Defining the Distribution Type 

Use

You have to send all sorts of different documents in your company. For example, you may have to forward printed customer requests to the development department, or changes to an engineering/design drawing may have to be examined by several different employees in different branches of the company.

The distribution of these documents takes place in different ways. The distribution type controls it.

Integration

The distribution types for the document distribution system are based on the Communication Types in Central Address Management (CAM). You can specify these communication types to suit the needs of document distribution in the document management system by making additional settings.

You define the distribution types in Customizing for the Document Management System, by choosing Document distribution → Distribution Type.

Prerequisites

You must have done the following before you can make any definitions regarding the distribution type:

  • If you want to store original files on a specific computer for document distribution purposes, this computer must be accessible via the network.

The data transfer takes place via FTP (File Transfer Protocol). You must enter a user and a password for this computer in Customizing for the Document Management System (General data → Maintain global settings ). This user must have the appropriate authorizations on the computer.

  • If you want to send special SAPScript Forms for the title page, you must create these using SAPscript.
  • If you want to send the documents to a distribution point (internal SAP users or an organizational unit), you must have defined this in the R/3 System.
  • If you want to store the original files on a computer, you must define a platform-independent directory, under Document distribution → General settings → Platform-independent file names.

Features

The distribution type can, for example, control the distribution process as follows:

    • A check is supported for the output of the originals.

This indicator only controls whether the check is supported by even one distribution type. You define that the check should take place with the manual distribution type.

    • Whether receipt must be confirmed.

This indicator only controls whether the check is supported by even one distribution type. You define that receipt should be confirmed with the manual distribution type.

  • By defining how the original application files should be distributed:
    • Value 1: Object references are distributed (BOR object)
    • Value 2: Original application files are distributed as an attachment to a mail
      (buffered on the application server)
    • Value 3: Original application files are distributed to another computer

For example, if the files are to be copied to another computer, you must enter the computer name and path.

If the original files are to be copied from a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) using an Internet transaction server, you can enter one URL for each distribution type. The URL is extended by the parameters that uniquely identify the original application file during the distribution process.

Example for URL:

http://pgwdfalr.wdf.XXX-ag.de:1080/scripts/wgate.exe/?~service=webrfc&

  • By entering forms for the title page and confirmation of receipt
  • By entering data for the distribution point (internal SAP users or organizational unit)

The distribution point is relevant to the following distribution types:

    • ORI (post)

Distribution point receives a copy of the originals

    • LET (post)

Distribution point receives mail with references to documents

    • PLO (plotter)

Distribution point receives a file for plotting

    • COV (list of documents)

Distribution point receives a printed list of the documents that are to be distributed. In this case, the documents are available, for example they have been plotted.

Distribution Types in the Standard System

Several different distribution types are supported in the standard system.

See: Distribution Types in the Standard System

Activities

If you create or change a recipient list, enter the desired distribution type when you enter the recipient.