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Practical use of BRF+ Application to design rules - Part 2

prabhjotsingh14
Active Participant

‎05-09-2021 8:59 AM

 9 Kudos  8,924

SAP Managed Tags: ABAP Development,

NW ABAP Business Rule Framework (BRFplus)

This is the continuation of the Part-1 in the series "Practical use of BRF+ Application
in SAP"

https://blogs.sap.com/2020/06/27/practical-use-of-brf-application-to-design-the-rules-
in-sap/#

In this blog, we will discuss about another practical example where We integrated
BRF+ and also used some more exciting features provided by BRF+ Framework. New
features in the expressions that we will cover are as follow:

https://community.sap.com/t5/technology-blogs-by-members/practical-use-of-brf-application-to-design-rules-part-2/ba-p/13519880 1/22
8/28/24, 8:07 PM Practical use of BRF+ Application to design rules ... - SAP Community

1. Procedure Call

2. Loop

Apart from the above functions, we will also cover the topics and use of other
expressions :

1. Decision Tables

2. DB Lookup

3. Formulas

Business Requirements:
On Invoice output, there is a section to display Item details with various columns. In
Item description column, there are various rules which we would like to integrate into
a BRF+ application.

https://community.sap.com/t5/technology-blogs-by-members/practical-use-of-brf-application-to-design-rules-part-2/ba-p/13519880 2/22
8/28/24, 8:07 PM Practical use of BRF+ Application to design rules ... - SAP Community

Before starting all the items, there would be a header section under description
column where header information for the invoice document can be displayed.

Rules for header Description:

Rule 1: Display Contract validity period if available in table VEDA for the contract for
which current invoice is generated.

Rule 2: Display License ID/ Amendment ID/ Manuscript ID on header when It is

available in Invoice Header Structure.

Rule 3: Exclude Contract Validity period on header for specific Invoice types.

Rules for Item Description:

For each Item, description lines should have rule for each line:

Rule 1.1: Line 1 should display Product description from Item structure

Rule 1.2: Line 2 should display the ISBN code from Item structure. For special direct
sales materials, It should be sales product ID.

Rule 1.3: Line 3 should display preceding sales document no. and the Item no.

Rule 1.4: Line 4 should display the initial sales document No.

Rule 1.5: Line 5 should display Contract Validity period for the corresponding Item
no. when the contract period ( start date & end date ) for Item is different than
contract period of header.

Rule 1.6: Next lines should display License ID/ Amendment ID/ Manuscript ID for the
corresponding Item no. when the License ID/ Amendment ID/ Manuscript ID for Item is
different than header.

https://community.sap.com/t5/technology-blogs-by-members/practical-use-of-brf-application-to-design-rules-part-2/ba-p/13519880 3/22
8/28/24, 8:07 PM Practical use of BRF+ Application to design rules ... - SAP Community

Technical Design:
From part-1 of this series, we explained all the basic implementation steps to create a
BRF+ application.If you need any guidance in that, please refer the blog:
https://blogs.sap.com/2020/06/27/practical-use-of-brf-application-to-design-the-rules-
in-sap/#

Function:

Function for the Invoice Output BRF+ would be as follow:

https://community.sap.com/t5/technology-blogs-by-members/practical-use-of-brf-application-to-design-rules-part-2/ba-p/13519880 4/22
8/28/24, 8:07 PM Practical use of BRF+ Application to design rules ... - SAP Community

There are 3 importing parameters:

This function would be called from external applications by passing Invoice header
and Item data.

Now, Rule set can be created and linked to this function.

Rule Set:

Rule set would contain all the rules defined in the business requirement. Based on
that, we would start implementing rules for header first and then we would implement
rules for items.

Rule 1: Display Contract validity period if available in table

VEDA for the contract for which current invoice is generated.

From importing parameter IS_DOC_HEADER-VBELN_VAUF, We would get the

contract no.so we can get the contract start and end dates from table VEDA by using
DB Lookup. However, we also want to format the dates in the customer's country

https://community.sap.com/t5/technology-blogs-by-members/practical-use-of-brf-application-to-design-rules-part-2/ba-p/13519880 5/22
8/28/24, 8:07 PM Practical use of BRF+ Application to design rules ... - SAP Community

settings.

e.g. If customer belongs to Germany, Date should be in format DD.MM.YYYY

If customer belongs to US, Date should be in format MM/DD/YYYY

To handle this requirement in general, we opted to create a Procedure in BRF+ and

called a function module via this procedure.This procedure would return the dates in
the required date format based on country key.

