02. ROLE MAINTENANCE

ROLE MAINTENANCE

We can use the role maintenance to manage roles and authorization data. The tool for role maintenance, the Profile Generator automatically creates authorization data based on selected menu functions. These are then presented for fine-tuning.

It is recommended that you use the role maintenance functions and the profile generator (transaction PFCG) to maintain your roles, authorizations, and profiles. Although you can continue to create profiles manually, you need detailed knowledge of all SAP authorization components.

The role maintenance functions support you in performing your task by automating various processes and allowing you more flexibility in your authorization plan. You can also use the central user administration functions to centrally maintain the roles delivered by SAP or your own, new roles, and to assign the roles to any number of users.

The roles (previously: activity groups), which are based on the organizational plan of your company, form the structure for the Profile Generator. These roles are the connection between the user and the corresponding authorizations. The actual authorizations and profiles are stored in the SAP system as objects.

With the roles, you assign to your users the user menu that is displayed after they log on to the SAP System.

Roles also contain the authorizations with which users can access the transactions, reports, Web-based applications, and so on that are contained in the menu.