Difference between Spool Request & Output Request

The SAP System differentiates between two types of request when printing:

● Spool request: A spool request is a document for which a print function has been selected. However, it has not yet been output to a printer or another device. The output data for the print document is stored partly formatted in a data store until an output request is created, that is, until it is sent to a particular output device.
The spool system uses a spool request to store the print data temporarily and to access it. The data is stored in a temporary format. You can also display the print document.
The system automatically assigns a 10-digit ID number to a spool request.

● Output request: From the point of view of the SAP spool system, an output request outputs the print data of a spool request to a particular output device.
Multiple output requests may exist for a single spool request. Each represents an instance of the output of the same spool request. Each of these output requests may have different attributes, such as the target printer or number of copies.

By differentiating between spool request and output requests, the spool system provides a means of storing the data temporarily.