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5 - PR Release Procedure Configuration
5 - PR Release Procedure Configuration
Release Procedures (approval) can be used for Purchase Requisitions (PR), Purchase Orders
(PO), RFQ's, Outline Agreements and Service Entry Sheets. The principle is exactly the same for
all. If you can master one, you will know them all.
Our company have got 2 plants: Plant 3100 (London) and plant 3600 (New York).
For New York (plant 3100), if PR item value is between 0 - 1000 dollars, then PR needs to
be released by one person (person B)
For New York (plant 3100), if PR item value is bigger than 1000 dollars, then PR needs to
be released by two people (first by person B, then person C)
For London (plant 3600), if PR item value is bigger than 1000 dollars, then PR needs to
be released by two people (first by person A, then person C).
Key terminology:
Release Codes - The different levels that the approval will go through.
Release Strategy - Unique, set of condition, sequence and levels of releases. Every line
in diagram is a Strategy (so we have 3).
Release Indicator
Set up strategies
- Strategies & Codes
- Prerequeirements
- Status
- Assign values for strategies
Here we define which fields are used to determine the strategy that will kick in. In our case we
used 'Plant' and 'Item value'. Not all fields in the PR can be used. For a full list of fields that can
be used to determine the release startegy, see tcode se12 table CEBAN.
The Intervals allowed will allow us to assign a range of values, example: If PR value is 0 - 1000
Create a class (simply to group the characteristics). Again any name can be used. Tcode CL01 --
Create Class. The Class Type must be 032.
Above actions was all master data. We now need to do some configuration. Menu: IMG >
Materials Management > Purchasing > Purchase Requisition > Release Procedure > Procedure
with classification > Set up procedure -- (tcode OMGQ in older SAP versions)
We have two groups to create AA and AB. We need to indicate the class we are working with, in
out case Z_PR.
Create all the release code / group combinations. This is all the dots in diagram above. So we
have 4.
Later on, authorisation profiles will be linked to these code / group combinations.
Release Indicator
First we create the different statusses that the PR can be in throughout it lifecycle. Later on
(below), we will be linking using these statusses. Here is the standard SAP indicators, wou
probably wouldn't need to add any.
With Field Selection you can define which fields can be changed. This is the same indicator that
gets used with document type configuration to make some fields read only, mandatory, hidden.
For every strategy, we need to define a release prerequisites. This indicate if one code need to
take place before the other. In this case, level 2 (L2) can only take place if level 1 (L1) has been
released.
This is also done for every strategy. The screen is dependant on what groups were linked to the
strategy as well as prerequisites that was set up. In this example:
Out of interest, the reason why there is not a L2 only option is because of the setting in the
prerequisites.
The values linked to strategies are master data (not configuration) and can be set in two places.
Either within the configuration itself -- selecting the classification button
For Puchase Requisitions, there is an option to release either on item level or on document
level. For PO / RFQ / Contracts, one can only release on header level. Back to the PR, it is highly
recommended to use item release. This can be done in two places.
In our example we will have three people releasing, so three profiles will need to be created.
Authorisation profiles can be created using tcode PFCG.
Usage of PFCG are not being discussed here, but see below for relevant screen where the profile
was created.
Lets create a PR, and see if the release procedure kicks in. In our case we will create it for plant
3600 and any value. So we will expect Strategy AB / S2 to kick in.
Create PR -- me51n
(SAVE)
Releasing can be done per PR or collective. Lets' use the collective release. SAP Menu: Logistics >
Material Management > Purchasing > Purchasing Requisition > Release > Collective Release --
ME55
Select all the items to be released and then hit Save. You will see the status of the item change
to the next Release Indicator.
SAP version used for this post: SAP ECC (ERP Central Component) 5.0