Overview of Variant Configuration

系统管理员 2022-09-10 13:10 192阅读 0赞

Variant configuration enables the manufacturing of complex products that also have many variants. Often, new variants are created  
by modifying existing product designs as the order is processed and reacting quickly to customers' requirements is also necessary.  
With variant configuration, the customer or a salesperson can also determine features of a product, collect and document  
specifications for the product and ensure that the product can be produced with those specifications while productions costs are  
automatically calculated. The product configuration also improves information exchange between sales, engineering, and production.

Variant Configuration is integrated with or has interfaces to the following modules:

<table> 
 <thead> 
  <tr> 
   <th> <p>CA-CL</p> </th> 
   <th> <p>Classification</p> </th> 
  </tr> 
 </thead> 
 <tbody> 
  <tr> 
   <td> <p>LO-MD-BOM / LO-MD-MM</p> </td> 
   <td> <p>Material Master, Bill of Material</p> </td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td> <p>PP</p> </td> 
   <td> <p>Routings, MRP, Production order</p> </td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td> <p>PP-PI</p> </td> 
   <td> <p>Master Recipes</p> </td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td> <p>SD</p> </td> 
   <td> <p>Sales, Conditions</p> </td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td> <p>MM</p> </td> 
   <td> <p>Purchasing</p> </td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td> <p>CO</p> </td> 
   <td> <p>Costing</p> </td> 
  </tr> 
 </tbody> 
</table>

Additionally, interfaces to CRM (IPC) and APO are also provided.

It is possible to configure:

*  Materials
 *  Standard networks in the Project System
 *  PM General maintenance task lists
 *  Model service specifications

The  master data of a configuration model comprises materials, bills of  material (BOMs), classes, characteristics,  
dependencies, and  configuration profiles.

In the material master, the MARA-KZKFG indicator determines  whether a material is configurable. Before a  material  
can be configured, at least one valid configuration profile and one variant  class (standard class type 300) must be  
assigned to the material.

The realization of a product's Bill of Materials / routings is controlled by the configuration model and its dependency knowledge  
which is modeled and designed by the user.

The following steps are required to be able to configure objects and simplify and automate the production process:

![f937164e79eac30448b8a61891b6c2ce.png][]

**Most important configuration tables:**

<table> 
 <thead> 
  <tr> 
   <th> <p>Table</p> </th> 
   <th> <p>Description</p> </th> 
  </tr> 
 </thead> 
 <tbody> 
  <tr> 
   <td> <p>MARA</p> </td> 
   <td>General material&nbsp;data</td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td>CUCO</td> 
   <td>Master data table for configuration profiles</td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td>INOB</td> 
   <td>Assignment of&nbsp;internal number to object</td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td>MAST</td> 
   <td>Assignment: material&nbsp;to BOM</td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td>KSSK</td> 
   <td>Assignment: object to&nbsp;class</td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td>CUOB</td> 
   <td>Assignment: object to dependencies</td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td>STPO</td> 
   <td>BOM items</td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td>CABN</td> 
   <td>Characteristic master&nbsp;data</td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td>KLAH</td> 
   <td>Class header master&nbsp;data</td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td>KSML</td> 
   <td>Assignment: characteristics to classes</td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td>CAWN</td> 
   <td>Characteristic value&nbsp;master data</td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td>CUEX</td> 
   <td>Dependency source&nbsp;code - compilation</td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td>CUKB</td> 
   <td>Administrative&nbsp;information for dependency maintenance</td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td>CUKN</td> 
   <td>Dependencies for&nbsp;variants / configuration Database</td> 
  </tr> 
 </tbody> 
</table>

![ad325e310bd736430e6bb0e894edcd8a.gif][]

### Configuration Profile ###

The configuration profile contains the main dependency logic for the configurable material, controls how  
BOM explosion is processed and allows further specifications for the BOM. Additionally, the class assignment  
can also be maintained here.

For BOM processing, the following options are available:

1.  Planned/Production Order
2.  Sales Order (SET)
3.  Order BOM

**1.Planned/Production Order**

When the level of BOM explosion (none, single level, multi-level) in the sales order is selected, the following  
processes apply:

*  All configurable items are configured in the sales order
 *  Sales relevant items are copied to the sales order as sales items
 *  Value assignments are stored on the data base for each configurable material

![45d522de95cfc459d508e978739c00e8.png][]

**2.Sales Order (SET)**

*  Products are supplied together, but not assembled together (Its just a grouping)
 *  Only sales relevant BOM items are exploded
 *  11, 12, and 13 have their own BOM, can be sold separately, not only in group 1

![a6eff428359df4c2f58cadb44dac2146.png][]

**3.Order BOM**

Order BOM is used for customer specific adjustment of the BOM and the value assignment is done in SD,  
but not in BOM explosion.