Procedure:

Steps to create Procedure call in BRF+ Application:

Step 1: Create ABAP Function module ZSD_OUTPUT_FORMAT_DATE

https://community.sap.com/t5/technology-blogs-by-members/practical-use-of-brf-application-to-design-rules-part-2/ba-p/13519880 6/22
8/28/24, 8:07 PM Practical use of BRF+ Application to design rules ... - SAP Community

1 FUNCTION zsd_output_format_date.
2 *"---------------------------------------------------------
3 -------------
4 *"*"Local Interface:
5 *" IMPORTING
6 *" REFERENCE(IV_CONTRACT_NO) TYPE VBELN_VAUF
7 *" REFERENCE(IV_COUNTRY_KEY) TYPE LAND1
8 *" REFERENCE(IV_ITEMNO) TYPE POSNR OPTIONAL
9 *" EXPORTING
10 *" REFERENCE(ES_FORMATTED_DATES) TYPE
11 *" ZST_SD_OUTPUT_FORMATTED_DATES
12 *"---------------------------------------------------------
13 -------------
14 *FM to format the contract validity dates
IF iv_itemno IS INITIAL.
15 SELECT SINGLE vbegdat, venddat FROM veda INTO
@DATA(ls_veda) WHERE vbeln = @iv_contract_no
16
17 AND vposn = '000000'.
ELSE.
18 SELECT SINGLE vbegdat, venddat FROM veda INTO @ls_veda
WHERE vbeln = @iv_contract_no
19
20 AND vposn = @iv_itemno.
21 ENDIF.
22
IF ls_veda-vbegdat IS NOT INITIAL AND ls_veda-venddat IS
23 NOT INITIAL.
24 es_formatted_dates-start_date =
zcl_fi_outputs_utility=>format_date( iv_land1 =
25 iv_country_key iv_date = ls_veda-vbegdat ).
26
27 es_formatted_dates-end_date =
zcl_fi_outputs_utility=>format_date( iv_land1 =
iv_country_key iv_date = ls_veda-venddat ).
ENDIF.

ENDFUNCTION.

Method FORMAT_DATE would convert the dates in the required format based on

https://community.sap.com/t5/technology-blogs-by-members/practical-use-of-brf-application-to-design-rules-part-2/ba-p/13519880 7/22
8/28/24, 8:07 PM Practical use of BRF+ Application to design rules ... - SAP Community

country key:

1 METHOD format_date.
2
3 SET COUNTRY iv_land1.
4 rv_result = |{ iv_date DATE = ENVIRONMENT }|.
5
6 ENDMETHOD.

Step 2: Create a new function in BRF+ application

Function would be required to trigger the procedure call . Signature of function should
be same as signature of ABAP Function module so we need to create different data
objects in function signature as import parameters and result object.

Step 3: Link procedure call expression in the BRF+ Function

In the top expression field, create an expression of type "Procedure Call"

https://community.sap.com/t5/technology-blogs-by-members/practical-use-of-brf-application-to-design-rules-part-2/ba-p/13519880 8/22
8/28/24, 8:07 PM Practical use of BRF+ Application to design rules ... - SAP Community

We can select the call type of a procedure ( Static method, Function module, DB
Procedure ). In our case, we can select "Function Module" and provide the ABAP FM
name created in Step 1.

Step 4: Parameter mapping in Procedure from BRF= Function to ABAP FM

https://community.sap.com/t5/technology-blogs-by-members/practical-use-of-brf-application-to-design-rules-part-2/ba-p/13519880 9/22
8/28/24, 8:07 PM Practical use of BRF+ Application to design rules ... - SAP Community

This step is important to link the ABAP Function module signature with BRF+ Function
which in turn calls the procedure

By following the above steps, we can create different procedure calls in the BRF+
application whenever we need to add some complex logic.

Now, back to the Rule 1 to derive the contract validity text, we have created a
decision table to configure the constant text in different languages

Decision Table:

Formula:

Now, we have created a Formula to concatenate the constant text from Decision table
DT_CONTRACT_VALIDITY_TEXT and validity dates from Procedure
PR_GET_FORMATTED_DATE

https://community.sap.com/t5/technology-blogs-by-members/practical-use-of-brf-application-to-design-rules-part-2/ba-p/13519880 10/22
8/28/24, 8:07 PM Practical use of BRF+ Application to design rules ... - SAP Community

At the end, after creating all the necessary expressions ( Decision table, Procedure
call, Formula ), we are all set to create a rule

Please note that LS_RES_STR_HEAD_ITEM_TEXT is a structure/work area for the

result table ET_HEAD_ITEM_DESCRIPTION from our main BRF+ function. (Please
refer the Function result data object) So once we will fill the work area with contract
validity period line, we will append it into result internal table.

Result Table should be looking as follow:

https://community.sap.com/t5/technology-blogs-by-members/practical-use-of-brf-application-to-design-rules-part-2/ba-p/13519880 11/22
8/28/24, 8:07 PM Practical use of BRF+ Application to design rules ... - SAP Community

All the lines highlighted within red border are description text lines for Header section.
Sequence no. would indicate the priority of each line to be displayed first.

