How to use configurable material component with variant configuration (LO-VC) in SAP PS?

[Former Member]

Hello, I was using a configurable materials for in-house manufacturing of a MTO's in SAP PS projects, these materials had in the classification view a class type 300 and class number, when I was doing a reservation in the projects of these materials, immediately the materials requested configuration values and I could enter the characteristic values successfully.

Currently the company has decided to use variant configuration (LO-VC) for all MTO materials, for this, The variant is checked in MRP3 view of the materials master data. Now when I make a reservation in the project of these materials, the system not requested automatically  enter  characteristic values and when I attempt to enter them manually in Project Builder (CJ20N) in "Extras -> Configuration -> Characteristic Value Assignment" the system generate the following warning and the fields appear locked:

Characteristic values were copied - you can only display

Message no. CN557

Diagnosis

No characteristic value assignment has been carried out for this network. The configuration data was taken from a superior network or from a sales order.

System Response

The function was not executed.

Procedure

Configuration data will only be displayed. You can only change this data where you created it.

What i can do?

Thank you very much for your Help.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi,

Please check following SAP note

Note 1081965 - Not possible to navigate to the configuration screen

Note 649193 - Error with input help/fast entry in SD/default value

Regards

Tushar

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi Tushar, Thank you for your time and quick response.

I checked the notes that you kindly suggested and these do not apply to my problem because these are for SD module.

The problem I have is in the PS module, the problem occurs when I reserve a material component in a Project in Project Builder (CJ20N) and the material is configurable and In-house production.

As I wrote, before I had configurable material without variant configuration (LO-VC) and I could reserve these materials in project builder and enter characteristics values successfully in Project Builder (CJ20N) option "Extras -> Configuration -> Characteristic Value Assignment". Now I have a problem because my materials change, now they have variant configuration (LO-VC) in master data, then I can reserve the new materials normally in Project Builder, but when I try to enter Characteristic values by option "Extras -> Configuration -> Characteristic Value Assignment" in (CJ20N) I get this warning:

Characteristic values were copied - you can only display

Message no. CN557

After accept this warning I can enter to “Characteristic Value Screen”, but fields are locked and I cannot enter any value.

Please, do you know what can I do?

Thanks a lot for you time.

Best Regards.

[sanjeevc · Accepted solution]

Go through the root causes as Configuration data will only be displayed. You can only change thisdata where you created it.

[Rachel_Tang · Accepted solution]

SAP note no. 456510

Material variants cannot be configured in the order.

Please check if your material is a material variant but not a configurable material.

It's simple, check if the "material is configurable" indicator is activated in basic data 2 view of the material master.

If you only have configuration data maintained in MRP3 view, then it is a material variants, it can't be configured in the order/project as it is a firmed charateristic values set of a configurable material.

Also  you need to be awared, the configurable material can only be produced via MTO metho, only material variants can be used in MTS and can have unrestricted stocks.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hello Rachel, I hope you are very well.

Thanks a lot for your answer and your time.

I checked the basic data view 2 as you kindly suggested and the material is configurable (See picture "Basic Data 2 view" below), as I said earlier in this post this material worked properly in sales orders and projects before. Now the same material have one additional change it has variant checked in MRP 3 view of the materials master (See picture "MRP 3 view" below), the material works perfectly in sales order where I can enter characteristics values successfully, but when I make a reservation for this same material in projects (CJ20N) and I try to enter characteristics values I get a warning as I have said and characteristic fields are locked and I cannot enter any data.

In short when I have no variant in MRP 3 view I can enter without problems the the characteristics values in sales orders and projects, instead when I have variant in MRP 3 view I can enter characteristics values in sales orders but not in projects and I have the problem that I mentioned.

We need to use Variant Configuration for  all In-house production materials.

This is the warning I get:

-----

Characteristic values were copied - you can only display

Message no. CN557

-----

Basic Data 2 view:

MRP 3 view:

Thanks a lot again.

Best Regards.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hello Gabriel,

In PS, when there is a configurable material as you have in MRP 3, it copies that settings.

If you don't want this behaviour , in user exit EXIT_SAPLCOMK_011, you can clear the field    I_RESBD-CUOBJ.

Regards,

Jindow Joseph.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hello Jindow,

Thank you very much for your answer and your time.

First I tested the user exit (EXIT_SAPLCOMK_011) and I could see that the user exit is executed at the time that I make a reservation of materials in Project Builder (CJ20N), I really hope that this is the solution.

I have been doing what you have suggested, I have created the user exit and in the include I get a problem when I try to clear the field (I_RESBD-CUOBJ) as you kindly suggested (See picture below).

I really appreciate if you can help me a little bit more.

Best regards,

Gabriel Fernández Parra.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hello Gabriel,

Please insert the below code in the user exit EXIT_SAPLCOMK_011 :

DATA : EXP_RESBD TYPE RESBD.

DATA :EXP_CUOBJ TYPE RESBD-CUOBJ.

IF  I_RESBD-CUOBJ IS NOT INITIAL.

     EXP_RESBD = I_RESBD.

     CLEAR EXP_RESBD-CUOBJ.

     PERFORM set_resbd(SAPLCOMK) USING EXP_RESBD.

ENDIF.

Kindly let me know if you face any further issues.

Regards,

Jindow Joseph

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi Jindow,

I hope you are very well, in advance I appreciate your help.

I have inserted the code that you suggested in the user exit (EXIT_SAPLCOMK_011) and "now I can enter the material characteristics values in Project Builder (CJ20N) successfully, for materials with variant configuration (LO-VC)".

I had two weeks trying to fix it and now the problem is solved thanks to you.

I really appreciate your valuable help and your time.

Thanks a lot.

Best Regards,

Gabriel Fernández Parra.

[Rachel_Tang · Accepted solution]

Hi Gabriel,

I can see the problem has been solved by implementing the user exit.

But I also have one question.

Actually, SAP do not suggest the customer to set up material variant as configurable material also, because sometimes, it may lead to problems like what you have got. Sometimes it could be solved by some user exit or BADI, but sometimes that can't be solved at all.

So may I understand why you should set up the material variant as configurable material also? I would like to understand it more from business point of view.

Thanks and regards,

Rachel

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi Jindow,

Are these codes applicable for EXIT_SAPLCOMK_012?

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi Ja'far,

No-- this should be done only when the material is created so that it asks the user for new configuration.

Regards,

Jindow Joseph