Creating Sales Order - Automatic Extraction (4X9)

Sales order processing is a crucial aspect of the order-to-cash process for enterprises. In B2B situations, internal sales representatives often receive order requests in the form of unstructured data, such as PDF attachments in emails. Subsequently, they have to manually create sales orders in the system based on the information provided in the PDF, which is both time-consuming and prone to errors.

The "Create Sales Orders - Automatic Extraction app" application enables internal sales representatives to generate sales orders from unstructured data, such as PDF or image files containing purchase orders. When an internal sales rep uploads a file using the application, they are required to specify a company code. If a unique default value has been set in the user settings of the SAP Fiori launchpad, the system automatically populates the company code. It's important to note that only English and German files are supported by the application.

In order to streamline the entire process and generate sales order requests directly from email attachments, the SAP Intelligent Robotic Process Automation (RPA) Factory employs a specialized bot. This bot works in conjunction with the application to automate the extraction of data from email attachments, thereby reducing manual effort and enhancing overall efficiency.

The Automatic Creation of Sales Order Requests from Unstructured Data process bot monitors the incoming e-mail with the order request in the form of attachment. The bot scans the Inbox using the Subject keyword defined. For example, if the Subject keyword is defined as ‘Sales Order’, the bot scans each unread e-mail and reads the Subject line to find the mails that include the defined keyword. The bot then extracts the file from the Inbox and uploads the file into the SAP S/4HANA system.

If the files are successfully uploaded in the system, then the bot saves the output log in an Excel file with the file name format ‘5LT_SUCCESSYYYY-MM-DDTHH.MM.SS’. The success files are saved to the Success folder in the base folder location. An e-mail notification is sent to the recipients with the Sales Order request number and the success file attachment.

If the files failed to upload in the system, then the bot saves the output log in an Excel file with the file name format ‘5LT_ERRORYYYY-MM-DDTHH.MM.SS’. The error files are saved to the Error folder in the base folder location. The files on error are moved from To Be Processed folder to Error (Files) folder. An e-mail is sent to the recipients with the appropriate error message and the error file attachment.

Below are the requirements for utilizing a bot:

1. Authorization for Fiori App: The bot must have the necessary authorization to access the "Create Sales Order Automatic Extraction" Fiori App.
2. Desktop Agent: Installation of a Desktop Agent on the user's local machine. The Desktop Agent is a software component that enables the execution of the bot's tasks and processes on the user's computer.
3. Google Chrome and SAP intelligent RPA Chrome extension: It is recommended to use the Google Chrome browser for optimal compatibility with the bot. Additionally, users need to install the "SAP intelligent RPA Chrome extension" in their Chrome browser. This extension enhances the integration and communication between the bot and the browser.
4. SAP Intelligent RPA Account: Users must have an active SAP Intelligent RPA Account. This account serves as a central hub for managing and overseeing the bot's operations. Through the account, users can schedule the bot's activities, configure its behavior, and monitor its performance and execution.

For further information, you can find the reference Solution Process documentation at Process Navigator: Create Sales Orders from Unstructured Data (4X9) (you need a free SAP Universal ID to access).

With Create Sales Orders – Automatic Extraction app, an internal sales representative can create sales orders from purchase order files in PDF or image formats (unstructured data). Purchase order files must be upload in English or German.

After a file is uploaded, the system automatically extracts file information into a sales order request and proposes values for sales order request fields (for example, by determining the sold-to party based on extracted data).

Sales order request can be converted into a sales order. A sales order request is basically a sales order draft that serves the purpose of preparing a sales order. It represents a preceding document of the sales order but is not part of the document flow from the business perspective. A complete sales order request must comprise the following fields, which are either automatically proposed or manually specified:

• Header fields: Sold-to party, sales organization/distribution channel/division (that is, sales area), sales order type
• Item fields: Product, requested quantity, unit of measure (UoM)

Situation handling can be enabled to inform internal sales representatives about any situation that need their attention such as when data extraction has failed, or automatic data proposal has finished.

When sales order request data is complete, you can simulate order creation or directly create sales order. If the simulated creation has failed with errors, you are informed about the causes, which help you revise the sales order request. If the simulated creation is successful, you can preview data differences between the sales order request and sales-order-to-be.

Please note only a limited number of sales order types are supported by this app.

By following the steps listed below, the internal sales representative can efficiently utilize the Create Sales Orders - Automatic Extraction app to streamline the sales order creation process from unstructured purchase order files.

1. Upload Purchase Order File: The internal sales representative uploads a purchase order file in either PDF or image format. Along with the file, they also specify the relevant company code.
2. Extraction Status Check: After the file is uploaded, the system begins the extraction process to gather information from the file. This extraction process takes some time. The internal sales representative can choose to check the latest extraction status by selecting the "Go" option. The extraction status is indicated by the first icon in the processing flow.
3. Data Extraction and Master Data Determination: Once the extraction is complete, the system populates the extracted data into the sales order request. It also tries to determine the necessary master data, such as the sold-to party, ship-to party, and product, based on the extracted information.
4. Incomplete Sales Order Request: If the system cannot determine all the mandatory fields, the sales order request is considered incomplete. This is indicated by the second icon in the processing flow. In such cases, the internal sales representative will navigate to the object page and manually fill in the missing data.
5. Simulate or Create Sales Order: Once the sales order request data is complete, the internal sales representative has two options. They can either simulate the order creation process to validate the data or directly proceed to create a sales order.
6. Further Processing: Upon successfully creating a sales order, the sales order request becomes non-editable. The internal sales representative can then navigate to relevant sales order apps to perform additional processing tasks.

The Create Sales Orders - Automatic Extraction app offers following additional features:

1. View Application Log: This feature allows users to access the application log, which provides detailed information about the system processing related to data extraction and data proposal. Users can review the log to understand the processing details. The log retains records from the last 100 days, ensuring a comprehensive view of system activities.
2. View Change Log: The app keeps track of changes made to sales order request fields, including the creation, editing, and deletion of field values. The change log allows users to review the history of modifications, providing transparency and accountability for any updates made to the sales order requests.
3. Adjust Layout: Users have the flexibility to customize the table layout according to their preferences. They can add or delete columns, reorder the columns, and sort the table based on specific fields. Customized filter settings and table layouts can be saved as variants, allowing users to easily switch between different views as per their requirements.
4. Filter Data: To narrow down search results and focus on specific data, users can utilize the filtering capability. They can apply filters based on various criteria, such as the request creator or other relevant parameters. Additionally, users can adapt the default filters to create more refined filters that align with their specific business needs.

Please take a look at the following video to see step-by-step process:

For additional information on the apps used in this process, you can access the Fiori app reference library: