Skip to Content
Product Information
Author's profile photo Ruthvik Chowdary

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+

  1. ECC to HANA for new Output there is no tools available at the moment
  2. When converting to HANA from ECC only New PO’s will be coming in BFR+ if activated
  3. In 1511 only Sales Invoice and PO and available
  4. 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 IntegrationIntegration with the Ariba Network Application-specific settings Define Message Output Control Method 2: Use SAP S/4HANA-Based Output ManagementActivate or Deactivate SAP S/4HANA-Based Output Management

  • For contracts and scheduling, agreements go to IMGCross-Application ComponentsOutput ControlManage 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

 

Assigned Tags

      53 Comments
      You must be Logged on to comment or reply to a post.
      Author's profile photo Pravin Mandgaonkar
      Pravin Mandgaonkar

      Nice info on BRF functionality..

      Author's profile photo Ruthvik Chowdary
      Ruthvik Chowdary
      Blog Post Author

      Thank you Pravin Mandgaonkar Glad you liked the article

      Author's profile photo Sai Krishna Vallurupalli
      Sai Krishna Vallurupalli

      Really very Good Information you have shared Ruthvik Chowdary

      #Kudos Keep going

      Author's profile photo Ruthvik Chowdary
      Ruthvik Chowdary
      Blog Post Author

      Thank you very much

      Author's profile photo venu gopal
      venu gopal

      Really good document my dear Ruthvik

      Author's profile photo Ruthvik Chowdary
      Ruthvik Chowdary
      Blog Post Author

      Thank you venu gopal

      For your support

      Author's profile photo Former Member
      Former Member

      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?

      Author's profile photo Ruthvik Chowdary
      Ruthvik Chowdary
      Blog Post Author

      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

      Author's profile photo SACHIN BHATE
      SACHIN BHATE

      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?

      Author's profile photo Ruthvik Chowdary
      Ruthvik Chowdary
      Blog Post Author

      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/

      Author's profile photo Veerabhadra Rao Kosuri
      Veerabhadra Rao Kosuri

      Very Good document

      Author's profile photo Ruthvik Chowdary
      Ruthvik Chowdary
      Blog Post Author

      Thank you

      Author's profile photo Prabhjot Bhatia
      Prabhjot Bhatia

      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.

      Author's profile photo Ruthvik Chowdary
      Ruthvik Chowdary
      Blog Post Author

      Hello Prabhjot Bhatia

      Thank you very much for adding your points and making this article more informative.

      Really you did a lot of homework ?

      Author's profile photo Gaurav Karkara
      Gaurav Karkara

      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.

      Author's profile photo Eric Oud
      Eric Oud

      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

      Author's profile photo Kishore kothembaka
      Kishore kothembaka

      Hi Eric,

      Were you able to do this ? Please let me know the process if so.

       

      Thanks,

      Kishore.

      Author's profile photo Eric Oud
      Eric Oud

      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

      Author's profile photo Pedro Cano Gómez
      Pedro Cano Gómez

      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

      Author's profile photo ashfaq Panja
      ashfaq Panja

      Hi Ruthvik Nice document

      Author's profile photo Ruthvik Chowdary
      Ruthvik Chowdary
      Blog Post Author

      Thank you ashfaq Panja

      Author's profile photo Vijay Kumar
      Vijay Kumar

      Hi Ruthvik,

      It's Very good document .....

      Keep posting new innovation regarding sourcing & procurement 1909.

      It will be more useful.

      Thanks in Advance

      Author's profile photo Ruthvik Chowdary
      Ruthvik Chowdary
      Blog Post Author

      Hello Vijay Kumar

      Thank you!! Glad you liked my article,

      Sure soon will post innovations from procurement.

      Author's profile photo Deepti Kashyap
      Deepti Kashyap

      Nice document

      Author's profile photo Ruthvik Chowdary
      Ruthvik Chowdary
      Blog Post Author

      Thank you Deepti Kashyap

      Author's profile photo Johnson Li
      Johnson Li

      Excellent document.

