Starting with the blog First aid for Newbies in MM , where nearly all types of basic wisdom has been given. Not only for MM guys, I'll suggest to everyone to read the blog.
I have observed many discussions are posted in MM module regarding field selection and/or screen layout, some are able to understand and can resolve it and some are not able to understand how system behaves in standard or even own development.
SAP has some certain criteria to work with field selection or screen layout.
Field Selection or Screen Layout:
Field selection and screen layout are quite same term. It is just used as per different purpose. Every transaction has some fields and some screens, where we can enter data as per our business requirement. As per our business need, we can make a field as mandatory/required, optional, display/grey, hide mode. You just need to know about the source of the field selection mode. If you are able to know the element that how system will behave with its own settings, then you can easily handle the field selection settings.
We know that we can make changes the field selection settings from IMG activity as per our requirement. But do you know SAP has certain fields which has made a default criteria (suppose as required) with his own screen settings, that means these certain fields are made required by SAP. You can't change it to optional from any IMG activity.
As example, in material master, the field 'material description' in MM01/MM02 (MAKT-MAKTX), we know it is a mandatory/required field. Can you make it optional field? You can't, do you know why, because SAP has made the field required/mandatory from its own screen. Let's check how SAP has defined a field as per standard business criteria.
1. SAP Standard Screen:
In every field, there is a program and there is a screen, to check the program and screen, you need to select the field and press F1 on the field and then press technical information. Here is the program and screen of Material description in MM01/MM02.
Note the program and screen number..
In SE80, Select the application as "Program" and enter the program as below:
Then press display, you will find the all object name (along with description) which is related to the program. Choose the object name "Screens". Then find the screen number which you have seen in the MM02 (its 1002), double click on the screen 1002.
In right side, you will get a tab named "Element list", hit on that tab, now you are able to see the all field which is under this screen. In the tab Element list, you will find a sub-tab as "Special Attributes", click on that tab. Now find your field which you want to see. In our case, we will see the field MAKT-MAKTX (It is the same as screen field in MM02- F1-Technical information). Here check the field value of the line "Input"
You can see the value = "Required". You are not able to change the field (also you should not). That does mean, the field has made required by screen designed and this screen has designed by SAP.
The field value contains 4 input values - 1. Not possible, 2. Possible, 3. Recommended, 4. Required. If any field has made required in this section, then you can't make it optional via any other method (like as define field selection from IMG activity or by using transaction variant). Press F1 for more details in this field.
In that way, you can check all fields which has made input selection with this process. This section is not only for MM module, this is applied for all transactions related to all modules in entire SAP.
2. Define Field selection or Screen layout from IMG activity:
This option has given by SAP after the standard screen. There are many IMG activities for the field selection or screen layout exists in SAP. As per different different section SAP has given the IMG activity for field selection (as example material master data, vendor master data, purchasing document {PR, PO, Contract, RFQ and SA}, many more in different module)
Material Master Data : Two documents has already written by mehmet.unal regarding this section, Have a look into these documents Material master screens and fields and Control material master fields. Here you will get all types of details with regards to the field selection and screen sequence of material master. To read some help documentation, just press these "IMG Activity Documentation" which is exist left side of every IMG activity (See the blog First aid for Newbies in MM, section 'SAP offers help, almost everywhere').
Vendor Master Data: Field selection/screen layout for vendor master data is divided by 3 sections : 1. Account Group, 2. Company code, 3. Activity.
1. Account Group : At the time vendor creation, you have to choose an account group, as per your chosen account group, system will determine the screen layout from this activity. So for vendor creation, the screen layout will work as per your defined account group.
2. Company code : In the same way as account group, you have to specify the company code at the time of vendor creation and the field selection will depend as per the selected company code.
3. Activity : This is transaction dependent field selection. That means, this field selection will be differ with regards to the transaction code (like as XK01/XK02/XK03)
In these above activity, you can control the field selection as per your requirement. You just need to remember one basic function about the field selection that is 'Hide is the first priority, then display, the required and then optional. That means if you make a field as hide for any activity, then system will give this selection as first priority and it will ignore other selection whatever it has made as required or optional'.
