Action Profiles in SAP-CRM

By Kanika Chopra, Infosys

1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 ACTIONS

Actions are used in maintaining and improving business relationships. We can schedule and start predefined conditions with the Actions component by means of user-definable conditions from transaction and marketing objects.

Actions use the Post Processing Framework (PPF), a Basis component, which can be automated with the initiation of outputs, follow-on documents or workflows. Using the Actions tab page within a business document, you can display a list of actions that can be included in the business transaction.

• An action profile is determined from the corresponding transaction type or item category.

• Actions are stored as action definitions within an action profile.

• You can control action processing using different settings and parameters:  

• Action changeable or executable in dialog  

• Action displayed in toolbar (SAP GUI)  

• Processing time (when saving the document or via selection report)  

• Partner dependence  

• Determination technique  

• Action merging  

• Processing types (with entry of the desired form name)

1.2 FEATURES OF ACTIONS

You can define actions dependent on conditions so that the system automatically schedules and starts them when the conditions are fulfilled. With actions you can:

• Create follow-up transactions automatically

• Execute changes in the transaction or marketing object currently being processed, for example, create new items, or status inheritance by subordinate elements in marketing objects

• Output in print, by faxing or e-mail

Actions are displayed in transaction documents that support actions and to which an action profile is assigned. You can display a list of actions scheduled for the document on the Actions tab page of a transaction document. The following information is displayed in the list for each action:  

• Status (action scheduled, action processed)  

• Description (purpose of action)  

• Conditions (settings for action definition and conditions are displayed)  

• Creator, Creation date

There are various processing types for actions:

·         Methods (Business Add-Ins)

Methods are Business Add-In (BADI) implementations. You can define your own BADI implementation to adapt actions to your processes and needs. (EXEC_METHODCALL_PPF is the relevant BADI.)

Examples for standard methods include the following:

• COPY_DOCUMENT (create a follow-up document)  

• COMPLETE_DOCUMENT (set status completed within document)

• CREDIT_MEMO (create credit memo item)

• REPAIR_ITEM (create a repair item)  

• 1O_EVENT_CREATE (create a workflow event)

·         SAP Business Workflow

This is suitable for more complex processes, for example, a follow-up transaction that includes an approval process.

·         Smart Forms

SAP Smart Forms must be used to print, e-mail or fax documents such as an order confirmation. You can use the graphics tool, SAP Smart Forms, to design the layout of output forms.

 SAP delivers several Smart Forms for outputs in SAP CRM:  

• Form CRM_ORDER_CONFIRMATION_01 (suitable for faxes, letters, and e-mail)  

• Form CRM_ORDER_LEASING_01 (suitable for faxes, letters, and e-mail)  

• Form CRM_OPPORTUNITY_01 (suitable for faxes, letters, and e-mail)

 SAP Smart Forms offer the advantage of adapting forms without requiring programming knowledge, thanks to a completely graphical user interface.

When you request a printout of a form, the application program obtains the relevant data to be used and prints it on the form. Data retrieval and form logic are separated from one another.

 SAP Smart Forms replace SAP-Script forms (migration from SAP-Script forms to Smart Forms is supported).

2.0 HOW TO CREATE AN ACTION

2.1 STEP-BY-STEP PROCEDURE

2.1.1 Enter into any SAP-CRM Server and move to Transaction SPRO.

2.1.2 Press SAP Reference IMG -> Customer Relationship Management ->Basic Functions -> Actions -> Actions in Transactions.

2.1.3 To create an Action Profile – Click on . First read the documentation.

2.1.4 Now Press the Execute Button  to start creating an Action Profile.

Click here to continue...