the transaction types, we
describe the procedures for displaying, list-displaying, creating, and changing
one object: the record for a plant maintenance order (or what we call a work
order), which is typically used by plant managers to track the activities and costs
of installing and maintaining equipment.
The word coda is defined as “a concluding musical section that is for-

mally distinct from the main structure, that serves to round out, con-
clude or summarize and usually has its own interest.” It is a fitting
term to describe this part of our book, which deals with a subject out-
side the SAP workflow. In addition, the coda is usually a single note at
the end of a musical work that is allowed to ring out freely and which
remains in the listener’s ear long after the work is concluded. We want
this coda to similarly remain in your ear well after you have read this
book, because its contents will enable you to work anywhere in SAP
and adapt quickly and confidently to any changes in your use of the
system.
Transaction Type 1: Displaying an Object 255
Transaction Type 1: Displaying an Object

This first transaction type simply displays the entire database record of a single
object. To execute it, you must identify only that object to the system, nothing
more. Consequently, the initial screens for this type of transaction usually con-
tains only a single data entry field for the object’s code (Figure C.1). You enter it
there, then hit the Enter key on your keyboard to execute the transaction.
Figure C.1 The initial screen for displaying a work order contains one data field,
in which you enter the order number.
The initial screens for displaying purchase requisitions and orders represent a
minor variant to this generalization that you might see in some display transac-
tions. When you navigate to the initial screens of these transactions, the system
automatically displays the data for the last purchase requisition or order that you
worked (Figure C.2). The code for this object appears at the top of the screen (A).
A
C
Figure C.2 The initial screen for displaying a purchase requisition or order auto-
matically shows the last requisition or order that you worked. You can change that
display through the Select Document popup screen.
If this is not the object of immediate interest to you, you can change the display
by clicking the Other requisition or Other order button (B) in the application
toolbar. This action calls up the Select Document popup screen (C), on which
you enter the correct object code (and search for it, if necessary).
The output screens for this transaction type contain large volumes of data. Con-
sequently, the data are usually distributed in multiple field areas, which you can
view by scrolling down the length of the output screens, and multiple sub-
screens, which you can view by clicking their respective tabs (Figure C.3). The
data are displayed in gray, read-only data fields, and you cannot alter or custom-
ize the output in any way.
Figure C.3 The output screen for a display of a work order is called the Central
Header screen. It contains multiple tabbed subscreens and field areas for holding
the great volume of data that is recorded for this object.
Transaction Type 2: Displaying a List of Related Objects 257
Transaction Type 2: Displaying a List of Related

Objects
This second transaction type displays a list of related objects. The relationship
between the objects is defined by selection criteria, which you enter on the ini-
tial screens of those transactions. These selection criteria consist of one or more
specific data entries (either codes or text) for one or more datatypes for that object.
For example, the SAP record for work orders contains hundreds of bits of data of
all types, such as the equipment being installed or maintained; the physical plant
responsible for the work; the status and nature of the work; and the dates when it
was done. Consequently, the initial screen for a list display of related work orders
contains data entry fields and selection boxes for all these possible selection cri-
teria (Figure C.4).
The simplest way to use this sort of screen is to state your objective for this
transaction, find the data entry fields and selection boxes that correspond to that
objective, and enter your selection criteria there. Here are three real life examples.
You are the manager of a physical plant, and you want to know how many
work orders are awaiting action by your work crew (described by SAP as
outstanding in status) or being done by them (or in process in status).
To set up this transaction for this purpose, you would select the Out-
standing and In-process order statuses (A) and enter your plant code in the
Planning Plant field (B).
You are a quality control manager, and you have heard from a plant
manager that transformer X (which is installed at seven sites in their dis-
trict) requires much more maintenance work than transformer Y (which
is installed at five sites). You want to research the maintenance histories
of these 12 devices.
To set up this transaction, you would select all the available order sta-
tuses (A) and enter the codes for the 12 devices on the multiple selection
screen for the Equipment field (C).
You are the vice-president in charge of all the physical plants in your
company, and you are planning the budget for next year. You want to
create a list of all work orders conducted last year by these plants.
To set up this transaction, you would select the Completed order status (A),
enter the codes for all the plants on the multiple selection screen of the
Planning Plant field (B), and enter the dates for the past year in the
Period field (D).
The initial screens of list-display transactions are especially amenable to the

application of screen variants (see Lesson 13). You can use this technique to hide
C
D
Figure C.4 The initial screen for list-displays of work orders contains fields for
every type of data that is collected for this object. Fortunately, you have to enter
your selection criteria in only a small number of these fields.
those data fields that you never use and to prepopulate fields with codes that you
always enter when you run this transaction.
Once you set up the initial screen for this transaction type, you execute it by
clicking the Execute button (E) in its application toolbar.
The output screens for this transaction type display their data in the form of
line-item reports (Figure C.5). Each line displays by default a few columns of
data on a single object that matches all your selection criteria. You can display
the database record of one of these objects by double-clicking its code. For this
example, this action would call up the Central Header screen for a work order
(Figure C.3), on which all its data are displayed.
The default versions of these line-item reports do not usually show much useful
data, because the developers who set it up could not anticipate the varied needs
of its many users. However, the reports can be customized with filters, sorts,
sums, and display variants (see Part IV), so that they display data that are relevant
to the problem at hand.
Transaction Type 3: Creating an Object 259
For example, the vice-president in our third example could create a display vari-
ant that
Displays the plant code for each order, and groups the line items by this
code;
Displays the actual costs for each work order, and subtotals this value for
each plant.
Figure C.5 The output screen for a list-display transaction is a line-item report, in
which each row displays data about one object that meets your selection criteria.
Transaction Type 3: Creating an Object

This third transaction type creates the database records for objects. The screens
for this type of transaction (and there are often two or more) usually look exactly
like the output screens of the corresponding display transactions except that they
contain white fields in which you must enter new technical and logistical data on
the objects (Figure C.6 and Figure C.7).
However, it is impossible for us to outline general rules about working on such

initial screens, for the simple reason that every company collects different types
of data on objects. In the case of the screens for creating work orders (Figure C.7),
Figure C.6 To create a work order, you must first enter the order type on this ini-
tial screen.
Figure C.7 Once you enter the order type on the first initial screen, this second
screen appears with more blank fields for more data about the work order.
Transaction Type 4: Changing an Object 261
for instance, we know one company in which Department A requires its users to
enter data only on the Header Data subscreen and no other, but Department B
requires data entries on the HeaderData, Operations, and Components sub-
screens.
To set up these transactions, you must rely on job aids from your company, and
you must follow the rules or protocols that they define. Once the initial screens are
set up by these rules, you create the object by clicking the Save button in the
standard toolbar (Figure C.7A). If you exit the transaction without clicking this
button, all your entries are lost.
The Save action returns you to the first initial screen, where you will find a con-
firmation that the object was created, along with its object code (Figure C.8).
This is the only output of this transaction type.
Figure C.8 Once you save the data about the work order, you are returned to the
initial screen of the transaction, where you receive confirmation of your actions
and the new order number in its status bar.
Transaction Type 4: Changing an Object

