Release Strategy Configuration in S/4HANA

[SurajitBiswas]

Objective: The Main purpose of this blog is to understand the release procedure in detail and also configuration wise and in the blog I have shared the release strategy configuration for Purchase Requisition and Purchase Orders.

Details:

Release Strategy: It defines the sequence in which the purchase document is to be released • It contains the release conditions, release codes, release prerequisites. It defines the entire approval or release process

Release Condition: It determines/identifies which release strategy applies.

Release Group: Group of persons responsible for releasing the Purchasing documents with assigned strategy.

Release Code/Point: It is a two-character alphanumeric id defined for each individual group (department) in the release group.

Release Pre-requisite: It defines, who has to release the document first.

Release Indicator:

1. It is a one-character ID, represents a release status


2. It is assigned to a document.


3. When an individual person of a group affects release with his release code, a release indicators assigned to a document] E.g.: Blocked-’B’, Released - ‘R’.


4. If a document is not released.


5. It cannot print a document


6. You cannot send this to the concerned vendor


7. You cannot do the receipt of the goods.

SAP Standard system allows only 8 levels of release codes.

There are two types of Release Procedures for PR:

1. With Classification (Item level release and only for PR)


2. With Out Classification (Header/document level release for RFQ, PO, contract and Scheduling. Agreement)

Release Procedure without Classification. This Procedure is applicable only for Purchase Requisitions (PR). Here PR is released Item by Item only. Release Procedure with Classification, this procedure is applicable to Purchase Requisitions (PR), Purchase Order (PO), Contract and Scheduling Agreements. Item by Item and Header level releases can be configured. For PR-both Item by item and header level release can be configured. For external purchasing documents- Release is possible only at Header level.

 

Process Flow of Release Strategy:

Configurations Nods: SPRO>Materials Management>Purchasing: Purchase Requisition / Purchase Order.

 

1. SPRO>Materials Management>Purchasing>Purchase Requisition>Release Procedure>Set Up Procedure Without Classification / Procedure with Classification


2. SPRO>Materials Management>Purchasing>Purchase Order>Release Procedure for Purchase Orders

[Note: Only Purchase Requisition is applicable release procedure with Classification and Without Classifications].

Even though I have shown the configuration steps of PR without classification but primary focus is on with classification release strategy.

Purchase Requisition

Configurations Steps for Purchase Requisition Without Classification:

Set Up Procedure Without Classification:

Release Codes

Release indicator



Assign Release Indicators

Release Points: Prerequisites

Determination of Release Strategy

[Note: Parameters for the Determination of Release Strategy]

 

Configurations Steps for Purchase Requisition With Classification:

Procedure with Classification

Edit Characteristics

Z_PR_REL_DOCTYPE

Z_PR_REL_VALUE

 

 

Edit Classes

Z_PR_REL

 

Set Up Procedure with Classification

Release Groups

[Note: While creating release group if a release group already exist then it will not let you save another new release group because only “one release groups is allowed”. To create and save yours delete the existing one and create yours and then save it].

Release Codes

 

Release indicator

Release Strategies

 

Workflow

Check Release Strategies

 

                                                                                     Purchase Order

 

Path:

SPRO>Materials Management>Purchasing>Purchase Order>Release Procedure for Purchase Orders

Configuration Nods:

Edit Characteristic

[Note: You can create your own characteristics as per your business requirements].

T-Code:CT04

Z_NETVALUE

Edit Class

T-Code=CL02

Assign Characteristics inside the Class

Define Release Procedure for Purchase Orders

Create Release Groups

[Note: While creating release group if a release group already exist then it will not let you save another new release group because only “one release groups is allowed”. To create and save yours delete the existing one and create yours and then save it].

Assign the Class created using CL02 with the release group

Create Release Codes

Here Release Group assign with Release codes.

Create Release Indicators

Create Release Strategy

Here we also maintain Release prerequisites, Release Statuses, Classification, Release Simulations.

Check Release Strategies (Optional)

S-Innovations: Maintenance View for Simplified Release Criteria (Optional)

S-Innovations: Maintenance View for Simplified Release Processors (Optional)

Configuration Steps Flow:

Create Characteristics

Create Class

Assign Characteristics inside the Class

Create Release Groups

Assign Class with Release Groups

Create Release Codes

Assign Release Groups with Release Codes.

Create Release Indicators

Create Release Strategy

Assign Release Groups and Release Codes with Release Strategy

Inside Release Strategy Maintain Release Status, Classification

Releasing Purchase Order

T-Code=ME28

Enter Release Code (Mandatory)

Enter Release Group (Optional)

 

 

Select Purchasing Document Category

A: Request for Quotation

F: Purchase Order

K: Contract

L: Scheduling Agreement

R: RFQ

O: Quotation

C: Central Contract

P: Central Purchsae Order

N: Central Request for Quotation

T: Central Supplier Quotation

 

Checking Release Status of Purchase Order

T-Code=ME23N / ME22N

Process Flow is same for all of the Purchase Documents (RFQ, PR, Quotation etc.)

Cancelling a Release

T-Code=ME28.

Choose the Cancel Release check box and execute the transaction.

You will see the list of Purchase documents available for release cancellation.

Choose the appropriate document

Click on the Cancel Release button

Save and You are done.

[Note: Cancelling a release isn’t possible if your release strategy doesn’t allow the release to be reversed. This is a setting maintained on the release indicator and release strategy level].

Structure:

CEKKO (Communication Release Strategy Determination Purch. Document)

CEBAN (Communication Release Strategy Determination: Requisition)

Tables:

EKKO (Purchasing Document Header)

EKPO (Purchasing Document Item)

EBAN (Purchase Requisition)

 

Conclusion:

I have tried to cover all the details and functionality of Release Procedure in Material Management and if missed anything please share your inputs in the comments below.

Hope this blog will be useful to all and if you like the post please share your feedback and comments.