As example, you have made a field as optional for Account group and made hide for company code and then system will show it as hide. Vice-versa, if you will make a field as hide for account group and optional for company code, then system will show it as hide.
Purchasing Document : Including Purchasing Info Record, Purchase Requisition, RFQ/Quotation, Purchase Order, Contract, Scheduling Agreement, Account Assignment.
For purchasing document (Purchase Requisition, RFQ/Quotation, Purchase Order, Contract, Scheduling Agreement), there are 4 types of field selection available. 1. Transaction code, 2. Activity, 3. Document type, 4. Item category.
1. Transaction code : SAP has given some field selection keys as per designed transaction code. That means if you want to set a field status as per transaction code, then you can use this field selection key, this is also per-defined by SAP. As example, field selection key ME51N, ME51, ME52, ME53, ME21N, ME21, ME22, ME23 etc etc. This is first priority of field selection key and calling these field selection keys is hard coded by SAP.
2. Activity : Generally, SAP has given 3 activities for the activity section for field selection. AKTA - Display, AKTH - Create, AKTV - Change. These field selection keys has been defined by SAP, calling these field selection keys is hard coded by SAP and it is the second priority to fetch the field status
3. Document type : There are some specific document type is used in every purchasing document. A field selection can be also dependent in a particular document type which is used for the purchasing document. In IMG configuration, a field selection key is defined with regards to a document type, the field selection key will be called only when the document type is used in a purchasing document. It can be totally controlled by user. You can use any field selection for this purpose even you can create your own field selection key. The priority of this field selection key is under Activity and transaction code.
4. Item category : Some field selection key depend upon item category, there are some default field selection key has been assigned to item category and you can't change it. It is designed by SAP. These below are default field selection key as per item category:
PT0F - Standard item purchase order (Item category Blank)
PT1F - Blanket item: purchase order (Item category B)
PT2F - Consignment item purchase order (item category K)
PT3F - Subcontracting item, PO (Item category L)
PT5F - Third-party item, PO (Item category S)
PT6F - Text item purchase order (Item category T)
PT7F - Stock transport item PO (Item category U)
PT9F - Service item, PO (Item category D)
Whenever you will use an item category, system will fetch these field selection key as per this criteria. (you should note that, this field selection key is dependent as per line item as because we are using item category as per line item)
For Purchase info record : There are just few field selection keys are used for purchase info record and all are depend upon transaction code. These field selection keys are designed by SAP. You can't create your own field selection key in this activity.
For Account Assignment : When we will use an account assignment category in purchasing document, then system will bring a new tab in item level named "Account assignment". This tab's field is not dependent with these above field selection. These fields are controlled by the account assignment category's field selection in OME9. So if you need to change some field for this tab, then you need to make change for the certain account assignment category in OME9.
External Services Management :
Two types of field selection are used in the activity External Services Management. First is for Service master record and second if for service entry (along with the tab of purchasing document). In previous, I have written a document regarding service configuration SAP Service Configurations In SAP MM - Part 1 see the Step 4 : Maintain Field Selection and Step 6 : Maintain Screen layout.
Inventory Management and Movement type :
In inventory management, system reads two types of field selection, first is field selection for MIGO transaction and second is field selection as per movement type. That means you can control a field from field selection MIGO or from field selection for a particular movement type. If you will set a field required from field selection MIGO, then it will be applied for all movement type. But if you will set a field required from field selection movement type, then this activity will be depend only for the certain movement type.
You can also use the field selection as per movement type with special stock, suppose you want to use a field option for 201 and required during movement type 201 Q. You can find the field selection in OMJJ - Field selection (from 201)/Batch search procedure. Here, you will find different field selection as per different special stock.
