Specify System Reaction to Overlapping Time

Infotypes
In this step, you determine how the system reacts if existing time infotype records overlap with new time
infotype records.

Suchcollision checks are also performed for subtypes. The concept of a time constraint class was
developed so that you do not have to define a time constraint reaction for each subtype with regard to all
other infotypes or subtypes within an infotype.

Subtypes within an infotype (attendance/absence type, attendance/absence quota type, availability type
and substitution type) that have the same time constraint reaction are grouped together by the time
constraint class.

Example
In the standard system, the absence types "sickness with certificate", "cure", and "industrial accident" are
grouped together in time constraint class 01, and the absence types "leave", "bridge day", and "flextime
offset" are grouped together in time constraint class 02.

The time constraint reaction is determined by a reaction indicator. The reaction indicator is set for each
time constraint class of an infotype or subtype with regard to the time constraint classes of all other
infotypes or subtypes.

The system can react to a collision in one of four ways, each of which you can determine using a reaction
indicator.

1. A: the old record is delimited, ie. the part of the old record that overlaps with the new record is deleted.
One or two new records can be derived from the old record.
2. E: the new record cannot be created. The system displays an error message.
3. W: the new record can be created without the old record being changed. The system displays a
warning.
4. N: the new record can be created without the old record being changed. The system does not display a
warning.

Example
1. You want to prevent the absence types sickness with certificate and leave from being entered for the
same period. To do this, assign time constraint class 02 to the absence type sickness with certificate,
time constraint class 01 to the absence type leave and then define time constraint reactions in case these
two time constraint classes collide.

 If a sickness record has already been entered for the period, you should not be able to enter a
leave record. For this reason, this combination is assigned time constraint reaction E .

 If a leave record has already been entered for the period, and you then enter a sickness record,
the leave record should be delimited. For this reason, this combination is assigned time constraint
reaction A. One or two new records are derived from the old record.
Example:

 old: Jan 02 1997 - Jan 20 1997 paid leave

  new: Jan 10 1997 - Jan 01 1997 sickness with certificate

Result: The old record is delimited and a new leave record is created.

 Jan 02 1997 - Jan 09 1997 paid leave

 Jan 10 1997 - Jan 12 1997 sickness with certificate

 Jan 13 1997 - Jan 20 1997 paid leave

2. A substitution record is entered for a period for which an absence record leave already exists. An
employee cannot act as a substitute if he or she is absent, which means that this combination is assigned
reaction indicator E (error message).
3. A substitution record is entered for a period for which an overtime record already exists. This
combination is allowed; however, the substitution could give rise to changed working times under certain
circumstances. For this reason, this combination is assigned reaction indicator W (warning message) to
give you an opportunity to recheck your entries.
4. Anabsence quota record is entered for a period for which an attendance record already exists.
Attendances and absence quotas are not mutually exclusive. For this reason, this combination is
assigned reaction indicator N (create without warning message).

Note
When you enter infotype records, the system may react in a different way to how you specify in
Customizing:

1. Special features for full-day infotype records

2. Special features for infotype records of less than one day
3. Special features for infotype records which encompass several days

1. Special features for full-day records

1. Case 1:
An absence, attendance or
overtime record collides with a substitution which has priority over the employee's personal work schedule
(not a position substitution or a time substitution combined with a position). The reaction indicator A is
defined in the system settings.
Since the substitution record is taken as the basis for valuating the absence or overtime, the record
cannot be delimited. Instead, the system displays an error message.

Case 2:
An absence with quota deduction collides with another absence, also with quota deduction. Both
absences are deducted from the same quota. The reaction indicator A is defined in the system settings
for this particular combination.
Since the first absence with quota deduction (e.g. leave) has already been deducted from the quota, the
system cannot delimit the records. This would create errors in the quota deduction, so an error message
is displayed.

Case 3:
An absence with quota deduction collides with an absence with quota deduction which has been
maintained manually. It is not possible to delimit the records, so the system displays an error message.
2. Special features for infotype records of less than one day

Case 1:
A record of less than one day for which clock times have been entered collides with a record of less than
one day specifying a number of hours only. Reaction indicators A or E are defined in Customizing for
these combinations.
As the system cannot delimit records in this example, or the records do not collide in certain
circumstances, the system displays a warning message.

1. Case 2:
A record of less than one day specifying clock times or a number of hours collides with a full-day record or
a record which encompasses several days. Reaction indicator A is defined in Customizing for this
combination.
Since the system cannot delimit records in this example, the new record cannot be created. The system
displays an error message.
2. Case 3:
A record of less than one day which specifies a number of hours collides with a record of less than one
day for which a number of hours or clock times have been entered. Reaction indicators A and E are
defined in Customizing.
These records might not overlap depending on the circumstances, so the system merely displays a
warning message rather than delimiting the old record, or preventing the new record from being created.

Case 4:
Two records collide that both last less than one day and for which clock times have been entered.

3. If both records cover the same period, the system reaction depends on the system settings.
4. If the periods covered by the records do not overlap, the new record can be created irrespective of the
system settings. The system does not display a warning message.
5. If the periods covered by the records overlap, the system reacts as follows:
If the reaction indicator in the system settings is E or W, the system reacts as specified. If, however, the
reaction indicator is A, the system displays an error message.

3. Special features for records which encompass several days

If there is a record for the previous day which extends into the current day (a full-day record or one of less
than a day with clock times), and if there is a record for the current day (a full-day record or one of less
than one day with clock times), the system reacts as follows:

1. The record for the previous day overlaps with the current day's record.
The conditions that apply in this case are the ones desribed under special features for records of less
than one day.
2. The record for the previous day does not overlap with the current day's record.
If you have defined the reaction indicators A and W for this scenarion in the customizing settings, the
system uses reaction indicator W.

Note about the Time Events infotype

The Time Events infotype (2011) is available as well, and can be used to set up collision checks. As a
rule, it is not pertinent to check for a collision with time events, as time evaluations have differing
processing possibilities.
Due to consistency reasons, the infotype is in the list; you should leave all the reaction indicator entries
unchanged with the setting N. Collision checks with the Time Events is no longer expected.
Requirements
You must define time constraint classes for the following:

 Define Substitution Types

 Determine Entry screens and Time Constraint Classes (for absences)

 Define Absence Quota Types

 Determine Entry Screens and Time Constraint Classes (for attendances)

 Define Attendance Quota Types

 Define Availability Types

Standard Settings
The time constraint reaction is already set for the time constraint classes used by SAP.

Recommendation
Try to make the standard time constraint classes suffice in your enterprise and to change the reaction
indicators only.

Activities
1. If time infotypes overlap, check that the system reaction meets your requirements.
2. If necessary, change the reaction indicators for a time constraint class.