Customization

Action Control

Vehicle Management System

mySAP Automotive 5.0

This chapter will guide you through the basic configuration steps required to use the
VMS effectively.

The key step is to define the Action Matrix.

It is possible to build a matrix with standard SAP actions. It is possible to add your
own actions. That process will be discussed later in the chapter.

1
 Customizing and Basic Data

Minimum Requirements to Define Business Process

 Actions
 Vehicle Status

Additional Definition of Business Process

 Location
 Availability

All four elements are combined to define an action matrix

 Primary Matrix
 Secondary Matrix

Final step: Determining when to use which action matrix

 Plant
 Sales Organization, Customer
 Purchase Organization, Vendor
 Etc.

SAP AG 2005, Vehicle Management System, Christopher Naab

To build an action matrix, there are 4 elements that you must define. The elements
are Actions, Status, Availability, and Location

Actions and Status are the only mandatory elements in an action matrix. You do not
have to define Availability or Location to create a “complete” action matrix.

You can build a Primary Matrix and a Secondary Matrix. The Primary Matrix will host
Primary Actions (related to procurement) while the Secondary Matrix will host
Secondary Actions (related to sales). These entities usually operate interdependently
of each other (example: Goods Receipt is a primary action, Goods Issue is a
secondary action. You can not perform Goods Issue without first performing Goods
Receipt), although it is possible through interlinking actions to connect the two.

Once you have built the matrix, you must define how the system will select which
matrix to use.

2
 Business Process: Actions

Primary
Actions

Create Order Change Confirm Manfacturing Create Goods Goods

Vehicle vehicle PO PO finished Invoice Receipt Issue

Secondary
Actions
Create SO Create Goods Create
delivery Issue Billing Document

Actions can be defined as Primary, Secondary, or Both

SAP AG 2005, Vehicle Management System, Christopher Naab

Actions represent the individual steps in the business process. SAP delivers many
standard actions with the VMS. You will learn how to define additional actions later in
this chapter.

Unlike status, actions are defined as Primary, Secondary, or Both. Only Primary
actions may be assigned to a Primary matrix and vice versa. Actions designated at
both Primary and Secondary must be assigned to both matrixes.

All the Procurement related steps will be listed in the Primary matrix while the Sales
related steps will be listed in the Secondary matrix. This is only a general guideline:
you can define actions as primary or secondary as you like.

3
 Business Process: Status

In At
planned ordered production
in transit importer
sold

Vehicle Status

sold At importer At dealer

Vehicle status is 100% freely definable

Status can be used in both primary and secondary matrixes

SAP AG 2005, Vehicle Management System, Christopher Naab

Status is 100% configurable. SAP provides an empty table; you may make any entry
you like.

Status is a 4 digit field with a description

You can use a status in a primary matrix, secondary matrix or both.

There is no distinction for which matrix a status may be used in.

4
 Vehicle Process Flow

Primary Vehicle Status

Action Control
planned ordered In production in transit At mporter sold

Create Order Change Confirm Manfacturing Create Goods Goods

Vehicle vehicle PO PO finished Invoice Receipt Issue

sold At importer At dealer

Create SO Create Goods Create

delivery Issue Billing Document
Secondary
Action Control Actions
SAP AG 2005, Vehicle Management System, Christopher Naab

The action matrix combines the status and actions. By executing a primary action,
primary status will be updated. Similarly, executing a secondary action will update the
secondary status.

The resulting primary status determines which primary action can be performed next.
The resulting secondary status determines which secondary action can be performed
next.

5
 Business Process - Action matrix

Actions and Status combination define Business Process

New Status
Order Transit Vehicle Invoice Purchase
created ordered
confirmed confirmed received received finished

Create and
----
--- create X X X X X
order

created X Order X X X X X

Modify Confirm
ordered X X X X X
order order

current Order
Order
X X
Modify Confirm
X X X
Status confirmed vehicle transit
Post
Transit
X X X X Goods X X
confirmed receipt
Vehicle Post
X X X X X X
received invoice

Invoice Finish
X X X X X X
received purchase

SAP AG 2005, Vehicle Management System, Christopher Naab

This slide was seen earlier in this course. It demonstrates the relationship between
action and status in a primary matrix.