Lets find out how we composed the Item lines. We need to derive the description lines
for each item in the Invoice document. As an import parameter , we passed Item data
as IT_DOCUMENT_ITEMS in the main BRF+ function. Now, we would need to read
each Item data in a Loop within BRF+ application. For that, BRF+ provides additional
expression called Loop.

Loop:

Step 1: Create a new expression type Loop

https://community.sap.com/t5/technology-blogs-by-members/practical-use-of-brf-application-to-design-rules-part-2/ba-p/13519880 12/22
8/28/24, 8:07 PM Practical use of BRF+ Application to design rules ... - SAP Community

Step 2: Provide details for Loop expression

For Loop LP_PROCESS_ITEMS, we need to provide:

Processing Mode -> Whether to return some data objects or perform a

repetitive action

Result Data Object -> In case of returning value, provide result data object

Loop Mode -> DO..ENDO , WHILE or FOR

Step 3: Enter rules executable for each Item

Since we are preparing a result internal table with Item No., Sequence no.and Text,
each rule will have 2 parts. In part 1, we will fill the work area of type result table and
in part 2, we will simply append the work area in target internal table and clear the
work area to be filled from scratch from subsequent rules.

Rule 1.1: Line 1 should display Product description from Item

structure

Get the Product description for each line in import parameter IT_DOCUMENT_ITEMS-
ARKTX

https://community.sap.com/t5/technology-blogs-by-members/practical-use-of-brf-application-to-design-rules-part-2/ba-p/13519880 13/22
8/28/24, 8:07 PM Practical use of BRF+ Application to design rules ... - SAP Community

Append it into result data object ( table )

Similarly all the different lines can be appended into result table.

Step 4: Call the Loop expression in rule set

To call this Loop, we will add an additional rule in main rule set after processing all the
rules for header. From this rule, we can provide the Item Data from Function import
parameter and get the result data object filled from the Loop expression.

Now, after we complete this BRF+ application with all the different rules for Header
and Items description, we can now integrate it as a function call in ABAP. We have our
custom data provider class for Invoice Output. In the CONSTRUCTOR method, we
can call the BRF+ application via its function and get the result table in a private
attribute to be used across the output data class:

https://community.sap.com/t5/technology-blogs-by-members/practical-use-of-brf-application-to-design-rules-part-2/ba-p/13519880 14/22
8/28/24, 8:07 PM Practical use of BRF+ Application to design rules ... - SAP Community

METHOD _get_description_from_brf.
CONSTANTS:lc_function_id TYPE if_fdt_types=>id VALUE
'005056A5F0F91EEBA0DFD379B4AB5FE1'.
DATA:lv_timestamp TYPE timestamp,
lt_name_value TYPE abap_parmbind_tab,
ls_name_value TYPE abap_parmbind,
lr_data TYPE REF TO data,
lx_fdt TYPE REF TO cx_fdt,
ls_doc_header TYPE vbdkr,
lr_it_document_items TYPE REF TO data,
lr_vbkdr_line TYPE REF TO data,
lv_language TYPE
if_fdt_types=>element_text.
FIELD-SYMBOLS: <ls_any> TYPE any,
<lt_document_items> TYPE STANDARD TABLE.
**************************************************************
* All method calls within one processing cycle calling the
same function must use the same timestamp.
* For subsequent calls of the same function, we recommend
to use the same timestamp for all calls.
* This is to improve the system performance.
**************************************************************
* If you are using structures or tables without DDIC
binding, you have to declare the respective types
* by yourself. Insert the according data type at the
respective source code line.
**************************************************************
GET TIME STAMP FIELD lv_timestamp.
**************************************************************
* Process a function without recording trace data, passing
context data objects via a name/value table.
**************************************************************
* Prepare function processing:
**************************************************************
* Let BRFplus convert your data into the type BRFplus
requires:
* Data object is bound to a DDIC type, so you can improve
performance by passing a variable of that type.
* If you pass a variable of this type, you should indicate
this by passing "abap_true" for parameter
"iv_has_ddic_binding".
**************************************************************

https://community.sap.com/t5/technology-blogs-by-members/practical-use-of-brf-application-to-design-rules-part-2/ba-p/13519880 15/22
8/28/24, 8:07 PM Practical use of BRF+ Application to design rules ... - SAP Community

ls_name_value-name = 'IS_DOC_HEADER'.

GET REFERENCE OF ms_header_billing_print INTO lr_data.

cl_fdt_function_process=>move_data_to_data_object(
EXPORTING ir_data = lr_data

iv_function_id = lc_function_id

iv_data_object = '005056A5F0F91EDBA0DFDA48F5688028'
"IS_DOC_HEADER

iv_timestamp = lv_timestamp

iv_trace_generation = abap_false

iv_has_ddic_binding = abap_true

IMPORTING er_data = ls_name_value-value ).