This fourth transaction type displays the entire database record of a single object
and allows you to change it if you are authorized to do so.
This transaction type is very similar in its design and operation to the first type.
For example, you must identify the object in question to the system on the Initial
screen, on which you will find a single data field for its code (Figure C.9). You
enter it, then hit the Enter key on your keyboard to execute the transaction.
Figure C.9 The Initial screen for changing a work order contains one data field,
in which you enter the order number.
Similarly, the output screens for this transaction type usually display their large
volumes of data in several field areas and on several subscreens. However, the
data are displayed in white data entry fields, so you can edit them (Figure C.10).
Figure C.10 Change any data entries on the Central Header screen, then click the
Save button to record them.
Once you make any changes, click the Save button in the standard toolbar (A)
to record your changes and return to the initial screen, where you will find con-
firmation of your action in the status bar (Figure C.11). Once again, if you don’t
save at the end of this transaction, all your changes are lost.
Figure C.11 You receive confirmation of your actions on the initial screen of the
transaction. However, the order number remains the same.
Transaction Type 4: Changing an Object 263
Once again, the initial screens for changing purchase requisitions and orders
represent a minor variant to this generalization. When you navigate to the initial
screens of these transactions, the system automatically displays the data for the
last requisition or order that you worked. If this is not the object of interest to
you, click the Other requisition or Other order button (see Figure C.2B),
which will again appear in the application toolbar, and then enter the correct
object code on the Select Document popup screen (see Figure C.2C).
Appendix: SAP 4.7 Job Aids
CREATE A PLANT MAINTENANCE ORDER (IW31)
Plant maintenance (or PM) orders are created in SAP 4.7 to track the activities
and costs of installing and maintaining technical equipment. This job aid
describes the procedures for creating PM orders in accordance with the policies
and protocols of our company.
To execute this transaction, you need to know
The SAP object code for the equipment in question

The employee number of the manager of the plant which is responsible
for that equipment
Procedure
Step 1. Enter the T-code IW31 in the command field (A) of the SAP Easy
Access screen, then hit the Enter key on your keyboard, or
Follow the menu path
Logistics > Plant Maintenance > Maintenance Processing > Orders
> Create (General)
or
Open your Favorites folder and click the link to this transaction (if it is
there).
265
266 Appendix: SAP 4.7 Job Aids
Step 2. The Create Maintenance Order: Initial screen appears.

Enter a type code in the Order Type field (A). The code consists of a
two-character work descriptor followed by a two-character expense
descriptor. There are three possible work descriptor codes:
PM: for routine preventive maintenance of an otherwise function-
ing object.
SC: for emergency repairs due to storms and catastrophic events
CM: for corrective maintenance of an object that is working at
less-than-peak levels
There are two possible expense descriptors:
01: for maintenance of existing equipment.
02: for installation of new equipment.
Enter a priority code in the Priority field (B). Use the list menu icon to
select from a list of codes.
Enter the equipment number in the Equipment field (C).
A
B
C
Copy Data from a Previous Order

If you have worked on this same equipment in the recent past and
know the PM order number for that previous job, enter it in the Order
field of the Reference field area (D). When the Central Header screen
appears (see next step), its fields will be prepopulated with data from
that previous PM order. You can then edit select fields to update them
for the problem on hand.
Create a Plant Maintenance Order (IW31) 267
Step 3. The Create Maintenance Order: Central Header screen appears.

Enter a brief description of the problem in the Short text field (A).
Enter a maintenance activity type code in the PMActType field (B).
Enter an estimated finish date for the work in the Basic fin field (C).
Enter the employee ID number for the manager of the plant responsible
for the equipment in the Person no field (D).
D
268 Appendix: SAP 4.7 Job Aids
Step 4. The system draws from the database record for the equipment and plant
manager and populates other critical fields with data on the maintenance
plant and functional location.
Click the Save button (A).
A
Create a Plant Maintenance Order (IW31) 269
Step 5. The initial screen returns with a message in its status bar that the order
is created (A).
Record the order number.
End Procedure
INDEX
01 expense descriptors, 266 Business Workplace button, 242

02 expense descriptors, 266 Change button, 81
100500 object code, 141–142, 146 Change layout button, 198–199, 200, 202
Choose button, 198, 214
command buttons, 10
A Create dist button, 239
ABAP: Delete Variants screen, 165 Current display variant button, 198, 200, 202
ABAP: Save as Variant screen, 157, 161 Delete button, 83, 216, 247
ABAP: Variant Directory of Program Dynamic selections button, 152
RM06BA00 screen, 163 Execute button, 258
Abs variance column, 185 Further selection criteria button, 153, 154
Accounting folder, 57, 59–60, 122 Get button, 198, 214
Acquisitions value column, 173, 183 Layout Settings button, 217
Actual costs, 195, 223 Mail recipient button, 231
Add a Web address or file path popup screen, 77 Move down button, 82
Add additional objects popup screen, 77–78 Move up button, 82
Add command, 67, 69 New password button, 52, 53
Add other objects command, 67, 76 Option/Office Integration button, 220, 221
Address management: Find contact person hit Reply button, 249
list screen, 237–239 SAP Easy Access screen, 69–70
Address subscreen, 48 SAP menu button, 60
Administration command, 199 Save button, 198, 222
Administration folder, 59 Save Layout button, 210
Alert sound, turning on and off, 41 Send button, 248, 250
Alphanumerical text, 14 Send mail button, 237
Alt key, 4 Sort ascending button, 174
Alternative keystrokes for commands, 40 Sort descending button, 174, 175
American standard format, 50 Spreadsheet button, 223
America's SAP Users Group Web site, 76 storing application windows, 35
Application servers, xviii Summation button, 192
Application toolbar, 1, 6, 10, 34 User menu button, 60
All selections button, 161 Application window, xx, 1
Attach documents button, 248 closing, 89–90
271
272 Index
Application window (continued) Business Workplace screen, 10, 242

