Rules Engine Environment in MDM

[Former Member]

Hi Everyone,

I am evaluating the capability of SAP MDM to see if there is any kind of rules engine delivered that can create a material master (SKU) number. I am not trying to create material master records yet - just the material number !

Background:

Defned rules, coupled with reference data should be able to generated the list of SKUs.

Example:

Reference Data contained in 3 tables:

Product Line: LN1, LN2

Release: 2009

Language: EN, JA, FR, DE

SKU mask: AA-BB-CC

AA = Product Line

BB = Release

CC = Language

The rules would be to create combinations of all the reference data values and output a list of SKUs according to the SKU mask/format. In other words, by implmenting rules, I should be able to generate 2x1x4 = 8 SKUs in total (2 values for product line, mulitplied by 1 value for Release, multiplied by 4 values for Language).

Questions:

I know I can implment rules on the ABAP workbench in R/3 to create material master numbers, and then later create actual material master records with reference to other materials all within R/3. However, I would like to create and manage the material master directly in MDM.

1) Is a rules engine like drools provided as part of MDM?

2) Since MDM is based on the Netweaver and sits on the web apps server, is there an ABAP workbench provided in MDM from where I can create the rules and create z tables for the reference data.

3) Do I need to create a separate web service in Netweaver Developer Studio to create these rules.

Thanks in advance

-Rajiv

[Former Member]

Hi Vijay,

Thanks for the info. How do people create specific part numbers (material numbers / SKUs) in SAP MDM based upon some specific business logic?

I know that everyone would be going thru this scenario if they were creating material master records in MDM. Where would they implement this business logic?

Kind Regards,

-Rajiv

[Former Member]

Hi Rajiv,

In some scenarios Material master is imported to SAP MDM from R/3 and all the logic is performed in R/3 itself. For such cases You can use the standrad MDM Material Repository provided by SAP.

<i>How do people create specific part numbers (material numbers / SKUs) in SAP MDM based upon some specific business logic?</i>

Let us say the Part number is an depandant on another field say Product ID.

In MDM Console you can specify the business logic in the Calculation field.

Also i would like to add that in SAP MDM most of this business logic are mere mathematical fuctions (part no = 1.5 * product ID). There is no provision to call external methods (like RFCs in R/3).

I suggest you to get the Standard MDM Materials Repository and play around the Calculated fields\ Auto ID Fields in MDM Console.

Get back for help,

Vijay

[Former Member]

<i>1) Is a rules engine like drools provided as part of MDM?</i>

There is no seperate rules engine that is part of MDM but using Java API's or ABAP API's you can try integrating R/3 rules engine or any third party engine.

Alternatively there is a provision on like auto ID Filed and Calculated fields which can be used for generating IDs and material No

<i>2) Since MDM is based on the Netweaver and sits on the web apps server, is there an ABAP workbench provided in MDM from where I can create the rules and create z tables for the reference data.</i>

MDM is based on Netweaver but is not part of any Netweaver Application server and is a standalone server and can be integared with any Netweaver components like BI, EP xi etc. SAP provides ABAP API's which added on R/3 server can communicate with MDM server. Also Java APIs are provided.

Get Back for help,

Vijay