Premium Hub CoE – Implementing the New Invoice Status Update Interface/Functionality for SAP BN4L FC

[huseyin_yalcin]

Introduction

SAP has introduced a new interface/functionality for SAP Business Network for Logistics, which requires the implementation of SAP Note 3557909. One of the key improvements addresses a gap in the invoicing process. Previously, once an invoice was submitted, there was no way to track its status in the shipper's backend system. With this update, a new SOAP message is introduced to send invoice status updates from the shipper system to BN4L.

With this new functionality the carrier invoice status is updated in BN4L. As a result, any action taken by the business user in TM invoice documents that changes the lifecycle status will now be pushed to BN4L via a new SOAP interface. This development focuses primarily on the changes introduced in BN4L, closing a known gap where BN4L previously did not receive invoicing outcome updates from TM.

This blog post will guide you through the step-by-step process to apply this update and enable the new features in your SAP system.

These new statuses are;

• Submitted (Created in ordering party's system): This indicates that carrier invoice is received by TM successfully.
• Rejected by ordering party: This status is placed if carrier invoice is rejected by shipper in TM system.
• Processed by ordering party: This status is placed if carrier invoice is posted by shipper to ERP for payment.

Overview of the Carrier Invoice Processing Flow

Submission

• The carrier invoice is submitted in the ordering party's system.
• Once received by the Shipper TM, a status update is sent to BN4L.
• The carrier invoice status is updated to Submitted (Created in ordering party's system).

Rejection

• If the carrier invoice is rejected on the invoice detail page, its status changes to Rejected by Ordering Party in BN4L.

Processing by Ordering Party

• The carrier invoice is received, and a settlement document is created in TM.
• The invoice status changes to Ready for Posting in TM.
• At this stage, the invoice is ready to be posted.
• Once posted, the TM carrier invoice status updates to Carrier Invoice Posted.
• A status update is sent to BN4L, marking the invoice as Processed by Ordering Party in BN4L.

Step-by-Step Guide

*Please check packages created for the SAP Business Network for Logistics features in your system first. If you dont have respective packages, install https://me.sap.com/notes/3322583 this not first as prerequisite.

Step 1: Accessing SAP Note 3557909

1. Log in to SAP ONE Support Launchpad (https://me.sap.com/notes/3557909/E).
2. Search for SAP Note 3557909.
3. Review the note details to understand its impact and requirements.

Step 2: Implementing the SAP Note

1. Open transaction SNOTE in SAP GUI.
2. Click on Download SAP Note and enter 3557909.
3. Once downloaded, verify the dependencies and conflicts.
4. Click Implement SAP Note and follow the on-screen instructions.

Step 3: Activate the interface in SOAMANAGER

1. Configure BNInvoiceStatusUpdateRequest_Out webservice and active it like other BN4L/FC outbound interfaces.

Step 4: Activating the New Interface/Functionality

1. After successful implementation, navigate to SPRO.
2. Open the Maintain PPF Settings.
3. Select New Entries.
4. Add new entry with name “BN_Transportation”. Note: If this already exist kindly select and proceed to step f.
5. Description as “BN Enhancement for TM Object”.
6. Save the entry.

1. Select PPF Application.
2. Click on button Define Action Profile and Actions.

1. Select Action Profile, add new entry BN_SFIR & description as “Transfer Invoice to BN4L”.
2. Select the Radio Button Persistent Class under Category of Object Type.
3. Maintain the Object Type with value “/BOFU/CL_PPF_CONTAINER”.
4. Maintain Context Class with value “/BOFU/CL_PPF_CONTEXT”.

