9.7 Output Parameter Determination with Decision Tables

Output Parameter Determination with Decision Tables

Section 9.6 introduced the framework of SAP S/4HANA Output Management: activation per application object type, output types, channels, and form templates. This section covers the heart of the S46055 course: how output parameters are determined with decision tables. In the course scenario, the sales department wants an order confirmation issued immediately when a customer order is saved, and the application consultant Jim sets up the decision tables to make that happen.

Output Parameters and Determination Steps

To issue output for a document, the document needs output parameters: which output type, to which partner, through which channel, in which language, at what time. They are determined automatically when the document is created. Without output parameters in the document, no output can be issued; with them, output can be issued immediately on save or later by a background job, and print output can be shown in a preview.

The different output parameters are maintained in separate decision tables. In the Output Parameter Determination application, each table corresponds to a determination step. There are eight determination steps, each with its own result columns:

Structure of a Decision Table

A decision table consists of condition columns (white) and one or more result columns (green). Rules are defined in the condition columns; if a row's conditions are met, its results are returned as output parameters. If necessary, you can add new condition columns in the table settings.

The course example is a toy manufacturer selling through several sales organizations and distribution channels:

• If sales organization Germany sells through the end-customer channel, the order confirmation is sent only by email.
• If the same sales organization sells through the wholesale channel, the order confirmation is printed and mailed.

Arrangement of Rows

Each decision table is processed from left to right and from top to bottom. Rows should therefore start with the most specific combinations, followed by the more general ones. An empty condition cell means any value fulfills it. Example:

1. Row 1: sales organization 1010 and distribution channel 10 → EMAIL.
2. Row 2: sales organization 1020 (any channel) → PRINT.
3. Row 3: no conditions (any combination) → EDI.

The steps output type, recipient, channel, and email recipient can return multiple hits. In the example, an order of sales organization 1010 and channel 10 meets rows 1 and 3, so it would get email and EDI output. If that is not wanted, mark row 1 as exclusive in the recipient or channel determination step: then only the email output is created. Rows can be rearranged so the most specific conditions are checked first, and tables can be exported to and imported from Microsoft Excel for editing.

How Conditions Are Evaluated

The general rule: the conditions of the decision table are checked with the data of the sales document. If the first condition of the first row is fulfilled, the second condition of that row is checked, and so on, because the columns are linked with a logical AND. If all conditions of a row are fulfilled, the results of the row are transferred to the document. If the result is not exclusive, the next row is evaluated.

Include and Exclude Conditions

• Include condition: the row is (further) evaluated only if the include condition is true. If all include conditions of a row are fulfilled, the results are returned.
• Exclude condition: the row is (further) evaluated only if the exclude condition is false. If any exclude condition of a row is true, the row returns no result.

Conditions use comparison operators such as is equal to, is less than, or is not equal to. Within one condition cell:

• Several include conditions are linked with OR: as soon as one is true, the row is evaluated further.
• Several exclude conditions are also linked with OR: as soon as one is true, the row returns no result.
• Include and exclude conditions are linked with AND: the include condition must be true and the exclude condition false.

The Course Example in Detail

For the output type step, the standard delivery offers the condition columns SD Document Category and Sales Document Type. A row contains:

• In SD Document Category: include condition = C (order).
• In Sales Document Type: include condition is not equal to BV, plus exclude conditions such as = SO01.
• Results: output type Order Confirmation and dispatch time 1 Immediately.

For a standard order (OR): category C fulfills the include condition; OR is not equal to BV (include true); OR does not equal SO01 (exclude false, so the other exclude condition linked by OR is not checked). The row returns the order confirmation with immediate dispatch. For a quotation (category B), the first include condition fails, so no order confirmation is determined. For a cash sale (BV), the include condition in the second column fails.

Simulation

For each determination step, you can simulate the evaluation of the decision table in the Output Parameter Determination application. This is especially useful for complex conditions, because it is not always obvious which output parameters result in a given situation.

Defining Output Parameters for a Sales Order: The Full Chain

1. Output type: defined in the first determination step; it becomes a condition for all further steps.
2. Recipient: in the Receiver Determination step, for example the sold-to party for the order confirmation.
3. Channel: PRINT, EMAIL, or EDI, determined with the output type and other characteristics.
4. Printer settings: for PRINT, the printer and number of copies.
5. Form template: for print and email, the template that renders the PDF: the OData service reads the document data and merges it with the Adobe LiveCycle layout.
6. Output relevance: checked when the output is triggered. Examples from the course: issue output only for complete documents (incompleteness check) or issue no output if materials are not available (availability check). If the output is not relevant, the output item stays in preparation and cannot be issued.

Worked Example

Requirement: order confirmations for standard orders of sales organization 1010 are emailed immediately to the sold-to party when the order is complete; all other sales organizations print them.

1. Output type step: row with category C, document type not equal to BV → Order Confirmation, dispatch time Immediately.
2. Recipient step: output type Order Confirmation → partner function sold-to party.
3. Channel step: row 1 (exclusive) sales organization 1010 → EMAIL; row 2 (empty cells) → PRINT.
4. Email settings and email recipient steps: sender address and template for 1010; recipient from the sold-to party's email address.
5. Output relevance step: relevant only if the document is complete.
6. Simulate each step for a test order, then create an incomplete order: the output item stays in preparation until the missing data is entered.