controlling geometry and location, 33–34 central work area, 243
customizing layout, 37–42 contents panel, 243, 249–250
frame grabber, 34 Customizing of local layout button, 244
list menu icon, 16 folder panel, 243, 245
managing, 5 functions of, 244
multiple, 35 panes, 243
resizing, 11 preview panel, 243
transaction codes management, 89–90 read e-mail, 246
varying width, 8 sending e-mail, 247–251
Architecture, xviii–xx trash bin, 245
Asterisks (*) as wildcards, 118 Buttons, labels for, 39
Attachment subscreen, 234–235
Attachments, 248
changeability, 234 C
deleting, 235 Calendar dates, 14
description, 234 Canceling transactions, 36–37
document size, 233 Caps Lock key, 30
from external source, 235 CAT32 transaction, 90
language, 234 Central Header screen, 266
sensitivity, 234 Central work area, 1, 12–19
storing externally, 235 Business Workplace screen, 243
type, 233 check boxes, 17
Attributes subscreen, 233–234, 248, 250 command buttons, 18
Automatic load balancing, 25 customizing, 43–44
Automotive Products, 122 data fields, 14
Avanex, 122 field areas, 15–17
hiding picture in right panel, 44
panels, 12
B panes, 12
Back-door exports, 219, 226–229 placing Favorites' folders in lower
Background color, 41–42 portion, 43
Backspace key, 130 radio buttons, 17–18
Basic fin field, 267 scroll bars, 18–19
Benefits folder, 59 selection boxes, 17
Bose, 122 storage folders, 14
Budget and Cost transactions folder, 3 tabbed subscreens, 15–17
Budget Report link, 81 Change a favorite popup screen, 82
Business area field, 153 Change command, 67, 69, 81, 98, 199
Business organizational units, 122 Change Equipment transaction, 98
Business Workplace, 231–232 Change Layout screen, 200–202, 208
e-mail waiting in, 236 Change Material transaction, 98
reading e-mail, 245 Change node popup screen, 79–80
storing e-mail, 236 Change Password for User popup screen, 54
Index 273
Change transactions, 171 Confirmations, 11

line-item reports, 180, 195 Construction Year fields, 178, 184
Check boxes, 17 Consumable materials, 106
Choose command, 199 Contact data, 48
CJ13 list-display transaction, 152 Contents panel, 245, 247, 249–250
CJI3 list-display transaction, 150 Control buttons, 6, 34
Clicking, 6 Control (Ctrl) key, 6
Clicking-and-dragging, 6 Controlling module, xix
Client, 25 Copy (Ctrl + C) keyboard shortcut, 77, 108,
Client field, 27 131
Client server GUI, 21 Copying and pasting data entry, 108
CM descriptor code, 266 Cost center, 10, 151, 153–154, 174, 195, 223
Code fields selection criteria, 109 Cost Center Actual/Plan/Variance link, 81
Codes Cost Center Actual/Plan/Variance (A/P/V)
searches and hit lists, 171 transaction, 174, 185, 220
searching for, 111 Cost Center field, 151–153
tips for entering, 107–109 Cost element, 150, 174, 195, 220
Color, background and foreground, 41–42 datatype, 203
Color Picker popup screen, 41 Cost Element fields, 150
Color schemes, 41–42 Cost element group, 150
Color settings subscreen, 41 Cost Elements field area, 150
Column Set window, 200–203 Create a Purchase Requisition (ME51N)
Column subscreen, 200 transaction, 16
Columns, 195 Create and Send Document screen, 231
Columns window, 201–203, 205 Create Distribution List Header screen, 239
Command buttons, 7–9 Create Document and Send screen, 240, 248
application toolbar, 10 Attachment subscreen, 234
central work area, 18 Attributes subscreen, 233
popup screens, 20 Document content subscreen, 233
Command field, 7, 87–90, 265 lower subscreen, 236–237
/nex, 31 Recipient subscreen, 236
transaction codes, 43 Send mail button, 237
Command-field list menu, 89 subscreens, 232
Commands Title field, 232
alternative keystrokes, 40 Trans option subscreen, 236
executing, 3 upper subscreen, 233–235
keyboard selection, 4 Create Document screen, 250
keystrokes for, 6 Create Header screen, 258
short menu of, 5 Create Maintenance Order: Central Header
Company code field, 153 screen, 267
Completed notifications, 141–142, 142 Create Maintenance Order: Initial screen, 266
Completed option, 141–142 Create Order link, 81
Completed order status, 257 Create Purchase Order transaction, 12
Components subscreen, 261 Create Time Entry transaction desktop
Conditional indicators, 141 shortcuts, 44
274 Index
Create transactions, 171 object codes, 105

line-item reports, 180, 195 operational conditions, 120
Created by field, 162 paired fields, 105–106
Created on fields, 141–142 possible entries, 108
Creating a Folder in the Favorite List popup prepopulated, 109
screen, 72 removing from initial screen, 159
Cross-Application Components folder, 57 removing selection option, 145
Currency field, 113 search button, 109, 111, 118
Current command, 199 searching for codes, 111, 130
Customizing selection options, 141
application window layout, 37–42 short hit list screens, 112–113
central work area, 43–44 single fields, 105
line-item reports, 172–173 typing in, 129
SAP Easy Access screen, 43 unalterable, prepopulated mode options, 158
screen layout, 37–42 unit-of-measure codes, 105
Customizing menu, 38 Data fields
Customizing of local layout menu, 37 datatypes, 14
Customizing of local options > New Visual field areas, 15–17
Design menu path, 40 tabbed subscreens, 15–17
Database records for objects, 259–261
Database servers, xx
D Datatypes, 14
Data listing, 200–203
grouping related types, 15 rearranging, 203, 205
real-time processing, xviii removing, 203
Data display fields, 14 selecting and highlighting, 202
Data entry, 108–109 selecting multiple, 202
Data entry fields, 14, 127 transferring, 202–203
abbreviated calendar dates, 130 Date codes, 105, 107
adding, 132 Date fields
adding with Dynamic Selections button, filtering criteria, 180
150–155 prepopulated, 109
applying selection options, 130 Date format field area, 50
attaching selection options, 143–145 Dates
copying and pasting data, 129 formats, 50
date codes, 105 single code for, 105
deleting, 132 Decimal Notation field area, 50
highlighting and deleting, 130 Default home page, 43
line-item fields, 105 Default system values, 48
list-display transactions, 150 Defaults subscreen, 49–50
long-text fields, 105 Define More Selection Criteria screen, 153, 155
marking limits of codes, 141 Delete command, 67, 69, 83
moving between, 108 Delete key, 130
multiple-tab search screens, 114–118 Delete variants screen, 164–165
Index 275
Delivery text description, 107 default mode, 212–214

Departments deleting, 215–216
actual costs, 195 description, 210
budgets, 174, 220 KSB1 transactions, 197, 213
expenditures, 10 line-item tables, 217
line-item cost report, 154 listing, 214, 216
Desktop shortcuts, 28–29, 44–46 naming, 210
Destinations, links to, 67 saving, 210–212
Determine values for filter criteria screen, 180, selecting, 216
183–184, 189–191 storing in desktop computer or workstation,
Development servers, 25 211
Dialog boxes. See popup screens Distribution lists, 236
Display Actual Cost Line Items for Orders creation of, 239–240
screen, 189 entering names in Recipient column, 241
Display Actual Costs Line Items for Cost Cen- Recipients subscreen, 248
ters screen, 10 searching, 241
Display Document [Title] screen, 245, 249 Doc contents subscreen, 245
Display Equipment: Equipment Selection Document Content subscreen, 233, 248, 250
screen, 124 Document header text datatype, 203
Display Equipment (IE03) transaction Document number datatype, 203
central work area, 15–17 Document type field, 157
initial screen, 98 Documents subfolder, 246
menu bar, 100 Double-clicking, 6
output screen, 99 Download command, 229
Display HR Master Data (PA20) transaction, 59 Download to PC command, 67
Display key, 4 Downloading Favorites folder, 84
Display lists of related objects, 254 Dynamic selections field area, 153
Display Material (MM03) transaction, 98 Dynpro, 12
Display objects, 254
Display Order initial screen, 109
Display PM Order (IW39) transactions, 99–100 E
Display Service Order [Order Number]: Central Edit header, 4
Header screen, 9 Edit menu, 4
Display subscreen, 208 Elements, 1
Display transactions, 36, 171 E-mail
line-item reports, 180, 195 accessing entire, 245
Display variants, 202–205, 259 attachments, 233–234, 245, 248
ad hoc basis, 213 blind copy, 236
after-the-fact applications, 213–214 conditions for transmitting, 236, 248
applying, 212–214 cover letter, 233, 245, 248
automatically appearing, 211 creation of, 248
before-the-fact applications, 213 data about recipients, 236
creation of, 198, 201–208 defining properties, 248
customization features, 211 deleting, 246–247
276 Index
E-mail (continued) Equipment menu, 4

