Auto populate variant characterstics values in sales order

[Former Member]

Hi Sapients,

we are trying to configure variant configuration at sales order level. We have created several characterstic and assigned it to class. Now some of the characterstics will be fixed at material level and some of the characterstics are dependent on the values supplied by the user in sales order. we have created characterstics like grade, profile, size, length, tdc number , tdc date, tdc customer, hardness, composition etc and assigned it to class salesspec ( class type 300 ).The characterstics like profile, grade, size, length are entered in the material master itself.

TDC related details like tdc no, tdc date, tdc customer, hardness, composition will be entered through a ZPROGRAM and the details will be stored in ZTABLE (ZTDC) where TDC number wll be the primary key and the respective details will be stored here.Now when we create sales order, after entering the material and clicking on variant configuration, the configuration screen comes up where the user will enter the appropriate TDC number . based on the TDC no entered by the users , the other dependent values like TDC date, tdc customer, hardness, chemical composition needs to be automatically populated in the sales order variant configuration screen .

Please guide me how to resolve this issue. shall i create dependency based on TDC no. In dependecy what is the code i have to write . Please elaborate in detail as i dont have idea on dependency.

Is it possible through user exit.

Thanks

[former_member211108 · Accepted solution]

Hi

You can try below proposed solution.

Create a characteristic. Let say ZXXX

Create the Z function module which will read the table value

Assign this function module to the characteristic ZXXX.

Hope this will help you.

Please revert back to the forum whether this is worked or not.

Thanks and Regards,

Atulkumar Dagade

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

You don't need a function module here. Standard SAP VC should be the route to take where in you can write your owns rules for cstic value determination using object dependencies. For that please anwser to the simple questions asked earlier to assess whether you need VC, and upto what level.

Thanks, Nikhil.

[former_member211108 · Accepted solution]

Hi Nikhil,

Using function is also a standard SAP functionality. Please go through the link

https://help.sap.com/saphelp_45b/helpdata/en/92/58d455417011d189ec0000e81ddfac/frameset.htm

The solution that I have proposed in earlier thread is one of the possible options among various. However you can also explore other options too.

Hope this will help you.

Thanks and Regards,

Atulkumar Dagade

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Dear Atulkumar,

If you have worked on VC before you will agree that building function modules and ABAP tables for this simple requirement is similar to building rockets to go to next door neighbour, instead I am proposing the natural way - to walk. Object dependencies (CU01) and variant tables (CU60) are simple solutions meant for determining values to cstics. If object depepndencies reach a limitation to a complex requirement then FM can be employed in variant configuration. Please do not suggest usnig functions at this stage.

Regards,

Nikhil.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Sorry for replying so late. We will be using both make to stock as well as make to order. PPC & marketing both will require the sales variant characteristic config. If VC will not be used then number of materials created in initial stages will be over ten thousand and within some years the number of materials may go over one lakh. So to limit the number of materials as well as to fulfill the necessary requirements of production, marketing and quality VC configuration is a must in our case.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Starting right is the first significant step. Looking at the answers to my questions, I think your industry certainly needs VC as also righty figured out by you. VC is a long way to go, and in my opinion you will need good experts handle this situation. In VC you will discover thatt there are 10 different ways to achieve the same outcome, but what matters is which solution you choose. This will depend upon a oot of factors during producg modelling, cutting the classification system, bulding configuration profiles, etc.

To give you a guideline:

1. You have 2 situtations MTO and MTS. MTO is 100% configurable material and MTS is where your KMAT will be replaced by an SKU (stock-kept-unit). For this you should emply variant type matching functionality. It's explained in SAP LO-VC help. Let me know if you do not have it.

2. For MTO you build classification system thoroughly to classifiy your products accordingly. This also involves creation of cstics. Ensure that you don't want to create cstics you will need to abondon in future.

3. To answer your question in the post: Steps involved in VC are:

a. create cstics, assign them to relevant class (type 300)

b. assign class to material CL20N or in configuration profile.

c. create configuration profile for material CU41 and write your object dependency (OB type = procedure)

d. In your OD (procedure) employ a table, say ZTDC. This is not ABAP table but a variant table created via CU61 and values maintained in CU60

e. your code in OD may look like this:

TABLE ZTDC

(TDC_NO = TDC_NO,

TDC_DAT = $SELF.TDC_DAT,

TDC_CUST = $SELF.TDC_CUST,

TDC_HRD = $SELF.TDC_HRD)

Here, TDC_NO is the key field you should define while table creation and when this is keyed in by users the other elements get determined autmoatically as per the varaint table.

Hope this helps. Let me know if you face any issues. Thank you.

- Nikhil.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Nikhil, the suggestion provided worked fine and i was able to get the proper result. Hence awarding full points for the same.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Atul, the solution provide by Nikhil solved my issue. However, the process described by you can also give the desired results.but i have not tested that. so i am giving the required points for helpful answer.

[Former Member]

Hi, Please answer a few questions below:

Is your situation a make-to-order or make-to-stock or combination of both?

How many material masters will be required to be created if VC is not used?

Will the production department connect with VC in SD module (if VC is implemented)?

Thanks, Nikhil.