Two types of order BOM can be choosen:

1.  Result oriented (saves the final result with manual changes) 
2.  Knowledge based (saves the Super BOM , manual changes, dependency knowledge)

Generally, the BOM explosion is controlled by the BOM usage, the BOM application and the BOM filters.

![99d5e2ecf245752574cf4d39b6b8e95a.png][]

### Dependency Knowledge ###

The following type of dependencies are used in variant configuration:

<table> 
 <thead> 
  <tr> 
   <th> <p>Dependency Type</p> </th> 
   <th> <p>Where it is attached</p> </th> 
   <th> <p>What it is used For</p> </th> 
   <th colspan="1"> <p>Processing order</p> </th> 
  </tr> 
 </thead> 
 <tbody> 
  <tr> 
   <td> <p>Preconditions</p> </td> 
   <td> <p>Characteristic value<br> Characteristic</p> </td> 
   <td> <p>Hide a value<br> Hide a characteristic</p> </td> 
   <td colspan="1">Preconditions are processed after the value has been set (by pressing enter)</td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td> <p>Selection condition</p> </td> 
   <td> <p>Characteristic<br> BOM/Routing</p> </td> 
   <td> <p>Make a characteristic required<br> Select components</p> </td> 
   <td colspan="1">Selection conditions are processed after the value has been set (pressing enter)</td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td> <p>Procedure</p> </td> 
   <td> <p>Characteristic Value<br> Characteristic<br> Configuration Profile<br> BOM/Routing</p> </td> 
   <td> <p>Infer values, send values from root material to subcomponents</p> </td> 
   <td colspan="1">Procedures are processed in sequential order after the value has been set (pressing enter)</td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td> <p>Constraint</p> </td> 
   <td> <p>Configuration Profile</p> </td> 
   <td> <p>Infer values top down and vice versa</p> </td> 
   <td colspan="1">Processing order of constraints is not fixed</td> 
  </tr> 
 </tbody> 
</table>

![71126d4d080fde231a90a50f11fe3094.png][]

The objects in the BOM can be called by either: $SELF , $PARENT or $ROOT depending on the level on which the object can be found.

![ca86062aad941b21b731f6bf69ad3d45.png][]

### Low level and high level configuration ###

**High Level**

On high level, every interactive configuration and all dependencies are processed.

**Low level**

Low level configuration refers to background explosion of BOM, production order creation and MRP restrictions of the selection condition,  
the procedures changing master data and the class nodes replacements.

In low level configuration, processing of dependcies is limited and some syntax such as $set\_pricing\_factor is not read.

### Class Nodes ###

Class nodes can be created by using classes as nodes instead of setting multiple BOM items in a following manner:

![02ff4137a67da97626d012030165360a.png][]

### Database storage  ###

The main anchor where the configuration of an object in an application is stored is TABLE\_APPLICATION-CUOBJ

<table> 
 <thead> 
  <tr> 
   <th colspan="1"> <p>&nbsp;Table</p> </th> 
   <th colspan="1"> <p>Description&nbsp;</p> </th> 
  </tr> 
 </thead> 
 <tbody> 
  <tr> 
   <td> <p>AFPO</p> </td> 
   <td> <p>Production order</p> </td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td> <p>PLAF</p> </td> 
   <td> <p>Planned order</p> </td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td> <p>RESB</p> </td> 
   <td> <p>Reservations</p> </td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td> <p>VBAP</p> </td> 
   <td> <p>Sales orders</p> </td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td> <p>MARA(CUOBF)</p> </td> 
   <td> <p>Plant independent material variants</p> </td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td> <p>MARC(CUOBJ/V)</p> </td> 
   <td> <p>Plant specific material variants</p> </td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td> <p>EQUI</p> </td> 
   <td> <p>Equipments</p> </td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td> <p>SER00</p> </td> 
   <td> <p>Serial numbers</p> </td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td> <p>EBAN</p> </td> 
   <td> <p>Purchase requisitions</p> </td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td> <p>LIPS</p> </td> 
   <td> <p>Deliveries</p> </td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td> <p>EKPO</p> </td> 
   <td> <p>Purchase orders</p> </td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td> <p>VBRP</p> </td> 
   <td> <p>Invoices</p> </td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td> <p>BGMP</p> </td> 
   <td> <p>Master Warranty Item</p> </td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td> <p>ESLH</p> </td> 
   <td> <p>Service packages</p> </td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td> <p>PBED</p> </td> 
   <td> <p>Independent requirement data</p> </td> 
  </tr> 
 </tbody> 
</table>

Use CUOBJ and go to transaction CUTABLEINFO .  
There you get all relevant configuration data stored in different tables on the data base on one screen.

