You can implement SAP’s Document Management System (DMS) as a stand-alone project after standard SAP has already been implemented or as part of an implementation of other SAP modules by following the steps in this article. Before reviewing the configuration steps, you need some background on classification, which consists of characteristics and classes. DMS uses class and characteristics extensively. DMS document distribution is covered next along with the required settings. Finally, I share an actual SAP DMS project plan to provide a better understanding of all the major phases involved in implementation. Knowledge about some of the technical ABAP tables used in DMS is also helpful.

Classification

• Create a characteristic for each property of the document
• Create a class with class type 017, which is specifically used for SAP DMS
• Link the characteristics and class
• Assign the class with the document type.

Characteristics

Figure 1

Initial screen to create a characteristic

In the next screen, information related to the characteristics is defined, such as description, data type, number of characteristics, decimal places (if any), and unit of measure (Figure 2).

Figure 2

All related information about the characteristic to be created is defined

Table 1

Details of individual fields of characteristic

In Figure 2, click the Values tab to go to Figure 3. In Figure 3, enter 10 m3, 20 m3 and 30 m3. (These refer to the pump’s capacity values, with m3 being the unit of measure of capacity, which in this case is a cubic meter.). The characteristic provides an option to record pump value, which can then be searched in DMS along with any associated drawing (if any). Select the check box Additional Values on the top left. This ensures that values other than 10, 20 or 30 are also allowed to be entered as an input value.

Now the characteristic C002 has three values available to choose from: 10, 20, and 30 m3. Checking the Additional Values check box allows you to input other values besides these three. You can implement such default values when you create DMS documents, which saves data entry efforts. However, you can overwrite those values if necessary.

Figure 3

Option to incorporate three characteristic values that are then available as input options

Create a Class and Assign Characteristics

Class is also master data of classification. You assign characteristics in classes. Class is mainly identified by its class type and acts as a controlling function. Different class types are available in an SAP system to achieve different purposes. Some of the available class types are:

• Class type 022 for batch management
• Class type 300 in variant classification
• Class type 017 in DMS

Figure 4

Initial screen for the creation of a class

Figure 5

Basic data tab of class creation

Table 2 defines some of the fields in Figure 5.

Table 2

Field names and description of basic data tab of class

Click the Char. (for characteristics) tab and enter all the previously created characteristics. Select all the check boxes such as Print, Display, and Search to ensure that the characteristics are available for printing, can be displayed in the DMS, and can be used for search functions respectively (Figure 6).

Figure 6

Characteristic tab of class, in which all previously created characteristics are assigned

SAP DMS Configuration

Define Number Ranges

Figure 7

Initial screen to define number ranges

Figure 8

Screen to maintain number range intervals

Table 3

Details of individual fields for maintaining number range intervals

Figure 9

The pop-up window contains the number range for DMS documents after defining the new number range 07

Figure 10

Maintain the number range interval

Define the Document Type

Every document in the DMS is identified with a document type. The document type defines number ranges, field selection, the class to use, and objects (material master, purchase order) that you can link to a document type. To create a new document type, follow menu path SPRO > Reference IMG > Cross-Applications Components > Document Management > Control Data > Define Document Types. Click the execute icon to go to Figure 11. Figure 11 contains a standard and a long list of various DMS document types that are available. To create a new document type, it is better to copy one of the existing document types, as it saves time and maintenance efforts. In my example, I use standard available document type DRW to create a new document type Z01. Select document type DRW and click the copy function icon in Figure 11 to go to Figure 12.

Figure 11

Overview of DMS document types

Figure 12 is the detailed screen for the creation for new document type Z01. For details related to each field in Figure 12, refer to Tables 4 and 5.

Figure 12

Detailed screen of document type Z01

Table 4

Field details of the document type configuration screen

Table 5

Control indicators used in document type configuration

Document Status

Document status enables you to control the viewing of a document by the user – for example, a document with the status of obsolete can be restricted from viewing, or only documents with a released status can be viewed. To create a new document status, follow menu path SPRO > Reference IMG > Cross-Application Components > Document Management System > Control Data > Define Document Status (Figure 13). Figure 13 contains the already created document statuses for document type Z01. These statuses are available due to the fact that when I used the copy function to copy document type DRW to Z01, all dependent entries, including document status, were also copied. You can delete the document statuses you do not need by selecting the relevant document status and clicking the delete icon in Figure 13. Select the document status FR (which stands for released) in Figure 13. Click the detail icon (magnifying glass) to go to Figure 14.

Figure 13

Document status overview screen

Figure 14

Detailed screen of document status FR for document type Z01

Table 6 is the detailed explanation of the important fields in Figure 14.

