Topic overview

This document describes the procedures for handling the Opportunities application. The procedures contain instructional steps for creating or editing an opportunity, for instance. Furthermore, this document will inform you about the expected preconditions and effects.

For more on the Opportunities application, refer to the document Opportunities that describes fields and buttons besides other facilities.

Procedures in the identification pane

In the application Opportunities, you can create new opportunities manually or duplicate them from an existing opportunity. Finally, the base data of opportunities can be manually edited or the opportunities can be deleted.

Creating new opportunity

1. Open the Opportunities application.
2. Enter an opportunity.
3. Choose [New] in the standard.
   The system generates a new opportunity in the entered opportunity type. During this process, the opportunity number is automatically assigned according to the number range saved in the opportunity.

4. Enter a description for the.
5. Select a partner and the responsible.
6. If required, create or change the data in user-defined.

7. Save the new sales.

Duplicating opportunity

With the action [Duplicate header] under the New menu, generate a new opportunity in which the data of an existing opportunity have already been accepted as copy. This removes the need to enter the data again. The data inthe identification pane are completely duplicated under all tabs, until the assigned partner. The data in the work pane are not accepted.

Instructions

1. Open the Opportunities application.
2. Open an existing opportunity. Status of the opportunity is not relevant.
   The system displays the existing opportunity.
3. Now choose [Duplicate header] in the standard toolbar under the [New].
   The system generates a new opportunity with a new number. The data of existing opportunity are accepted in the identification pane until the Partner.
4. Select a partner.
5. If required, create or change the data in user-defined fields.

6. Save the new sales.

Editing opportunity

An opportunity generally runs in several phases. The sales stages are classifications in order to arrange and plan the chronological sequence of activities for opportunities. The data are updated in the various phases of an opportunity.

The data in all fields of an opportunity can be edited and changed at any time, until the assigned partner. Once a new opportunity is saved, the assigned partner cannot be changed anymore. You can change the data in all other fields, if necessary.

If the extended status check is activated in Customizing, the actions and status changes are dependent on the current status of the opportunity. The following table shows the editing possibilities of the individual status.

In the Opportunities application, the most recent status of the opportunity data is displayed. If the data is changed, specific data relevant for history are saved separately in the system as historical data. History of opportunity is logged in this way. These historical data can be transferred to the OLAP database and are available for analyses there.

Instructions

1. Open the Opportunities application.
2. Open the opportunity to be edited.
   The system displays the opportunity to be edited.
3. Change the data in the desired fields.
4. Save the changed opportunity.
   The system saves the old data in the opportunity history.

Marking opportunity for deletion

You cannot delete opportunities, but you mark them for deletion. Objects marked for deletion will be finally deleted during reorganization, if they are not used any more. Objects marked for deletion cannot be reassigned to other objects. You can continue to use assignments which already exist at the time point of marking the object for deletion.

Preconditions

You can only mark an object for deletion if it is not being used in the master or configuration data.

Instructions

1. Open the Opportunities application.
2. Open the opportunity to be marked for deletion.
3. Choose the action [Mark for deletion].
   The opportunity is marked for deletion.

Unmarking opportunity for deletion

1. Open the Opportunities application.
2. Open the opportunity from which you want to remove the deletion marker.
3. Choose the action [Unmark for deletion].
   The deletion marker is removed.

Changing status of opportunity (Action)

You can use the actions button on the standard toolbar to manually change the opportunity. The status of the opportunity is logged in the historical data and if required, transferred to the OLAP database.

Instructions

1. Open the Opportunities application.
2. Open the opportunity the status of which is to be changed.
   The system displays the existing opportunity.
3. Select a possible status with the actions button: Active Inactive Won Lost Blocked.
   The status of the opportunity is changed. The status is displayed through a status icon beside the number of the opportunity.

If the status check for the Opportunities application is deactivated in Customizing, the status information is used only for information purposes and statistic analyses. The status does not have any effect on further editing of the opportunity.

