Steps to set up a release procedure with classification in Customizing
path: SPRO – IMG – MM – Purchasing – PR – Release Procedure – Procedure With Classification
path: SPRO – IMG – MM – Purchasing – PO/Contract/Scheduling Agreement – Release Procedure for PO/Contract/Scheduling Agreement
1. CT04: Edit Characteristics
Characteristics are the criteria for triggering the release procedure.
Communication structures or tables for characteristics in release strategies:
For PRs: CEBAN
For purchasing documents: CEKKO
Note: doc type is an important characteristic; if doc type is not specified, then the release procedure will be triggered for all the doc types if the other characteristics match (like total PO value)
Example 1: PO based on doc type and total PO value
Enter in TotalPOvalue in the characteristic and press enter. If the characteristic already exists, it will be displayed. Otherwise, below pop-up will appear. Click on Yes.
Basic data tab: Enter some description – this will be updated automatically later based on the description of the field, choose Single-value radio button, choose CURR as data type, enter in 15 as the number of chars, and check interval values allowed.
Addnl data tab: Enter CEKKO for table name and GNETW for field name (use SE11 or SE12 to look at the table and find the field name)
Snapshot of SE11 transaction with table CEKKO:
The description in the basic data tab is now updated with the description of the field.
Restrictions tab: Enter 032 in class type for release strategy
Values tab: for example: Enter “1 – 50,000” in 1st row, “> 50,000 – 100,000” in 2nd row, enter “> 100,000” in 3rd row
Save.
Enter in POdoctype in the characteristic and press enter.
Basic data tab: Enter some description, choose Single-value radio button, choose CHAR as data type, enter in 4 as the number of chars
Addnl data tab: Enter CEKKO for table name and BSART for field name
Restrictions tab: 032 in class type for release strategy
Values tab: Enter your PO doc type
Save.
2. CL02: Edit Classes
Create classes of type 032 (Release Strategy) with characteristics. If you wish to set up both overall and item-wise release procedures for PRs, you must create a class for each. You can create any number of classes. But a maximum of two classes can be used for PRs at any one time. A maximum of one class can be used for external purchasing documents at any one time.
Example: Enter POrelease for class and 032 for class type, and click on create
Basic data tab: enter description PO Release
Char tab: Enter created characteristics (TotalPOvalue and POdoctype )
Save.
3. Set Up Procedure with Classification (for PR) or Define Release Procedure for PO/Contract/Scheduling Agreement
i. Create release groups
With the release class, you link the release groups to the PR or external purchasing doc release object. Note: as mentioned before, a maximum of two classes can be used for PRs (one for overall release and one for item-wise release) at any one time. A maximum of one class can be used for external purchasing documents at any one time.
| Purchasing document | Release Object |
| PR (internal purchasing document) | 1 |
| External purchasing document – PO, Contract, Scheduling agreement | 2 |
For PRs:
Example 1: you could create a group for item-wise release and a group for overall release.
For POs:
Example 1: if you have created different release groups for different plants, you can use the release group to specify whether a user can release POs for only one plant or for more plants.
Example 2: if you have created different release groups for different doc types (PO, RFQs, contracts, etc), you can use the release group to specify whether a user can release POs only or POs and contracts, etc)
ii. Create release codes
Create release codes under the release groups created. If a workflow is to be initiated by a release code, set the corresponding indicator.
Refer to Release Procedure without Classification for more details on release codes.
iii. Create release indicators
For PR, create a release indicator for initial status (when initially created and before RFQs or POs can be created from this PR), i.e. blocked status and a release indicator for the released status, i.e. for release for issue of a RFQ or a PO, etc.
Refer to Release Procedure without Classification – only for PR for more details on release indicators for PRs.
Release indicators for external purchasing documents:
Changeable indicator: whether release strategy will be changed if anything is changes in the characteristics (usually use 4 or 6)
% value change: how much is the change before you want to change the release strategy (usually use 10%). In case PO has been created and released, but then qty is changed after the release, and thus total PO value is changed, how much of a change has to have occurred in the PO value before you want to change the release strategy and require a release again.
iv. Create release strategy (release simulation can be used to check the release strategy)
Click on new entries and enter release group you created and a new strategy code and description e.g. > 100,000
Example: Strategy is that Manager (release code 10) and General Manager (release code 20) (both together) can release the document or VP (release code 30) can release the document.
So enter 10, 20, 30 in the release codes (Note: you can use a maximum of eight (8) release codes in a release strategy.)
Click on Release Prerequisites. Click continue as there are no prerequisites here.
Click on Release Statuses and enter release indicator Blocked B for all other than 10 and 20 checked, and as long as 30 checked, for which enter release indicator Released R.
Click on Classification – choose > 100,000 in value and your doc type in doc type.
Save.
Click on Release Simulation – simulate release – check if working as per requirement.
v. (optional) Define a workflow
4. Check Release Strategies
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