SAP Purchase Order Release Strategy Configuration

Configuring the Purchase Order Release Strategy

The aim of the sap purchase order release procedure is to replace the manual written authorization procedures.  An electronic signatures is used instead, maintaining the dual control principle.  The person responsible for the processes of the requisition or other purchasing document in the system have to approve by marking an "electronic signature" which can give the document legal force for further processing.
Briefly, this is how the purchase order release strategy works :-
The release code is a two character ID allowing a person to release (clear, or approve) a requisition or an external purchasing document. 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.
An example of configuring a Purchase Order Release Strategy :-
If the total value for the Purchase Order exceeds 10,000, release strategy 01 is assigned to the Purchase Order.  There is only one characteristic created in this example.  For controlling the Purchase Order type, create characteristic for CEKKO-BSTYP and the value NB.

Steps for configuring the Purchase Order release strategy :-

1. Create the PO Characteristic
2. Create the Class of the PO Release Strategy
3. Define the Release Procedure
4. Check your PO release configuration

Create the SAP Purchase Order Characteristic

Transaction code : CT04 - Create Characteristic   e.g.  NETVALUE

• Click Additional data tabstrips
• Table name CEKKO      Field name  GNETW    and press enter and you will see this information message :-
  Format data taken from Data Dictionary (press enter)
• (for currency dependent field, you are prompt to enter the currency which the system then converts the currency of the Purchasing document into this currency)
• In the Basic data tabsritps (X refers to tick),
  X    Mutliple values
  X    Interval values
• In the Value data, in the Char. value column, type >=10000 (equal or greater than 10000) and press enter
• Save your data

Create the Class of the SAP Purchase Order Release Strategy

Transaction code : CL02 - Class

• Class - Create REL_PUR
• Class type - 032
• Click Create button
• Description - Release Procedure for Purchase Order
• In the Same Classification section, click Check with error
• In the Char. (characteristic) tabstrips, type NETVALUE to assign your characteristics to the class
• Save your data and this message will appear :-
  Class type 032: Class REL_PUR created

Define the SAP Purchase Order Release Procedure

OMGS - Define Release Procedure for Purchase Order Type
Release Group - New entries
Rel.group   Rel. Object   Class                 Description
  02                                 REL_PUR        Rel. Strategy for PO
Save your entries.
Release codes - New entries
Grp         Code
02           01
Save your entries.
Release indicators - New entries
Release indicators           Release        Description
      0                                                        Blocked
      1                                     X                Release
Save your entries
Release Strategy - New entries
Release group   02
Rel.strategy    01 - Release
Release codes   01
Release status   0 - Blocked
                        1 - Release
Click the Release prerequisities button
Click the Relase statuses button the click the Continue button
Click the Classification button
Choose your check values
Click the Back button
Save your entries

Check your SAP Purchase Order 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.