SAP Infotype Screen Modification

Welcome to the tutorial on SAP infotype screen modification. This tutorial will explain how an infotype screen can be modified through customizing alone, without the need for ABAP help. Using screen modifications, you can edit the characteristics of the individual infotype fields. For example, you can hide fields that you do not need, or you can make essential fields mandatory. You can also modify the screen for different subtypes of an infotype or based on an employee’s organizational assignment. Furthermore, you can define that a particular field should be mandatory only for employees in a particular employee group.

SAP Infotype Screen Modification Activities

SAP infotype screen modification must be done at the infotype level. The activities to be carried out depend on the answer to the following question:

For the infotype in question, will the screen vary based on employee subtype/organizational assignment?

A “no” answer implies that the same screen is always required for this infotype and you should follow the steps and example under the “Identical Infotype Screens” subheading.

A “yes” response implies that the screens may vary based on employee data and you should skip ahead to the steps and example under the “Varying Infotype Screens” subheading.

Identical Infotype Screens

Let’s start by executing transaction code PA30 and looking at the personal data infotype. As an example, let’s assume that the client wishes to hide the field 2nd title which has been highlighted below:

Personal Data Infotype

To remove a field from the infotype screen for all employees, you must first identify the module pool and the screen number of the infotype. These are technical details about the screen that can be found in the change/display view of the infotype (PA20/PA30). From here, click on System > Status in the toolbar menu as shown below:

Display System Status

The module pool is the displayed in the Program (screen) field as highlighted below:

Module Pool

The screen number is displayed directly below the module pool as identified below:

Screen Number

Take note of the module pool and screen number. Next, check if there is a relevant customizing entry via the path below in transaction code SPRO:

Personnel Management – Personnel Administration – Customizing User Interfaces – Change Screen Modifications

Customizing Path – Change Screen Modifications

The infotype screen control overview is displayed. Click the Position button as highlighted below:

Infotype Screen Control Overview

Enter the module pool and screen number in the search fields as indicated below:

Screen Search

If no entry exists, create a new entry. Click on the New Entries button. Then, enter the required module pool and standard screen and hit Enter. All the fields will be defaulted as seen below:

Create New Entry

Next, change the individual field characteristics. Identify the field whose properties must be changed. In our example, we want to update the Second Title field. You can select any of the following radio buttons:

Std – This is the standard default setting, where the field is displayed

RF – This is used to make a field mandatory

OF – This is used to make a field optional

Outp – This is used to make a field non-editable, where its contents can be seen but cannot be changed

Hide – This is used to hide a field

Init – This is used to hide a field as well as initialize its contents if a record is created or copied

For our example, we must select the Hide radio button for the Second Title field and then save the entry as seen below:

Hide Second Title Field

Now, let’s go back to check the personal data screen in transaction code PA30. We can see that the 2nd title field is no longer displayed, as shown below:

Updated Personal Data Screen

Varying Infotype Screens

Let’s execute transaction code PA30 and examine two different subtypes of the address infotype. First we have the subtype for permanent residence:

Address Infotype – Permanent Residence

Then we have the subtype for temporary residence:

Address Infotype – Temporary Residence

A comparison of the above figures shows us that both subtypes have identical screens. Let’s assume that the client wants the 2nd Address Line field to be mandatory for the permanent residence subtype, but only for Indonesia. For the temporary residence subtype, no changes to the screen are required. Follow the below steps to carry out this SAP infotype screen modification based on subtype.

First, identify the module pool and screen number as instructed in the previous section. Note the module pool and screen number for permanent residence details below:

Permanent Residence Details

Also note the module pool and screen number for temporary residence details below:

Temporary Residence Details

We can see that the details are identical for both subtypes.

Next, check if there is a relevant customizing entry via the path below in transaction code SPRO:

Personnel Management – Personnel Administration – Customizing User Interfaces – Change Screen Modifications

Customizing Path – Change Screen Modifications

The infotype screen control overview is displayed as below. Click the Position button:

Infotype Screen Control Overview

Enter the module pool and screen number in the search fields as indicated below:

Screen Search

If no entry exists, create a new entry. Click on the New Entries button. Then, enter the required module pool and standard screen and hit Enter. All the fields will be defaulted as seen in the earlier set of activities. In the Feature field, enter P####, where #### represents the number of the infotype. In our example, we are working with infotype 0006 – Addresses. Therefore, highlight the line with the feature P0006 where Variable key is blank, as this is the basic entry. Click on the details icon as highlighted below:

Display Entry Details

All the fields will be defaulted as seen below:

Change Screen Control Details

Click on the Feature button and you will see the features initial screen as below:

Features Initial Screen

Select the radial button for Decision tree and click on Change to incorporate the new decision based on subtype in the feature. In our example, the feature already uses country as a decision field. The current return value for Indonesia is 34 as shown below:

Feature Decision Tree

In our example, the 2nd Address Line field should be mandatory for permanent residence subtype only for Indonesia. For temporary residence subtype, no changes to the screen are required.

Therefore, let us add subtype as a decision field under Indonesia. If the subtype is 1 – Permanent residence, the return value is 35, otherwise the return value will remain as the default 34:

Add Subtype to Feature Decision Tree

Save and activate the feature. Click the Back icon until you reach the infotype screen control overview.

Next, create a new entry for every new return value of the feature. Assign the return value of the feature as the variable key. Leave the feature field blank. In our case, we have added one new return value, 35, for the permanent residence subtype. So we will create one new entry with 35 as the variable key. The new entry will have the 2nd Address Line set as a required field, as displayed below:

New Entry for Permanent Residence Subtype – Variable Key 35

Let’s execute transaction code PA30 to check the modified screen for permanent residence with country key Indonesia. The 2nd Address Line field is now marked as mandatory, as shown below:

Permanent Residence – 2nd Address Line Mandatory

Finally, let’s check the temporary residence subtype. Here we see that the 2nd Address Line field is not marked as mandatory, in accordance with our requirement:

Temporary Residence – 2nd Address Line Optional 

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