Action and Status are the minimum requirements to create an action matrix. The
following slides will show some additional attributes that can be included in the action
matrix configuration.

6
 Location Determination

OEM
45 Days At Sea
30 Days Importer

Create Order Change Confirm Manfacturing Create Goods Goods

Vehicle vehicle PO PO finished Invoice Receipt Issue

Create SO Create Goods Create

delivery Issue Billing Document

On Truck
SAP AG 2005, Vehicle Management System, Christopher Naab

Because a vehicle doesn’t have to physically exist to be tracked in the VMS database,
location is a key field to help identify where in the physical supply chain the vehicle
exists. The location can be updated automatically by executing actions in the action
matrix.

Using the location field, you can see which vehicles are at the OEM, which vehicles
are en route, which vehicles are at Dealer 12.

In this example, when the user performs action Confirm PO, location is updated to
“OEM”. When the user next performs Manufacturing Finished, location is updated to
“At Sea”.

It is also possible to calculate planned delivery date based on the location. In this
example, when the user executes Confirm PO, planned delivery = 45 days from action
execution date. Similarly, planned delivery date = 30 days from Manufacturing
Finished execution date.

With the Location/Planned Delivery date, a dealer can search the VMS and quickly tell
his customer where his vehicle is and when he should expect it.

A vehicle only has 1 location field. It is possible to update location using the primary or
secondary matrix. However, location determination must not be ambiguous (example:
interlinking action where primary and secondary actions have different locations). If
there is an ambiguous selection, the system might not perform the action.

7
 Availability

Planned Available for Dealer

planned ordered In production in transit At importer‘s site sold

Create Order Change Confirm Manfacturing Create Goods Goods

Vehicle vehicle PO PO finished Invoice Receipt Issue

sold
sold At importer‘s site At dealer‘s site

Create SO Create Goods Create

delivery Issue Billing Document

Vehicle can have only 1 Location and 1 Availability

Location/Availability selection must not be ambiguous
SAP AG 2005, Vehicle Management System, Christopher Naab

Availability is similar to location as it can be updated by either a primary or secondary

action.

Availability can be used as a criteria for Category Management.

Like location, there is only one availability field. Selection must not be ambiguous or
the system might not execute the action.

8
 Building the Action Matrix
Mandatory Settings

Initial Status
Action
Resulting Status
As Required

SAP AG 2005, Vehicle Management System, Christopher Naab

Here is an example of Primary Matrix WSMM. The matrix is built by a number of

entries consisting of an Initial (Old) Status, Action, and Resulting (New) Status.

The first line translates into “When initial status is blank, and action is CRE1 is
executed, resulting status is M005”

The resulting status becomes the initial status (in this example, blank changes to
M005)

The user can now only execute actions where initial status is M005.

The combination of status and action is mandatory. You can also determine
availability and location as needed.

Location and Availability will be updated when the specified action is executed.

Note: the first action in a primary matrix will always create a new vehicle record. This
is because you must make a new entry in the vehicle database before you can perform
any further actions.

9
 For the extremely detailed

SAP AG 2005, Vehicle Management System, Christopher Naab

In the previous slide, you saw it was possible to define Availability and Location update
by executing a specific action.

This slide shows an example that requires a further level of detail. Here is an example
scenario.
 PO is sent to OEM –

•Action is ORD1
•Primary Status, Availability (AV) and Location (OEM) and
Delivery (80 days) are updated by the action matrix
 For some reason, the Importer cancels this PO

•Action is DORD
•Primary Status, Availability, Location, and Delivery can be
updated by the action matrix
 The Importer places a new PO for the vehicle –

•Action is ORD1 – same as original PO

•Primary Status Availability, Location, and Delivery are
updated by the action matrix
•Because of the inconvenience, the OEM will now delivery
the vehicle in 100 days
10
This example shows that even when the same action is executed, the matrix can
 Action Handling

Primary status: Primary status:

Vehicle at importer site Vehicle at importer site
Secondary status: Triggering Secondary status:
Vehicle sold
Vehicle reserved action Location: Detroit
Location: Detroit
Availability: Reserved Availability: sold

Neuer Status

SD10 SD15 SD20 SD25 SD30 SD35 SD40

---- OFFE CUOR X X X X X

SD10 INFO CUOR X X X X X

SD15 X X RCON X X X X
Alter
SD20 X X X DELI X X X
Status
SD25 X X X X GOIS X X

SD30 X X X X X OUIV X

SD35 X X X X X X FIN2

Action matrix

SAP AG 2005, Vehicle Management System, Christopher Naab

Once the matrix has been defined, Primary Status and/or Secondary Status and/or
Availability and/or Location will be updated by executing an action.

Sometimes executing an action won’t update any of these fields. Example: Change
PO is used to change configuration but no other updates are made to the vehicle.

11
 Business Process: 2 Matrix per Vehicle

Distributor /
OEM Importer Dealer

Vehicle Procurement Vehicle Sales

Purchase Order Planned

New Status New Status
Sales Order
Order Transit Vehicle Invoice Purchase At Customer Sale
created ordered created ordered Ordered Transit
confirmed confirmed received received finished Dealer Assigned Complete

----
--- create
Create and
order In
X X
Not
X X X Vehicle ----
--- create
Create and
order
X X
Not
X X X

Production Available Available

Order Confirmation
created X Order X X X X X
Database reserved
created X Order X X Delivery
X X X

Modify Confirm Modify Confirm

ordered X X X X X ordered X X X X X
order order order order
On Ship Available Available
current Order
Order
Status confirmed
X X
Modify
vehicle
Confirm
transit
X X X Vehicle current Order
transit
Status confirmed
X X
Modify
vehicle
Confirm
transit
X X X sOLD

Status Information Post Post

Management
Transit Transit
confirmed
X X X X GoodsDistributor
receipt
X X At dealer
confirmed
X X X X
Goods Issue
Goods
receipt
X X

Vehicle Post Customer

Vehicle Post
X X X X X X X X X X X X
received

Invoice
X X X X X
invoice

X
Finish
System assigned
received

Invoice
Final
X X X X X
invoice

X
Finish
received purchase received
Sale Sale
purchase
Goods Receipt Invoice
Primary Matrix Secondary Matrix
Incoming Invoice Payment

SAP AG 2005, Vehicle Management System, Christopher Naab

Each vehicle can be assigned two matrixes: primary and secondary.

12
 Action Matrix determination

Multiple data fields to influence Action Matrix selection

Possible to define a different Business Process for:

Vehicle Models
- Economy Model vs. Luxury Model

Manufacturing Plant
- Domestic Model vs. Imported Model

Sales Channel
- Own Dealer vs. Independent Dealer

SAP AG 2005, Vehicle Management System, Christopher Naab

It is possible to create multiple action matrixes. Each matrix can be used to represent
different business process.

For example, a vehicle might be produced domestically or imported. The procurement
process would be different in this case.

Another example, a vehicle can be sold to company branches or an independent
franchise. The sales process may be different.

Because it is possible to define multiple primary and secondary matrixes, you must
define rules that tells the system which matrix to select. This setting is made in
transaction VELOS. Fields used in this selection process are shown above. The more
criteria you fill in, the more specific the selection process.

You cannot have duplicate or ambiguous entries. The system must be able determine
which matrix to select.

When you built your action matrix, there was no formal setting to determine if a matrix
is primary or secondary. This determination is made in this table only. Based on the
selection criteria, the system will assign the matrix entered in the Primary Action
Control field as the vehicle’s primary matrix and the matrix entered in the Secondary
Action Control field as the vehicle’s secondary matrix.

Once the matrix is assigned to a vehicle, it is assigned to the vehicle record forever.
You can change the contents of the matrix, but you can not assign a new matrix to the
vehicle. 13
 Action Matrix Selection: Primary Matrix

1) Select Vehicle
Model and Create
Action from
pulldown

2) Enter Data in Subscreen

3) Data in Subscreen
compared against VELOS
table to find Action Matrix 4) System looks for Status /
Action combination in the Matrix

SAP AG 2005, Vehicle Management System, Christopher Naab

How the system selects a Primary Matrix.

1. In the FIND tab, select the Vehicle Model (VEHI). From the Action Bar, select an
action that will create a new vehicle record. Click the green check next to the Action
Bar.

