Approve Purchase Orders - app without workflow

[vicenteveiga]

Dear all,

I hereby ask you for your help and suggestions.

I've implemented 2 Fiori apps: "Track Purchase Orders" and "Approve Purchase Orders".

Since the ERP Back-end is using SAP standard implementation, the "Track Purchase Orders" Fiori app is able to get all data for the purchase orders pending for release and display them correctly on Fiori.

On the "Approve Purchase Orders" Fiori app it's not possible to get any data since the standard approval workflow isn't configured/activated.

At this moment, the procedure used to release purchase orders is through standard SAP Transaction ME29N.

I'm starting to believe that the only alternative is to extend "Track Purchase Orders" Fiori app and add "Realease" option like a normal approve app...

So, is there a way to "simulate" ME29N -> "Release" option behaviour?

Does anyone know what is the possible impact if the approval workflow is activated?

Best regards,

Vicente Veiga

[masa_139 · Accepted solution]

Hi Vicente,

Please share how the business users approve Purchase Orders in the current production ERP?

What is the approver determination rule? How the user knows which PO should be approved?

Regards,

Masa / SAP Technology RIG

[vicenteveiga · Accepted solution]

Hi Masayuki,

Thank you for your quick reply.

From what I could understand, business users use standard tcodes to create & display Purchase Orders.

For the "approval" process, users use transaction ME29N where they insert an order proposal id. After filling the order id field, in the SAP Screen, at the "Release Strategy" tab, there's a table with 4 columns: Code | Description | Status | Release. At the left of that table there's the indication of "Release Group", "Release Strategy" and "Release Indicator".

In the "Release" column of the table, the row index indicated on "Release Indicator" field, it's possible to "Realase" the PO. This is the "approval" process explained.

It's the first time I see an "approval" process be done like this.

I hope I was clear enough for you to understand.

Regards,

Vicente

[masa_139 · Accepted solution]

Hi Vicente,

There are 3 options. My recommendation is the option A.

Option A. Activate MM PO Approval workflow and use Approve Purchase Order

Option B. Extend Track Purchase Order

Option C. Develop a custom app

Regards,

Masa / SAP Technology RIG

[vicenteveiga · Accepted solution]

Hi Masayuki,

Thank you once more for your reply.

I suspect those were my only options.

Do you know what's the impact of applying option A? Will the actual approval process be affected?

Regarding app extensibility I found this link. I know it refers to SAP Hana DB but in the following section, there's a reference for ABAP Transactions in the Back-end system:

Transactions in the ABAP Back End

You can access the following transactions in your ABAP back-end system, for example:

Change Purchase Order (MMPURPAMEPO)
Display Purchase Order (MMPURPAMEPO)
Maintain Purchase Order Supplement (ME24)
Release Purchase Order (MMPURUICALLME29N)

If I extend "Track Purchase Orders" app and add a "Release" button, would it be possible to call that transaction in the back-end and release the PO?

Regards,

Vicente Veiga

[michael_albrecht · Accepted solution]

Hi Vicente,

Option A is really the preferable way to go. Please configure the workflow as described in SAP note 2080631 section C).

Best regards,

Michael

SAP Fiori Support

[masa_139 · Accepted solution]

Hi Vicente,

Users still can use ME29N independently from workflow.

Regards,

Masa / SAP Technology RIG