PO/PR release strategy using BRFplus

[kersra]

Hello Gurus,

we would like to create a complex release strategy for PO and PR, where the standard customizing is not flexible enough.

I would like to know if someone already used BRFplus in this case to use the workflow release strategy via user exit to call a BRFplus application?

Or are there some other expierence to build a flexible release strategy?

Thanks a lot

[Former Member]

Hi Ralph,

As per as i Know the BRF+ is not comes with ECC, It Must need Plug in your system  it it applicable for instance like MDM,MDG, SRM ,  also as per as  BRF+ is concern it applicable for The Business Object That mean even if it applicable it will not for PO release procedure . 

so it mean If you have data model as Purchase order and you apply BRF+ then all PO will go for Release rather then ECC  Release procedure  according some criteria.

[carsten_ziegler]

BRF+ is part of the NetWeaver layer and therefore available in context of any ABAP based application. Even applications based on other servers may use it thru web services or NW DSM with a partner plugin (translates the rules into other languages such as JAVA).

[kersra]

Hi Carsten,

my initial intention was to connect the BRF+ application, which is available in standard abap stack, to the MM application thru user exits. As we don't have the know how in house for BRF+, we decided to skip the idea and to develop it in a classical way. For the future it would be gread to have an idea how BRF+ can be connected in every user ext / Badi. Can we use simple the method (connected to the BRF function) descirebed in the SAP Press BRF+ book or are there recommandations for such a scenario.

Best regards

Ralph

[carsten_ziegler]

Hi Ralph,

Today, Diego and I discussed the use case and I could show to him within 10 min how to create a decision service including ruleset and decision table to implement the requirement. I used BRFplus for this (NetWeaver version 7.3 EhP1). Diego has NW 7.0 EhP2. So his UI would look slightly different. With NW DSM this would be implemented even faster (see here why).

Diego will now try the same on his own systems and maybe afterwards we can make it a paper for reference, e.g. for you.

Regards,

Carsten

[kersra]

Hi Carsten,

it sounds great.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Regards,

Ralph

[carsten_ziegler]

If you like we can have a call to discuss how best to do this with BRFplus (or NW DSM).

[JL23]

Hi Carsten,

Wouldn't it make more sense to create a document or blog to explain it to all?

[carsten_ziegler]

I agree. However, I do not know the business context. So best is to bring both sides together and discuss. Then, maybe we can produce a little paper. So I am open to provide the technical side for BRFplus/NW DSM.

[diego_lewinski]

Sure Carsten,

  I will PM you to arrange a call.

Thank you

[diego_lewinski]

Hi Ralph,

  We have a very similar case and we are evaluating the possibility of doing the same thing. Our idea is to create in standard MM as many release strategies as combinations of release codes exist. Then we would transfer control to brf which will determine the necessary release strategy. After that, we need to figure out a way of using the brf output (the release strategy) to plug it into standard MM avoiding or overwriting the classification system, in order to keep everything else standard.

Were you able to solve your problem?

Does anybody knows if someone has done this before?

Thanks

Diego

[kersra]

Hi Diego,

we solved it by using standard user exits for purchase orders.

With user exit EXIT_SAPLEBND_002 we identify the strategy and with user exit EXIT_SAPLEBNF_005 we identify the responsible user which has to release the order. I think you can use this user exits to transfer the control to BRF+ and build there the rules. If you would use the standard workflow you have also to check BADI ME_PROCESS_PO_CUST if the releaser is also assigned to the workitem.

Regards

Ralph

[diego_lewinski]

Hi Ralph,

Thanks for the quick and very useful answer. Any drawbacks / downside from your experience with this integration?

Regards,

Diego

[kersra]

Hi Diego,

we are not using BRF+, we solved it with Z-tables in SAP which we check in the user exits.

There are a few drawbacks using this user exits. For example the authorization concept: once you dynamically change the strategy and user assignment for it you have to check the workitem assignment and the substitution rules in the badi coding, because with the authorization object M_EINK_FRG you cannot handle it. You have also to clarify in advance how the system should react when changes are done to the purchase order, otherwise the strategy starts always from the beginning or never start again (which fields should checked). This are my experiences after 10 months that the rules are active.

Best regards

Ralph

[diego_lewinski]

Thanks again. That was very helpful

[carsten_ziegler]

Whenever you have a code exit you may plug in BRFplus. BRFplus <> BRF. BRFplus is the latest and most powerful rules technology in the ABAP stack. You can define strategies of any complexity with it.

With the Add-on SAP NetWeaver Decision Service Management you have BRFplus in it latest version available to all servers in your landscape regardless of the NetWeaver release. You can update the productive systems in a controlled way without lengthy technical processes such as transport management.

[Former Member]

If I am right BRF is available for PR with SSP application and not directly as a replacement for Release Strategy in PR and PO. But I am not totally sure if this is available in ECC for all applications. But found the following Note, check if it has any relevance:

Note 1690479 - ERP SSP Workflow Simplification

BRF is used in SRM as Process Controlled Workflow from SRM 7.0, so better raising an OSS Message with SAP might help in gathering further details about this functionality availability in ECC applications.

Also check in the following path as well, and see if it can help you in gathering more details:

SPRO > Cross-Application Basic Settings > General Application Functions > Business Rule Framework

/Manoj