Customizing Use Cases for Purchase Orders

Sometimes, the purchase order on the user interface displays more information than necessary. Default fields can be hidden through UI customization. However, this only affects how data appears in the interface – the data itself is not removed from the cXML message sent to the supplier. For example, even if a schedule line is hidden from view in the UI, it remains in the transmitted message and will still appear if the supplier exports the data. In the sample below, a schedule line was requested to be deleted.

After review, SAP Support confirmed the feasibility and applied the UI customization.

• Submit a request to the assigned Buyer Integrator for a UI customization, such as hiding the Schedule Lines section.
• Obtain confirmation from the Buyer Integrator that the change is technically feasible.
• Receive confirmation that the customization has been implemented in the SAP Business Network UI Customization Tool.
• Test the enhancement from both the buyer and supplier perspectives to verify that the display, such as the date format, works as expected.
  Note

  Make sure to include this enhancement in the cutover activities checklist. UI customizations must be transported by the Implementation Service team.

If the data also needs to be suppressed in the cXML message, acustom mapping change in the managed gateway will be required. This change will appear as a variation at the end of the section.

• Navigate to the managed gateway account.
• Select My Configurations > Mappings to open the managed gateway mapping tool.
• Select the cXML document type Order Request from the S/4HANA format and select Edit.

• Locate the Schedule Line section at the line level. While the section is selected, use theDelete Node function from the context menu.

• A red arrow will appear in the middle section of the mapping environment, indicating the change.
• Select Save. You will be prompted to enter a reason for the version update.

• Close the mapping editor and return to the overview page.
• Activate the mapping enhancement in the test environment by selecting the test column.

Send a test mapping from your SAP ERP test system to the SAP Business Network buyer account to test the enhancement from both the buyer and supplier sides. This ensures the ScheduleLine section is excluded from the cXML message, in accordance with the enhancement requirements.

Since the section is removed from the cXML, it will no longer appear in the user interface. Therefore, there is no need to request an additional UI change.

Make sure this enhancement is included in the cutover activities. During the cutover, you will need to publish the updated mapping enhancement in the CIG production environment. The mapping enhancement can be handled via self-service, while UI customizations must be transported by theImplementation Service team.

The customer needs a link to a website with additional information to be included and linked to the purchase order. This involves two improvements: one in the cXML message itself and one in the SAP Business Network user interface. To display the additional data (URL link), first add the custom field value in the message content, which is done in the managed gateway custom mapping environment. For the purchase order interface, add the link in the extrinsic section of the mapping , with options for both header and line levels. If it is general information, it should ideally be placed at the header level.

By default, any entered extrinsic information will appear in a designated area. In the UI, the extrinsic name will be shown as the label, followed by the value. If this display format meets the customer’s needs, no further action is needed on the SAP Business Network side. In this case, we want to change the label to Contact. Therefore, the partner must contact theSAP Implementation Service team for this customization.

• Navigate to themanaged gateway account.
• Open the managed gateway mapping tool located underMy Configurations > Mappings.

• Select the cXML document typeOrder Request from the S/4HANA Format and select Edit.
• Navigate to the extrinsic section at the header level.

• Add the extrinsic name in the extrinsic section at the header level.
  Note

  Use only names from the pre-selected value list, as these are the officially supported values for UI customization enhancements.
• • Insert the constant externalURL into the @nameattribute , which will serve as the key.

• Add the value,For questions or coordination regarding the delivery, please contact [Contact Person] , to the extrinsic field.
• Submit a request for a UI customization change to the assigned Buyer Integrator to update the field label to Contact:and to initiate the feasibility check.
• Receive confirmation from the Buyer Integrator that the change is feasible.
• Receive confirmation that the change has been made in the SAP Business Network UI customization tool.
• Test the enhancement from both the buyer’s and supplier's sides.

Ensure this enhancement is included in the cutover activities. Mapping enhancements can be managed via self-service, while UI customizations must be transported by the Implementation Service team.

The key learning points of this lesson are:

• UI Customizations via SAP Implementation Services: Adjust the SAP Business Network user interface, such as hiding schedule line details or relabeling fields. These changes affect display only and must be transported by SAP.
• Message Enhancements via managed gateway mappings: Modify cXML message content, such as removing schedule line data or adding custom fields like a URL link. These enhancements can be managed through the self-service mapping tool.
• Together, these options provide flexibility to tailor purchase order processes while maintaining standard integration flows.