Release procedure Release procedure means to determine the approval process.

. Whether the approval process will be done electronically or manual signature to be followed or verbal communication to be followed. i.e. how to approve the purchasing doc. Once release process is determined (decided), then release strategy will be decided. Strategy means how to perform the release process. E.g if the rel procedure is manual process then in what color of ink the signature should be done. Who will be make the sig etc. who will sign first .. who will sign next etc. Release Strategy (RS) which release codes should be used and the sequence it should be used it defines the release codes and the sequence in which release must be used by using these codes. It contains the steps like: Release Group Release Codes Release Indicators Release Prerequisite

Release Group: releasing/authorizing group for a particular Purchasing group (the deptt) . Here in the above snap, Mgr, Director, VP , CFO are the athorized persons for approving the pur doc. In the above case, there will be two release groups needed because the approval interval values are different between the two departments. If there were a third department that had the same approval interval values, it could share a release group i.e. the release strategy would be same for more than one department The rel grp is generally assigned with a class in SAP. Class contains group of characteristics.

Create a release group for your release procedure and assign it to a class. In the process, you assign release conditions to the release procedure. Release Codes A release code is an identifier that is associated with the person responsible for approving. i.e basically its the psswd/code hold by the approver to pass the doc. Instead of sig, the approver can use the code to pass the doc as like passing a queue with a code in the banks. Its an "electronic signature" which can give the document legal force for further processing. E.g. AA - Manager BB - Director CC - Vice President DD CFO Codes are generally Position based not individual based. The release codes is basically controlled via a system of authorizations (authorization object M_EINK_FRG). Use SE12, structure CEKKO to check all the fields available for controlling the Purchase Order. Release Indicator: This will indicate whether a doc is released completely (approved by all stake holders) or still needs approval from one or more approvers. When its completely release, it will show by whish letter (in our eg. R) and if still wating for approval B. R Release B Blocked For eg if 3 approvers are there (x,y,z sequence). For x it will show blocked after his sign, so he will know that one more autorization is required and he will pass. Then for Y it will still show blocked and same he will do and Z it will show released after his sign. So here it will conform that its been released. Release Prerequisite The sequence in which approver should sign It will informs the system which RS has to be take place

Charactristics: These are the items/virtues which the approver should verify before approving the doc. Each chara represents a rel condition. If the criteria(price , plant,purn) of a release condition are satisfied, the associated release strategy (i.e the code will be identified)is assigned to the purchasing document. Release Conditions: It determines the type of the release strategy For e.g. If the price ranges from 1 to 1000, It is approved by AA, BB, and CC If the ranges from1001 to 1lac then it is approved by AA, BB, CC, and DD

If its from particular plant, then approved by AA If its from particular purch org, then approved by BB i.e plant, purch org, value are the characristics. Classification -combination Specific combination from the characteristics. i.e upto $50k from all othe values.

Steps for configuring the PO release strategy Create the PO Characteristic - CT04

o Classification characteristics are the criteria for a release condition. o If the criteria of a release condition are satisfied, the associated release strategy is assigned to the purchasing document (e.g. purchase order or
RFQ). Create the Class of the PO Release Strategy - CL02

o You use a class to group together characteristics that are to constitute a release condition for a release strategy. In the step "Define Release Procedure for Purchase Orders" you assign this class to the release strategy.
Define the Release Procedure OMGS - Define Release Procedure for Purchase Order Type Check your PO release configuration Finally, check your PO Release Strategy configuration to make sure that there are no errors. OMGSCK - Check Release Strategies (make sure there are no error messages) Once the Purchase Order is not release, buyers will not be able to print the Purchase Order. Goods Receipts will be shown with Message no. ME 390 - Purchasing document XXXXXXX not yet released. In 4.6c, Purchase Order with Release Strategy have a tabs at the end of the Header. This allowed the buyers to check the release status of the Purchase Order. The person with the release authorization have to use ME28 to release the Purchase Order.

Two different procedures are available for requisitions: * With classification With this procedure, requisitions can be released both at item level (i.e. item-by-item) and in total. The latter approach is also termed "overall release". * Without classification With this procedure, requisitions can only be released at item level. The two procedures are mutually exclusive (that is to say, you must decide in favor of one of them only - you cannot use both). Release Procedure for External Purchasing Documents External purchasing documents (i.e. purchasing documents other than requisitions) are released at header level. Item-by-item release is not possible. These documents can only be released using the release procedure with classification http://it.toolbox.com/wiki/index.php/Release_Procedure_for_Purchase_Orders#Release_Proced ure_for_Purchase_Orders

Qn1 My client is having following requirement for Purchase Order release procedure. Plant 1 - 1 Release code (Manager) Plant 2 - 2 Release Codes (Manager, Sr Manager) Plant 3 - 3 Release Codes (Purchase Officer, Manager, Sr Manager) All plants are assigned to one company code. Please advise me how I can map above requirement in sap.
Follow the steps 1) Create characteristic for plant, document type, value, with CEKKO-WERKS, CEKKO-BSART, and CEKKO-GNETW. 2) Create a class and assign the characteristic to class 3) Create Release groups and assign class to group 4) Create Release code and assign to Group 5) Create Release strategy for first code and in the classification value give only plant 1 6) Create Release stragety for 2nd code with first and second code and in classification give plan2 7) In the same way do for the third plant Qn2: Work flow ?? How to print the released po? How to authorize ?

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