If the status check is activated, the availability of actions and status changes are dependent on the status of the opportunity, for instance, you cannot add any activities to an opportunity if it has the status Blocked.

Generating sales quotation (Action)

Through the actions button in the standard toolbar, you can generate a sales quotation header from an opportunity. As a result of the action, the system generates for each opportunity a new sales quotation for the opportunity’s partner.

Data to be accepted in the identification pane of the opportunity in the sales quotation is described in the Opportunities documentation. The data from work pane are not accepted.

Instructions

1. Open the Opportunities application.
2. Open the opportunity from which sales quotation is to be.
3. Now choose the [Generate sales quotation] action under the actions button in the standard toolbar.
   The dialog window opens.
4. Enter an existing sales quotation type.
5. Now choose [OK] to execute the action.
   If you choose [Cancel], the dialog will be closed and the action will be canceled.
   After you click [OK], the system generates a sales quotation header for the partner of the opportunity. The application Sales quotations is opened and the new sales quotation header is edited there.
   
   Note

   You can re-edit the generated sales quotation header in the application.

Procedures for activities

The tasks for activities are displayed in a list in which data cannot be changed. You can call up a dialog window in the header line of the list in which you can create activities or edit existing tasks for existing activities. You can search and add activities already linked with the current partner and assign the status “completed unprocessed” to existing activities that are already saved. If an activity was not saved already, it can also be deleted.

Creating new activity

1. Open the Opportunities application.
2. Open the opportunity to which an activity is to be added.
   The system displays the opportunity.
3. Choose Activities tab.
4. Choose [New] on list header of activities list.
   A dialog window opens.
5. Enter the following data in the dialog window:
   An activity type
   A description
   The start and end of your activity
   The editor of the activity
6. Choose [Accept].
   If you choose [Cancel] instead, the dialog window will close and the entered data will be discarded.
   The new activity is inserted in the list of activities or tasks. The line item in the list is according to the sort order. The activities and tasks are sorted in ascending order according to their start date, i.e. the latest date will take the first.
   
   Note

   Incorrect entries are displayed in ‘red frame’ in the list not after being accepted, but after the opportunity is saved or validated.
7. If necessary, repeat points 4 to 6 until you have entered all desired and/or necessary.
8. Save the opportunity.
   The system saves the new Relationship management activity as workflow activity as well and automatically generates one or more tasks from the A task is generated for every user that is assigned to the entered editor. These tasks are displayed in the list under the tab Activities.

Finding and adding activities

With the action [Find and add activities…] you can assign activities of the current opportunity linked to the partner.

1. Open the Opportunities application.
2. Open the opportunity to which one or more activities are to be. added
   The system displays the opportunity.
3. Choose Activities tab.
4. Choose on list header of the activities list the action [Find and add activities…].
   A dialog window opens.
   – If necessary, enter the search criteria in the dialog window to limit the result list of activities.
   – [Start] shows all activities that correspond with the search criteria of the query pane.
5. Select one or more activities.
6. Choose [Accept] (if you choose [Cancel] instead, the dialog window will close and the entered data will be discarded).
   The selected activities are inserted and saved in the activities.
   
   Note

   The action is active only for saved opportunities. In addition, the opportunity cannot be changed.
   The activities that are assigned to the current opportunity are ignored.

Editing activity

Entered activities are validated only when the entire opportunity is saved. They are then saved if test result is positive. Consequently, in case of faulty inputs, the activities have to be edited again.

Successfully saved activities can be edited as well. Since workflow tasks are generated from them, all data cannot be changed.

Editing unsaved activity

You are in the Opportunities application and have opened the opportunity with at least one activity to be edited. The test of the system returned an error in the previously entered activity data.

Instructions

1. Choose Activities tab.
2. Select the line to be edited.
3. Choose on list header of activities list [Edit].
   A dialog window opens.
4. Change the activity type, editor, description or start and end of your activity.
5. Choose [Accept].
   If you choose [Cancel] instead, the dialog window will close and the changed data will be discarded.
   The changed activity is displayed in the list of activities or tasks. The line item in the list is according to the sort order: ascending order by start date.
6. Save the opportunity to save the new activity.

