SAP Note

    2228611 - Output Management in S/4 HANA  

Version   8     Validity: 09.12.2015 - active   Language   English (Master)

Header Data
Released On 09.12.2015 15:23:37
Release Status Pilot Release
Component CA-GTF-OC s-Innovations Output Management
Priority Recommendations / Additional Info
Category Consulting

Symptom
S/4 HANA introduces a new style of output management. This note provides you with an overview of the required customizing options.

Other Terms
Output Management, Customizing, Customized Forms, Form Templates

Reason and Prerequisites

The new output management replaces all old legacy frameworks (SD Output Control, FI Correspondence, FI-CA Print Workbench, CRM Post-
Processing Framework).

However, not all applications can be adapted at once. Therefore, there will be a transition phase during which the old and the new output 
management will coexist.

Note: Even if an application has been adapted, it may still ship form templates using legacy technologies. Forms of this type will in future be 
replaced with the new Adobe form templates, which make use of fragments.

Available Features and Functions

The following table provides an overview of the new output management's common features and functions.

Supported Channels l Printer – Cloud-enabled using print queues

l E-mail – Allows flexible configuration of sender and receiver(s)
l XML – Integration into the Ariba Network
l IDOC – (on premise only)

Supported UI Technologies l Fiori

l SAPGUI / WebGUI

Supported Form Technologies l pdf-based print forms with fragments (default)

l pdf-based print forms
l Smart Forms
l SAPscript

Form Master Templates  A Form Master Template defines a common layout and offers reuseable parts of a form like header, 

footer, logo
 (only available for pdf-based print forms with fragments).
Determination of Form Master  Form Master Templates can be determined on the basis of preconfigured parameters. 
Templates  Predelivered content is also possible.
Output Parameter Determination  Features:
via BRF+
l Everything can be configured; ABAP Exits are no longer needed 
l Allows sending multiple messages to multiple receivers, using multiple channels at the same time
l Each determination step may depend on application-specific fields
l Allows predelivered content / determination rules
l Supports extensibility via CDS

Dispatch Time (Versendezeitpunkt)  Immediately or Scheduled via batch job

Application Log The system creates one application log per output request instance. In addition messages can be filtered by
output request item.
Possible actions for a message l Preview (including transient data)
(output item) l Send output
l Resend (creates a copy and lets you change the channel)
l Mark as ‚Completed‘ (Cancel)

Use of common frameworks/services l BOPF

l BRF+
l KPRO
 l Gateway Services
l Fiori
l WebDynpro
l SAPGUI

Prerequisites for Output Management

l BRF+ is active and usable 
l bgRFC configuration has been set up 
l Adobe Document Server is available
l KPRO has been maintained

Printer Setup

To be able to print, a corresponding system setup as follows needs to be in place.

For on premise, printing is done via the spool. The setup should be the same as in classic ERP.

For the cloud editions, printing is done via print queues. The print queues need to be setup by the administrator. SAP cannot create them. See
documentation on how to set up a print queue in XRAY for Fiori App ‘Maintain Print Queues’.

The following table provides additional details about printing in different S/4 HANA solutions, depending on the output management in place:

S/4 Solution Output Printing How ?

Management Technique
Cloud Old Print Queue For each print queue, a corresponding SPAD printer will be created automatically (Proxy Printer).
This means that existing print programs can use the spool as before, by using the desired proxy
printer name. A batch job that runs every two minutes converts the spool request into a print queue 
item.

On the Fiori UI of the print queue, these converted entries will appear along with the spool
identifiers in their main document title, for example, SpoolRequest_0000156007_00001.pdf.

The Cloud Print Manager (CPM) is required, and must be configured on the client to output the 
document to the local printer. See the documentation in CPM via the menu help.

Administrator need to set up the print queues.
New Print Queue The output is directly sent to the print queue.

The Cloud Print Manager (CPM) is required, and must be configured on the client to output the 
document to the local printer. See the ocumentation in CPM via the menu help.

The administrator has to set up the print queues.

OnPremise Old Spool No changes are required as compared to the business suite.
New Spool No changes are required as compared to the business suite.

Please note: Frontend Printing (using SPAD of type F or G) is not supported in the cloud editions.

Solution
1. Customizing

You need to set up the following customization for the new output management:

Output Parameter Determination

SAP ECC Menu SAP Customizing Implementation Guide -> Cross-Application

Components -> Output Control -> Define Business Rules for Output
Determination
Transaction Code OPD (Output Parameter Determination)

SAP ships demo content for an out-of-the-box approach. You can adapt the content to your needs.

Note: There is no transport mechanism. Settings must be made in each system and/or client separately.

You can use the Excel Download/Upload function to do so.