To appear in the Action Bar, the action must have been flagged as a CREATE action (more about this later)

2. The system automatically switches to the ACTION tab. Enter data into the subscreen
(plant, number of vehicles, etc.) and configure the vehicle. Click the Execute
pushbutton.
3. The system looks in the VELOS table to determine the appropriate primary matrix. In
this example, it looks for Material (determined in step 1) and Plant (determined in step
2). The system determines that WSMM should be the primary matrix.
4. The system reviews WSMM to ensure that the current status (blank) allows the
selected action (CREA) to be executed. In this case, there is a match so the system
1) creates a new vehicle record, 2) assigns WSMM to the primary matrix, and 3)
updates primary status to M005.
5. This vehicle will be procured based on the business process defined in matrix
WSMM.

14
 Action Matrix Selection: Secondary Matrix

2) Enter Data
in Subscreen
1) Select created vehicle(s) and
secondary action from pulldown

3) Data in Subscreen
compared against VELOS 4) System looks
table to find Action Matrix for Status/Action
combination in
the Matrix

Vehicle must exist before Secondary Matrix assignment is possible
(including interlinking actions where sales action is performed with vehicle creation)

Only secondary matrix actions where current status = blank appear in the action select pulldown
(primary actions allowed by selected matrix also appear)

SAP AG 2005, Vehicle Management System, Christopher Naab

How the system selects a Secondary Matrix.

Steps 2 through 5 are identical to the last slide. There is a slight difference in Step 1.
This is because a vehicle record already exists when you execute your first secondary
action. In the case of primary matrix, you must first create a vehicle record.

You might have noticed that there are some Secondary Actions that can create vehicles
(example CRCO: Create Vehicle and Sales Order). This is actually an interlinking
action that first performs a primary action CREA, then performs secondary action
CUOR. Once again, a vehicle record already exists when you execute your first
secondary action.

1. Select your vehicle record(s) and click the ACTION tab. In the Action Bar, you will
find all actions that are allowed for the vehicle(s). The primary actions are determined
by the primary matrix. The secondary actions that appear are actions from all
matrixes that can be performed when initial status is blank.* Select the secondary
action and click the green check next to the Action Bar.
2. Enter data into the subscreen (customer, delivery date, etc.) and configure the vehicle
(if desired). Click the Execute pushbutton.
3. The system looks in the VELOS table to determine the appropriate secondary matrix.
In this example, it looks for Material (determined by vehicle) and Plant (determined by
vehicle). The system determines that WSSD should be the primary matrix.
4. The system reviews WSSD to ensure that 15the current status (blank) allows the
selected action (RSOF) to be executed. In this case, there is a match so the system
Customizing
Actions

Vehicle Management System

mySAP Automotive 5.0

16
 Business Process Flexibility - Actions

CREA ORD1 GORE

Create Create Create
Vehicle Purhase Order Goods Receipt

Assigned, but not limited,

to those actions
concerning
PRIMARY ACTIONS Vehicle PROCUREMENT

ACTIONS
Assigned, but not limited,
SECONDARY ACTIONS to those actions
concerning
Vehicle SALES

CUOR OUIV DELI

Create Create Create
Sales Order Billing Doc. Delivery

SAP AG 2005, Vehicle Management System, Christopher Naab

Actions are the basic steps used to carry out the business process. Actions are
defined as primary, secondary or both.

17
 Define Actions

SAP AG 2005, Vehicle Management System, Christopher Naab

To define an action, enter a 4 digit code and a description. Next, specify if the action
is to be Primary, Secondary, or Both (Primary & Secondary).

If the action is an interlinking action (performs multiple actions), define the sequence of
these sub-actions. If an interlinking action performs primary AND secondary actions, it
must be flagged as both primary and secondary.

Not shown: internal action. This flag means this action can only be be executed by the
system.

Menu path: IMG > Logistics Execution > Vehicle Management System > Control Data
> Define Actions

18
 Action Details

Configuration Pushbutton: Is configuration allowed for this action?

Create Action: Is this action used to create a new vehicle record?

Action Program: Program to be run after executing action

Action Screen: Sub Screen that appears when action is selected

SAP AG 2005, Vehicle Management System, Christopher Naab

The previous transaction is required to complete the header information. The details
of the action are maintained in separate transaction.

