The SAP system’s standard search helps with the fields in the employee self-service (ESS) timesheet. It delivers a table that you can customize so that another search help can be used in place of the standard search. I discuss the steps you have to take to assign your own search help to one or more fields of the Cross-Application Time Sheet (CATS regular) or the ESS timesheet.

To show how some fields in the CATS and the ESS timesheet can use a search help, I use the field RAUFNR (receiver order) for my example. The change to the search help is applicable to other fields as well. These tips are valid for both Java-based and ABAP Web Dynpro applications.

To add a new search help, the first step is to start your CATS or ESS timesheet and click an empty field in the Rec. Order column. A look-up icon appears next to the field (Figure 1). After you click the look-up icon, the Advanced Search screen (Figure 2) appears where users can enter some values to look for a particular order (i.e., the type of order and the financial area under which the order falls).  

Figure 1

Timesheet look-up icon

Figure 2

Advanced search field options

If you want to search for the order by another value (for instance, by the main work center), you have to change the search help to add this field. Start transaction code SM31 to edit table TCATS_SHLP_ITS (Timesheet: possible entries help). To start transaction code SM31, follow IMG path Cross-Application Components > Timesheet > Specific setting for CATS regular > CATS regular (ITS) > Modify possible entries help. Table TCATS_SHLP_ITS consists of a number of fields from the timesheet for which a search help is available (Figure 3). If a field is not shown in this table, it means that the search help for that field cannot be modified.

Figure 3

Table TCATS_SHLP_ITS

In my example, I focus on the Field Name RAUFNR (receiver order), which is connected to search help ORDPA. You access search help ORDPA through transaction code SE11. It consists of four search parameters. These parameters are the fields users see when accessing the search help in the portal (Figure 4). In my example, these parameters are AUART (order type), KOKRS (controlling area), AUFNR (order number), and KTEXT (order description). The goal is to attach another search help to the RAUFNR field.

Figure 4

Search help ORDPA

To add a new search help to the RAUFNR field you can use the database selection method (Figure 5). This view includes the fields that are displayed when you search for an order by providing a value in the search help (Figure 2). When you want to search for values other than the ones available in the standard search help, you need to add these fields to the database view. Once they’re added, the new search help provides these fields on the screen.

Figure 5

Database view M_ORDPA (selection method)

First, copy the selection method M_ORDPA to selection method Z_ORDPA by using transaction code SE11. Enter Type M_ORDPA in the View field, select the View radio button, and click the copy icon  (Figure 6). A pop-up window appears where you enter Z_ORDPA in the to View field (Figure 7). Click the enter icon  to complete the copying step.

Figure 6

Copy the selection methods

Figure 7

The Copy View

Add the fields you want to see in the search help to look for the order. In my example I use field VAPLZ (main work center for maintenance tasks) from table AUFK. Enter a description in the View field column (Figure 8). Type the table name (AUFK) in the Table column and click the empty field in the Field column. A look-up icon appears. Click the look-up icon to select a field from table AUFK. The screen shown in Figure 9 appears.

Figure 8

Select a field from table AUFK

Activate the database view by clicking the activate icon (Figure 9). This action returns the user to the screen shown in Figure 6.

Figure 9

Add field VAPLZ to the database view

Next, copy the search help ORDPA to Z_ORDPA by using transaction SE11. Select the Search help radio button, enter ORDPA in the field next to the radio button, and click the copy icon (Figure 10).

Figure 10

Copy search help ORDPA to Z_ORDPA

Enter Z_ORDPA in the To Search Help field and click the enter icon (Figure 11).

Figure 11

Copy search help

The next step is to enter the view Z_ORDPA in the Selection method field in search help Z_ORDPA (Figure 12). Click the empty field in the Search help parameter column. A look-up icon appears. Click the look-up icon to add the field VAPLZ as a search help parameter (Figure 12). A pop-up screen is displayed with the fields that were selected in the database view (Figure 13).  

Figure 12

Select the new field

Figure 13

Available fields for the search help

Select the empty check box in the Key column next to field VAPLZ (Main work center for maintenance tasks) and click the enter icon. In the next screen click the activate icon to activate the search help.

The next step is to edit table TCATS_SHLP_ITS. Use transaction code SM31or follow IMG path Cross-Application Components > Timesheet > Specific setting for CATS regular > CATS regular (ITS) > Modify possible entries help. Replace the value ORDPA in the Srch help column with the value ZORDPA (Figure 14).

Figure 14

Available fields for the search help

Next, replace the RAUFNR field search help ORDPA with search help Z_ORDPA and save the table by clicking the save icon . Double-click field Z_ORDPA in the Srch help column. The fields that can be selected for the search help are shown in Figure 15. Change the field KOKRS to VAPLZ in the screen in Figure 15 and click the save icon to save table TCATS_SHLP_ITS.

Figure 15

Change field KOKRS

To see the results of your change, start the timesheet in the portal again and click the look-up icon next to the order (Figure 16). This action displays the new search help (Figure 17), which looks for orders based on the value in field VAPLZ (main work center).

Figure 16

Select the look-up icon in the data entry area

Figure 17

New search help screen

In the screen that appears (Figure 17) enter the main work center (BANK, in my example) in the Main WorkCtr column and click the Go button. This creates a list of all the orders matching the main work center you have entered (Figure 18). Select a line by clicking the gray square on the left of the line. This action automatically fills in the Rec. Order field in your timesheet (Figure 19).

Figure 18

Result of orders based on the main work center

Figure 19

The data entry area