Transfer and Distribution of Material Master Data (SAP Library

Transfer and Distribution of Material Master Data

Use

One of the first steps that you have to carry out when setting up the R/3 system, is normally the transfer of material data from an old system. This step is required because of the wide variety of materials used, for which it is usually not possible to create from new in the R/3 system.

If you use a distributed system, you also need to exchange data within this system itself. The following situations also require the distribution of material master data:

Transfer of material data from an R/2 system

Distribution of changed and/or newly-created material data between R/3 systems (where a system could appear on another computer)

Supply of old or non-SAP systems with changed or newly-created material data

Transfer of data from data pools

Targeted distribution of materials (manual distribution)

Note

You can use ALE in the IDOcs for a material master to send the variant configuration for a material variant, either directly, or via a change pointer. You can find details under Distribution of Material Variants.

Integration

You can transfer materials of the following types from old systems:

Via direct input

See the component CA – Data Transfer Workbench, under Information Sheet for the Transfer of Material Master Data (Industry).

Via Application Link Enabling (ALE)

You can find a detailed description of ALE, including supported functions, and the procedure, in the following components:

BC – ALE Implementation and Administration

BC – ALE Introduction

Creating Material Master Data

Distributing Material Master Data

CA – ALE Programming Guide

Master Data Distribution

Caution

The initial data transfer from variant configuration into the material master from old systems can lead to inconsistencies, and is not supported by SAP.