9.6 Output Management: Modern BRFplus Architecture and Migration from Classical NAST

Output Management: Modern BRFplus Architecture and Migration from Classical NAST

In enterprise Order-to-Cash processing, generating business correspondence—order confirmations, delivery notes, packing lists, commercial invoices, and electronic data interchange (EDI) dispatches—is critical to commercial operations. For over three decades in SAP R/3 and ECC, output was governed exclusively by the classical NAST message control framework.

With the architectural evolution to SAP S/4HANA, SAP introduced a redesigned output management framework (SAP S/4HANA Output Management, component CA-GTF-OC) powered by Business Rules Framework Plus (BRFplus) and configured via central transaction OPD (Output Parameter Determination). Understanding modern output management, its decision table hierarchy, its Adobe Document Services (ADS) integration, and its migration coexistence with NAST is a cornerstone of the S/4HANA Sales certification.

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Classical NAST vs. Modern S/4HANA Output Management

To grasp why S/4HANA overhauled output management, one must contrast the legacy and modern architectures:

┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐       ┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐
│         CLASSICAL NAST FRAMEWORK        │       │        MODERN BRFplus / OPD FRAMEWORK   │
│ • Relational Table NAST                 │       │ • Business Rules Framework Plus (OPD)   │
│ • Condition Technique (VV11, VV31)      │       │ • Decision Tables (Sequential Steps)    │
│ • ABAP Print Driver Programs (TNAPR)    │  vs.  │ • Core Data Services (CDS Views)        │
│ • SAPscript & Smart Forms               │       │ • Adobe Document Services (ADS / PDF)   │
│ • Dispatch Job: RSNAST00                │       │ • Asynchronous BgRFC & Cloud-Ready      │
│ • Separate setup per applicatio         │       │ • Master Form / Content Form Separation │
└─────────────────────────────────────────┘       └─────────────────────────────────────────┘

Limits of Classical NAST

1. Separate setup per application: Each application had its own output determination with condition records, print programs, and forms, so similar outputs were configured several times.
2. Coupled print programs and forms: Data retrieval and layout logic were often combined in driver programs (TNAPR) and SAPscript or Smart Forms, which made changes and extensions harder.
3. No use in the public cloud: SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition supports only SAP S/4HANA Output Management.

Advantages of Modern S/4HANA Output Management

1. Business Rules Driven: Business analysts configure and adjust business rules in BRFplus decision tables (OPD) without writing ABAP code or transporting condition records.
2. Extensibility: Broad use of CDS views and form data services, and a unified solution across SD, MM, FIN, and other applications.
3. Channels: For sales documents, PRINT, EMAIL, and EDI (IDoc or SOA/XML messages); state-of-the-art email support with templates and multiple recipients.
4. SAP Fiori integration: Output items can be checked and previewed directly in the sales document apps.

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Architecture of Output Parameter Determination (Transaction OPD)

The administrative cockpit for modern output management is transaction OPD (Output Parameter Determination). OPD evaluates business rules through a series of BRFplus Decision Tables executed in strict sequence for each Application Object Type (e.g. SALES_DOCUMENT, BILLING_DOCUMENT):

                       Transaction OPD: Decision Table Hierarchy
                                          │
Step 1: Output Type        (e.g., ORDER_CONFIRMATION, BILLING_DOCUMENT)
  │
Step 2: Receiver           (e.g., Partner Function SP, BP, PY)
  │
Step 3: Channel            (e.g., PRINT, EMAIL, EDI)
  │
Step 4: Printer Settings   (PRINT channel: printer, number of copies)
Step 5: Email Settings     (EMAIL channel: sender, email template)
  │
Step 6: Email Recipient    (e.g., email address, TO/CC/BCC)
  │
Step 7: Form Template      (form and master form template)
  │
Step 8: Output Relevance   (e.g., only complete documents)

The Step-by-Step Decision Table Evaluation Trace

1. Output Type

Determines which commercial business document type is triggered. For application object SALES_DOCUMENT, condition rows evaluate document category and sales document type (OR, QT, IN) to determine output type ORDER_CONFIRMATION.

2. Receiver

Identifies who receives the document by querying the document's partner functions. For an order confirmation, the receiver is typically the Sold-to Party (SP); for a billing document, it is the Bill-to Party (BP) or Payer (PY).

3. Channel

Determines the transmission medium for each receiver. Possible channels include:

• PRINT — Physical spool output via ADS.
• EMAIL — Automated email dispatch with PDF attachment.
• EDI — Messages as IDoc or SOA (XML) message. According to the official course, the IDoc format is intended only for internal billing, and the XML format is designed for integration with SAP Ariba.