deleting attachments, 235 Equipment multiple-tab search screen, 118
description, 250 Errors, 11
discarding, 245 European standard format, 50
distribution lists, 236, 239–242 Excel
entering recipient names, 237–238 back-door export of line-item report,
expiration date, 234 226–229
forwarding, 250–251 converting spreadsheet back into SAP
incoming, 245 format, 223
name, 250 exporting report to, 223
names of recipients, 248 exporting SAP line-item reports, 219
preventing forwarding, 236 File > Open menu path, 228
priority, 234 front-door exports of line-item reports, 220–225
reading, 242–247 normal spreadsheet, 224
reading cover letter, 245 pivot table, 224
replying to, 249–250 tables, 219
scheduling transmission, 236 Exclude Initial Value from Selection screen, 143
searching for recipients, 238–239 Expanding folders, 59
sending, 237, 248 Expenditures, 195
sending copy to recipient, 236 Exploring SAP, 101
storing, 245–247 Export file screen, 235
storing in Business Workplace, 236 Export list object to XXL screen, 224
title or description, 232 Exporting
E-mail applications, 78–80 to Excel with List menu, 223–225
E-mailing line-item reports, 231–247 hit lists search screens, 229
End user transactions, xx–xxii line-item reports, 219–229
Enter key, 4, 9, 19, 27, 107–108, 115 Extras > Settings menu path, 20, 43, 90
Environment menu, 4–5, 100–101, 101 Extras menu, 4, 100
Equipment
assembly of functionally related, 122
codes used search criterion, 118 F
data about, 4–5 F3 function key, 8
data in line-item format, 176 F4 (Search) function key, 111
hit list of, 115 Favorites > Add other objects menu path, 76, 78
maintenance requests, 5 Favorites > Change menu path, 81
maintenance work done on, 4–5 Favorites > [Command] menu path, 67
matching multiple criteria, 117 Favorites > Delete menu path, 83
researching maintenance histories, 257 Favorites > Download to PC menu path, 84
technical and logistical data, 99 Favorites > Insert folder menu path, 72
Equipment column, 178 Favorites > Insert transaction menu path, 73
Equipment descript field, 115–116, 118–120, Favorites > Move > Up menu path, 4
137 Favorites > Upload from PC menu path, 85
Equipment fields, 99–100, 114–115, 141–142, Favorites folders, 3–4, 10, 57, 65–66, 91, 95, 265
146–147, 257, 266 adding, 72–73
Index 277
adding transaction links, 73–75 line-item reports, 173, 180–191

adding Web or intranet link, 76–78 numerical data, 189–191
arranging, 82 Filtering function, 180
changing name of folder or link, 81 Financial Accounting module, xix
changing names, 80–82 Find Again (Ctrl + G) keyboard shortcut, 62
copy of transaction link, 75 Find field, 61, 94
default link names, 80–81 Find (Ctrl + F) keyboard shortcut, 61, 94
deleting, 83 Find Variant screen, 162, 164
displaying only, 43 First-order folders, 57
displaying transaction codes, 44 Fixed vendor field, 156
downloading, 67, 84 Folder name field, 72
Favorites menu, 67 Folders
keystrokes to execute command, 70 adding transaction links, 67
link to e-mail application, 78–80 changing list order, 82
links to other objects, 76–80 changing name, 81–82
naming, 72 creation of, 67
organizing contents, 82 deleting, 67
placing in lower central work area, 43 expanding, 59
rearranging with mouse, 70–71 first-order, 57
sharing, 84–86 hierarchical or multilevel structure, 14
shortcut menus, 68 higher-order, 57
total control over, 65 lower-order, 57
transaction links, 43 managing, 69–70
uploading, 67, 85–86 renaming, 67
Favorites header, 4 reordering, 67
Favorites menu, 4, 67, 70 second-order, 57
Favorites root folder, 68, 72–73 Fonts, resizing, 41
Field areas, 15–17 Foreground color, 41
Field attributes field area, 158 Forwarding e-mail, 250–251
Fields Frame grabber, 11, 34
default data entry, 166–167 Frequently used transactions, 3–4
deleting, 153 Front-door exports, 219, 220–225
never entering selection criteria, 157 Functional modules, xviii–xx
possible entries for, 48
prepopulated, 27
read-only, 14 G
read-write, 14 Get button, 198
File > Save as menu path, 222 Get command, 199
File name field, 84, 227 Global variant, 211
Files of type field, 228 Goto > Variants > Delete menu path, 164
Filter screen, 180, 190 Goto > Variants > Get menu path, 162
Filter subscreen, 208 Goto > Variants > Save as Variant menu path,
Filtering 157, 160
criteria, 180 Goto menu, 4, 100
278 Index
Grand total, 192 Informational popup screens, 19

Greater than (>) selection option, 120 Initial screens, xxi, xxii, 33, 57
Green selection options, 146–147 adding data entry fields with Dynamic
Green-lighted Ranges subscreen, 133 Selections button, 150–155
Groups and line-item reports, 172, 174–179 adding selection criteria, 152–154
GUI (graphical user interface), xviii–xx, xx, 33 Cost Center field, 152
customized versions, 149–167
data entry fields, 105, 127
H default data entry for fields, 166–167
Hardware, 11 defining selection criteria, 155–156
Header subscreen, 16–17 Delete button, 153
HeaderData subscreen, 16, 261 Dynamic selections field area, 153
Headers, 4, 171, 195 Equipment field, 115
Help features, 5 existing application window, 88
Help menu, 5 Field attributes field area, 158
Hide field, 158–159 Fixed vendor field, 156
Higher-order folders, 57 Further selection criteria button, 154
Hit lists, 115 Hide field, 158–159
code searches, 171 Layout field, 213
displaying output by object code, 120 line-item reports, 171
line-item format, 179 list of completed notifications, 142
Name column, 179 Material field, 156
screen variants, 163 ME5A list-display transaction, 155
Short description column, 163 ME51N transaction, 217
shorter, 118–119 Meaning field, 157
single-column sort, 179 navigating, 4, 97
Sort buttons, 163 new application window, 88
sorting, 120 object menu, 97–98
Variant name column, 163 Partly ordered requisitions option, 156
Home Entertainment, 122 Plant field, 112, 152, 155, 157
Home page, default, 43 Protect field, 158–159
HR Master Data folder, 59 Purchasing group field, 155, 157
.html file extension, 229 Released requisitions only option, 156
HTML format, 229 screen variants, 155–159
Human Resources folder, 57, 60, 62 Selection screen objects field area, 158
title bars, 9
transaction code, 7
I user profiles, 48
IE03 transaction, 4–5 In-process order status, 257
IH08 list-display transaction, 171, 176 Insert folder command, 67
filtering line-item report, 182–185 Insert transaction command, 67, 73
Import file screen, 235, 248 Interrogatory popup screens, 19–20
Inbox folder, 245 Intranet links, adding to Favorites folder, 76–78
Information Systems folder, 57 Item subscreen, 16–17
Index 279
Item text descriptor, 107 actual and planned costs, 174