Editing saved activity

You are in the Opportunities application and have opened the opportunity with at least one activity to be edited. You now want to edit the task that was generated from the saved activity.

Instructions

1. Choose Activities tab.
2. Select the line to be edited.
3. Choose on list header of activities list [Edit].
   A dialog window opens.
4. Change the description or start and end of the task.
5. Choose [Accept].
   If you choose [Cancel] instead, the dialog window will close and the changed data will be discarded.
   The changed task is displayed in the list of tasks. The line item in the list is according to the sort order: ascending order by start date.
6. Save the opportunity to save the changed.

Completing activity unprocessed

You can assign the status Completed unprocessed to an activity with the [Delete] button. The tasks belonging to an activity in status Completed unprocessed are not displayed in the list anymore. If there are several tasks for an activity, then no entries are displayed anymore.

The creator or entered editor of an activity may change the status of an activity or the status of the tasks generated from it. Another user requires the corresponding authorization for it.

Until the Completed unprocessed status, the activity status cannot be changed manually. The activity status is dependent on the start and end as well as the edit status of the activity and is assigned by the system. The status of the activity is also defined by the status of affiliated tasks.

Preconditions

You have already created an opportunity with at least one activity. You are in the Opportunity application and have loaded the opportunity to be edited. You now wish to remain the activity created and saved successfully from the list by changing the status to Completed unprocessed. One or more workflow tasks already exist for this activity, which are displayed in the list.

Instructions

1. Choose Activities tab.
2. Select the line to be removed.
3. Choose on list header of activities list [Delete].
4. Save the opportunity.
   The system sets the status of the activity as Completed unprocessed. All tasks to this activity are not displayed in the activities list of opportunity.

Deleting activity

An activity can only be deleted if it has not been saved yet. As soon as it is saved and a workflow task is generated from it, the activity cannot be deleted anymore. Then the activity will be assigned the status Completed unprocessed with the [Delete] button.

The creator or entered editor of an activity may change an activity or the status of the tasks generated from it. Another user can view, edit or delete a task if it has the necessary authorizations.

Delete unsaved activity

You have already created an opportunity with at least one activity. You are in the Opportunities application and have loaded the desired opportunity. You now wish to delete the previously created and still unsaved activity.

Instructions

1. Choose Activities tab.
2. Select the line to be deleted.
3. Choose on list header of activities list [Delete].
   The row will be marked with a deletion flag.
4. Select other lines if required and mark these activities for deletion.
5. Save the opportunity.
   The activities marked for deletion are deleted.

Procedures for partner references

Partner relationships and references are displayed in a list. The data of partner relationships are automatically displayed by the system and cannot be edited.

Data of partner references can be edited. You can call-up a dialog window through the list header in which you can create partner references or edit existing ones. You can also delete existing partner references.

Creating new partner reference

1. Open the Opportunities application.
2. Open the desired opportunity.
   The system displays the opportunity.
3. Choose the Partner references tab.
   The system displays the partner relationships selected through the opportunity type.
4. Choose on list header of the partner reference list [New].
   A dialog window opens.
5. Select a partner reference type.
6. Select a partner.
7. Enter a description.
8. Choose [Accept].
   If you choose [Cancel] instead, the dialog window will close and the entered data will be discarded.
   The new partner reference will be added to the references list. It is displayed after all references created until now. Then the system displays automatically displayed partner. This is placed by the system using the partner relationship types that were selected in the opportunity type and the partner relationships already assigned by the target.
   
   Note

   Incorrect entries are displayed in ‘red frame’ in the list not after being accepted, but after the opportunity is saved.
9. If necessary, repeat points 4 to 8 until you have entered all desired partner references.
10. Save the opportunity.
11. If an error message is displayed, edit the faulty partner references.

Editing partner reference

Entered partner references are validated only when the entire opportunity is saved. They are then saved if test result is positive. Consequently, in case of faulty inputs, the partner references have to be edited again.

