Detailing Process Instruction Categories

As explained above process instructions are of the following types, one which sends process instructions to
the destination and which gets back the requested from the destination to process the data records in SAP.
Transaction code to configure
The process instruction types are predefined in SAP and there are multiple process message categories also
predefined by SAP. Nevertheless you can create a process instruction category in customizing using the
transaction code O12C. In customizing (transaction code SPRO) SAP provides the different paths to
configure process instructions, but they all carry the same transaction code (Define Process instruction
categories (general), Define Process instruction categories for SAP PI Sheet using PI assistance, Define
Process instruction categories for SAP PI Sheet using characteristics overview).
Purpose of this section
Note - This particular section of documentation explains process instruction categories, the configuration
involved and the types of process instruction categories in SAP PPPI Process Management. The
configuration and explanation of the process instruction categories co-exist together in this section.

Figure 17

Types of Process Instruction Categories and their Configuration

Process
Used in ShopUsed in ExternalProcess Instruction CategoryProcess Instruction Category for
Instruction
Floor
Process Controlfor Sending Process Notessending Process Message Requests
Category Type Destination (PI System Type -or instructions or Processin the form of Process Message
Sheets) Type 12 & 3
order related parameters toCategories to the Destination so as
&4
aid mfg activities
to get back the Required data to
SAP

Process
Parameter

Process Data
Requests

3
Process
Message
Subscriptions

5 Inspection X
Results
Requests

Process Data
Calculation
Formulas

Dynamic
Function Calls

Sequence
Definitions

Process Instructions of Type 1 explained in this section

Type 1 Process Parameters
Can be used by the Control Recipe Destinations
2 or 3 Used in Process Control System Destinations
1 or 4 Used in Shop Floor Destinations (PI Sheets)
Explanation
Sends the required data for the operator or the external process control system (Control Recipe destinations)
to initiate production, i.e., Sends Information and Control Notes in the form of Characteristic and values.
The assumption is that the information that is sent to production systems or shop floor is not available at the
destinations and by sending this information in the form of notes/instructions the process instructions help
the destinations with the required production related specifications which would help in the production of the
process order.
Example for Process Instruction Category of Type 1:

Figure 18

Figure 19

SAP PPPI Process Instructions of Type 2 and Type 3 explained here:

Type 2 Process Data Requests & Type 3 Process Data Subscription &
Can be used by the Control Recipe Destinations
Process Data Requests of Type 2 can be used in:
2 or 3 Used in Process Control System Destinations
1 or 4 Used in Shop Floor Destinations (PI Sheets)
Process Message Subscription of Type 3 can be used in:
2 or 3 Used in Process Control System Destinations
Explanation
The Process control system receives the information on what is expected by them as an outcome of the
manufacturing process carried out by using information in process instructions.
A process data requests sends the actual data to the SAP Process management in the form of process
messages which are eventually processed in SAP, whereas in process data subscription the process messages
are sent every time an event occurs. In process message subscription, values are sent by the process control
system and transferred from there to the process messages which are eventually processed in SAP.

Process instruction of the type 3 would in general contain the following types of characteristics and
data:
PPPI_MESSAGE_CATEGORY
The value for these process instruction characteristics defines a Process Message Category for which you
are requesting information for.
PPPI_REQUESTED_VALUE
The process instruction characteristics PPPI_REQUESTED_VALUE carries the process message
characteristics, whose value is requested as an input value, to be entered by the control recipe destination
(PCS) for example in a goods receipts data requests, inputs for operation, phase, goods receipt material
and quantity can be requested.
These inputs are clubbed in a process message category and are finally processed in SAP function
modules or other process message destinations.
Cannot use the PI Assistant Wizard for PI Categories of Type 3
This type of process instruction category is not used in the PI sheets, so one cannot use the PI assistant
wizard to create the process instruction category.

Example for Type 3:

Very important Note As seen below, the process instruction category carrying the process message
categories (which is requesting data back to SAP), the value column would contain the process message
categories or process message characteristics.

