Decision Table Dependent Values

[Former Member]

Is there an "easy" way to get a dependent value list from another field that exists in a decision table?

In the following example I need to return only the relevant REGION (State) values for each Country that is selected.  In this case, US should not return GB / Highland for the HI value, instead it should return Hawaii.  Is there a way to evaluate the field values for the REGIO (BLAND) data element (from T005S) against the LAND1 value so that only the list for that country is returned in the decision table when the values are being entered?

As a sidenote, there is some inconsistency in the REGIO data element texts that stops loading values after 54.  It would be okay to return all of the HI values if that were an option too but it doesn't seem to work either.

[carsten_ziegler · Accepted solution]

Please take a look at the application exit for element values. There is a parameter IO_SELECTION that may provide the data you need.

For the inconsistency with REGIO it would be good to open an OSS message and clearly describe what the issue is.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi Carsten,

We also had a similar issue with REGIO in our project.

Actually, it seems when a data object is bound to a DDIC, then only the first 54 entries from the domain values comes available in the value help during adding rows in decision tables.

However, if any value beyond those first 54 values, is entered( i.e, by typing manually) that is accepted and decision table also remains consistent.

[carsten_ziegler · Accepted solution]

I checked this out and you are absolutely right. There will be an improvement for this case so that more values are shown. However, there is a problem that will remain.

The check table for REGIO contains an additional key country. Therefore your REGIO values are not unique.

E.g. REGIO value 01 may refer to a state in India or a state in China.

I propose the following solution:

1. You combine the value of country and state into one field, e.g. IN01 for state 01 in India. This can be achieved by introducing a new ruleset variable and using a concatenate in a formula to fill the value.

2. You use the new field in the decision table instead of REGIO.

3. You implement a value help exit where you create a list of concatenated values so that value help shows something like

IN01     India, State ABC

IN02     India, State XYZ

...

USAL     US, Alaska

...

Then users can select the values in a convenient and clear way. 

[former_member198721 · Accepted solution]

Hi Cartsen ,

I am facing same issue. There are three values for AK in Value table, however while we selecting from drop down list in Decision table , its only showing first one.

Also in our design we don't necessarily give value for country field.It can be empty also.

Please suggest how I can overcome this issue .

Regards,

Khushbu

[Former Member]

Thanks Carsten, I will take a look at the app exit info you refer to. 

Since these data value dependencies are common, are there any plans or thoughts around developing the ability to use or build search helps in BRF+?  THAT would be ideal and I don't think it would take too much effort.  All of the basic tools are there now, it would just require the ability to assign them to things like the decision table fields.

[carsten_ziegler]

With a value help exit you have full control over the values shown. You also have the option to search for values and texts in the generically rendered value help dialog.

[Former Member]

Carsten,

Thank you for your support and suggestions, they are very helpful.  In this one case we can find a way to work around it. 

My bigger concern is the gap in the BRF+ tool for being able to either use existing SAP search helps, or being able to create new ones as part of BRF+. 

These search helps are used throughout the ECC application (and others), they also have wide application for BRF+ decision tables.  The client I am at sees the benefit of BRF+ and is starting to use it more and more.  Along with that this rules engine is a key component of several other SAP applications such as TRM, Real Estate, etc.  It just makes sense to provide this additional option to use or create search helps for fields.

Is there any possibility SAP would consider this for some future release as part of "missing functionality"?

Bill Wood

[carsten_ziegler]

Bill, in some days we will upload a document to SCN that deals with this question.

BRFplus needs to work with local DDIC but also with remote. Therefore it may take over existing value help. But this is not alwas possible and depends much on WebDynpro ABAP, too.

In the document I will show with an example how to create a custom value list as basis for value help.

To answer your final question: I follow to a big extend what customers request. The more customers ask for a specific feature the more likely we can include it. This particular topic however was not yet mentioned by many. There is other stuff where we have much more pressure. Some improvements will also be demoed at TechEd. Will I maybe meet you there?

[Jocelyn_Dart]

Hi folks

I have actually gone through this and have written up how I got it to work here Use a DSM / BRFPlus Decision Table to create a Value List http://scn.sap.com/docs/DOC-62221.

I don't know about easy but it is certainly possible. 

I agree that I would still like to see an easier answer to creating the equivalent of search helps/foreign keys from one decision table to another.   Particularly to provide time-dependent values... where the values permitted may change at certain dates, e.g. new product categories introduced with a new sales cycle, new legislation introduced at a certain date etc.

Rgds,

Jocelyn