<table> 
 <thead> 
  <tr> 
   <th> <p>Table</p> </th> 
   <th> <p>Description</p> </th> 
   <th> <p>Important fields</p> </th> 
  </tr> 
 </thead> 
 <tbody> 
  <tr> 
   <td> <p>IBIB</p> </td> 
   <td> <p>Basic data</p> </td> 
   <td> <p>Ibase, objnr</p> </td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td> <p>IBIN</p> </td> 
   <td> <p>Instance</p> </td> 
   <td> <p>Instance (=ibase+1)<br> In_recno (internal uni identif)<br> Valfrom, valto, cuco (profile)</p> </td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td> <p>IBINOWN</p> </td> 
   <td> <p>Owner of instance</p> </td> 
   <td> <p>Inttyp, (obtab), objkey</p> </td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td> <p>IBINVALUES</p> </td> 
   <td> <p>Characteristic values of an instance</p> </td> 
   <td> <p>Sybmol_id, ataut</p> </td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td> <p>IBSYMBOL</p> </td> 
   <td> <p>Char-value combinations</p> </td> 
   <td> <p>Atinn, atwrt, atflv</p> </td> 
  </tr> 
 </tbody> 
</table>

### Communication with other applications  ###

Very important is the pricing Reference characteristic to SDCOM-VKOND

Very common is changing master data via dependencies e.g. number of components in the BOM  
Reference characteristic STPO-MENGE

The following fields can be changes by variant configuration.  
  
Reading access to sales order data

<table> 
 <thead> 
  <tr> 
   <th colspan="1"> <p>&nbsp;Table</p> </th> 
   <th colspan="1"> <p>Description&nbsp;</p> </th> 
  </tr> 
 </thead> 
 <tbody> 
  <tr> 
   <td>VBAK</td> 
   <td>Header data</td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td>VBAP</td> 
   <td>Item data</td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td>MAEPV</td> 
   <td>Material master fields</td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td>MAAPV</td> 
   <td>Material master&nbsp;fields</td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td>VBKD</td> 
   <td>Sales document: commercial data</td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td>VBPA_AG</td> 
   <td>Partner: sold-to party</td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td>VBPA_WE</td> 
   <td>Partner: ship-to&nbsp;party</td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td>VBPA_RE</td> 
   <td>Partner: bill-to&nbsp;party</td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td>VBPA_RG</td> 
   <td>Partner: payer</td> 
  </tr> 
 </tbody> 
</table>

Changing access by using VCSD\_UPDATE Structure

<table> 
 <thead> 
  <tr> 
   <th colspan="1"> <p>&nbsp;Table</p> </th> 
   <th colspan="1"> <p>&nbsp;Description&nbsp;</p> </th> 
  </tr> 
 </thead> 
 <tbody> 
  <tr> 
   <td>BRGEW</td> 
   <td>Gross weight of &nbsp; item</td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td>NTGEW</td> 
   <td>Net weight of item</td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td>GEWEI</td> 
   <td>Unit of weight</td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td>VOLUM</td> 
   <td>Volume</td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td>VOLEH</td> 
   <td>Volume unit</td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td>KWMENG</td> 
   <td>Item quantity</td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td>VRKME</td> 
   <td>Sales unit of measure</td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td>ZMENG</td> 
   <td>Target quantity&nbsp;</td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td>ZIEME</td> 
   <td>Target quantity unit</td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td>ARKTX</td> 
   <td>Article description</td> 
  </tr> 
 </tbody> 
</table>

You moreover have the possibility to change master of BOM, routing and master recipes

