Release procedure configuration using standard workflow for multiple users

[Former Member]

SAP MM Experts,

We have a scenario to configure release strategy for 50 plants. Each plant will have different set of approvers whose user id we need to maintain in workflow and so they can release PR/PO in Fiori.

If it was same approvers say same buyer and purchase manager for all the 50 plants, we could have created 1 release group, 2 release code (one for buyer and one for manager), create 1 release strategy whose classification will include all these 50 plants and maintain SAP user id of these 2 users for the release group and code combination in workflow setting.

However, for different users as approvers for each plant, which one of below option is feasible and advisable?

Option 1: To create 50 different release codes (1 for each approver), assign to one release group or vice versa (create 50 groups (1 for each plant) and 2 release codes) and then create 50 different release strategy i.e., each plant will have 1 plant as characteristic value, so 50 release group and release code combination can be maintained in workflow with their SAP user id so for each plant the respective approver receives the workflow notification.

What is suggested in this option, to create 50 different release codes or 50 different groups as in case of 50 different groups it would be easy to just create 2 release code and assign the authorizations to the users.

Option 2: Use the customer exits. (User exit EXIT_SAPLEBNF_005 in enhancment M06E0005 is available for custom agent determination in Purchase Orders and user exit EXIT_SAPLEBNF_001 (M06B0001) for Purchase Requisitions.)

Through this we can assign both release codes to 1 release grp, we create 1 release strategy for all plants, create custom table with set of approvers for each plant and use customer exits to determine the approvers.

Is there any other way we can fulfill this requirement through standard functionality or using customer exit is feasible.Do we need to do some workflow configuration after creating custom table for approver and using customer exit to determine approvers?

I appreciate your feedback.

Thanks.

[Sanan]

Why you don't use Flexable workflow if you are on S/4 HANA, it is easier and less work to manage such scenarios.

[Former Member]

We are on ECC.

[mohsinabbasi007]

Dear Brother,
To me the best way is to have a one release group and 50 different release strategy based on plants (as a characteristic)  and 50 different codes as it is recommended for audit purpose as well. 
Release group               Release Strategy                 Release Code

PO                                 01                                        A1

PO                                 02                                        A2

[TobiaszWegrzynski]

If you have 50 plants and 2 different approvers in each plant, then:
Create 50 different release groups and assign a different plant characteristic to each group.
Then create two codes - for a purchaser (first level) and a manager (second level)
You also need 100 different roles of approvers, each with a different release group authorization and either release code 1 or 2.
The number of release strategies (50 or 100) depends on whether you want to have a one-level approval or perhaps sometimes or always a two-level approval.

[Former Member]

Thanks for your inputs. Is there any other standard way we can reduce this effort? How about the second option i mentioned?

[TobiaszWegrzynski]

Are you talking about 50 release codes? So you want to configure them and not create a prerequisite for each of them, so that theoretically a specific PR can be released by each code. Then you want to create 50 roles, each for a different code. But then how would you manage the workflow notifications? In the PR there is a plant in a workflow table, but in the PO we don't have that. Also, if you configure 50 release codes, you will see them all in every single document. This can be confusing. The release code is usually a release level and is not used to differentiate between characteristics. For this we have the release groups.

[Former Member]

The plant in the workflow table is only for PR and not PO. It is only used in PR release strategy if configured item wise release and not overall release. As a standard solution I understand it is feasible to create 50 different release groups and not release codes. However, my question was can we use option 2 using the customer exit to simplify instead of creating 50 different groups and strategies.

[TobiaszWegrzynski]

If something can be done by a system configuration, then do it. In such a case, don't think about custom enhancements. Keep your core system clean.