IW29 transaction, 141, 146 Actual costs column, 175
IW31 transaction, 87, 265 adjusting column width, 205–207
IW33 transaction, 87 back-door exports, 219, 226–229
IW38 transaction, 90 business group code, 197
IW39 transaction, 112–114 columns, 171, 195
Construction Year column, 171
Construction year column, 178, 183, 193
J converted into tables, 219
Job aids, 253 cost element, 174, 197
currency type, 196
customizing, 172–173
K data about single object, 171, 195
Keyboard default versions, 258
displaying and selecting commands, 4 department code, 197
executing commands on objects in Favorites Description of technical object column, 171
folders, 70 display variants, 195–217, 202–205
Keystrokes for commands, 6 document header text, 198
Keywords, multiple occurrences, 62 dollar amount of charge, 197
Killing e-mailing, 231–247
sessions, 36–37 Equipment code column, 193
transactions, 5 Equipment column, 171, 178
KSB1 transactions, 154, 195, 223 Excel format, 221
display variant, 197 exporting, 219–229
display variants, 213 exporting to Word, 229
filtering, 173, 180–191
filtering positive and negative values,
L 186–188
Labels for field areas, 15 front-door exports, 219, 220–225
Language, specifying, 27 grand total, 173, 192, 198
Language codes, 25 grouping, 174–179
Language field, 27 grouping and subgrouping line items, 205
Layout: Management screen, 216 grouping and subtotaling data, 193–194
Layout Choose (Ctrl + F9) keyboard shortcut, grouping line items, 198, 207
214 groups, 172, 178
Layout field, 213 headers, 171, 195
Learning Management folder, 62 hit lists of code searches, 171
Left-pointing control arrow, 203 list-display transactions, 195
Less than (<) selection option, 120 listing datatypes, 200–202
Line-item cost report, 150–151, 154 Lotus format, 221
Line-item fields, 105–106 meaningful information, 196
Line-item reports, 10, 171 modifying layout, 201–207
Abs variance column, 185–186 multiple-column sort, 176–178
Acquisition value column, 171, 173, 183, 192 name, 197
280 Index
Line-item reports (continued) List > Save > Office menu path, 231
number of fiscal document created, 197 List > Send to > Mail recipient menu path, 231
Obj curr column, 195 List Export menu, 223
offsetting account, 196 List menu, 89, 226
placing logically related data columns, 205 List menu icon, 11, 16, 48
primary sorting column, 176–177 List-Display Purchase Requisitions transaction,
printing, 231 73
read-only Excel format, 221 List-display search screens, 124
redundant information, 196–197 List-display transactions, 36, 124, 150, 257
reformatted as Excel spreadsheet, 222 line-item reports, 171, 195
reformatting, 214 Live SAP system, 25
removing and row and column guidelines, 208 Local time zone, 50
SAP format, 221 Log Off screen, 31
secondary sorting column, 176–177 Logging off, 30–31, 90
selecting datatypes, 201–205 Logging on, 26–30
single-column sort, 174–175 changing password, 52
sort-descending icon, 175 desktop shortcuts, 44–46
sorting, 172, 174–179, 207 failure to recognize code entered in fields, 30
subgroups, 172, 178 freezing out of, 30
Subtotal button, 193–194 quick, 29
subtotals, 173 SAP Logon pad, 26–28
Summation button, 192 typing errors, 30
summing data columns, 192–194 Logistical data, 48
Threshold button, 183, 186 Logistics > Plant Maintenance > Maintenance
total quantity, 196 Processing > Orders > Create (General)
totals for numerical data, 205 menu path, 265
Val in rep curr column, 195, 207 Logistics folder, 57, 60
variance, 174 Logon server, 25
verifying charges, 197 Long-text fields, 105, 107
Line-item tables Lower-order folders, 57
application toolbar, 106
contents panel, 245
display variants, 217 M
Links, 57, 65 Mail systems, links to, 67
arranging, 82 Maintain Selection Options screen, 143–145, 184
changing list order, 82 Maintain Threshold Value Conditions for Selec-
changing names, 80–82 tion 001 screen, 186, 189
default names, 80–81 Maintain Threshold Value Conditions screen,
deleting, 67, 83 187–189
managing, 67–70 Maintain User Profile screen, 48–49, 53–54
rearranging with mouse, 70–71 Maintenance plant field, 116, 137
renaming, 67 Manage command, 199
List > Export > Spreadsheet menu path, 223 Management command, 199
Index 281
Manual entry of a transaction popup screen, 74 Multiple Selection for Materials screen, 128,
Material codes, 127–128 131, 134–135, 138
Material fields, 106, 114, 127–128, 133, 156 Multiple selection screen
Material Management transactions folder, 70–71 buttons, 131
Materials, requisitions for, 217 Cancel button, 132
Materials Management module, xix Copy button, 131–133, 191
Materials planner/controller field, 157 copy-and-paste multiple codes into fields, 130
Maximum no of hits field, 119 copying multiple codes onto, 130–131
ME5A list-display transaction, 73, 155 data entry fields, 129–130
ME51N transaction, 87, 94, 217 Delete all button, 132
ME53N transaction, 217 Delete selection button, 131
ME59 transaction, 87 design and operation of, 128–133
Meaning field, 157 editing, 133
Menu > SAP menu menu path, 61 Enter button, 131
Menu > User menu menu path, 61 example, 133–135
Menu bar, 1 exiting, 132
alternative keystrokes for commands, 40 greater than or equal to selection option, 190
control buttons, 6 green light, 128
headers, 4 green single value selection option, 146
Help menu, 5 green-lighted Ranges tab, 128
identifying transaction codes with, 92 green-lighted Single values tab, 128, 132–133
menu headers, 3–5 Insert line button, 132
screen specific, 4 Interval tab, 191
System menu, 5 less than or equal to selection option, 191
Menu folders, 57–59, 95 Material field, 133
Menu headers, 3–5 multiple nonconsecutive and multiple ranges
Menu menu, 4 of codes, 128
Menu path, 59 Multiple selection button, 132–133, 136–137
Menus, 3 Paste from clipboard button, 131
Message field, 11 red light, 128
Messages and alert sound, 39, 41 saving entries, 132
Microsoft Excel option, 221 searching for correct code for field, 136
MM60 transaction, 127–128, 133 searching for multiple codes, 136–138
Modules, xviii, xx, 62 Selection options button, 131
Mouse, 6 Single vals tab, 136, 190
rearranging Favorites folders and links, 70–71 Multiple-tab search screen
Move command, 4 criteria for searching for object code, 114–115
Move down command, 67, 69 Equipment by equipment list tab, 124
Move up command, 67, 69 Equipment descript field, 137
MS Excel application window, 225 left or right control arrow, 114
Multilevel structure tree, 122 list icon, 114
Multipanel screens, 12 listing subscreens, 114
Multiple application windows, 35 Maintenance plant field, 137
Multiple search criteria, 116–118 Maximum no of hits field, 119
282 Index
Multiple selection screen (continued) changing, 254

Structure search tab, 122 creation of, 254
tabs, 114 data about single, 195
tips for using, 118–120 database records for, 259–261
excluding from Equipment field, 147
list of related, 36, 256–259
N major classes, 122
Name datatype, 203 part of larger hierarchy of objects, 122
Name field, 239 renaming, 82
Name of offsetting account datatype, 203 selecting and highlighting, 67
Navigating selecting in structure search tree, 123
with menu folders, 59 several bits of coded and short-text data
from output screen, 99 about, 106
with transaction codes, 88–89 short hit list screen, 112
Navigation folders, 65 single code for, 105
New password field, 52, 54 subdivisions of major classes, 122
New SAP GUI Shortcut popup screen, 45–46 transactions for displaying, 255–256
New Visual Design command, 40–42 wrong code, 36
/nex, 31 Office folder, 57
Next Field (Tab) keyboard shortcut, 108 Offsetting account, 196–197, 203
Notification status field area, 141–142 Old password field, 54
Notifications command, 5 Open screen, 79, 85, 228
Notifications subfolder, 66 Operational conditions, 109, 120
/nSBWP transaction code, 242 Operations subscreen, 261
Numerical data, filtering, 189–191 Options command, 38–40
Options screen
Expert mode option, 181
O Inactive button, 221
ObjCurr datatype, 203 Inactive option, 223
Object codes, xxii, 14, 105 Lotus 123 button, 221
copying multiple onto multiple selection Microsoft Excel button, 221
screen, 130 Office Integration area, 221
Equipment field, 146–147 Office Integration field area, 223
MM60 transaction, 133 subscreens, 38
multiple search criteria, 116–118 Order field, 109, 157
randomly numbered, nonconsecutive, 127 Order Type field, 266
searching for, 109 Orders, displaying, 255
single search criterion, 115–116 Orders command, 4
structure search tree, 122–123 Org units definition folder, 152
Object description fields, 79–80, 118–119 Organizational Management folder, 57
Object menu, 97–98 Organizational units, 122
Object-changing transactions, 261–263 Organizational units folder, 153
Object-creation transactions, 259–261 Output Device field, 50
Objects, 36 Output reports, xxii
Index 283
Output screens, xxi, 33 Plant manager, responsible for equipment, 16

application toolbar, 220 Plant selection criteria, 153
line-item reports, 171 PM descriptor code, 266
navigating from, 99–100 PM orders submenu, 66
Outstanding order status, 257 PMActType field, 267
Popup screens, 1, 19–20, 105
Positioning buttons, 201
P Possible entries, 108
PA20-Display link, 59 Posting Data field area, 150
PA20-Display transaction, 59 Posting date fields, 150
Page control buttons, 19 Preferences, 71
Paired fields, 105–106 Prepopulated fields, 27
Panels, 12 Preview panel, 245
Panes, 12 Previous Field (Shift + Tab) keyboard shortcut,
Partner co code datatype, 203 108
Password field, 27, 29 Print (Ctrl + P) keyboard shortcut, 6, 9
Passwords, 25 Printers, code for, 50
after log on changes, 53–54 Printing line-item reports, 231
changing, 51–54 Priority field, 266
desktop shortcuts, 29 Procedural popup screens, 20
log on changes, 52 Processing
recording, 52 real-time, xviii
rules for, 53 transactions, 254
temporary, 51 Production folder, 59
Paste (Ctrl + V) keyboard shortcut, 77, 108, 129, Production servers, 25
131 Project codes, 107
Payroll folder, 57 Project fields, 150
Period field, 113, 257 Project Management Selection field area, 150
Peripheral client computers, 25 Project System module, xix
Permanent screen variants, 162 Protect field, 158–159
Personal data, 48 Protocols, 261
Personal Time Zone of the User field, 50 "pump" phrase, 115
Personnel, 122 Purchase requisitions, 87, 255
Personnel Development folder, 59 Purchasing group field, 155, 157
Personnel Development module, xx Purchasing transactions folder, 70–71, 73
Personnel Management folder, 57, 59
Personnel Management module, xx
Physical plant, 16 Q
Planning Plant field, 257 Quick logons, 29
Plant field, 127, 151–153, 155, 157
Plant Maintenance folder, 62
Plant Maintenance module, xix R
Plant Maintenance or PM order transaction, 81 Radio buttons, 17–18
Plant maintenance (PM) orders, 254, 265–269 Reading e-mail, 242–247
284 Index
Read-only fields, 14, 166 modules, xviii

Read/write fields, 14 SAP database, xviii–xx
default data entry, 166 technical data about environment, 11
many lines and paragraphs of text, 107 Web GUI, 21–22
Real-time processing, xviii SAP > Human Resources > Personnel Manage-
Recipient subscreen, 236 ment > Administration > HR Master Data
Recipients > PA20 - Display menu path, 59
distribution lists, 236 SAP administrators, xxiii
entering and searching for names, 237–239 SAP Business Workplace screen, 14
Recipients subscreen, 237–239, 248 SAP corporate Web site, 76
Recruitment folder, 59 SAP Custom - Save File As screen, 84
Red selection options, 148 SAP database, xviii–xx, xx
Release date field, 157 SAP Easy Access screen, xxi–xxiii, 1–2, 4, 20, 25,
Remote computers, 25 28, 33, 95, 100, 242
Repeat password field, 52, 54 application toolbar, 69–70
Reporting transaction types, 254 Back button, 9
Reporting transactions, 36 Cancel button, 9
Requisitions, 155–156 command field, 88–89, 265
listing, 156 customizing, 43
Rich text format, 229 desktop shortcuts, 44–46
Right-clicking, 6 displaying, 44
Root folder, 57 displaying transaction codes, 90–91
Root folder > Folder 1 > Folder 2 etc. > Transac- Favorites folder, 3, 10
tion link menu path, 59 first-order folders, 57
.rtf file extension, 229 IW31 T-code, 265
menu bar, 4
Menu button, 22
S menu folders, 57
Sales and Distribution module, xix menus, 4
Sales UK, 122 mouse-directed navigation, 66
S_ALR_87013543 transaction, 87 multiple panels, 12
S_ALR_87013614 transaction, 87 navigating with transaction codes, 88–89
S_ALR_87013615 transaction, 87 navigation folders, 65
SAP Password field, 29
accessing, xx root folder, 57
accessing through Web browser, 21–22 SAP User folder, 10
architecture, xviii–xx Save button, 9
client server GUI, 21 second-order folders, 57
exploring, 101 storage folders, 14
functional modules, xviii–xx Tool button, 22
generic components, 65 transactions, 253
growth of, xviii User name field, 29
GUI (graphical user interface), xviii–xx Web browsers, 21–22
logging on, 25, 26–30 SAP Editor Document option, 233
Index 285
SAP folder, 65 hit list, 163

