Lesson 2 of 5
Output parameter determination
9 min
SAP S/4HANA output management decides what to send using output parameter determination. It is built on BRFplus, SAP's business rules framework, and it is configured through decision tables rather than the condition records of the older approach. Consultants maintain it in the Output Parameter Determination app (in SAP GUI, transaction OPD).
Eight determination steps
For each application object type, such as billing document, determination runs through a series of steps. Each step has its own decision table:
| Step | What it decides | Contoso example |
|---|---|---|
| Output type | Which outputs are needed for this document | Invoice output for billing type F2 |
| Receiver | Which partner receives it | Bill-to party |
| Channel | Print, email, XML or IDoc | Email for Great Lakes Fleet Services; print for one-time customers |
| Printer settings | Which print queue and number of copies | Detroit office print queue |
| Email settings | Sender address and email template | ar@contoso, invoice email template |
| Email receiver | To, Cc and Bcc addresses | Customer accounts payable mailbox; Cc account manager |
| Form template | Which form layout to render | Contoso invoice form in English |
| Output relevance | Whether the output is actually relevant, for example only once a condition is met | Only when the billing document is posted to accounting |
The determination steps of output parameter determination.
How a decision table works
A decision table has condition columns (for example sales organization, billing type, customer) and result columns (for example channel or form template). SAP reads rows from top to bottom. An empty condition cell matches any value. Some steps, such as output type, receiver, channel and email receiver, can return several hits, so one document can produce several outputs. A row can be marked to stop evaluation once it matches. Because order matters, specific rows belong above general ones.
| Sales organization | Billing type | Customer | Result: channel |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1710 | F2 | Great Lakes Fleet Services | |
| 1710 | F2 | (any) | |
| 1710 | G2 | (any) |
- Is the output type determined for this document?Yes → continue · No → check the output type decision table conditions (document type, sales organization)
- Is a receiver found?Yes → continue · No → check the partner function and that the partner exists on the document
- Is a channel found, and does the receiver have the data it needs (email address, printer)?Yes → continue · No → check the channel table and the business partner's contact data
- Is a form template found, in the right language?Yes → output item created · No → check the form template table and language
The Output Parameter Determination app can simulate each step, showing which row matched for given input values. Simulation is a fast way for a key user and a consultant to confirm a rule before testing it on real documents.
Where the data comes from
Determination reads the business document and its partners. The email address usually comes from the business partner: the customer's address or a contact person, depending on how the email receiver step is set up. That makes business partner data part of output quality. If Great Lakes Fleet Services changes its accounts payable mailbox and nobody updates the business partner, invoices go to a dead address while SAP reports success.
Output types themselves are defined in Customizing under Output Control, with a name and settings, and are assigned to an application object type such as billing document. They are deliberately lightweight: most of the business logic lives in the decision tables. One output type can drive several outputs, for example an invoice that is both emailed to the customer and sent as an IDoc to a partner, because the channel step can return more than one result.
What would you do?
Maria reports that Great Lakes Fleet Services no longer receives invoices by email; they are printed instead. Nothing changed in sales. What should she ask the output consultant to check first?
- Output parameter determination is BRFplus-based and maintained in the Output Parameter Determination app (OPD).
- Steps: output type, receiver, channel, printer settings, email settings, email receiver, form template, output relevance.
- Decision tables are read top to bottom; empty cells match anything; specific rows go first.
- Simulate rules in the app, and remember business partner data feeds recipients.
Check your understanding · not graded
Lesson check
1. On which framework is output parameter determination built?
2. Which transaction opens output parameter determination in SAP GUI?
3. In what order are decision table rows evaluated?
4. Which determination step decides whether the output goes by email or print?