Menu Path: IMG > Logistics Execution > Vehicle Management System >
Enhancements > Define Technical Details for Actions.

Here you can also maintain the description and primary and secondary flags.

This transaction allows you to enter more specific information about the action.
 Configuration Pushbutton: Does this action allow you to change the vehicle configuration?
 Create Action: Does this action create a new vehicle record?

•If you select this checkbox, this action will only be

available in the Action Bar when the FIND tab is displayed.
•A create action can only be assigned to a primary action
(or an action flagged as BOTH)
•A create action can only be assigned to a primary action
where initial status equals blank.
 Action Program: the functional module to be performed when the Execute pushbutton is clicked.
 Action Screen: the subscreen that appears when you select an action from the Action Bar.

An action does not need to have an Action Program or Screen assigned to be complete.
This is because actions can be used to simply update primary status or secondary
status (or availability or location).
19
 Status Update Example

No Creation of Bus. Doc.

No Data Maintenance
Only Status Change

SAP AG 2005, Vehicle Management System, Christopher Naab

This screens shows an example of an action where no Action Program or Action

Screen has been defined. Executing this action will simply update vehicle attributes.

20
 Copying Actions: using alias funcionality

Create New VMS Actions

 Replace the SAP sub-screen by a

customized one
- but will call SAP action.
 Change settings for the new
action – no impact on SAP
Alias Action
settings
Assignment
 Possibility of re-naming and re-
use of same action functionality
in the matrices

SAP AG 2005, Vehicle Management System, Christopher Naab

New feature in VMS 4.0 (DIMP 4.7.1)

21
Attributes and
Qualifiers

Vehicle Management System

mySAP Automotive 5.0

22
 Customer-specific Data Fields

Additional Vehicle Data

Example: Action Change Vehicle (SMOD)

Subscreen

Attribute

Qualifier

SAP AG 2005, Vehicle Management System, Christopher Naab

SAP provides a number of standard fields that capture a tremendous amount of

information about each vehicle.
However, there may be additional information that must be captured to support your
business process.
To support this need, SAP allows you to define these additional fields as either Attributes
or Qualifiers.

There is no rule that defines if a field should be defined as an attribute or a qualifer. Both
can capture additional data about the vehicle.
There are some slight differences you should consider.

Qualifiers can be defined directly in configuration. They are very easy to set up and
maintain.
Attributes are defined via ABAP. The process is not difficult, but require more work than
qualifiers.

Qualifers are free form text.

Attributes have defined field types and field lengths.

23
Attributes are added to table VLCVEHICLE. Performance could be affected if many
 Assign Qualifier to Action

Action must contain element ADDDATA_CONTAINER

Possible to copy container to your new action

Vehicle – Qualifier – Value is saved in table VLCADDDATA

SAP AG 2005, Vehicle Management System, Christopher Naab

Qualifiers are defined in configuration. The menu path is IMG > Logistics Execution >
Vehicle Management System > Enhancements > Define Additional Information for
Vehicles

Create a new qualifier. You must define a 4 digit code and a description

Assign the qualifier to an action. The sub screen for this action must allow Qualifiers
to be displayed (via ADDDATA_CONTAINER). If the action screen for your action
does not have this screen element, you will not be able to enter qualifiers.

Define if the qualifier is optional entry, required entry or display only.

When you perform your action, the qualifiers will appear in the portion of the screen
where ADDDATA_CONTAINER is defined. If you enter text in a qualifier, the
attachment icon will appear next to the Additional Data pushbutton on the Vehicle Data
detail screen. Click the pushbutton and the pop-up window with the qualifiers will
appear.

It is possible to use qualifiers as a vehicle search criteria. The necessary fields are
found on the General Vehicle Data subscreen.

24
 Customer-specific Data Fields

Subscreen

Attribute

Qualifier

SAP AG 2005, Vehicle Management System, Christopher Naab

Attributes are similar to qualifers but are a little more complex to maintain. A fair bit of
ABAP knowledge is required to do this maintenance, although it is possible for relative
novices to make these settings with a reference document.

Similar to qualifiers, attributes are assigned through actions. Unlike qualifiers, the
attribute must be defined directly in the action program. The next few slides discuss
the process for programing new actions.

