Execution of Distribution (SAP Library - PLM Product Data Replication)

Execution of Distribution

Purpose

You use this process to distribute a product from a PLM system to one or more target systems. You perform the following steps:

When you first distribute a product
When you distribute a new version of a product

Prerequisites

In all participating systems, a consistent ALE distribution model is set up. To achieve this, process the activities for Application Link Enabling (ALE) in Customizing for Product Data Distribution.

Process Flow

You create a configuration folder.

You create a baseline.

The baseline serves as a container for the product data to be distributed. The system explodes the product structure on a specific date. You can postprocess the product structure before you finally fix the product version in the baseline. For more information, see Baselining.

Recommendation

We recommend that you do not fix baselines, because they then cannot be deleted again.

You create a distribution order for one or more baselines.

The distribution order controls:

Which logical systems are provided with a new product version (baseline)
Which users are informed of the new product version by which documents

For more information, see Distribution Order.

You start the distribution.

The system automatically notifies the users registered for the product of the new product versions, and creates an ALE distribution unit for each target system.

The distribution unit controls the distribution of a complete product or a product version in a specific target system. It contains a list of all the objets that are distributed to the target system.

In the target system, you post the ALE distribution unit.

In each target system, you can decide whether to accept or reject a new product version. If you accept the product version, you can make local corrections before posting if required.

Often, changeover of production to the new product version is to occur at different points in time at different locations. For this reason, posting gives you the option of changing the valid-from date for all objects in a distribution unit.

In the source system, you can trace how far distribution has progressed in the individual target systems.

The source system is automatically informed of the status of the distribution in the target systems. In the Replication Workbench you can display the current status in summarized form and in detail.