MSA- Search Screen and Order Creation

Search Screen and Order Creation

Functional details

This screen is designed to search for a combination of customer and vehicle and possibly existing order list for this combination. It is possible to use several input parameters. If more than one parameter is used AND- logic is used (i.e. PARAMETER1 AND PARAMETER2). If one of the two conditions are not met, no result will be displayed.

If a date is used to search, the customizing parameter OSRCH_BACK_DAYS will create a range within the search. For example:

OSRCH_BACK_DAYS : 3  - Search Date: 17/08/2017

MSA Search Range : 14/08/2017 - 17/08/2017

Parameter OSRCH_CONSIDER_PLANT can be maintained to narrow down the search considering User´s login plant.

If you want to see, only the available Orders for the specific customer advisor, is suggested to use and customize the Variant Search Screen.

MSA Search Screen – standard set of search fields

Search screen can be customized / enhanced in the following areas:

• Standard fields can be hidden from the search screen
• Custom fields can be added as selection criteria
• Search results can be supplemented with additional information
• Result list can be formatted using html tags

Search screen with additional elements and formatting

From this screen is also possible to create/modify/assign a Vehicle, create/modify a Customer and create an Oder. Below you can see screenshot with brief comments on each function menu. In general, all the menus available in the Search Screen can be switched off using parameters CUST_VHCL_EDIT_MENUS for Customer and Vehicle.

Create a Vehicle

From the Search Screen, a user can access the Menu to create a vehicle. All the function related to vehicle are dependent on SAP VSS Vehicle Action Customizing. So be aware that the same actions used in the SAP GUI are used in the MSA. So if a specific logic is built within the action (e.g. a message popping up under certain circumstances), it might affect the application. Furthermore, it is suggested to review the VSS customizing and check the MSA Parameter Table in order to correctly populate relevant vehicle parameters such us VEH_BUS_TRAN_TYPE and PROD_CATEGORY_ID. 

Create a new Vehicle

The MSA will request the user to assign a VIN and fill out basic vehicle information. A popover list with Catalog and Model will be showed coming from the standard VSS tables.

Vehicle Creation popover

Selecting the created vehicle, from the same menu is possible to modify the vehicle or assign it to an existing customer.

If by requirement, vehicle creation/edit menu to is not relevant for the customer, is possible to switch it off setting the parameter CUST_VHCL_EDIT as FALSE.

Create a Customer

Using the Menu, a Customer can be created directly from the MSA. The leading SAP Backend object is the Business Partner.

Create a customer

The popover screen will present a set of fields to be maintained by the user. This screen can be influenced by customizing, making the fields available only in display mode or mandatory for instance. An enhancement spot (/DBME/MD8_BADI_CUSTOMER) is available in case a custom logic needs to be developed.

Create a Customer

Assign vehicle owner

As part of master data creation process, once vehicle is created user should either:

• Assign existing customer (search engine provided)

Add vehicle owner

Vehicle owner selection

New owner assignment process is supported with customer search engine (1), customer creation button (2) and customer assignment function (3).

• Create new customer (as described in previous point)
• Use One Time Customer account (if process supported in the backend system). When MSA identifies that customer is an one time customer record, additional screen with address data is open for entry. Appropriate One Time Customer (CPD) account must be configured in backend system

Change vehicle owner / Remove assignment

Vehicle owner can be changed an any time using MSA dedicated function.

When a link between customer and vehicle is to be removed, user needs to select “Remove assignment” option in MSA. 

Change owner / Remove assignment

Assign One Time Customer 

If there are scenarios such as RAC/PDI/BTC Vehicles or 1000 Km Service, a temporary customer assignment is required:

One Time assignment

After finding a customer on which the order is about to be created, the desired customer should be selected and the assignment - confirmed:

Then the customer will be assigned to the vehicle temporarily and the order creation can be continued.

Create an Order

After selecting a customer with a vehicle assigned, the user may create an Order accessing the available menu. The popover will let the user choose the order type according to the configuration. The Sales Organization where the order is going to be created is determined from the vehicle master data (VLCVEHICLE-DBE_VKORG). In case this is not sufficient a BAdI is available for the customer.

Create and order via Copy

Depending on the customizing, order can be also created as a copy of another document. MSA customizing defines source and target order combinations.

Order that can serve as a source object has a copy icon on the right side of the search result list. Depending on the customizing entries, MSA will either directly attempt to create and order as a copy or provide a pop-over for selecting target document type.

Once copying is triggered, target order is automatically created.

Due to performance, copying does not transfer MSA specific objects like checklist item values, damage item values and photos from the source document. These are still available in the backend when navigating to the respective vehicle master data object.

As designed, copying functionality does not offer any item / job selection pop-over. MSA is attempting to copy existing line items of the preceding document. This behaviour can be influenced by changing implementation of a standard BAdI /ORD_COPY_CHECK.

Order filters

Along with copying functionality, order filtering function in search results has been provided.

When both order and quotation document categories are retrieved along with MSA configuration, both search screen and variant screen will be supplemented with Orders and Quotations buttons allowing to filter output results.

Warranty / Contract information

Warranty information as well as service contract information for vehicle can be viewed on the order search screen.

To enable this functionality respective parameters must be set to “True”:

ENABLE_CNT_ON_SEARCH

ENABLE_WTY_ON_SEARCH

Warranty and Service Contract information on search

Order source identifier

When order or quotation has been created via MSA a flag /DBE/VBAK_DB-/DBME/MMA_SRCMSA is set. It can be used for analysis / reporting purposes.

Create an Order directly and via Copy