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EN - Release Strategy
EN - Release Strategy
Release Strategy
Release Strategy
SPRO Menu Path: SPRO: Material Management -> Purchasing -> Purchase Order -> Release
Procedure for Purchase Orders -> Edit Characteristic
Transaction code: CT04
Provide the characteristic name and click on Create button to create the characteristic. Give
appropriate and meaningful name for each characteristic so that they become easy to
identify in further process.
Release Strategy
As soon as you enter the structure name and field name, system will generate a warning
message “Format data taken from Data Dictionary (press enter)”. This warning message
indicates that the data type of the characteristic will be taken from the data dictionary of this
structure in SAP.
Release Strategy
Now navigate to Values tab and provide the document types which are required in this
release strategy. For this example, we are taking document type NB which is Standard PO.
Please see below screen shot.
Please note that in the characteristic values tab, these values are not available as a F4
selection. So they must be typed correctly and it should match exactly with the document
types used.
We need to make sure that these characteristics are used only in class which is made up for
Purchase order release. For this purpose we need to provide the restriction in
characteristic. Provide class type 032 in the restriction tab to achieve this.
Release Strategy
• For this characteristic, the values are to be defined in intervals as given in below screen.
Release Strategy
So this way we have created the following characteristics for our release strategy.
SPRO Menu Path: SPRO: Material Management -> Purchasing -> Purchase Order -> Release
Procedure for Purchase Orders -> Edit Class
In main screen of CL02 transaction, provide appropriate Class Name and click on Create
button. Make sure that the class type must be 032.
Release Strategy
In main screen of CL02 transaction, provide appropriate Class Name and click on Create
button. Make sure that the class type must be 032.
In the detailed screen, provide appropriate description. In Same classification block please
select Do not Check radio button.
Release Strategy
Now the next step is to assign the earlier characteristics to this class. Please note that those
characteristics are restricted to be used only in class type 032 which type this class is to be
created.
Finally save the class. This concludes the first step for setting up the release strategy.
Release Strategy
Define Release Strategy for Purchase Order
After the class is ready, the next is to configure the elements required in release strategy.
Following elements are required.
• Release Groups
• Release Codes
• Release Indicator
• Release Strategies
• Workflow
SPRO: Materials Management -> Purchasing -> Purchase Order -> Release Procedure for
Purchase Orders -> Define Release Procedure for Purchase Orders.
When you click on this option, system will give sub options to proceed further. Please select
Release Group. Keep the cursor on Release Group and click on Choose button.
Release Strategy
Click on New Entry button to create new Release Group. In new record, give appropriate
Release Group name as BP, in Class field give our Class name which we have created in
above step. Click on Save button to save your entry.
Release Strategy
When you click on this option, system will give sub options to proceed further. Please select
Release Codes. Keep the cursor on Release Codes and click on Choose button.
Click on New Entries to create the Release codes for our release strategy. Number of release
codes depends on number of approval levels. Here only two release codes are created which
are 10 and 20 for Buyer and Manager respectively. Please note that these release codes are
to be created under the same release group which we have configured in previous tab. Click
on Save to save your entries.
SPRO: Materials Management -> Purchasing -> Purchase Order -> Release Procedure for
Purchase Orders -> Define Release Procedure for Purchase Orders.
Release Strategy
When you click on this option, system will give sub options to proceed further. Please select
Release Indicator. Keep the cursor on Release Indicator and click on Choose button.
This screen indicates release id for initial and released status. Release ID 0 indicates
Blocked status and with release ID 1 it is Released status. The field Changeable contains the
parameter which will define how the system reacts if a purchasing document is changed
after the start of the release procedure. Means once the order is released, we can still
change the values in purchase order which will trigger a new release status. If the field is
allowed to change, we can define the % of change allowed.
SPRO: Materials Management -> Purchasing -> Purchase Order -> Release Procedure for
Purchase Orders -> Define Release Procedure for Purchase Orders.
When you click on this option, system will give sub options to proceed further. Please select
Release Strategies. Keep the cursor on Release Strategies and click on Choose button.
Click on New Entries button and give your release group. After giving the release group,
provide appropriate Release strategy and description.
Now suppose you want to keep only one level of approval for all PO below 100.00 USD and 2
level of approvals for PO greater than or equal to 100. To achieve this we need to have two
release strategies. First release strategy will have only 1 release code and only value less than
100.00 USD is to be selected from characteristic BP_NETVAL. For the Purchase order having
Release Strategy
value greater than or equal to 100.00 USD, we will create another release strategy which will
have both the release codes as we need two level approvals in this case. The following steps are
demonstration of second release strategy (with 2 approvals). The same steps needs to be
followed for another strategy.
Now click on Release prerequisites button. In prerequisites screen, select prerequisites for
each release code. In the given screen shot, we are saying there is not prerequisite for
release code 10 and for release code 20 it is required that release id 10 has to be there. Once
done, click on Continue button to save the settings.
Release Strategy
The next step is Release statuses. Click on Release Statuses button. Here we are attaching
the release ids for each operational step. From the below screen it is clear that when the
document is created when both the release status are at initial condition.
Release Strategy
When the first level of release is done means when it is released by a user having release code
10, the overall status is still Blocked. When the document is released by a higher level user
having release code 20, the documents overall status will be Released. Once it is done click on
Continue button.
Next step is to select the classification values for the selected characteristics in release class.
Click on Classification button to proceed.
Release Strategy
Here it is required to select all the values from all the characteristics. If you have multiple values
in characteristic, you have to select the values which you want to involve in the release strategy.
Select a characteristic row and click on Choose button bottom.
Please note it is also possible to directly mention the values here provided Additional
Values option is enabled in your characteristic.
Configure Workflow
Use following SPRO path for configuring workflow for the above configured release strategy.
Release Strategy
SPRO: Materials Management -> Purchasing -> Purchase Order -> Release Procedure for
Purchase Orders -> Define Release Procedure for Purchase Orders.
When you click on this option, system will give sub options to proceed further. Please select
Workflow. Keep the cursor on Workflow and click on Choose button.
Click on New Entries button to create records for involved users. Specify the Release group,
appropriate release code and User ID in Agent ID column. Please make sure the user ids are
specified with Agent type US which indicates that mentioned agent name is a User id of SAP. You
have to create each line for each users who are involved in this process and should be attached
to an appropriate release code.
This is the end of release strategy configuration. With this configuration, we are set to create a
purchase order to test our release strategy.
Please note that if the purchase order is not released, buyers will not be able to print the
Purchase Order. Also in Goods Receipts will be shown with Message no. ME 390 – Purchasing
document XXXXXXX not yet released
Purchase Order with Release Strategy has tabs at the end of the Header. This allowed the buyers
to check the release status of the Purchase Order.
The person with the release authorization has to use ME28 to release the Purchase Order.