cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Question regarding direct material

Former Member
0 Kudos

Hello everybody

Can someone please explain me, in what cases it makes sense to order goods as direct materials and what the advantages are compared to the "normal" way? I seem to miss the point on this one...

Thanks and kind regards,

Renaud

Accepted Solutions (1)

Accepted Solutions (1)

yann_bouillut
Active Contributor
0 Kudos

Hi Renaud,

When you want to order for the stock, you use direct material feature.

This way, you create a purchase order without the accounting block because it is for stock replenishment and not for consumption yet.

It is only when your will create a good issue, that you will fill the accounting block.

kind regards,

Yann

Message was edited by: Yann Bouillut

Former Member
0 Kudos

Hi Yann

I see... but it seems that this feature only works when you have replicated your backend materials into SRM or have at least some local product masters in SRM, right?

We're running the classic scenario and are not interested in a material master replication from R/3 backend to SRM. Instead we only want to replicate them to CCM directly. But here begins the problem with the direct material feature not working in such a "mode".

Concerning this I already followed thread id 92917. Maybe someone out there found a way to enable the direct material feature even without having the need of product masters ins SRM?!? That'll be great!

Then regarding the accounting block: do you also mean the G/L account or only the fields related to the customized accounting types like "CC" or "OR"? Is it somehow possible to disable the accounting block without having the need to use the direct material feature?

Kind regards,

Renaud

former_member184214
Contributor
0 Kudos

Hello,

beware that in your scenario you need to watch on presentation of material code in catalog and EBP if you do not have materials in EBP. You will need to ad zeroes in front of code in CCM(in case if they are numbers) to have 18 characters in total or use BAdI to fill missing zeroes.

Also try to add /ccm/log_sys and /ccm/product_id fields in your supplier catalog for the items that you want to be ordered as direct material.

We are also creating catalogs without SRM Product Data catalog and still have possibility to order products as direct material.

Message was edited by: Gordan Flego

Former Member
0 Kudos

Hi Gorden,

the leading zero's are only necessary if that is how you've specified the output format of materials in MM.

SPRO > IMG > Logistics General > Material Master > Basic Settings Define Output Format of Material Numbers

Regards

Chris

former_member184214
Contributor
0 Kudos

Hello Chris,

my experience was that EBP is always trying to send material number in lexicographical format if you do not have materials replicated from R/3 to EBP.

Former Member
0 Kudos

Hi Gordon,

you could be right, you can definately affect the config for output format for materials in both EBP and ECC but I've only ever used direct procurement using replicated products.

Regards

Chris

Former Member
0 Kudos

Hi Gordan

Yes, the leading zeroes... tried out several combinations earlier and found this out, too. Really annoying. Any ideas how to get rid of them? It would be really nice to see all those material numbers in CCM and in SC without leading zeroes. I don't care about them being stored in the tables with leading zeroes... but on the screens it just looks bad. I remember having read something about a conversion exit or something like that but can't find it anymore. Maybe someone of you knows something about it?

We fill the /ccm/log_sys with the logical system of the backend. It is necessary for SRM at several customizing places and in PPOMA. The /ccm/product_id field is in my opinion mandatory anyway and takes the material number of the backend system.

Will have to re-test ordering products as direct material again. Didn't get it to work without replicating material master to SRM product masters. How does your external web service definition in SRM customizing look like?

Kind regards,

Renaud

former_member184214
Contributor
0 Kudos

Hello renaud,

try to use FUNCTION CONVERSION_EXIT_ALPHA_INPUT in catalog BAdI (SRM BAdIs > External web services) to add zeros and let me know.

Gordan

yann_bouillut
Active Contributor
0 Kudos

Hi Renaud,

If you flag "do not check product" in the catalog config step, are you able to do direct procurement ?

kind regards,

Yann

Former Member
0 Kudos

Hi Gordan

Thanks! I think this was the conversion exit I had in mind. However, it does not what I'm searching for. Just want to get rid of leading zeroes in screens (visually) only, not to add zeroes.

Kind regards,

Renaud

Former Member
0 Kudos

Hi Yann

No but this is exactly what I'm wondering too and most probable the reason why it doesn't work. AFAIK as soon as you flag "do not check product" it allows you to order catalog items without needing to have corresponding product masters in SRM but somehow also disables the direct procurement functionality.

If you don't flag "do not check product" then it is not possible to order catalog items via SC because the system then wants product masters in SRM.

I'd like to try out how BAdI BBP_DP_PROD_CHK_BADI may be of help to achieve this. The BAdI documentation sounds promising. Maybe I'll find the time this week.

Kind regards,

Renaud

yann_bouillut
Active Contributor
0 Kudos

Hi Renaud,

Keep in touch as it does interest me for my current client

Kind regards,

Yann

former_member184214
Contributor
0 Kudos

Hello Renaud,

In my system I am using workarround.

Even I do not create SRM Product Data catalog I am replicating materials from backend to EBP. (Do not forget to activate change pointers in the backend).

All products are uploaded via CSV file as supplier catalog. Product which have material master have /ccm/product_id field filled with the backend material code without zeroes. This enables use of direct procurement.

I use this way because I do not have contracts in SRM but only in the backend thus I am not able to use automatic enhancement in CCM.

I know that this is not real solution, but once you make all settings it is performed automaticaly without user interaction.

What I would like to see is how SAP consulting solution is solving this problem (transaction MECCM for release below 5.0)

HTH

Gordan

former_member184214
Contributor
0 Kudos

Hello,

also for me.

If this will solve the problem we will not have anything against posting some code. :o))

Beware that you do not have only backend check of material but also transfer SC to backend.

Gordan

Former Member
0 Kudos

Hi

Unfortunately I can't get it to work. I believe to have everything customized like it should be.

In BAdI BBP_DP_PROD_CHK_BADI I implemented a single very simple line:

  ev_dp_possible = 'X'.

and thought this would solve it... nope!

Enough for today... I'll continue with some investigations next week.

Kind regards

Renaud

yann_bouillut
Active Contributor
0 Kudos

Hi Renaud,

Thanks for keeping us updated

Kind regards,

Yann

Former Member
0 Kudos

Hi Renaud,

To enable DP scenario, you need replicated products.

In that case 'Order as direct material' button appears in SC item data.

With the BADI BBP_DP_PROD_CHK_BADI, you can decide to enable or not the DP for the material.

But you can not use it to enable DP for a SC item without product.

This BADI is called only when there is a product GUID (i.e. a real product) in the SC item.

Rgds

Christophe

yann_bouillut
Active Contributor
0 Kudos

Hi Christophe,

Thus absolutely no way to make DP scenario work without replicating materials in EBP ?

Do you have a workaround to avoid replicating materials ?

Kind regards,

Yann

Former Member
0 Kudos

Hi Yann,

there is one way I tested with 75% success.

I could enable DP for SC item with a material ID (but without a product GUID), but there are other checks and side effects when enabling DP w/o SRM product.

So I forgot it.

Rgds

Chrisophe

yann_bouillut
Active Contributor
0 Kudos

Hi Christophe,

Thanks for this additional clarification.

Kind regards,

Yann

Answers (0)