Configuring Portfolio Items

To create a new portfolio item type, you must create a key and a text. When you set the Proposal indicator for a portfolio item type, all items for this type are flagged as proposals and are displayed on the relevant tab in the item dashboard. Alternatively, items can also be dynamically managed as proposals depending on their status or current decision point. ​

When you create an item, the system may automatically generate a portfolio project at the same time. In the simplest case, the system creates a project definition, which can be used later for resource planning and for uploading project structures of other project management systems. You can define the project type you want to use to create this project definition in the definition of the portfolio item type. If you do not enter a value here, the system uses the project type that is defined in the global settings of SAP Portfolio and Project Management for S/4HANA (PPM).

In addition to a project definition, you can define project templates if you want to create a complete portfolio project together with the item. Item type and projects templates are mapped in the customizing activity Map Item Type to Project Templates. In this case, the system uses the project type of the template for the operational project.

You can set the NoAutocPro indicator in the definition of the portfolio item type if you do not want a portfolio project, a project definition, or a complete project to be created when you create an item. However, you can remove this indicator when you create an item. If necessary, you can also assign a portfolio project to an item at a later stage.

When you define a portfolio item type, define the decision points, the status, and the status sequence in which a decision point can progress. You can also define the possible statuses for an item, and the corresponding sequence in the definition of the portfolio item category.

If necessary, you can define whether a field is mandatory or not, depending on the portfolio type and portfolio item type. You can implement this field configuration in the definition of the portfolio types in Customizing for PPM.

On the Classification tab page of an item, you can specify the location, category, or the priority of the item, which you can use for evaluation purposes at a later stage. The possible field values are defined in Customizing for SAP Portfolio and Project Management.

In the customizing activity Define Portfolio Item Categories, you can define possible values for the Category field for items. Depending on the category, you can also define the values for the fields Subcategory, Portfolio Item Group, and Technology Type. To select a technology type in an item, you must always first select the category to which the item belongs.

For the Area and Location fields, you can specify the geographical location of an item and use this for later evaluations. You can define areas and locations freely in Customizing for PPM. For example, a location can be an office within a company, a plant, or even a city. Countries, continents, or sales regions are typical areas. However, each location is always uniquely assigned to an area.