CN22 — Change Network transaction in Project System

CN22 changes an existing operative network in SAP Project System: activities, activity relationships, work center and material assignments, PRTs, dates, and status on a network already created. A network is a standalone object identified by its own network number, not by the WBS or project number; it can exist independently of a project or be assigned to one WBS element within a project. The structural fact that explains most of the confusion around this transaction is that entering a project number in the initial screen gets nowhere here - CN22 wants the network number, and a single project can contain several networks with different numbers, order types, and status profiles, so the matchcode search by project, WBS element, or responsible cost center is usually the fastest way in when the network number itself is not already known.

CN22 is reached for when the change needed is execution-level detail on a network that already exists: shifting an activity's dates without touching the WBS structure, adding a component to an activity, changing a relationship type between two activities, updating a work center or PRT, or setting a user status on the network header. It is used instead of CJ02, which opens the WBS structure and treats the network as a subordinate object, and instead of Project Builder (CJ20N), which shows WBS and network together in one tree and is the default tool for anyone maintaining both structures at once. Consultants fall back to CN22 specifically for standalone networks carrying no project assignment, for quick single-object changes, or when a Project Builder lock or performance problem on the project tree makes the tree-based tool unusable. There is no dedicated modern Fiori app for this level of network activity maintenance; Project Builder remains the primary entry point even on S/4HANA.

Start in SE16N/SE16 on AUFK filtered by AUFNR (the network number) to confirm order type, status flags, and organizational data match what CN22 displayed. Cross-reference AFKO on the same AUFNR for basic and scheduled dates to check whether a reported date discrepancy is a scheduling problem rather than a display problem. For a specific activity, filter AFVC by the network number and activity counter to see control key, work center, and relationship pointers, then compare that against what the user reports seeing on screen before assuming a screen bug.

CN22 is unchanged on S/4HANA - same transaction, same network and order-family tables underneath. No Fiori app has replaced detailed network activity maintenance; Project Builder remains the recommended day-to-day tool on both ECC and S/4HANA, with CN22 kept mainly for standalone networks and quick single-object changes. There was no structural redesign of the network object as part of the S/4HANA data model simplification for Project System.

This is functional PS territory first - a project system consultant working with the responsible cost center owner, and for material lines an MM/PP colleague for plant extension issues. ABAP gets involved only if a custom validation, exit, or enhancement on network save is suspected. A good handover states the network number, the activity/operation counter, the exact error or warning text, the current system status, and whether the change was attempted in CN22 directly or inside Project Builder.

CJ20N is the broader tool most day-to-day PS work now goes through, showing WBS and network together; read it first if the real question is where the network fits in the project tree. CJ01, CJ02, and CJ03 cover the WBS side of the same structure. CJ40 and CJ41 create and change the standard network templates that operative networks maintained in CN22 are often copied from. CN41 gives a structure and graphical overview useful for finding a network number when only the project or WBS is known. CJI3 is the line-item report to check actual costs already posted against a network activity before forcing a plan change through CN22.