Product Information
BRF+ Output Management
Dear SAP Friends,
Welcome to another interesting topic BRF+ (Business Rule Framework+).
In this blog will explain BRF+ and how to activate and maintain to get New Output Management.
BRF+ is part of SAP DSM (Decision service management) and it is not new functionality in SAP Its available from Classic ERP past 10 years. But doing output management via BRF+ is new in S/4 HANA from 1511 Version onwards.
Before knowing how output determination and management is done in S/4 HANA system using BRF+, we must know what is BRF+ and how it works
What is BRF+
BRF+ is an application programming interface (API) and user interface for defining and processing business rule. It allows us to model rules in an intuitive way and to reuse these rules in different applications.
Overview of BRF+
- BRF+ function provides an interface between a business rule modelled with BRF+ and an application using that rule. The BRF+ function serves as a container for the entire business logic of a rule.
- Rules are implemented as expressions which are assigned to a function. The rule input is known as context and the rule output is called result.
• Context and result consist of data object which is called decision table, structure, decision tree. - BRF+ supports features such as simulation, trace, transport, XML export and import
- In order to use BRF+ with your SAP ECC system, your system must be on SAP NetWeaver 7.02 SP6 or above.
- With SAP S/4 HANA a new Output Management approach is in place. The complete configuration differs from the configuration that is used when output management is based on NAST (condition technique). The configuration is based on BRF+. In SAP S/4 HANA, the target architecture is based on Adobe Document Server and Adobe Forms only. For the form determination rules (along with other output parameters) BRF+ functionality is used.
**Output management based on NAST is not available for new documents in SD Billing from 1511 and is extended to sales order management from 1610. Similarly, output management using BRF+ is mandatory for a Purchase order from 1511
Conversion NAST to BRF+
- ECC to HANA for new Output there is no tools available at the moment
- When converting to HANA from ECC only New PO’s will be coming in BFR+ if activated
- In 1511 only Sales Invoice and PO and available
- When it comes to 1709 12+ XML Forms and added
In 1809 the number became 20+ and in 1909 the number has increased
Basis Team need to upload required XML Form into SAP
Then BRF+ need to be activated in Transaction BRF+ / BRF
And decision table need to maintain to get output
Limitation of BRF+
There is some limitation using BRF+:
- Idocs are not fully supported by the new output management. Their use is restricted to business applications that previously used NAST.
- Only output types which can be mapped 1:1 to the NAST-KSCHL can use IDoc.
- Only business partner-based communication is supported, but no communication to logical systems
- No ALE supports
In old NAST we need to maintain conditions and its complex
But in S/4 HANA its Simplified even Business Users can maintain Decision Table
Output parameter determination
Customizing Path: Cross-Application Components → Output Control → Define Business Rules for
Output Determination (or transaction OPD)
Configuration Steps
In order to switch from NAST to BRF+, we need to activate in IMG
- For Purchase orders, go to IMG → Integration with Other SAP Components → Business Network Integration → Integration with the Ariba Network Application-specific settings → Define Message Output Control → Method 2: Use SAP S/4HANA-Based Output Management → Activate or Deactivate SAP S/4HANA-Based Output Management
- For contracts and scheduling, agreements go to IMG → Cross-Application Components → Output Control → Manage Application Object Type Activation
- The new output management is not yet available for RFQ’s.
- For the output/transmission of your purchase orders with the new output management, you can use the Fiori app Print Scheduled Purchase Orders or the corresponding transaction ME9FF in the backend.
Conclusion of the Topic
- SAP S/4HANA output management is recommended but not mandatory
- The scope of SAP S/4HANA output management is not comparable with the scope of NAST
- Innovations will only be made in the new framework (SAP S/4HANA output management)
Please share, Like and Comment anything else you want to share or add points.
Thanks & Regards
Ruthvik Chowdary
SME – S/4 HANA Manufacturing & Procurement
SAP Ariba P2P
Nice info on BRF functionality..