For the cloud editions, there is a Fiori App (WebDynpro) available for the administrator.

For onPremise you need to import the BRF+ content yourself.

For release 1511 implement note 2248229.

Use

In this Customizing activity, you can define how the system determines output parameters for a specific business document. You can define
business rules for the determination of output parameters, such as output types, recipients, and form templates.
 Requirements

If you want to determine output types, these output types must be defined in the activity Define Output Types.

Activities

1. Select the business document, for example, Billing Document, for which you want to determine the output parameters.

2. Select the determination table in which you want to maintain the applicable business rules. Depending on your application, the following 
determination tables may be available:

Determination Number of Matches Result

Output Type Multiple List of Output Types as defined in the activity Define Output Types.
Receiver Multiple List of Receiver Roles
Channel Multiple List of Output Channels
Printer Settings Single Print Queue Name & Number of Copies
Email Settings Single Sender E-mail Address & Email Template
Email Receiver Multiple List of E-mail Roles (TO, CC, BCC) & Email Addresses
Form Template Single Form Template Name & Language
Output Relevance Single Can the document be output based on the defined condition (yes/no)?

3. Maintain the determination tables.

Output parameter determination is based on BRF+. For more information on decision tables and BRF+, please refer to SAP Help Portal and
enter the search term Business Rule Framework plus (BRFplus).

3.1 Table Definition

Each determination table consists of input columns (condition columns) and result columns. You can add new input columns via the table
settings.

Please note: Do not change the result columns or any other table parameters. If you do so, you will not be able to activate the table.

3.2 Table content

You can maintain the table content directly in the table, or you can download it and maintain it in Excel.

3.3 Specific Settings

3.3.1 Exclusive Indicator

You can mark a record in the receiver or channel determination as 'Exclusive'. If this indicator is set, the determination stops at this record, and
only this record is returned.

Example

Output Type Role Receiver ID Channel Exclusive Indicator

BILLING_DOCUMENT RE 1000 EMAIL X
BILLING_DOCUMENT PRINT -

For all receivers except customer 1000, the billing document is sent both via e-mail and to a printer, whereas customer 1000 only receives an

e-mail.

3.3.2 E-Mail

Defining settings for the sender's e-mail address and the receiver's e-mail address (To) is optional. If no addresses are maintained here, the
system reads the e-mail addresses from the master data for a business partner, company, or organizational unit. If an address is entered here,
this address overrides the master data entries.

Please note: Only one receiver's e-mail-To address can be read from the master data. If you need multiple e-mail-To addresses, you must 
define them here.

3.3.3 Form Template

Setting a language for the form template is optional. If no language is set, the system will use the form template in the communication language 
that is defined in the receiver's master data. If you set a language here, the system will use this language for the form template.

Determination of Form Master Templates

SAP ECC menu SAP Customizing Implementation Guide -> Cross-Application

Components -> Output Control -> Define Rules for Determination of
Master Form Template
View APOC_MV_SFORM_PA

Use

In this activity, you define the rules that determine the master form template that is used for output. This is dependent on the following 
parameters:
 ¡ Sender data
¡ Form template to be used (such as invoice)

The master form template contains static data (such as a logo and footer) that is applied to each form page.

Activities

1. Enter a rule ID, preferably an ID that indicates the logic of the rule.

2. Enter an ordinal number to specify the position of the rule in the determination sequence.

3. Enter the sender organization, organizational unit, channel, and/or country, which are provided by the application if supported.

4. Enter the form template used for the output of a particular type of content (for example, a customer invoice).

5. Enter the master form template that is used if the rule is a match for the combination of parameters.

Note: Parameters 3 to 5 are optional. If they are not filled, they are treated as wildcards, meaning that there is a match regardless of the actual
data (see below).

System Behavior

During document output, the master form template is determined by comparing each defined rule with the current data provided by the
application. The comparison starts with the rule with the lowest ordinal number, and continues through the sequence until a rule is found where
all the rule parameters match the current data. Note that if a parameter is not defined (no value entered), this parameter is considered a match.
As soon as a rule is found where all parameters match, the master form template for this rule is used and determination ends.

Information on Form Master Templates

A form master template is a separate form template (XDP file) that defines the master pages of application forms referencing the form master
template.

Technically, this makes use of fragments. Application forms link to the corresponding fragment and automatically include the master pages.

As a result, the master pages are read-only in the application form using fragments.

Content

A form master template includes:

A master page for the first page

¡ Defines the paper size and orientation

¡ Defines the content area
¡ Defines the layout and positioning of the
n Form Title
n Logo
n Page Number
n Sender Address (where applicable)
n Receiver Address (where applicable)
n Footer Blocks

A master page for subsequent pages

¡ Defines the paper size and orientation

¡ Defines the content area
¡ Defines the layout and positioning of the
n Form Title
n Logo
n Page Number
n Footer Blocks

Default Shipment 

SAP ships the following form master templates, which all include different layout variants (fragments) for portrait and landscape orientations.

On Premise

SOMU_FORM_MASTER_A4             Form Master Template for paper size 'A4'

SOMU_FORM_MASTER_LETTER      Form Master Template for paper size 'Letter'

These variants include placeholders for all static texts (Sender Address, Footer Blocks) and logos referenced in the template.

Maintenance of the content for these placeholders is done via SE78 for logos and via SO10 for texts.

Once the content has been defined, it can be referenced in the form master template determination rules.

Customers can copy these templates to create their own variants with different layouts. However, the names of the single fragments inside the 
form master template must not be changed.
 Cloud

APOC_DEMO_FORM_MASTER_AU    Form Master Template for Australia (paper size 'Letter')

APOC_DEMO_FORM_MASTER_BE    Form Master Template for Belgium (paper size 'A4')

APOC_DEMO_FORM_MASTER_CA    Form Master Template for Canada (paper size 'Letter')

APOC_DEMO_FORM_MASTER_DE    Form Master Template for Germany (paper size 'A4')

APOC_DEMO_FORM_MASTER_GB    Form Master Template for United Kingdom (paper size 'A4')

APOC_DEMO_FORM_MASTER_HU    Form Master Template for Hungary (paper size 'A4')

APOC_DEMO_FORM_MASTER_NL    Form Master Template for Netherlands (paper size 'A4')

APOC_DEMO_FORM_MASTER_US    Form Master Template for United States (paper size 'Letter')

These variants include demo content for all static texts (Sender Address, Footer Blocks) and logo.

Content maintenance is not available in the cloud!

Therefore, cloud customers need to copy an SAP form master template and put their content directly into the form master templates via Adobe
LiveCycle Designer. The names of the single fragments inside the form master template must not be changed!

Each content variant (for different companies / organizational units / countries) needs its own form master template.

Define Output Types

SAP ECC menu SAP Customizing Implementation Guide -> Cross-Application

Components -> Output Control -> Define Output Types
View APOC_I_OUTP_TYPV

Use

In this Customizing activity, you can define output types for existing applications as part of an implementation project.

SAP provides a set of preconfigured output types. Each output type belongs to a business object, such as a billing document (for example, an
invoice for a customer) or an outbound delivery that triggers the output for the output type.

If you would like to change these output types or add more output types, you can do this here.

Please note that the text of the output type is visible in the UI.

Requirements

You should only change or add output types as part of an implementation project.

Further Information

In the activity Define Business Rules for Output Determination, you can define the determination of output types using business rules.

Assign Output Channels

SAP ECC menu SAP Customizing Implementation Guide ->Cross-Application

Components -> Output Control -> Assign Output Channels
View APOC_C_CHANNELV

Use

In this activity, you can enter the allowed channels for a certain application object or output type.

Usually, not all output channels are available for all output types. To prevent the user being able to see selection options for output channels that 
are not available for a certain application object or output type, you should restrict the visibility so that only those output channels that can 
actually be used are displayed.

Standard Settings

If you do not make any restrictions here, the user will see - and be able to select - all output channels for all application objects or output types.

Assign Form Templates

SAP ECC menu SAP Customizing Implementation Guide -> Cross-Application

Components -> Output Control -> Assign Form Templates
View APOC_C_FORMV

Use

You can use this activity to provide business users with output type-specific selection options (input help) for form templates. All existing forms
that are entered in this table will be available via the input help.
 Standard Settings

If you would like to use legacy forms, this activity is mandatory. In this context, legacy forms refers to the following types of forms:

¡ pdf-based print forms

¡ Smart Forms
¡ SAPscript forms

If you want to make these forms available via the input help, you need to enter the following information in this table:

¡ Form type
¡ Form name
¡ Program name
¡ Routine name

For all other forms, this activity is optional.

If you would like to enable an application-specific selection of other forms, for example, forms which you created based on the
standard SAP forms, you need to enter these forms here.

2. Form Templates

SAP ships default form templates for each business application. The form technique, however, can differ for each application.

New output control supports:

l Legacy form technologies such as:

¡ SAPscript
¡ Smart Forms
¡ pdf-based print forms without fragments
l New form technologies such as: 
¡ pdf-based print forms with fragments  (allows reuse of common parts) 

It is recommended that you only use pdf-based print forms with fragments when creating new forms.

Customer Forms

Customers can create their own form templates. Depending on the form technology, different tools need to be used.

It is recommended that you only use pdf-based print forms with fragments when creating new forms.

Legacy Technologies

For forms using legacy technologies, back-end access is required. (If required in the cloud, Service Center has to do this for the customer.)

l SAPScript via SE71                      
l SmartForms via SMARTFORMS   
l pdf-based print forms (without fragments) via SFP 

Please note that you have to register your legacy forms in the customizing activity ‘Assign Form Templates’.

New technologies

l pdf-based print forms (with fragments) via SFP 

Form template editing always has to be done offline in Adobe LiveCycle Designer (ALD) version 10.4 or higher. The ALD is part of S/4 HANA and 
can be downloaded by the customer.

On Premise

Use transaction SFP, but do not use the built-in ALD in SFP to edit your forms. To upload and update a form, follow the steps below.

Uploading a New Form Template

Only perform the described steps. Never use the tab 'Layout', since SFP cannot handle S/4 forms including fragments. You will 
damage your form!  (If you click it by accident, leave the transaction without saving.)

1. Start transaction SFP in your development client. 
2. Enter the name of your form. 
3. Press 'Create'. 
4. Enter a description for your form.
5. Enter 'SOMU_DEFAULT_INTERFACE' as Interface.
6. Choose 'Save' and assign your package name. 
7. Ensure that 'Layout Technology' is set to 'XFA2'.
8. Fill 'Gateway Service' with the name of your gateway service. 
9. Set the 'Fragment Usage':

¡ If you are using a form master: 'Form with Fragment' 
¡ If you are not using a form master: 'Form without Fragment'
¡ When creating a form master: 'Fragment'

10. Enter the list of 'Countries' for which this form template is usable: 
 ¡ Leave it blank when your form is country independent (no country specific content).
¡ Enter one or more country codes such as T005, separated by commas (example: DE, CH, AT).
¡ Note: This list of countries is for documentation only and has no effect on the form
template selection.

11. Choose Menu 'Utilities' -> 'Uploading/Downloading' -> 'Uploading Layout'

12. Choose the XDP file of your form template.
13. Save and Activate 
14. Leave the transaction

Updating an Existing Form Template

Only perform the described steps. Never use the tab 'Layout' , since SFP cannot handle S/4 forms including fragments. You will 
damage your form! (If you click it by accident, leave the transaction without saving.)

1. Start transaction SFP in your development client. 
2. Enter the name of your form. 
3. Choose 'Display'.
4. Choose Menu 'Utilities' -> 'Uploading/Downloading' -> 'Downloading Layout'
5. Save the XDP file to the network share. 
6. Leave the transaction.
  
7. Update the form offline in the ALD.
8. When finished, make sure there are no references to local data (such as a path to sample data file) in the form template.
9. Start transaction SFP in your development client. 
10. Enter the name of your form.  
11. Press 'Change'. 
12. Choose Menu 'Utilities' -> 'Uploading/Downloading' -> 'Uploading Layout'
13. Choose the updated XDP file of your form template.
14. Save and Activate. 

Cloud Editions

Use the app ''Maintain Form Templates’. Using this App, you can download existing templates, edit them offline, and upload them again.

Form Template Implementation

Form Data Provider

¡ The data for the form is retrieved via a gateway service (form data provider).
¡ All form data provider names start with the prefix FDP. 
¡ A form's attributes (Gateway Service) indicate which form data provider belongs to that form. 
¡ Customers cannot extend the FDP directly. Only entities that are using a CDS view can be extended by the customer. 
¡ For all other enhancements, Service Center would have to implement the change. 

3. Migration

Within the ECC Business Suite, different output frameworks are used in different applications (SD Output Control, FI Correspondence, FI-CA Print
Workbench, CRM Post-Processing Framework).

When one considers the migration of a legacy system to S/4 HANA, it becomes evident that there cannot be one generic approach to cover

the migration of all legacy OM frameworks.

Looking further into the most prominent legacy OM framework SD Output control (NAST), it becomes clear that:

l 100% feature parity is not a given (and, most likely, is not wanted).
l Migration of data cannot be performed because even the NAST is highly generic.

Therefore, the recommendation is not to carry out a migration at all, but to establish a coexistence of old and new output 
management.

This means:

l For existing customers who are using the old output management:

¡ Data from old OM is kept.
¡ Customizing for old OM is kept.
¡ Customers need to customize the new OM.
¡ Documents that were started in the old OM will still be processed using the old OM. 
¡ New Documents will only use the new OM (if the corresponding application is adopted already). 

l For new customers

¡ Customers need to customize the new OM.
¡ All documents will be using the new OM (if the corresponding application is adopted already) 

Validity
Software Component From Rel. To Rel. And Subsequent
S4CORE 100 100  

101 101  

References
This document refers to:
SAP Notes
2248229   S/4HANA On-Premise Output Management BRF+ Files