SAP MM module is very flexible in the sense that a user can define approval strategies for purchasing documents. These release strategies are nothing the way in which a purchasing document will come up for approval. With Release procedures / strategies defined a purchasing would be approved in SAP only on fulfillment of certain prerequisite conditions. There are two types of release procedures in SAP. I personally feel that such release procedures, though also a feature in other ERP's have not quite been very succesful. Types of release procedures.

Release Procedure 1 - Release procedure 1 applies only to purchase requisition in SAP MM. It is possible to configure MM to release individual items within a purchase requisition to be converted into a PO purchase order. Thus, a release strategy acts as a approval procedure for purchase requisitions. Release procedure checks the data on material, quantity, price etc to check whether the same is correct and accurate for account assignement.

Release Procedure 2 - Release procedure 2 applies to types of purchase documents. This includes RFQs, purchase requisition, purchase order, scheduling agreement etc. Release procedure 2 involves complex hirerachies and can be configured for number of release conditions and release strategies. Using release procedure 2 an organization can completely do away with manual authorizations.

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