How To Create Search Help With An Exit
How To Create Search Help With An Exit
Every SAP user knows the user-friendly search help that offers a list of possible values for a given
zone after pressing F4.
Thanks to this option, it is possible to choose easily an entry without any need for controlling its
relevance, since it is automatically supported by the search help functionality.
If you have luck, you would find a standard search help with adequate filters that fulfill your
requirement. But, it is not so obvious to find the right search help!
For instance, the standard search help MAT1 contains several tabs with different filters to refine the
search for material numbers. Even though, it is not possible to fulfill complex conditions like Display
only materials whose valuation class correspond to a given cost element group
In such cases, you need to create your own search help and implement the specific conditions on your
own, using search help exits.
In this blog, I will explain how to create a search help that fulfills the condition mentioned above:
Display only materials whose valuation class correspond to a given cost element group
For those who are not familiar with the concept of valuation classes in MM:
Go to transaction MM03 and choose a material number then select the Accounting 1 view
The valuation class permits in combination with other factors- to determine the G/L account
on which the stock values have to be posted.
The FI G/L accounts correspond to primary cost elements in CO. Those are categorized into
cost element groups that could be visualized using transaction KAH3.
We have now in mind the relationship between valuations classes in MM and cost element groups in
CO. Lets create the search help that realizes our requirement.
In the next popup, choose the option Elementary search help since we will create a single tab in the
search help.
Importing parameters are passed at runtime to the search help. In our example, it concerns
information related to a cost element group, i.e. Group name, company code and controlling area.
Exporting parameters correspond to the fields displayed in the hit list. These are the material
number and description.
Further parameters could be added such material type and language. These are filters
displayed in the dialog box that enable further restriction of the hit list.
A default value could be assigned to each parameter by filling the column Default value. For
example, if you want to display only materials with a specific type, you need just to add it as a default
value.
Fill in the columns LPOS and SPOS with parameters positions in the hit list and the dialog box
respectively.
Keep the dialog type display values immediately to display the hit list without going through a dialog
box.
The result looks as follows:
Changing parameters
Table parameters:
2.
3.
4.
Create a function module that builds a range of cost elements belonging to a given
o
group.
Create a structure..
Go to SE37 and create the function module Z_PS_GET_KSTAR_FROM_GROUP with the following
parameters:
Create a function module that returns materials with valuation classes that correspond
to a given cost element group.
Create the following structure which will contain the parameters needed for valuation class
selection.
Use the following tables to find out the relevant material numbers:
T030: Get valuation classes corresponding to the previously determined cost elements
o
range
o
MBEW: get materials that have one of the selected valuation classes
Go back to search help exit Z_PS_F4_EXIT_MATNR and add a call to the function module
Z_PS_GET_RESSOURCE_BY_GRPNAME :
Mapping between search help parameters and table zones is done automatically. Just confirm the
generated proposal.
Generate a maintenance dialog for the table to be able to maintain it via SM30.
Go now to SM30 and add a new entry in the table. Enter group name, company code and controlling
area.
Use the search help of zone Material to get relevant values. When you execute it, only material
numbers corresponding to the group name value are listed.
Change the group name and notice the effect in search help result
You can also display the dialog box to enable more filtering options