Successfully saved partner references can be edited any time as well. In contrast to the activities, it is not relevant for partner references whether the addressees are saved already or not.

The automatically placed and displayed partner relationships by the system cannot be edited.

Instructions

1. Open the Opportunities application.
2. Open the opportunity that has the partner references to be edited.
   The system displays the opportunity.
3. Choose the Partner references tab.
4. Select the line with the partner reference to be.
5. Choose on list header of the partner reference list [Edit].
   A dialog window opens.
6. Change the desired data in the dialog.
7. Choose [Accept].
   If you choose [Cancel] instead, the dialog window will close and the changed data will be discarded.
8. If required, repeat points 4 to 7 for all other partner references that you wish to.
9. Save the opportunity.

Dialog window for creating a new contact person

You can create a new contact person from the application Opportunities. The corresponding dialog window [New contact person] is called up through the [New] menu in the header line of the list. The dialog window corresponds in structure and function with the Partners application from the Base framework.

Read descriptions for Partner application, and the documents Partner in Customer role and Partner in Contact role in the section on topic Creating contact persons to create a contact person and assign it to a partner.

Once you have created and saved a new partner in the dialog window, the window closes and you are again in the Opportunities application.

To ensure that the new partner is automatically displayed in the opportunity under partner relationships, it must first be assigned to the target partner of the opportunity. Finally, the contact person with the target partner is automatically generated if you have selected the corresponding partner relationship types in the opportunity type. If necessary, reopen the opportunity to update the display.

Alternatively, you can assign the new contact person through a partner reference type that allows contact person.

Deleting partner reference

You can delete a partner reference at any time. However, you can only delete the partner references you have created. The automatically placed and displayed partner relationships by the system cannot be deleted.

Instructions

1. Open the Opportunities application.
2. Open the desired opportunity.
   The system displays the opportunity.
3. Choose the Partner references tab.
4. Select the line to be deleted.
5. Choose on list header of partner references list [Delete].
6. Save the opportunity.
   The line with the partner reference is deleted and not displayed in the opportunity any more.

Procedures for notes

Notes are displayed in a list in which data cannot be edited. You can call up a dialog window in the header line of the list in which you can create notes or edit existing notes. You can also delete existing notes.

Creating new notes

1. Open the Opportunities application.
2. Open the opportunity for which a note is to be created.
   The system displays the opportunity.
3. Choose the Notes tab.
   The system displays the existing notes.
4. Choose on list header of note list [New].
   A dialog window opens.
   
   Note

   If Document management framework is not activated, all fields are not displayed in the dialog window. In this case, you can create simple text notes.
5. If required, choose another template.
6. Enter a description and the note.
7. If required, enter the data in the user-defined fields for setting keyword. If necessary, these fields are determined according to the template of mandatory fields. Then you must edit them. The user-defined field contents are prepopulated through the template.
8. Choose [Accept].
   If you choose [Cancel] instead, the dialog window will close and the entered data will be discarded.
   The new note will be added to the list.
9. If necessary, repeat points 4 to 8 until you have entered all desired notes.
10. Save the opportunity.

Editing note

Notes saved successfully in opportunity can be edited at any time.

Instructions

1. Open the Opportunities application.
2. Open the opportunity that has the note to be edited.
   The system displays the opportunity.
3. Choose the Notes tab.
4. Select the row with the note to be edited.
5. Choose on list header of the notes list [Edit].
   A dialog window opens.
6. Change the note in the dialog.
7. Choose [Accept].
   If you choose [Cancel] instead, the dialog window will close and the changed data will be discarded.
8. Repeat points 4 to 7 if you want to edit more.
9. Save the opportunity.

Deleting note

You can delete a note at any time. It will then be removed from Document management.

Instructions

1. Open the Opportunities application.
2. Open the desired opportunity.
   The system displays the opportunity.
3. Choose the Notes tab.
4. Select the line with the note to be deleted.
5. Choose on list header of note list [Delete].
6. Save the opportunity.
   The note is deleted and not displayed in the opportunity anymore.