Discover how to implement a document management solution using SAP DMS. In this book you’ll find in-depth information on SAP DMS, including what it is and how to plan for an implementation. You'll also develop the skills needed to master this powerful tool by learning about all of the functionality and configuration details. The hands-on, practical approach used throughout the book makes this a must-have resource for anyone who needs to use and configure SAP DMS.

First, explore what SAP DMS is, what questions to ask before starting your DMS project, and how to execute basic DMS transactions, such as create, change, and display. Then, uncover the basic SAP DMS configuration and detailed insights on the concepts and steps necessary to configure number ranges, lab offices, and more. You'll quickly learn how to integrate your CAD system with SAP DMS, and understand the tools, benefits, and challenges of the integration. The authors show you how to create a basic document approval workflow to build on and create more complex workflows. Plus, find out how best to go beyond the basic SAP DMS configuration using BAdIs and user exits from SAP, including the different methods, time of execution, and sample usage.

Highlights

• Preparing for an SAP DMS Project
• Executing SAP DMS Transactions
• Infrastructure Requirements
• SAP DMS Security
• Frontends to SAP DMS

About the Author(s)

Eric Stajda is Senior Consultant at LeverX specializing in the area of SAP PLM. He has helped customers find and implement solutions in a variety of industries, including automotive, high-tech, pharmaceuticals, discrete manufacturing, and oil and gas. He is a regular speaker at SAP conferences, including ASUG, SAP Insider, and SAPPHIRE.

Table of Contents

1 ... Introduction ... 15
... 1.1 ... What Is SAP DMS? ... 15
... 1.2 ... Benefits of SAP DMS ... 16
... 1.3 ... SAP DMS Project Complexity ... 17
... 1.4 ... Resources Required for a Project ... 17
... 1.5 ... How to Use This Book ... 18
... 1.6 ... A Note on the Availability of SAP DMS ... 19
... 1.7 ... Summary ... 19

2 ... Questions to Answer before Starting Your SAP DMS Project ... 21
... 2.1 ... Defining which Documents to Manage with SAP DMS ... 21
... 2.2 ... How Documents Fit Into the Overall Business Process ... 22
... 2.3 ... How to Search for Stored Documents ... 23
... 2.4 ... Define the Lifecycle of Documents ... 24
... 2.5 ... The Change Control Process ... 24
... 2.6 ... A Formal Approval Process ... 25
... 2.7 ... Security Requirements ... 25
... 2.8 ... Defining which Type of Application Files to Store ... 26
... 2.9 ... Versions and Revisions ... 26
... 2.10 ... Searching and Maintenance in Multiple Languages ... 27
... 2.11 ... Stored Document Volume and Size ... 27
... 2.12 ... Locations for Document Creators vs. Consumers ... 28
... 2.13 ... Document Retention Requirements ... 28
... 2.14 ... Conversion to Neutral Format for Long Term Retention ... 29
... 2.15 ... Summary ... 30

3 ... SAP DMS Step-by-Step Instructions ... 31
... 3.1 ... SAP DMS Transactions ... 31
... 3.2 ... Transaction CV01N - Creating a Document Information Record ... 32
... 3.3 ... Transaction CV02N - Changing a Document Information Record ... 40
... 3.4 ... Transaction CV03N - Displaying a Document Information Record ... 47
... 3.5 ... Transaction CV04N - Searching for a Document Information Record ... 50
... 3.6 ... Additional SAP DMS Functionalities ... 56
... 3.7 ... Product Structure Browser ... 59
... 3.8 ... Classification Search ... 62
... 3.9 ... Document Distribution ... 64
... 3.10 ... Internal Viewer ... 65
... 3.11 ... Summary ... 68

4 ... Configuring SAP DMS ... 69
... 4.1 ... Questions to Answer before Starting the Configuration ... 69
... 4.2 ... SAP DMS Configuration in the SAP IMG ... 70
... 4.3 ... Configuration Steps ... 70
... 4.4 ... Defining Number Ranges ... 70
... 4.5 ... Creating Document Types ... 72
... 4.6 ... Defining Laboratories/Design Offices ... 89
... 4.7 ... Defining Revision Levels ... 90
... 4.8 ... Defining Workstation Applications ... 90
... 4.9 ... Maintain a Default Entry for Front End Type "PC" ... 95
... 4.10 ... Start Processing for Documents ... 96
... 4.11 ... Define Workstation Application for Thumbnails ... 98
... 4.12 ... Define Profile ... 100
... 4.13 ... Additional Configuration Items ... 102
... 4.14 ... Summary ... 102

5 ... Infrastructure Requirements ... 103
... 5.1 ... Content Server ... 103
... 5.2 ... Cache Server ... 105
... 5.3 ... Index Server (TREX) ... 107
... 5.4 ... Conversion Server ... 108
... 5.5 ... Developing Your Infrastructure Architecture ... 111
... 5.6 ... Summary ... 113

6 ... SAP DMS Security ... 115
... 6.1 ... Defining Your Security Requirements ... 115
... 6.2 ... Standard SAP DMS Authorization Objects ... 116
... 6.3 ... Use of Access Control Lists ... 124
... 6.4 ... Customer-Specific Authorization Checks ... 127
... 6.5 ... Summary ... 127

7 ... Frontends to SAP DMS ... 129
... 7.1 ... Web Documents ... 129
... 7.2 ... SAP Easy DMS ... 138
... 7.3 ... SAP DMS Portal iView ... 140
... 7.4 ... Summary ... 141

8 ... Integrating a CAD System to SAP DMS ... 143
... 8.1 ... Available SAP CAD Integration Interfaces ... 143
... 8.2 ... Capabilities and Benefits of CAD Interfaces ... 144
... 8.3 ... SAP CAD Desktop ... 145
... 8.4 ... Example CAD Integration Scenario ... 146
... 8.5 ... CAD Data Migration ... 147
... 8.6 ... Summary ... 148

9 ... Simple Document Approval Process using SAP Workflow ... 149
... 9.1 ... The Workflow Scenario ... 149
... 9.2 ... Required SAP DMS and Workflow Configuration ... 149
... 9.3 ... Creating the Workflow Definition ... 150
... 9.4 ... Execute and Test the Workflow ... 161
... 9.5 ... Summary ... 163

10 ... SAP DMS BAdIs and User Exits ... 165
... 10.1 ... About SAP BAdIs and User Exits ... 165
... 10.2 ... User Exits Available In SAP DMS ... 177
... 10.3 ... Summary ... 177

11 ... Conclusion ... 179
... 11.1 ... SAP DMS: Now You Know It ... 179
... 11.2 ... The Future of SAP DMS ... 182
... 11.3 ... Summary ... 183

A ... Glossary ... 187

B ... Review of Menu Items ... 191
... B.1 ... Menu Option Document ... 191
... B.2 ... Menu Option Edit ... 192
... B.3 ... Menu Option Goto ... 192
... B.4 ... Menu Option Extras ... 192
... B.5 ... Menu Option Environment ... 193
... B.6 ... Menu Option Originals ... 194
... B.7 ... Additional Resources ... 194

C ... The Author ... 195