Basics of Document Data Flow and Copying Control in SAP SD Process

Data flow and copying control are basic but most important functionality in SAP SD process. Copy Control functionality controls which data is copied from the source document to the following document. For example, you can define a fresh sales order type and utilize the recently created sales order type for a latest delivery order. For this intention, you can define a new copy control for data flow between these two sales documents. If you don’t maintain the copy control from an origin document type to a end document type and try to create the target document copying from the source, the system will prompt you with an error.

Data Flow:

You can create sales document with reference to a preceding document from both: 

1. Initial screen and 
2. During Document Processing

Create document with preceding document in SAP SD

The process is controlled using a uniform dialog box which contain six tab pages.

1. Inquiry
2. Quotation
3. Order
4. Contract
5. Scheduling Agreement
6. Billing Document

Default tab page is depend on 

• Sales Document Type --> Mandatory Reference field

Mandatory reference control at sale document type 

You can restrict the reference to an item, set the appropriate completion rule in item category.

1. The status of each item in the preceding document is updated separately, depending on the completion rule of the item category
• Completion rule A: Completed if some qty is referenced
• Completion rule B: Completed until complete qty is copied

Completion rule control at item category level

Note: If you enter a reason for rejection, the item receives "Completed" status.

Copying Control:

You can use copy control for below source and target document as below:

1. Sales document type from a sales document type
2. Sales document type from a billing document type
3. Delivery type from a sales document type
4. Billing document type from a sales document type
5. Billing document type from a delivery type
6. Billing document type from a billing document type 

To control the copying procedure, at each level you need to define following three control:

1. Routine for data transfer: 
• Routine control transfer of fields in preceding document
2. Copying Requirement: 
• You define requirements that are checked when you create a document with reference
• If this requirements are not met in particular case, system issues a warning or error message and if necessary, it can terminate the processing
3. Switches:
• Switches for setting specific controls for each transactions
• For example, you can activate or deactivate the transfer of item number from the preceding document at header level for sales documents.