SAP S/4HANA Output Management: A Look at the Architecture and Tools
Output management has changed fundamentally with SAP S/4HANA. This article sheds light on the most important architectural components – from the database (CDS views vs. tables) to the rules (BRF+) and the central Fiori applications.
The Paradigm Shift: From Classic NAST to Modern S/4HANA Output Management
Probably the most significant architectural change in SAP output took place with the switch from SAP ERP to S/4HANA. The old, proven system of classic message control (based on the **NAST** table) has been replaced by agile, centralized **S/4HANA Output Management**. This change is much more than just a technical update – it is a fundamental paradigm shift in the management of document output.
Table of Contents
- SAP S/4HANA Output Management: A Look at the Architecture and Tools
- The Paradigm Shift: From Classic NAST to Modern S/4HANA Output Management
- Fiori App F2279: Monitor Output Requests
- SAP S/4HANA Output Management: Fiori Apps for Scheduled Processing
- CDS View COUTREQITEM and Table APOC_D_OR_ITEM: Difference and Relationship
- BRF+: The Role of the Business Rule Framework plus in Output Management
A look at the key differences
| Focus | Classic Message Control (NAST) | S/4HANA Output Management (Modern) |
|---|---|---|
| Rule Logic | Based on the condition technique configured via transaction NACE and associated Customizing tables. | Leverages the powerful **Business Rule Framework plus (BRF+)** for flexible, non-modification-based rule definition. |
| Data | Direct storage of the message data in the physical table NAST, embedded in legacy frameworks. |
Relies on **Virtual Data Models (CDS Views)** that are based on modern tables such as APOC_D_OR_ITEM . |
| Construction | Module-centered and strongly tied to the respective applications (e.g. SD, MM). | **Centralized** and unified across all applications, optimized for cloud and on-premise environments. |
| User interface | Primarily controllable via the SAP GUI and the classic transactions. | Managed and monitored via **Fiori apps** (e.g. F2279 “Monitor Output Requests”). |
The new Output Management is designed to meet **cloud requirements** and provides end-to-end **centralized management** of all expenses. The data provision is consistently carried out via modern interfaces such as CDS Views (basis for COUTREQITEM). Although the old NAST controller in S/4HANA On-Premise still exists for certain legacy applications, the new Output Management is the clear standard for all current and future SAP applications, as well as for the entire Fiori world.
Fiori App F2279: Monitor Output Requests
The Fiori app **F2279** with the title **”Monitor Output Requests”** plays a central role for users who work with Output Management in SAP S/4HANA. It enables business departments and IT staff to get an **overview** of all generated output orders.
- Purpose: The app is used to monitor and troubleshoot the printing and e-mail traffic triggered by the system (e.g. order confirmations, invoices, delivery documents).
- Database: The app accesses the data of the issue order items directly or indirectly. This includes status information and references to the underlying documents, the details of which are usually provided via CDS views such as
COUTREQITEM. - Functionality: Users can check the **current status** of the output jobs (e.g. *Successful*, *Failed*), view details and often also resend (*Retry*) or cancel the output jobs.
In short: The Fiori App F2279 is the **frontend tool** for managing the data that is technically stored in tables such as APOC_D_OR_ITEM and provided via views such as COUTREQITEM .
SAP S/4HANA Output Management: Fiori Apps for Scheduled Processing
In the **new SAP S/4HANA Output Management**, the processing of outputs marked with **DISPATCH_TIME 2 (Scheduled)** is controlled via application-specific Fiori Apps. There is **no single, generic app** for all output types that bundles this process.
The names of these apps often follow the pattern: “Schedule [Application Object] Output” or “Schedule the Release of [Application Object] Outputs”.
Examples of Fiori apps for scheduling output jobs
| Business Application | Fiori App Name (Examples) | Fiori App ID (example) |
|---|---|---|
| Invoicing (Billing) | Schedule Billing Output | F1510 |
| Purchase Order | Schedule the Release of Purchase Order Outputs | F5367 |
| Sales Documents | Schedule Sales Document Output | F2459 |
| General monitoring | Application Jobs (to manage all scheduled jobs) | – |
Important notes on how it works
- Fiori app as interface: The app only serves as a **user interface** to define the selection criteria (e.g. document numbers, organizational units, etc.) for the background job.
- Background: The actual processing takes place in the background as a **job** that uses the **Generic Job Scheduling Framework**.
- Targeted selection: These apps only process output items that are marked with the **Scheduled Time 2** (“Scheduled” or “Scheduled”). Messages of sending time 1 (“Immediately” or “Sofort”) are processed directly when the receipt is saved.
CDS View COUTREQITEM and Table APOC_D_OR_ITEM: Difference and Relationship
The fundamental relationship between the physical table (e.g. APOC_D_OR_ITEM) and the CDS View (e.g. COUTREQITEM) reflects the design principle of the Virtual Data Model (VDM) in SAP S/4HANA:
- The physical source: The raw, technical data of the output order items are stored in the database table (
APOC_D_OR_ITEM). It is the repository of truth. - The logical interface: The CDS View (
COUTREQITEM) is the standardized, stable and often performance-optimized access layer. It abstracts and provides the data for use.
Result: In modern S/4HANA environments, you should always use the CDS View to access data. It offers the necessary abstraction of complex table structures and is the future-proof method in the SAP ecosystem.
BRF+: The Role of the Business Rule Framework plus in Output Management
In S/4HANA Output Management, the entire logic for **finding output parameters** is no longer mapped in the classic condition technique (NAST), but centrally controlled by the **Business Rule Framework plus (BRF+)**.
BRF+ acts as a powerful tool for modeling and executing business rules that determine:
- When an output order is created (e.g. after posting an invoice).
- Which one output settings (printer, e-mail address, fax number).
- Which one Form or which type of send is used.
These rules are organized into **functions** that access context objects (such as your document data) and make decisions that subsequently lead to the creation of the output order items (database for COUTREQITEM).
Key BRF+ access points
Although BRF+ is primarily configured via the Web Dynpro-based Workbench, it is accessed via the Fiori Launchpad:
- Fiori App “Output Parameter Determination” (Transaction OPD)
- This app is the **central, simplified Fiori interface** (often a wrapper for the Web Dynpro application of transaction OPD) for configuring the output rules in S/4HANA Output Management. It provides a case-by-use view of the BRF+ regulations and is the most important entry point for functional consultants.
- Transaction BRF+ (or BRFPLUS)
- The classic transaction to start the **BRFplus Workbench** (Web Dynpro). This is the expert interface in which the underlying applications, functions and the actual decision rules (decision tables, etc.) are directly modeled.