4. Printer Settings / Email Settings

Depending on the active channel, the system evaluates secondary decision tables:

• For PRINT: Evaluates the output printer queue (e.g. LP01), number of copies, and print immediately flags.
• For EMAIL: Derives the sender email address and the email template.

5. Email Receiver

When the EMAIL channel is selected, this table maps the recipient partner function's email address from the Business Partner master data (BUT000 / ADR6) and designates whether they are placed on the TO, CC, or BCC line.

6. Form Template

Assigns the form template (and master form template) to use, for example depending on the sales organization and document type.

7. Output Relevance (Gatekeeper Step)

The final and most critical evaluation step. Output Relevance acts as an automated boolean filter (TRUE / FALSE). Even if all preceding tables determine an output type and channel, the document will not be emitted if the output relevance rule evaluates to FALSE.

• Example Rules from the official course: issue outputs only for complete documents (incompleteness check), or issue no output if the materials are not available (availability check). An output item that is not relevant stays in preparation.

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Form Templates and the Master Form Architecture

In classical ERP, each company modified independent Smart Forms or SAPscript forms, resulting in duplicate headers, logos, and bank footers across dozens of separate documents. In S/4HANA, output formatting is decoupled into two structural layers:

┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                     MASTER FORM TEMPLATE                               │
│  ┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐  │
│  │ Corporate Logo                           Sender Address Header   │  │
│  └──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘  │
│  ┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐  │
│  │ Recipient Address Window (Fold-Mark Compliant)                   │  │
│  └──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘  │
│  ┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐  │
│  │                                                                  │  │
│  │              APPLICATION CONTENT FORM TEMPLATE                   │  │
│  │              (e.g., SD_SLS_ORDER_CONF)                           │  │
│  │                                                                  │  │
│  │   • Sales Order Number & Date                                    │  │
│  │   • Line Item Table: Material, Qty, Unit Price, Net Value        │  │
│  │   • Pricing Condition Breakdown & Tax Summary                    │  │
│  │                                                                  │  │
│  └──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘  │
│  ┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐  │
│  │ Corporate Footer: Bank Accounts, IBAN/BIC, VAT IDs, Legal Reg    │  │
│  └──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘  │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

1. Master Form Template

• Defines the unified corporate identity: company logo, top sender line, recipient address window (positioned for standard windowed envelopes), and multi-column footer blocks (bank accounts, IBAN/BIC, commercial register numbers, VAT IDs, executive board names).
• Evaluated dynamically in BRFplus based on Company Code, Sales Organization, or Country.

2. Application Content Form Template

• Contains purely transaction-specific payload tables: document number, purchase order reference, line item grid (materials, descriptions, quantities, net prices, delivery dates), tax totals, and item notes.
• Content forms are designed with Adobe LiveCycle Designer.

3. Data Source and Supported Form Technologies

A form template used to generate a PDF contains a data source (OData service) and a layout (Adobe LiveCycle Designer document). At runtime, the OData service reads the document data and the result is merged with the layout to render the PDF. SAP S/4HANA Output Management supports the classic form technologies SAPscript, Smart Forms, and PDF-based print forms without fragments, plus PDF-based print forms with fragments, which SAP recommends. The forms and their print programs must be compatible with Output Management.

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Coexistence and Migration from NAST to BRFplus

A critical exam topic is managing the transition from legacy NAST to modern BRFplus:

Public Cloud vs. On-Premise / Private Cloud

• SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition: Exclusively utilizes modern BRFplus output management (OPD). Classical NAST is completely removed.
• SAP S/4HANA On-Premise & Cloud Private Edition: Supports dual coexistence. Customers can choose on an application-by-application basis whether to use modern BRFplus or retain legacy NAST.

Managing Coexistence in Customizing

In SPRO under Cross-Application Components $\rightarrow$ Output Control $\rightarrow$ Manage Application Object Type Activation, administrators manage the active framework per application object type. SAP S/4HANA Output Management is active by default; a change of the activation status applies only to new documents, while existing documents keep the framework that was active when they were created. For billing documents, Output Management is also the default, and NAST can be enabled again with a specific Customizing parameter (SAP Note 2267376). The table shows an example landscape:

Migration Strategy for Brownfield Implementations

Enterprises with extensive libraries of custom Smart Forms often execute a phased migration:

1. Keep NAST for billing documents during the initial go-live if the existing output programs are not yet compatible with Output Management.
2. Activate SALES_DOCUMENT for modern output to leverage BRFplus automated PDF emailing for sales order confirmations.
3. Gradually move forms to PDF-based print forms with fragments, test them, and activate Output Management for the remaining object types.