SAP GUI help command, 244 modifying, 160–161
SAP GUI Settings popup screen, 40–42 naming, 157
SAP GUI Shortcut popup screen, 46 occasional data entry fields, 159
SAP Logon pad overwriting, 161
bypassing, 28–29 permanent, 157, 162
listing of available servers, 27 potential for confusion, 160
logging on, 26–28 pre-populated data entries and selections,
SAP screen, 51–52 159
SAP menu folders, 57, 59–61, 74 renaming before saving, 161
displaying transaction codes, 44 saving, 161
generic, 60 shorter than default screen, 159
hiding, 43 temporary, 157, 162
SAP popup screen, 52 as time savers, 160
SAP screen, 51–52 Screens, 1
automatically erasing, 30 application toolbar, 1, 10
bypassing, 28–29 central work area, 1, 12–19
Client field, 27 check boxes, 17
Language field, 27 command fields, 87
Password field, 27 customizing layout, 37–42
User field, 27 displaying, 44
SAP User folder, 10 elements, 1
Save As popup screen, 42 entering data, 9
Save as screen, 227 menu bar, 1, 2–6
Save as type field, 227 moving around on, 18–19
Save command, 199 name of, 9
Save in field, 84, 227 navigating with transaction codes, 95
Save (Ctrl + S) keyboard shortcut, 157 popup screens, 1
Save layout field, 210 radio buttons, 18
Save Layout (Ctrl + F10) keyboard shortcut, 210 scroll bars, 18–19
Save layout screen, 210 selection boxes, 17
Save List in File screen, 227 Set filter button, 180
Save subscreen, 210–211 standard toolbar, 1
Save with subscreen, 211 status bar, 1, 11
SC descriptor code, 266 Threshold button, 180–181
Scene, 1 title bar, 1, 9
Schedule overview list command, 5 transaction codes, 87
Screen elements, 1 Scroll bars, 18–19
Screen specific, 4 Search criteria, 118, 164
Screen variants, 149 Search in menu tree popup screen, 61, 94
calling up, 162–163 Search screens
creation of, 155–159 considering possible number of hits, 119
deleting, 164–165 data entry fields, 105
description, 157 exporting hit lists, 229
286 Index
Search screens (continued) Set filter button, 180

green single value selection option, 146 Sets folder, 59
preferences in, 118 Setting folder, 59
Sort ascending button, 179 Settings > Columns > Optimize Width menu
Sort descending button, 179 path, 206
sorting hit lists, 179 Settings > Layout > Administration or Manage
Searching or Management menu path, 215
for code with multiple search criteria, 116–118 Settings > Layout > Change menu path, 202
for code with single search criterion, 115–116 Settings > Layout > Change or Current menu
for codes, 111 path, 200
distribution lists, 241 Settings > Layout > Choose or Get menu path,
for object codes, 109 214
for transactions, 61–63 Settings > Layout > Save menu path, 210
for transactions by transaction codes, 93–95 Settings > Layout menu path, 199
Second-order folders, 57 Settings > Options menu path, 181
Security and freezing out of logon, 30 Settings popup menu, 44
Select Document popup screen, 255, 263 Settings popup screen, 43, 91
Selection boxes, 17 Short hit list screens, 112–113
Selection criteria, 109, 256–257 Short menu of commands, 5
defining, 155–156 Short text field, 267
initial screen, 152–154 Short text phrase, 105
line-item cost report, 150 Shortcut menus, 68, 101
never entering in fields, 157 Single fields, 105
Selection Criteria for Distribution Lists screen, Software, 11
241–242 Sort order subscreen, 208
Selection Distribution Lists screen, 242 Sorting
Selection of Input Help popup screen, 124 hit lists, 120
Selection options, 120, 141 line-item reports, 172, 174–179
attaching to data entry field, 145 Spreadsheet command, 223
attaching to data entry fields, 143–145 Standard toolbar, 1
green-colored, 143, 146–147 Back button, 124, 245
red-colored, 143, 148 command buttons, 7–9
removing from data entry fields, 145 command field, 7, 43
removing from initial screen, 159 Create session button, 8, 35
unalterable, prepopulated mode options, 158 Create shortcut button, 8, 45
Selection screen, 158, 238, 241 Customize local layout button, 37
Send Document [Title] screen, 251 Enter button, 9
Servers, 25, 27 Find again button, 61–62
Service data, 16 Find button, 61, 93–95
Services, requisitions for, 217 full-colored buttons, 9
Session Manager, 45 grayed out buttons, 9
Sessions, 1, 33 hidden commands, 8
killing, 36–37 list button, 8
screens, xx Open button, 228
Index 287
page control buttons, 19 Tabs, 15–17

Print button, 9, 231 Technical object codes, xxi–xxii
Save button, 54, 157, 261–262 Technical objects, xxi
Start > Programs > SAP Front End > SAPlogon Temporary passwords, 51
menu path, 26 Temporary screen variants, 162
Start menu field, 49 Text, tips for entering, 107–109
Status bar, 1, 11 Text descriptors, 107
confirmation, warning, error, and abort Text field, 77, 79, 82
messages, 39 Text Import Wizard - Step 1 of 3 screen, 228
identifying transaction codes, 93 Threshold value condition screen, 187
Status popup screen, 92 Time Management folder, 57
Stop transaction command, 5, 37 Time Management module, xx
Storage folders, 14 Title bar, 1, 9, 20
Structure menu, 4 Title field, 46, 239, 250
Structure search trees, 122–123 Toolbars, alternative keystrokes for commands, 40
Subfolders, 14 Tools folder, 57, 59
Subgroups in line-item reports, 172 Total quantity datatype, 203
Submenus, 3 Training servers, 25
Subscreens, 15, 38 Trans option subscreen, 236, 248
displaying or hiding, 16–17 Transaction code field, 74
searching for and entering multiple codes, 132 Transaction codes, 43
tabs, 15–17 equipment-maintenance transactions, 87
System > Create Session menu path, 35 identifying, 90
System > List > Save > Local file menu path, 226 listing recently entered, 7
System > Log off menu path, 30 managing application window, 89–90
System > Status menu path, 92 menu bar, 92
System > User profile > Delete Data menu path, /n prefix, 88
167 navigating with, 88–89, 95
System > User profile > Hold Data menu path, 166 /o prefix, 88
System > User Profile > Own Data menu path, purchasing transactions, 87
47, 53 reporting transactions, 87
System > User profile > Set Data menu path, 166 SAP Easy Access screen, 90–91
System control menu, 36 screens, 87
System data field, 11 searching for transactions by, 93–95
System data menu, 93 selecting from command field list menu, 89
System menu, 5 as shorthand names for transactions, 90
"back door" command, 226 status bar, 93
shortcuts for commands, 8 very long, 95
System shortcut menu icon, 5 Transaction field, 92
Transaction links, 43, 67, 73–74
adding to Favorites folders, 73–75
T Transactions, xx–xxii
Tabbed subscreens, 15–17 automatically appearing display variant, 211
Tables and Excel, 219 canceling, 36–37
288 Index
Transactions (continued) User menu folder, 60–61, 65, 74