INSERT ls_name_value INTO TABLE lt_name_value.
**************************************************************
* Let BRFplus convert your data into the type BRFplus
requires:
**************************************************************
ls_name_value-name = 'IT_DOCUMENT_ITEMS'.
CREATE DATA lr_it_document_items TYPE vbdpr_tt.
ASSIGN lr_it_document_items->* TO <lt_document_items>.

CREATE DATA lr_vbkdr_line TYPE vbdpr.

ASSIGN lr_vbkdr_line->* TO FIELD-
SYMBOL(<ls_data_line>).

LOOP AT mt_items_print ASSIGNING FIELD-

SYMBOL(<ls_items>).
ASSIGN COMPONENT 'VBDPR' OF STRUCTURE <ls_items> TO
FIELD-SYMBOL(<ls_vbdpr>).
IF sy-subrc = 0.
<ls_data_line> = <ls_vbdpr>.
APPEND <ls_data_line> TO <lt_document_items>.
ENDIF.
ENDLOOP.

lr_data = lr_it_document_items.
cl_fdt_function_process=>move_data_to_data_object(

https://community.sap.com/t5/technology-blogs-by-members/practical-use-of-brf-application-to-design-rules-part-2/ba-p/13519880 16/22
8/28/24, 8:07 PM Practical use of BRF+ Application to design rules ... - SAP Community

EXPORTING ir_data = lr_data

iv_function_id = lc_function_id

iv_data_object = '005056A5F0F91EDBA0DFE94C0CE5E031'
"IT_DOCUMENT_ITEMS

iv_timestamp = lv_timestamp

iv_trace_generation = abap_false

iv_has_ddic_binding = abap_false

IMPORTING er_data = ls_name_value-value ).

INSERT ls_name_value INTO TABLE lt_name_value.
**************************************************************
ls_name_value-name = 'IV_LANGUAGE'.
GET REFERENCE OF mv_spras INTO lr_data.
ls_name_value-value = lr_data.
INSERT ls_name_value INTO TABLE lt_name_value.
**************************************************************
* Create the data to store the result value after
processing the function
* You can skip the following call, if you already have
* a variable for the result. Please replace also the
parameter
* EA_RESULT in the method call
CL_FDT_FUNCTION_PROCESS=>PROCESS
* with the desired variable.
**************************************************************
cl_fdt_function_process=>get_data_object_reference(
EXPORTING iv_function_id = lc_function_id

iv_data_object = '_V_RESULT'

iv_timestamp = lv_timestamp

iv_trace_generation = abap_false

IMPORTING er_data = lr_data ).

ASSIGN lr_data->* TO <ls_any>.
TRY.
cl_fdt_function_process=>process( EXPORTING

https://community.sap.com/t5/technology-blogs-by-members/practical-use-of-brf-application-to-design-rules-part-2/ba-p/13519880 17/22
8/28/24, 8:07 PM Practical use of BRF+ Application to design rules ... - SAP Community

iv_function_id = lc_function_id

iv_timestamp = lv_timestamp
IMPORTING
ea_result = rt_result"<ls_any>
CHANGING
ct_name_value = lt_name_value ).
CATCH cx_fdt INTO lx_fdt.
**************************************************************
* You can check CX_FDT->MT_MESSAGE for error handling.
**************************************************************
ENDTRY.
ENDMETHOD.

Testing Invoice Form:

After integrating the above BRF+ application with all different rules to define each line
applicable for Header and Items, We tested the output using T-Code VF03 , provided
one Invoice no. and selected "Issue Output To" by selecting the print output:

2 Comments

former_member745078
Discoverer

https://community.sap.com/t5/technology-blogs-by-members/practical-use-of-brf-application-to-design-rules-part-2/ba-p/13519880 18/22
8/28/24, 8:07 PM Practical use of BRF+ Application to design rules ... - SAP Community


‎05-09-2021 9:45 AM

 1 Kudo

Nice Blog Prabhjot. Thanks for Sharing

rpscg
Explorer

‎09-18-2023 11:43 AM

 0 Kudos

Something that strikes me as odd about BRF+ is that there is no example of actual
integration to the application platform in any of the official help docs I've read.
There's definitely nothing along the lines of the code template. Even if that is a new
thing, there's nothing about how to reach the rule from ABAP if coding from scratch.
Or, as a no-code option, assume that a BRF+ application can be accessed as a sort of
plug-in without custom ABAP. How would that even be done?

All I see explained in Help docs is how to simulate. Am I just missing something that is
documented in an odd location?

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