      I have one question.

      1.  What would happen for BRF+ (assuming you create new output conditions) with those existed OLD "output condition" established?  Will there be some type of conflict.

      Thank you,

      Author's profile photo Ruthvik Chowdary
      Ruthvik Chowdary
      Blog Post Author

      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

      Author's profile photo Morne Smart
      Morne Smart

      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

      Author's profile photo Ruthvik Chowdary
      Ruthvik Chowdary
      Blog Post Author

      OPD is a TR based once you maintain and click Apply TR will be generated

      Author's profile photo Philos Chen
      Philos Chen

      Great post, could you please advise on where I can find all the documents that BRF+ OM currently supports? Thank you in advance.

      Author's profile photo Ruthvik Chowdary
      Ruthvik Chowdary
      Blog Post Author

      Hi Philos Chen

      Refer OSS note 2248229, it contains all versions related BRF+

      Author's profile photo Esther María Gálvez R.
      Esther María Gálvez R.

      Excellent document.

      It will be more useful.

      Thanks a lot

      Author's profile photo Ruthvik Chowdary
      Ruthvik Chowdary
      Blog Post Author

      Thank you Esther María Gálvez R.

      Author's profile photo avinash kavi
      avinash kavi

      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.

      Author's profile photo Ruthvik Chowdary
      Ruthvik Chowdary
      Blog Post Author

      Thank you, Avinash Glad, you liked my article

      Yes it's Same like ECC

      Author's profile photo Umesh Patil
      Umesh Patil

      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.

      Author's profile photo Dominik Tospann
      Dominik Tospann

      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

      Author's profile photo Ruthvik Chowdary
      Ruthvik Chowdary
      Blog Post Author

      Hi Dominik Tospann

      With each latest release of versions, BRF+ supporting documents are increasing

      please refer Note number 2248229 for latest supporting documents

      Author's profile photo Vivek Chaudhary
      Vivek Chaudhary

      NICE

      Author's profile photo Debasmita Ghatak
      Debasmita Ghatak

      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

       

      Author's profile photo Shekar Mallipamula
      Shekar Mallipamula

      Nice information on BRF functionality..

      Author's profile photo MAHESH KALANE
      MAHESH KALANE

      How we can trigger the messages after PO creation immediately in BRF+ (Without PO release)?

      Author's profile photo Ruthvik Chowdary
      Ruthvik Chowdary
      Blog Post Author

      In Output determination, we can maintain rules as per our requirement. however its recommendable to trigger message only after PO is Releases

      Author's profile photo Nabanita Barua
      Nabanita Barua

      Hi Ruthvik ,

       

      Your every post is very informative . Can we maintain the rule to generate output before release ?

      Author's profile photo Helena Barshay
      Helena Barshay

      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.

      Author's profile photo Shrutika Kedar
      Shrutika Kedar

      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

      Author's profile photo Markus Berg
      Markus Berg

      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.

      Please do NOT use the terms “Output Management based on BRFplus” or “BRFplus Output Management”. In fact, forget about BRFplus in this context at all.

      Why? BRFplus is an optional part and only used for configuration (similar to the condition technique in NAST), not for processing the output. NAST is also not referred to as the “Condition technique based output management”.

      You might also end up connecting with BRFplus experts, but they likely will not be able to answer your output-related questions.

      Find more information also here: https://blogs.sap.com/2021/04/26/output-management-in-sap-s-4hana/

      Author's profile photo Ruthvik Chowdary
      Ruthvik Chowdary
      Blog Post Author

      Thank you Markus Berg for sharing the info

      Author's profile photo Ankit Deshwal
      Ankit Deshwal

      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

      Author's profile photo rajendra sawant
      rajendra sawant

      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.

      Author's profile photo Jayanth Shettigar
      Jayanth Shettigar

      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

      Author's profile photo Rampe V
      Rampe V

      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

      Author's profile photo s maybhate
      s maybhate

      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.