3. Screen Configuration :
Some field can be set as invisible from a screen configuration. You can find the screen configuration for some screen.
Suppose in MIGO, you can find it here :
Click on that symbol, then click "Administrator", You can find the invisible fields which will be marked as invisible.
This is client level settings. If you activate that, then it will be applied for all users.
4. Variants :
In some report transactions, you can control a field as required / display / hide from variant.
Lets assume in report transaction ME2N, you can see all field as optional mode, and you want to make a field as required mode, so that without entering an value of that particular field system will not continue for further process. Run the transaction ME2N, press save, you can able to see the screen for Variant Attributes as below :
You need enter the Variant name and Meaning, and in Objects for selection screen, you need to check your field as per your requirement.
You can mark the certain field as required field (as suppose I have marked the field for purchasing document). Then save your variant. Then you can call the certain variant for that particular transaction from get variant :
You can see the field Purchasing document has become mandatory. You can assign the variant for the particular t-code. Go to SE93 enter the Transaction Code, press change, then enter the variant name in the field 'Start with variant' :
Then it will be defaulted for the particular transaction code.
Note: It can be possible at transaction code level, you can't do this at user level, also it is for report transaction codes, you may can't able to use this for function transaction code (like ME21N, ME51N, MIGO etc etc).
5. Transaction variant or Screen Variant :
After these all above, you can also set a field as required / display / hide by using the facility transaction variant. There are lots of blog / documents / wiki has been posted in SCN about the transaction variant. You can have a look into the blog for a brief explanation How to Create a Transaction Variant
Searching an existing transaction variant : If you feel, there are some existing transaction variant has been done already, then you can see these in the t-code SHD0. In SHD0, enter the transaction code and press enter, then click on the transaction variant field and press F4 and then press enter. You will able to find all transaction variant which has been created for the particular t-code
If the transaction variant is active, then you can see this from standard variant - standard variant in SHD0:
The symbol will indicate you it is active or not. Remember, this function will only dependent on transaction code, it will never depend on any other data. A menu function can be set as display mode by using the transaction variant. The transaction variant can be used as per user, that means, if you want to set a field as required only for one user, then you can use this option. Hence its an user level method.
6. Function Authorization for field selection :
For purchasing document and purchase requisition, some fields can be set optional/mandatory/display/hide from function authorization also. You need to create a new field selection key from the IMG path OLME-Purchase Order-Define Screen Layout at Document Level.
Then you need to assign this field selection key in the filed 'Field Selection Key' in the transaction code OMET (for purchase requisition, enter the field selection key in the field 'FieldSelCtrl Re'). Then you need to assign the Function Authorization key to the user profile - user parameter EFB.
For more details, you can read the KBA 2048405 - How to control the field layout for specific users in PO
This function is user level function. You can set this field selection only for one user (or even many).
7. Using own Development / Enhancement :
You can also make a field required / display / hide by using your own development, this needs a help from your ABAPer. Abaper will write the code according to your logic in a badi or user exit and then this will be working along with program. By using this option, you cam make a field required for any level (client or user). You just need to write the logic according to your requirement.
If you want to know is there any badi or user exit is working during the transaction (program), then you can find the badi or user exit with the help of this blog post Would you like to SNIF?: All you enhancements at one blick.
So whenever you will face any problem about Field selection / Screen layout, you should first check these above things before create a discussion. If you have checked all these above points but you are not able to find the solution, then please let us know that you have already checked these all above points.
Useful SAP OSS notes
176769 - Field selection reference key, error ME028
324447 - Field selection key, error ME028 (II)
617515 - Field selection for service-based invoice verification
KBAs
1897855 - ME53N : The screen layout of field is different when there is Release Strategy
1910199 - ME52N : Field is not editable
- SAP Managed Tags:
17 Comments
| User | Count |
|---|---|
| 2 | |
| 2 | |
| 2 | |
| 2 | |
| 1 | |
| 1 | |
| 1 | |
| 1 | |
| 1 | |
| 1 |