Figure 20

Figure 21

Figure 22

Figure 23

Process instruction of the type 2 would in general contain the following types of characteristics and
data:
PPPI_MESSAGE_CATEGORY
The value for these process instruction characteristics defines a Process Message Category for which you
are requesting information for.
PPPI_DATA_REQUEST_TYPE
If you are using PI sheets, then you have to choose the type of data requests. i.e. Simple data request &
repeated data request. Simple data request allows only one message from a PI Sheet, for the given
process message category, to be sent back to SAP (example only one goods receipt message for one GR
posting per order or one value for a batch characteristics), Repeated data requests allows multiple
messages to be sent back to SAP for a given process message category on a PI Sheet, for example
multiple messages for phase confirmations category or for production order goods consumption category.
Note - If you dont see process instruction characteristics PPPI_DATA_REQUEST_TYPE, in the
process instruction category of type 2, then that process instruction category is slated to be used for an
external control recipe destination outside of SAP.
PPPI_MINIMUM_TABLE_SIZE & PPPI_MAXIMUM_TABLE_SIZE

In case the data request type is Repeated data requests, in PI Sheets, then you can define the
minimum number of messages and maximum number of messages with the PI category as shown in the
examples. In other words, you can define the number of rows for a given process instruction category. If
you have data filled in 2 rows then 2 messages will be sent back to SAP for the given process instruction
category and for the given PI Sheet.
PPPI_REQUESTED_VALUE
The process instruction characteristics PPPI_REQUESTED_VALUE carries the process message
characteristics, whose value is requested as an input value, to be entered by the control recipe destination
(for PI sheet or PCS) for example in a goods receipts data requests, inputs for operation, phase, goods
receipt material and quantity can be requested. These inputs are clubbed in a process message category
and processed in SAP function modules or other process message destinations.
PPPI_INPUT_REQUEST & PPPI_REQUESTED_VALUE
When you are creating a process instruction category for use in PI Sheets, you would need to include the
process message characteristics for which an input is required by the operator at the control recipe
destination.
The process message characteristics for which an input value is required so as to post the process
message category successfully is included as a value to the process instruction characteristics
PPPI_REQUESTED_VALUE.
The heading describing the input requirements or the label, i.e., describing the process message
characteristics is included against the process instruction characteristics PPPI_INPUT_REQUEST; this
heading will be displayed in the PI Sheet to help the operator know about what value is required as an
input. In other words, the INPUT_REQUEST instruction characteristics always carries a label that
would be shown on the PI sheet so as to help the operator enter the respective value for the
REQUESTED_VALUE instruction.
For example, if the Input request is New Batch: and the requested value is the actual batch number that
would be entered by the operator on the PI sheet, then an example PI Sheet (browser based Sheet) would
look as below:

Figure 24

Note - If you dont see process instruction characteristics PPPI_INPUT_REQUEST &

PPPI_REQUESTED_VALUE, in the process instruction category of type 2, then that process instruction
category is slated to be used for an external control recipe destination outside of SAP.
PPPI_OUTPUT_TEXT & PPPI_OUTPUT_CHARACTERISTICS
The output text or the output heading label, is provided under the process instruction characteristics
PPPI_OUTPUT_TEXT and the PPPI_OUTPUT_CHARACTERISTICS is a process instruction
characteristics that carries the process message characteristics. The value of this
OUTPUT_CHARACTERISTICS can be maintained manually or automatically in the process order or in
the recipe.
Automatic Value assignment or Planned Values
Characteristics such as PPPI_PROCESS_ORDER, PPPI_PHASE, PPPI_OPERATION,
PPPI_MATERIAL, PPPI_MATERIAL_PRODUCED (header material to be received), and
PPPI_UNIT_OF_MEASURE can be planned characteristics whose values can be automatically entered
during control recipe creation itself (in the process order). Though one can decide whether these values
are to be automated or entered by the control recipe destination and if they are entered by the system then
you should get them from the destination as PPPI_REQUESTED_VALUE.
One could use Event date and Event time as the good receipt posting time and if you want to use the
actual time and date of production, you could use these characteristics as input needed characteristics as
PPPI_REQUESTED_VALUE and request their input values from the PCS or PI Sheets.

Using the Wizard to Create the Process Instruction category for use in PI Sheets

10

Select the Process Instruction Category and press the PI assistant Button. Pressing this button would take
you in to a wizard that would help you create the process instruction category step by step.

Figure 25

Step 1: Choose whether you want a single process message value for the process message category to be
passed back to SAP or multiple process messages for the process message category to be passed back to
SAP. If you choose repeated then you would have to choose th3 minimum and the maximum number of
messages that would be allowed for the operator to enter values for.
Once you are done, you can press the next screen button as shown in the screen below:

Figure 26

Step 2: This step allows you to choose the process message category. The process message
characteristics for the process message category will flow in from the process message category
configuration as shown below. This step will add the process instruction characteristics
PPPI_MESSAGE_CATEGORY to the process instruction category along the actual name of the
process message category (as its value)

11

Press the next screen button to configure it further.