Table 6

Field controls of document statuses

Table 7

Status abbreviation and control functions

Object Link

• Equipment master – All documents (such as drawings, manuals, specification sheets, and checklists) attached to equipment in the PM module are automatically available for reference whenever any PM order is created using the same equipment master.
• Customer master – All documents associated with a customer automatically become available when a sales order for that particular customer is created.
• Vendor master — All documents associated with a vendor automatically become available when a purchase order for that particular vendor is created.
• Material master — All documents associated with the material master automatically become available whenever it is used in a standard SAP business function.

To create an object link, follow menu path SPRO > IMG > Cross-Application Components > Document Management System> Control Data> Define Object Link (Figure 15). Figure 15 contains the already created different object links for document type Z01. These created object links are available due to the fact that when I used the copy function to copy document type DRW to Z01, all dependent entries, including object links, also were copied. You can delete the object links you do not need by selecting the relevant document status and clicking the delete icon in Figure 15. Select the Object EKPO in Figure 15 and click the detail icon to go to Figure 16.

Figure 15

Overview of object links

Figure 16

Detailed screen of object links

Table 8

Field details of an object link

Table 9

Available objects for object link and descriptions

DMS in Action

Document Info Record (DIR)

Figure 17

Initial screen of DMS document

Figure 18

The document data screen of a DIR

Assign Originals to DIR

Figure 19 is the pop-up screen for assigning the new original files to DIR. Enter a short description of the original and then define the menu path at which the original file is stored. Use the drop-down option in Figure 19 to define the file’s menu path. Click the continue icon in Figure 19 to go to Figure 20.

Figure 19

Popup screen for assigning originals to a DIR

Figure 20 contains an original file named 101 Copywriting Tips. It is in PDF format. The lock function is activated by clicking the lock icon in Figure 20 and then selecting the check-in option that follows. A check-in ensures that the original file is now saved securely in an SAP server and is accessible to everyone with the relevant authorization. With several icons available for the original stored files, the functions to change, display, download, or print are all available.

Figure 20

Original document assigned to DIR and checked in

Document Hierarchy

Figure 21

Assign a superior document to create a document hierarchy

Figure 22

Document data tab after initial status IW assignment, creation of product hierarchy, and assigning and checking in the original

Additional Data (Classification)

Figure 23

Additional data tab of DIR containing characteristics

Object Links

Figure 24

An object links tab in which details of equipment and purchase order line items are given

Figure 25

The system message when new document type Z01 is created

New Version

Figure 26

The new version of the previously created document type Z01

Figure 27

The new version of the DIR in which any details can be changed

In Figure 28, the status of the DIR has been set to RL, which is for released. The date and time when the DIR is released are available. The released DIR is denoted by a green indicator.

Figure 28

New DIR version 01 in which the document status is set to Released

Document Distribution

Figure 29 is the initial screen to send one DMS document to recipients. Enter the document number, document type, document part, and document version. Click the execute icon to go to Figure 30.

Figure 29

The initial screen for document distribution

Figure 30 is the detailed screen for document distribution. I manually entered two recipients near the bottom of the screen. However, notice that in one, two different types of deliveries will be made – RML and RMA. For RML, the original DMS document is sent as a hyperlink that the user clicks to view the file. For RMA, the original is delivered in the mailbox as an attachment.

Figure 30

The detailed screen for document distribution

Figure 31

The system message when a document distribution is successful

Distribution List

Figure 32 is the initial screen for the creation of a distribution list. I am creating distribution list ZDMS. Press Enter to go to Figure 33.

Figure 32

The initial screen for a recipient list

Figure 33

The detailed screen for a recipient list

SAP DMS Implementation Project Plan

Table 10

Detailed project plan with phase-wise major activities

Additional Information on DMS

Following are some important tables in DMS. Data from these tables can be directly read from transaction SE16N in case standard DMS reports do not fulfill business needs. If you need to develop additional reports using ABAP or even a simple SAP query, then these ABAP tables come in handy.

• DRAW - DIR
• DRAT - Texts for DIRs
• DRAZ - Table for additional files for DMS originals
• DRAO - Originals for documents
• DRAOZ - Additional files for DMS originals
• DRAD - Document-object link
• DRAP - Document log file

Reference Material

Jawad Akhtar

Jawad Akhtar earned his chemical engineering degree from Missouri University of Science and Technology. He has 17 years of professional experience, of which nine years are in SAP. He has completed eight end-to-end SAP project implementation lifecycles in the areas of PP, QM, MM, PM, and DMS in the steel, automobile, chemical, fertilizer, FMCG, and building products industries. He also has worked as an SAP integration manager and an SAP project manager. He has been proactively involved in a business development and solution architect role for seven years. He is the author of Production Planning and Control with SAP ERP, it's filled with in-depth infomation on discrete, process, and repetitive manufacturing types. His profile on LinkedIn is at https://pk.linkedin.com/in/jawadakhtar. You may follow Jawad on Twitter @jawadahl. Currently, he is associated with AbacusConsulting as Head of SAP Delivery.

You may contact the author at jawad.akhtar@live.com.

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