1. Selection Action Definition for the relevant Action Profile.
2. Create an entry with Action Definition as “BN_INV_STATUS_UPDATE”. Note: This action needs to be same as mentioned.
3. Provide the description as “Invoice lifecycle status update”.
4. Select the Processed At to “Processing when saving the document”.
5. Processing Times Not Permitted to “No Restrictions”.
6. Sort Order For Display is maintaned to "0".
7. Select the Check boxes: Schedule Automatically, Changeable in Dialog & Executable in Dialog.
8. Select the Determination Technology from value help as Determination Using Conditions that Can Be Transported.
9. Select the Rule Type from value help as Conditions Using Business Add-In (BAdI).
10. Select the Action Merging from value help as Set Highest Number of Processed Actions.

1. Add the Processing Types using the New Entries option.
2. Select Edit.
3. Select New Entries.
4. Select a cell under Assignment/Change Using Value Help in List, you will have the value help / F4 help.
5. Use the F4 help to select the option as Method Call.
6. Select the Method using F4 help as “/BOFU/PPF_STANDARD”.
7. Save the entries.

1. Click on button Condition Configuration (Transportable Conditions).
2. Select Actions for B2B Messages Related to Transportation from left.
3. Click on Display/Change and use create button to add the action Send updates for Invoice.
4. Select the created entry and go to Schedule Condition tab on the bottom of the screen.
5. Use F4 help to select the Schedule Condition field with value /BOFU/EVAL_SCHEDULE_CONDITION.
6. Go to Start Condition tab.
7. Use F4 help to select the Start Condition field with value /BOFU/EVAL_START_CONDITION.
8. Click on Save and Back.

1. Configuration in Maintain Output Management Adapter Settings

1. Select PPF output Agents for BO Nodes from left panel.
2. Add new output agent using New Entries.

1. Provide Business Object as "/SCMTMS/SUPPFREIGHTINVREQ" and Node as "ROOT".
2. Output agent name as “BN_SFIR_SERVICE”.
3. Agent Class for node “CL_SBN_INV_STATUS_UPD_REQ_OUT”. Note: This class must be same as given.
4. Enable Check box needs to be checked only when all the below configuration is completed.

1. Select the newly created Output Agent and traverse to Assign PPF Profiles
2. Create New Entry.
3. Select the Action Profile which will be “BN_SFIR”.
4. Enable using the check box.
5. Select the drop down for Output Type – “Has Critical o/p: Process during Save – before Commit”.

1. Select the Action Settings
2. Create New Entry.
3. Select from F4 help the already created Action Definition BN_INV_STATUS_UPDATE.
4. Select the Activate Action check box.

1. Save the changes and transport them to the target system if required.
2. Validate that the settings have been successfully applied by checking the configuration logs.

Step 5: Testing the New Features

1. Perform basic sanity tests to verify the functionality.
2. Execute test cases related to BN4L processes.
3. If applicable, check the integration with SAP TM, Freight Settlement, or connected carriers.
4. Make sure interface is processed succesfully by monitoring SRT_MONI tcode

Step 6: Troubleshooting

• If you encounter errors, review the implementation logs in SNOTE.
• Check the SAP Note FAQ section for known issues.
• Raise an incident with SAP Support if necessary.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you can successfully implement SAP Note 3557909 and activate the latest BN4L functionality. Ensure you test thoroughly before deploying to a production environment. Stay tuned for future updates on SAP BN4L!

[Rohit_Mahajan]

Thanks for Detailed information to implement this feature.

[Jeff-Gebo]

Great write up on this! So happy to see this gap in the product closed. 🎉

[PabloJarouge]

Hi Team,

I'm trying to implement the note 3557909 , but I have a syntax error in the class CL_SBN_INV_STATUS_UPD_REQ_OUT created by this note.

The note creates  CL_SBN_INV_STATUS_UPD_REQ_OUT 

and the `method_call_by_ABAP` with the following data definition:

lo_sbn_invupdmsg TYPE REF TO sbn_bninvoice_status_update_re

Problem:

The object`sbn_bninvoice_status_update_re`  doesn't exist and isn't created by this note.

Regards,

Pablo.

[huseyin_yalcin]

Hi @PabloJarouge ,

Could you please create an incident to respective component for further analysis.

BR,

Huseyin