Thank you Pravin Mandgaonkar Glad you liked the article
Really very Good Information you have shared Ruthvik Chowdary
#Kudos Keep going
Thank you very much
Really good document my dear Ruthvik
Thank you venu gopal
For your support
Hi Ruthvik Chowdary
Great Explanation thank you for keep on sharing your knowledge, I have a small doubt
Is BRF+ mandatory to use or still NAST can be used in S/4 HANA?
SAP S/4HANA output management is recommended but not mandatory and Innovations will only be made in BRF+ only not now but one fine day SAP will remove NAST so we can start using from now itself
Hi Ruthvik, Thank you for sharing the BRF+ Doc. May I have a question, can you please let Rome know how to check the configuration of Email Information Approver with recipient?
Hi SACHIN BHATE
I have not worked on what you asked but Refer https://blogs.sap.com/2018/02/27/how-to-configure-custom-workflow-email-notification-in-successfactors-employee-central/
Very Good document
Thank you
It's well documented information regarding this topic. I have been exploring a lot in this area from last 1 year and I feel there are still lot of gaps while using this approach in on-premise system. First of all, BRF+based output management is mandatory in S/4 HANA cloud system and completely optional in on-premise. If someone wants to use this in on-premise, there are very limited scope of applications i.e. Billing Documents, purchase orders etc. Till 1809, we don't have option to activate new output management for more applications like FI correspondence, Dunning Letters and Payment Advices. I really like SAP approach to align all output management to be treated in same way and save output records in one table i.e. APOC_ITEMS but if we can't use all other applications in on-premise system, it's not be useful.
Another gap I found not to introduced ArchiveLink functionality with new BRF+ output management which is very useful. However there are workarounds to achieve that and I will post a blog on that.
Hello Prabhjot Bhatia
Thank you very much for adding your points and making this article more informative.
Really you did a lot of homework ?
Prabhjot Bhatia - Looking forward to a blog from you re your adventures on S/4HANA Output management, may be share your experience like what were the factors that dissuaded you from using it in OP e.g the ones your shared above. Thanks Prabhjot.
Hello Prabhjot Bhatia,
I've checked your profile to see if the blog for the ArchiveLink workaround already has seen the daylight, but I cannot find it. Can you expand some on the workaround for the ArchiveLink-gap?
Thanks in advance
Hi Eric,
Were you able to do this ? Please let me know the process if so.
Thanks,
Kishore.
Hi Kishore,
No, unfortunately I didn't get/find more information yet, also not found the time to pursue a solution myself. When I do get to it, I'll share more information as it seems we're not the only ones outside here with this challenge 🙂
Best regards,
Eric
Hello Prabhjot Bhatia,
I am very interested to archive documents using S4 output management.
Could you share the workaround you mencion above?
Thanks in advance,
Pedro
Hi Ruthvik Nice document
Thank you ashfaq Panja
Hi Ruthvik,
It's Very good document .....
Keep posting new innovation regarding sourcing & procurement 1909.
It will be more useful.
Thanks in Advance
Hello Vijay Kumar
Thank you!! Glad you liked my article,
Sure soon will post innovations from procurement.
Nice document
Thank you Deepti Kashyap
Excellent document.
I have one question.
Thank you,
Hi Johnson Li
If you maintained new Condition type BRF+ and old documents you have migrated from ECC Documents of NAST to S/4HANA those documents will be coming in old condition without any conflict
New documents will come with BRF+ and old one with old condition
Hi Ruthvik – Do you have any guidance on setting up transports through the landscape – Dev, Test, Q etc.? OPD configuration appears to be client dependent, but I’m not getting the expected results with SCC1 – Dev to unit test on the same instance. See Note 2248229 Section 2 & 2.1 & Limitations for context. Thanks – Morne
OPD is a TR based once you maintain and click Apply TR will be generated
Great post, could you please advise on where I can find all the documents that BRF+ OM currently supports? Thank you in advance.
Hi Philos Chen
Refer OSS note 2248229, it contains all versions related BRF+
Excellent document.
It will be more useful.
Thanks a lot
Thank you Esther María Gálvez R.
Hi There,
thanks for detailed overview of output functionality using BRF+.
