Introduction

This blog post describes end-to-end scenario of creation of custom Billing Document form (or changing of it) and system customizing to make the new form default by Billing Document display.

Following pre-requisites are necessary for this use case:

1. Access to the following apps in SAP S/4HANA Cloud:
   • Create Billing Document
   • Output Management Form Template
   • Output Parameter Determination
2. Access to the following SSCUIs in CBC tool:
   • Assign Form Templates
   • Define Rules for Determination of Master Form Template
3. Sales Order in SAP S/4HANA Cloud, based on which it is possible to create Billing Document
4. Installed Adobe LiveCycle designer on a laptop

This scenario includes following steps:

1. Search for suitable standard form
2. Adjusting of the form in Adobe LiveCycle Designer
3. Adjusting of master form in Adobe LiveCycle Designer
4. Create sender address, footers and logo.
5. Adjusting of Output Management settings for Billing Document
6. Setting-up Master Form
7. Review of the results in SAP S/4HANA Cloud

Search for suitable standard form

The list of all forms is available in SAP Best Practices for SAP S/4HANA (on premise)‎, in Accelerators part – Forms.

In this excel spreadsheet we need to find the name of the used for Billing Documents´ Adobe Form Template (SDBIL_CI_STANDARD_DE):

We will copy it then in SAP S/4HANA Cloud System and use as the basis for our custom form.

Adjusting of the form in Adobe LiveCycle Designer

Now we need to go to SAP S/4HANA Cloud System and download the selected template.

To do this we will use the App “Output Management Form Template“. Let´s go to the Pre-delivered Templates tab and search for the identified earlier SDBIL_CI_STANDARD_DE Form template:

Select the template and copy it:

Then we need to download the form to local machine to work with it further in Adobe LiveCycle Designer:

By downloading the form you need to select master form for it. The most commonly used master form is SOMU_FORM_MASTER_A4 – let´s use it.

Important remark: now we downloaded the main, englisch version of the form and will make changes in it. Unfortunately, if you need to change forms for other languages, this has to be done separately.

Once it is done, open the downloaded form via Adobe LiveCycle Designer:

Now you can go on with implementation of necessary changes. Please, refer to this blog post to check, which changes are possible.

One of the popular changes is adding contact person to the form, which is absent by default. Please, refer to this blog to check, how to do this in Billing Document.

Adjusting of master form in Adobe LiveCycle Designer

As some changes can be done only in master form, let´s review the process of working with master forms.

Firstly we need to go back in SAP S/4HANA Cloud system, app “Output Management Form Template“.

Then we need to switch to Pre-delivered Templates again and find master form, which we used for download of the main form – SOMU_FORM_MASTER_A4, select it and copy:

Once the form is copied, let´s switch to the Custom Templates tab, remove the filtering and enter the newly copied master form:

In the next step we need to download the master form to local PC:

And open the form via Adobe LiveCycle Designer:

Now you can proceed with such changes, as removing document name, changing number of footers and other.

Uploading of changed forms

After the changes are done in Adobe LiveCycle Designer, we need to upload changed main and master form to SAP S/4HANA Cloud.

In the same application, from where we downloaded the forms (Maintain Form Templates), go firstly to the main form, select Upload button and upload the changed version. Then repeat the same for the master form.

Adjusting of Output Management settings for Billing Document

After changes in Adobe LiveCycle Designer are done, footers, sender address and logos are created, we need to set customizing in CBC solution (or in “Manage your solution” in SAP S/4HANA Cloud system).

Assign Form Template

We will start with “Assign Form Template” SSCUI:

Once you entered the customizing activity, you will see list of Application Object Types with Form Templates, assigned to them by default, including Billing Documents:

Click “New Entries” in the top left corner:

And enter following values:

• Application Object Type = BILLING_DOCUMENT
• Output Type = BILLING_DOCUMENT
• Form Template ID = <your custom form name>

Save the new record. Now, once you saved the setting, go one screen back and search for the Billing Document, you will see, that your Form Template is assigned to the Object type, as well, as the standard form.

There is no issue in such double assignment, as we will define in “Output Parameter Determination” app, which Form Template will be used for our scenario.

In the next step we need to provide master form settings. Please, refer to this blog to check, how to do the customizing.

Output Parameter Determination

Now we will switch to the application “Output Parameter Determination“. And we will work with Billing Document there:

For our use case we need to adjust only Form Template customizing:

Select Edit:

Then “+”:

Then provide following values:

• Output Type = “BILLING_DOCUMENT”
• Billing Type = “F2” – this setting could help you to use different form for different types of Billing Documents, if it requested by business
• Form Template = <your custom form name>

Then click Check and Activate:

Review of the results in SAP S/4HANA Cloud

There are two ways to check, how the final result is look like. The one is described in this blog post. If this way does not work for you, or you need to check results for different items, you can use the way, described further.

Manage Customer Line Items

First of all it is worse to mention, that you can use this method only in Starter or Q system, or on test data in P system.

To review the resulting form, we need to implement several preparation steps.

We start with “Create Billing Document” app. Click “Go” and display all available Sales Orders:

Then adjust Billing settings as follow:

Select sales order, which is ready for creation of Invoice and click “Create Billing Documents”:

Select Invoice Type and current date:

On the next screen scroll down to “Output Items” and display your document:

Conclusion

The process of customizing forms for different documents quite often is very similar. However, this can be challenging to test properly implemented changes in the system and customize the system in such a way, that correct forms are in use in requested business scenarios.