In variant configuration, a class is used to hold the characteristics that describe a configurable material. By linking the class to the configurable material, you allow the material to be configured using the characteristics of the class.

You can only use a class in variant configuration if the class has a class type that supports variant configuration. In the standard R/3 System, the class type for variants is class type 300. However, in Customizing for Classification, you can define other class types for variant configuration. In the step Define class types, you can set the Variant class type indicator for a class type.

Once you have created a variant class, you can do the following, as for any other class:

• Classify materials in the class
  These materials do not have to be configurable materials.

• Set up a class hierarchy
  This allows you to use inherited characteristics and restrict characteristic values.

• Use the class to find objects

Class type 300 has 2 other special attributes, in addition to the Variant class indicator:

• In classes of this class type, you can classify objects of different object types. This means that all the objects linked to the configurable material are classified in one class.

You define these two settings in Customizing for Classification, step Define class types.