My question is related to object ‘Purchase Order’.
My question is, in ECC system we had NACE technique of output management and there we had control over whether message should be triggered for create or change event of the purchase order.
Is something similar covered in BRF+ for output determination as well??
Appreciate response.
Thank you, Avinash Glad, you liked my article
Yes it's Same like ECC
Thanks Ruthvik for the detailed information on BRF+.
I wanted to know if is it possible to have editable Email body for the outputs which we setup using BRF+ so that a note is added by user. Appreciate Response.
Very well done, thank you. But you mentioned the new Output Management does not exist for RFQ. Is this up to date? Because when I create a RFQ with Fiori App, "Output Details" are greyed out. If I create a RFQ within ME41, NAST-technology will be used (there is a note where this is written). But as my customer wants to create RFQs via Fiori App I have a problem now.
Can you confirm RFQs via Fiori Apps are still not possible?
Best regards
Dom
Hi Dominik Tospann
With each latest release of versions, BRF+ supporting documents are increasing
please refer Note number 2248229 for latest supporting documents
NICE
Hi,
Thanks for the information. Is there any guidance on correspondence generation using OPD?
Does it need both correspondence configuration and OPD or only OPD is sufficient? Also does back end t-code work to generate correspondence with BRF+ or only through Fiori APP?
If convetional correspondence is configured, it seems it looks for RF* programs to generate the statements and not BRF+.
Regards
Deb
Nice information on BRF functionality..
How we can trigger the messages after PO creation immediately in BRF+ (Without PO release)?
In Output determination, we can maintain rules as per our requirement. however its recommendable to trigger message only after PO is Releases
Hi Ruthvik ,
Your every post is very informative . Can we maintain the rule to generate output before release ?
Hello,
I need to copy and modify form (BRF+ Output Management for Manage RFQs and Manage Supplier Quotations - Internal Sourcing Request) MM_PUR_RFQ_INTERNAL. When I click on Layout I'm getting grayed out Designed View screen. My z_copy is also grayed out.
I also can't find GW Service in SEGW : FDP_EA_REQST_FOR_QUOT_INT_SRV assigned to this form. There is another project FDP_EA_REQST_FOR_QUOTATION_INT.
Our version is 1909.
According to SAP help this functionality is in place. Also I can see attached document in FIORI App.
Any help is appreciated.
Hi,
We are trying to use email functionality in S4 ERS. Email should be triggered to suppliers from vendor master. Anyone has worked on this using output management +BRF in S4? Appreciate quick response. thankyou
Please note: SAP has decided to offer a new output solution with SAP S/4HANA called SAP S/4HANA output management. It contains the reuse service SAP S/4HANA output control that is used for many complex output scenarios.
Find more information also here: https://blogs.sap.com/2021/04/26/output-management-in-sap-s-4hana/
Thank you Markus Berg for sharing the info
Hi Ruthvik Chowdary,
While posting the invoice document. I am getting the error "Email Body is empty for Output Request Item"
Can anyone please help here?
Regards,
Ankit
Hello How Does BRF+ output Management and control Benefit Over NACE and is there any one one feature comparison between Nace and BRF+ Output control and Management.
Very nice document Ruthvik. Out of all the BRF+ output set up, I see Output relevance missing. Can you tell me what is the use of Output relevance.
Thanks,
Jayanth S
Hello Ruthvik Chowdary, Thanks for such a nice blog.
I have a question related to restrict the BRF+ access .
Please guide how to control the access according to the Sales org, Only relevant Sales Org should be able to maintain the BRF+ condition record for their customer we have this option in ECC like VV11.VV31, not sure how to control this in S/4.
We have large sales Org and everyday new customers added and there will be a restriction maintain the Output/Channel according to customer.
Please guide if you have any option. Thank you
Hi Ruthvik Chowdary
Thank you for informatic blog. Here my doubt is if I configured custom DDIC adobe form and driver program in BRF+ output, how I can get Channel(Mail/ Print) details in runtime report ? Instead of using class that assigned to o/p type that calls Odata service I wanted to use driver program.