25
 Own action development –Example : Licence Plate

Add licence plate no.

and registration date
to vehicle.

Extend vehicle table

VLCVEHICLE
Develop action ZLPN
Enhance search-, and
detailscreen

SAP AG 2005, Vehicle Management System, Christopher Naab

The following slides demonstrate the creation of a new action used to define a new
attribute: license plate.

To execute this processes
 New attributes will be added to the VLCVEHICLE table
 A new function module will be written
 A new action ZPLN will be defined in configuration

26
 Action Development

VLCACTDATA
STRUCTURE TABLE TABLE
HEADER DATA ITEM DATA QUALIFIER

Z-structure
Registration
ATTRIBUTES License plate
Date

BAPI_VEHICLE_
VLCVEHICLE Idoc Processing
MULTIPLE_CHANGE

SAP AG 2005, Vehicle Management System, Christopher Naab

The new attributes are linked to a Z-structure. This Z-structure is filled into the
appends of
 VLCACTDATA – communication structure for building blocks of the action
 VLCVEHICLE – vehicle record table
 BAPI_VEHICLE_MULTIPLE_CHANGE – enables to use these fields for external process (e.g.,
Idoc)

27
 Customer-specific Actions - Attributes

Include in IMG

Customizing: Define Technical Details for Actions

SAP AG 2005, Vehicle Management System, Christopher Naab

New fields of the vehicle table, which are maintained by action (system user) or Idoc,
are processed by the respective program and new dynpro.

This means for new fields a customer own function group is created (e.g., copy of
VELO15) and necessary includes are inserted in the customer specific program.

Please refer to „development of own VMS actions“ as part of the VMS documentation
in IMG.

28
 Assign Attribute to Action, Action to Matrix

SAP AG 2005, Vehicle Management System, Christopher Naab

Assignment of Attribute to Action is similar to Qualifier process.

Transaction is the same, only the assignment folder is different.

Select the action and enter Attributes. Specify if attributes are ITEM
(unique for each vehicle) or HEAD (same value applied to multiple
vehicles). Then specify if entry is required.

Finally, assign Action to the Matrix.

29
 Search for Attribute

SAP AG 2005, Vehicle Management System, Christopher Naab

To make the attribute available for search, it must be added to the search
program and the search screen.

This is a modification but not to worry - SAP fully supports this
modification.

Select the Vehicle Model, open the appropriate Search subscreen, and
enter values for the attribute.

Click execute and system will return the correct vehicle.

30
 VMS Maintenance Transactions

IMG

Main Screen

SAP AG 2005, Vehicle Management System, Christopher Naab

This slide shows the VMS maintenance that can be performed from a) the Main SAP
Access screen and b) the transactions that are found in the IMG.

31
Implementation
Enhancements

Vehicle Management System

mySAP Automotive 5.0

32
 Action Alias

Create New VMS Actions

 Replace the SAP sub-screen by a

customized one
- but will call SAP action.
 Change settings for the new
action – no impact on SAP
Alias Action
settings
Assignment
 Possibility of re-naming and re-
use of same action functionality in
the matrices

SAP AG 2005, Vehicle Management System, Christopher Naab

33
 Customizable Vehicle Detail Screen

Replace SAP VMS Subscreens

 The VMS sub screens in the
Vehicle Managers detail tab can
be replaced by customer defined
screen without modification
 The customer defined screen can
be included by implementing
BADIs:
● VLC_DETAIL_OVERVIEW
● VLC_DETAIL_DEALER
● VLC_DETAIL_ENDCUST
● VLC_DETAIL_HISTORY
● VLC_DETAIL_CONFIG

SAP AG 2005, Vehicle Management System, Christopher Naab

34
 Additional Search Views without Modifications

Additional VMS Search Views

 In the VMS, search screens per

configuration, vehicle history, general
vehicle data, vehicle status, are provided
for the user

 Customer Specific Search Views can be

added easily in IMG; a customer-specific
dynpro has to be added for the fields.

 How to: Add Search View dynpro to Z-

Function Group which contains Include
VELO02SEL

SAP AG 2005, Vehicle Management System, Christopher Naab

35