Figure 27

Step 3: This step allows you to configure whether the process message characteristics (for a given
process message category) should be allowed for input by the destination operator or you should make
the operator available with the value by declaring it as an output characteristics. SAP also provides you a
chance to enter more output variables by pressing the add output variable button at the bottom of the
screen.
All the other characteristics which are not defined as input or output will be declared as Hidden and its
values would be populated automatically in the process order or through function modules.
For process message characteristics, which are quantity based, the system allows you to select whether
you want to involve the unit of measure in configuration of the same. The unit of measure is not shown in
this particular example, but you can see that in standard process instruction category CONS_1 (as an
example) so as to study the same.
Press the next screen button to configure it further.

12

Figure 28

Step 4: This step allows you to configure the Headings or labels for the process message characteristics
declared as input and/or output. It also allows you to define the sequence or the position of these
characteristics.
Press the next screen button to configure it further.

13

Figure 29

Step 5: This step allows you to define the processing of process message characteristics. In other words,
it allows you to define how the value of the process message characteristics will be entered in the PI
sheet and also allows you to define the variables for them (if required).
The process message characteristics which are included in the process message category will be defined
as input characteristics, output characteristics or hidden characteristics.
To move from one process message characteristics to the next, you would have to press the next Entry
or previous Entry button.
Configuring this step is a business decision. Follow the below table to check the configuration for each of
the process message characteristics:
Process Message
Characteristics

Input/output/Hidden/ Value Assignment method

Calculated
Characteristics

Batch
Batch Characteristic Name
Batch Characteristic Value

Input
Output
Input

Automatic Value Assigned in Process order

No Value
No Value

14

Date of Event
Date/Time of Event
Material Number
Order Item Number
Plant for Batch
Process Order

Hidden
Hidden
Hidden
Hidden
Hidden
Hidden

Automatic Value Assigned in PI Sheet

Automatic Value Assigned in PI Sheet
Automatic Value Assigned in Process order
No Value
No Value
Automatic Value Assigned in Process order

For process a message characteristic which carries the formula, it would be labeled as a calculated
characteristics. For this characteristic you would be asked to enter a formula.

Figure 30

Step 6: To simulate the PI sheet appearance and to check how the process instruction category
configurations would make the PI sheet look like, Press the ABAP List or the Browser buttons to display
the ABAP based PI sheet and the Browser based PI sheets respectively. Below is an ABAP based PI sheet
for the process instruction category BATCH_CL.

15

Figure 31

Step 7: Press the copy button once you are satisfied with the configuration. This will create the process
instruction category for a PI sheet. The created process instruction category will contain all the process
instruction characteristics and the corresponding process message characteristics.

Examples for Process Instruction Category of Type 2:

Very important Note As seen below, the process instruction category carrying the process message
categories (which is requesting data back to SAP), the value column would contain the process message
categories or process message characteristics.

16

Figure 32

Figure 33

17

Figure 34

Figure 35

18

Figure 36

SAP Process Instructions of Type 4 & 5 explained in this section

Type 4 Process Data Calculations Formula
Can be used by the Control Recipe Destinations
1 or 4 Used in Shop Floor Destinations (PI Sheets)
Explanation
A short description of this type of process instruction is provided here. A numeric value is calculated in PI
sheets and the same is sent back as a process message. The Process instructions of such type contains the
value that is to be calculated, the formula to be used for calculations, the parameters, the process message
category.
The process instruction would look as below:
PPPI_INPUT_REQUEST
This is used to define the text for the formula result, for example Qty_1:
PPPI_CALCULATED_VALUE
This is the output, for example Material Quantity
19

 PPPI_CALCULATION_FORMULA
This is the actual formula = MATERIAL_X/2 (Syntax are defined for creating the formula. When
maintaining the formulas in these instruction characteristics, you can only use 240 characters (240
characters of the value box), the rest has to be included in another PPPI_CALCULATION_FORMULA
characteristics.
PPPI_UNIT_OF_MEASURE
This is the unit of measure in which the formula would function.
Using of the Wizard to Create the Process Instruction category for use in PI Sheets
You can use the wizard to help you create the Process instruction category of this type. The way the
wizard is used to create the process instruction category of this type is similar to how it is used in type 2.
Use of wizard in type 2 is explained in detail.