confirmation of business process, xxi User name field, 29
display of data, xxi User profiles, 47–50
display variants, 212–213 User-allowed, 60
displaying list of related objects, 256–259 Usual Filter screen, 189
displaying objects, 255–256
ending, 89
frequently used, 3–4 V
help documents, 253 Val in rep cur datatype, 203
initial screens, xxi, 1, 33, 57 Variance, 174, 220
job aids, 253 Variant field, 162
killing, 5 Variant name field, 157, 161
links, 60, 65, 74 View subscreen, 208
long execution times, 35
menu path, 59
multilevel or hierarchical structure, 65 W
multiple codes for objects, 128 Warehouse folder, 62
navigating from initial screen, 97–98 Warnings, 11, 39, 41
navigating from output screen, 99 WBS elements, 150
navigating to initial screens, 4, 7, 59, 88–89, 97 Web address or file field, 77
not authorized to execute, 101 Web browsers
object code entered in Equipment field, 146 accessing SAP, xx, 21–22, 28
object-changing, 261–263 SAP Easy Access screen, 21–22
object-creation, 259–261 Web GUI, 21–22
output screens of, 33 Web links
requisition number, 11 adding to Favorites folder, 76–78
SAP Easy Access screen, xxi, 253 links to, 67
searching for, 61–63 Wildcards, 118
transaction codes, 87, 90, 93–95 Windows, 34
types, 9, 253–263 Windows operating system, 235
workflow, xxi Import file screen, 248
Trash bin, 245 starting log-on process through, 26
Word
back-door export, 229
U exporting report to, 223
unit-of-measure codes, 105 exporting SAP reports to, 219
Universal tasks, executing, 8–9 Word Processing command, 223
Unread Documents subfolder, 245 Work orders, 87, 254
Up command, 4 work orders, 257
Upload from PC command, 67 creation of, 259, 261
Uploading Favorites folder, 85–86
User datatype, 203
User field, 27 X
User IDs, 25, 51–52 .xls file extension, 227–228
THIS BOOK IS SAFARI ENABLED
INCLUDES FREE 45-DAY ACCESS TO THE ONLINE EDITION
The Safari® Enabled icon on the cover of your favorite technology

book means the book is available through Safari Bookshelf. When you
buy this book, you get free access to the online edition for 45 days.
Safari Bookshelf is an electronic reference library that lets you easily

search thousands of technical books, find code samples, download
chapters, and access technical information whenever and wherever
you need it.
TO GAIN 45-DAY SAFARI ENABLED ACCESS TO THIS BOOK:
• Go to http://www.phptr.com/safarienabled
• Complete the brief registration form
• Enter the coupon code found in the front

of this book on the “Copyright” page
If you have difficulty registering on Safari Bookshelf or accessing the online edition,
please e-mail customer-service@safaribooksonline.com.

Mazzullo, Jim_Wheatley, Peter - SAP R_3 for everyone_ step-by-step instructions, practical advice, and other tips and tricks for working with SAP (2005_2007, Prentice Hall_ BPrentice Hall Professional Technical Ref

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Mazzullo, Jim_Wheatley, Peter - SAP R_3 for everyone_ step-by-step instructions, practical advice, and other tips and tricks for working with SAP (2005_2007, Prentice Hall_ BPrentice Hall Professional Technical Ref

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Praise for SAP R/3 for Everyone

Prentice Hall Professional

Upper Saddle River, NJ • Boston • Indianapolis • San Francisco

This Book Is Safari Enabled

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

8th Printing November 2008

About the Authors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xv

Introduction: Design and Operation of the SAP

Part I Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Lesson 2 Working With SAP Sessions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Lesson 3 Entering User Profile Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Lesson 4 Changing Your Password . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Part II Navigating Between Screens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Lesson 5 Navigating to Initial Screens With the Menu Folders . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Lesson 6 Navigating to Initial Screens With the Favorites Folders . . . . . . . . 65

Lesson 7 Navigating to Initial Screens With Transaction Codes . . . . . . . . . 87

Lesson 8 Navigating Between Screens With Menu Bars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

Part III Setting Up Initial Screens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

Lesson 9 Entering Codes and Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105

Lesson 10 Searching for Codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

Lesson 11 Entering Codes on Multiple Selection Screens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127

Lesson 12 Using Selection Options on Data Entry Fields . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141

Lesson 13 Working With Screen Variants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149

Deleting a Screen Variant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164

Part IV Working With Output Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169

Lesson 15 Display Variants for Line-item Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195

Lesson 16 Exporting Line-item Reports to Microsoft Excel and Word . . . . . 219

Lesson 17 Sending Line-item Reports via SAP E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231

Coda The Basic Transaction Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253

Appendix Create a Plant Maintenance Order (IW31) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265

Jim Mazzullo: I would like to acknowledge the support and encouragement of

Jim began his professional career as a research professor and an instructor of

Jim is now a consulting scientiﬁc and technical trainer, curriculum developer,

Peter currently oversees SAP implementations as a customer engagement man-

In addition, this book is not intended to be comprehensive. SAP R/3 is very

What Is SAP R/3?

Table P.1 Some examples of SAP functional modules

Module Name Abbreviation Function

Table P.1 Some examples of SAP functional modules (continued)

Module Name Abbreviation Function

Creating a purchase requisition

Scheduling the shipment of a material to a plant

Every transaction progresses through a four-step workﬂow of actions, com-

A conﬁrmation that some business process, such as the creation of a req-

Organization and Contents of This Book

Some Words About the Text and Screen Images

The names of transactions and software, as well as commands, options,

Regardless of their function, however, seven features or elements are found on

Menu bar (A)

Menu headers (A)

To execute a command from the menu bar with your mouse:

Click a header to display its menu.

Click the folder to select and highlight it (G).

Click the Favorites header to display its menu (D).

Favorites > Move > Up

on the equipment; Notiﬁcations, which displays a list of all maintenance requests

System Shortcut Menu Icon

Figure I.4 The system shortcut menu.

When you are instructed to click a screen element, move your

Figure I.5 Components of the standard toolbar

2. Some of the buttons in the standard toolbar provide convenient short-

Central Work Area

Panels and Panes

Field Areas and Tabbed Subscreens