JOB_CLOSE¶

The three-FM pattern — create, define, and release a background job programmatically.

Purpose¶

Use this pattern to schedule background jobs from ABAP code: after processing a file upload, from a user action, or to trigger asynchronous processing. The job appears in SM37 and runs under the standard background processing framework.

The three-FM pattern¶

1 — JOB_OPEN¶

Creates the job entry and returns a jobcount handle.

Parameter	Direction	Description
`JOBNAME`	Importing	Job name (max 32 chars)
`JOBCOUNT`	Exporting	Unique job ID — pass to JOB_SUBMIT and JOB_CLOSE

2 — JOB_SUBMIT¶

Defines the job step (report + variant, or ABAP class).

Parameter	Direction	Description
`JOBNAME`	Importing	Job name
`JOBCOUNT`	Importing	Job ID from JOB_OPEN
`REPORT`	Importing	Report name to run
`VARIANT`	Importing	Selection screen variant (optional)
`LANGUAGE`	Importing	Logon language (default: sy-langu)
`AUTHCKNAM`	Importing	User whose authorizations are checked when the job runs

3 — JOB_CLOSE¶

Releases the job for scheduling.

Parameter	Direction	Description
`JOBNAME`	Importing	Job name
`JOBCOUNT`	Importing	Job ID
`STRTIMMED`	Importing	`'X'` = start immediately
`SDLSTRTDT`	Importing	Scheduled start date (`TYPE TBTCSTRT-SDLSTRTDT`)
`SDLSTRTTM`	Importing	Scheduled start time (`TYPE TBTCSTRT-SDLSTRTTM`)
`AT_OPMODE`	Importing	Operation mode for time-based scheduling

Example — start immediately¶

DATA: lv_jobname  TYPE tbtcjob-jobname  VALUE 'ZMATERIAL_SYNC',
      lv_jobcount TYPE tbtcjob-jobcount.

" Step 1 — open
CALL FUNCTION 'JOB_OPEN'
  EXPORTING
    jobname  = lv_jobname
  IMPORTING
    jobcount = lv_jobcount
  EXCEPTIONS
    cant_create_job = 1
    OTHERS          = 2.

IF sy-subrc <> 0.
  MESSAGE 'Could not create background job' TYPE 'E'.
  RETURN.
ENDIF.

" Step 2 — define step
CALL FUNCTION 'JOB_SUBMIT'
  EXPORTING
    jobname     = lv_jobname
    jobcount    = lv_jobcount
    report      = 'ZMATERIAL_SYNC_REPORT'
    variant     = 'STANDARD'
    language    = sy-langu
    authcknam   = sy-uname
  EXCEPTIONS
    cant_create_step = 1
    OTHERS           = 2.

IF sy-subrc <> 0.
  " Delete the orphaned job header
  CALL FUNCTION 'BP_JOB_DELETE'
    EXPORTING
      jobname  = lv_jobname
      jobcount = lv_jobcount
    EXCEPTIONS
      OTHERS   = 1.
  MESSAGE 'Could not define job step' TYPE 'E'.
  RETURN.
ENDIF.

" Step 3 — release immediately
CALL FUNCTION 'JOB_CLOSE'
  EXPORTING
    jobname   = lv_jobname
    jobcount  = lv_jobcount
    strtimmed = abap_true
  EXCEPTIONS
    cant_start_immediate = 1
    OTHERS               = 2.

IF sy-subrc = 0.
  MESSAGE |Job { lv_jobname } submitted| TYPE 'S'.
ELSE.
  MESSAGE 'Could not release job' TYPE 'E'.
ENDIF.

Example — schedule at a specific date/time¶

DATA: lv_start_date TYPE tbtcjob-sdlstrtdt,
      lv_start_time TYPE tbtcjob-sdlstrttm.

lv_start_date = sy-datum + 1.   " tomorrow
lv_start_time = '060000'.       " 06:00:00

CALL FUNCTION 'JOB_CLOSE'
  EXPORTING
    jobname     = lv_jobname
    jobcount    = lv_jobcount
    sdlstrtdt   = lv_start_date
    sdlstrttm   = lv_start_time
    startdttyp  = 'D'           " D = date/time scheduled start
  EXCEPTIONS
    OTHERS = 1.

Common pitfalls¶

Clean up orphaned jobs on error

If JOB_OPEN succeeds but JOB_SUBMIT fails, the job header is left in an incomplete state. Call BP_JOB_DELETE (not JOB_CLOSE) in the error path to remove the orphaned entry — JOB_CLOSE has no delete flag parameter.

The report must have a matching variant

If VARIANT does not exist for the report, JOB_SUBMIT fails. Create the variant first in SE38 (Program → Variants → Save as Variant), or omit it to run with default selection screen values.

Authorization: The calling user needs S_BTCH_JOB (object type JOBACTION = RELE to release) and S_BTCH_ADM if running under a different user.
Job log: Check SM37 → select job → Job Log for detailed step output.