<table> 
 <thead> 
  <tr> 
   <th colspan="1"> <p>Table</p> </th> 
   <th colspan="1"> <p>Description&nbsp;</p> </th> 
  </tr> 
 </thead> 
 <tbody> 
  <tr> 
   <td>STPO</td> 
   <td>Bill of&nbsp;Material (BOM)</td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td>POTX1</td> 
   <td>Item text</td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td>POTX2</td> 
   <td>Item text</td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td>ROMS1-3</td> 
   <td>Variable-size item &nbsp; sizes 1-3</td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td>ROANZ</td> 
   <td>Number of variable-size items</td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td>ROMEN</td> 
   <td>Variable-size item&nbsp;quantity</td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td>MENGE</td> 
   <td>Component quantity</td> 
  </tr> 
 </tbody> 
</table>

<table> 
 <thead> 
  <tr> 
   <th colspan="1"> <p>Table</p> </th> 
   <th colspan="1"> <p>Description&nbsp;</p> </th> 
  </tr> 
 </thead> 
 <tbody> 
  <tr> 
   <td>PLPOD</td> 
   <td>Task list and&nbsp;master recipe</td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td>LAR01-06</td> 
   <td>Activity types</td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td>VGW01-06</td> 
   <td>Standard values</td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td>VGE01-06</td> 
   <td>Unit of measure</td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td>ARBPL</td> 
   <td>Work center</td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td>LTXA1</td> 
   <td>Operation description</td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td>LTXA2</td> 
   <td>Operation description</td> 
  </tr> 
 </tbody> 
</table>

<table> 
 <thead> 
  <tr> 
   <th colspan="1"> <p>Table</p> </th> 
   <th colspan="1"> <p>Description&nbsp;</p> </th> 
  </tr> 
 </thead> 
 <tbody> 
  <tr> 
   <td>PLFLD</td> 
   <td>Sequence of&nbsp;operations</td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td>LOSVN</td> 
   <td>Lot size from</td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td>LOSBS</td> 
   <td>Lot size to</td> 
  </tr> 
 </tbody> 
</table>

<table> 
 <thead> 
  <tr> 
   <th colspan="1"> <p>Table</p> </th> 
   <th colspan="1"> <p>Description&nbsp;</p> </th> 
  </tr> 
 </thead> 
 <tbody> 
  <tr> 
   <td>PLFHD</td> 
   <td>Production&nbsp;resources/tools</td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td>MGVGW</td> 
   <td>Quantity</td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td>MGFORM</td> 
   <td>Quantity formula</td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td>EWVGW</td> 
   <td>Required quantity</td> 
  </tr> 
  <tr> 
   <td>EWFORM</td> 
   <td>Required quantity&nbsp;formula</td> 
  </tr> 
 </tbody> 
</table>

### Important function modules / programs  ###

Standard function module for interactive processing (high level)  
**ce\_c\_processing**  
Standard function modules for low level configuration BOM explosions  
CUBX\_CONFIGURE\_MDSP    
CUBX\_CONFIGURE\_OBJECT  
CUBX\_CONFIGURE\_STPOB   
CUKO\_DDB\_HAS\_COMPONENTS  (SD)  
CUBX\_MDSP\_HAS\_CONFIGURATION (multi-level)  
CUBX\_STPOB\_HAS\_CONFIGURATION (multi-level)

Standard reading configuration from data base vc\_i\_get\_configuration  (with dependency knowledge)  
vc\_i\_get\_configuration\_ibase (without dependency knowledge)

External value set (BAPI/IDOC) Use transaction BAPI  
\-->  Sales and distribution  
\-->  Sales  
\-->  Sales Order  
Relevant function module **cei0\_ddb\_set\_values\_for\_idoc**

### Performance issues  ###

*  Number BOM explosions (SAPLCUKO)
 *  Perform BOM\_EXPLOSION  CHECK\_UNPROCESSED\_DDB\_MSGS in function group cuko
 *  Procedure and Constraints run too often • Procedure may be turned into constraints
 *  Reduce the amount stored values on data base • SDCOM\_VKOND with $set\_pricing\_factor
 *  SCREEN\_DEP-INVISIBLE
 *  Do not use actions
 *  Reduce the amount of values, may be check tables/function modules
 *  Do not use Overwritten characteristic
 *  Do not use class hierarchies / intersections
 *  Use class items instead of many selection conditions
 *  Make use of SAP\_PRICNG
 *  Avoid empty fields in variant tables
 *  Do not assign small variant tables to data base tables (10chars\*10000lines)
 *  Use Dependencies instead of manual conditions to set values SDCOM-VKOND
 *  Note 736268

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