Examples for Process Instruction Categories of Type 4:

Very important Note As seen below, the process instruction category carrying the process message
categories (which is requesting data back to SAP), the value column would contain the process message
categories or process message characteristics.

20

Figure 37

Type 5 Inspection Results Requests

Can be used by the Control Recipe Destinations
1 or 4 Used in Shop Floor Destinations (PI Sheets)
Explanation
The inspection result recording is accessed using this request. This process instruction type would call the
inspection result recording transaction (similar to a function call as explained in the next process instruction
type).
PPPI_OPERATION
Operation for which results are to be recorded for
PPPI_PHASE
Phase for which results are to be recorded for
Using the Wizard to Create the Process Instruction category for use in PI Sheets
You can use the wizard to help you create the Process instruction category of this type.

Examples Process Instruction Category of Type 5:

21

Figure 38

Figure 39

SAP PPPI Process Instruction of Type 6 is explained here in this section

Type 6 Dynamic Function Call
Can be used by the Control Recipe Destinations
1 or 4 Used in Shop Floor Destinations (PI Sheets)
Explanation
The process instructions of such types are used in PI Sheets for destinations of type 1 and 4. By
including a dynamic function call, you can call the SAP transaction through predefined SAP functional
modules, to carry out any manufacturing activities like Process order/Phase confirmations (by calling the
confirmation transactions), goods issues to a process order (by calling the MB1A or MIGO transaction), and
goods receipts from a process order (by calling the MIGO transaction or MB31). There are various function
calls are available in SAP. These function modules are to be defined in SAP and should be activated for use.
The function calls using functional modules are customized in SAP process management as process
instructions.
22

A function Module called COPF_CALL_TRANSACTION, (Function call or process instruction name is

TA_CALL) can be used for calling any transaction code. Similar you can find multiple function modules
with function calls for individual transaction codes.
A PI Sheet would then contain a button with a text on it, which once pressed would navigate you in to the
respective transaction code for which the function call is designed in the process instruction. A process
instruction for calling a transaction contains the following data:

PPPI_BUTTON_TEXT
Text of the button which would be included in the PI Sheet should be included as a value for this PI
characteristic.
PPPI_FUNCTION_NAME
Include the name of the function module which would call the transaction code in the PI Sheet.
PPPI_FUNCTION_DURING_DISPLAY
You can indicate whether the function call should be allowed or disallowed in the display mode of the PI
Sheets.
PPPI_EXPORT_PARAMETERS
The export parameters are the import parameters required to run the Function module. To better
understand this, you can use SE37 to run the function module; the selection parameters required to run
the function module.
Using the Wizard to Create the Process Instruction category for use in PI Sheets
You can use the wizard to help you create the Process instruction category of this type.

Examples of Process Instruction Category of Type 6

Very important Note As seen below, the process instruction category carrying the process message
categories (which is requesting data back to SAP), the value column would contain the process message
categories or process message characteristics.

23

Figure 40

Figure 41

SAP PPPI Process Instruction of Type 7 & 0 is explained here in this section
Type 7 Sequence Definitions
Can be used by the Control Recipe Destinations
1 or 4 Used in Shop Floor Destinations (PI Sheets)
Explanation

24

When such process instructions of type 7 are added as the first process instruction in the Process instruction
list, for the phase, the system becomes capable of defining the phase relationships and which phase is to be
finished before you can take up the activities on the phase in question. Over and above informing the
predecessor phase to the phase in question, it also restricts and keeps the instruction list of the phase inactive
until the messages of the predecessor phase have been cleared and posted. Relationships of the phases of a
given destination or of a given PI Sheet are considered. A PI Sheet thus knows the relationship between the
phases of a given destination.
The process instruction of type 7 would contain the following instructions:
PPPI_PREDECESSOR
This process instruction characteristic defines the predecessor phase.
Using the Wizard to Create the Process Instruction category for use in PI Sheets
You can use the wizard to help you create the Process instruction category of this type.

Type 0 Universal Process instruction

Can be used by the Control Recipe Destinations
4 Only used in Browser Based PI Sheet control Recipe destinations
Explanation
It is a universal process instruction type and can behave as process instructions of type 1 to type 7. It can
only be used in creating browser based PI Sheets.

25