Specification Search 
Use
This function enables you to search for specifications. From the initial search screen for specifications, you can do the following:
· Use the search functions to define criteria with which specifications are to be selected
· Start the specification search by executing a query
Integration
The results of the search are displayed in a hit list where you can fine-tune the search results and save them as sets of hits. From the hit list, you can also display the search history.
Features
All search criteria on the initial screen are linked by AND operations. This includes searches using:
· Identifiers (for example, trade name, CAS number, structural formula)
To improve performance, the system searches the long texts of the specifications only if you enter more search criteria and thus reduce the number of specifications to be searched. If you do not enter any additional search criteria or the search criteria entered do not reduce the number of specifications to be searched, the system searches only the first 132 characters of the identifiers.
· Regulatory lists
· Material and material description
· From-date and to-date
The system finds specifications that fulfill the selection conditions you specified on at least one day within the given period. The days can be different for different selection conditions. In this case, the key date is the day for which the data is displayed.
If you also want to display the data that was valid on an earlier date, you must enter the earlier date as the key date instead of the current date proposed by the system.
· Status
The system determines specifications whose data has a certain status.
· Usage
The system finds specifications whose header data, identifiers, or value assignment types contain the given ratings and validity areas. Searching for specifications via usage only influences the search result if the system determines hits using the header data, identifiers, or value assignments, meaning if an authorization group (for the header data), an identifier, or a value assignment is entered as an additional search criterion.
For specifications of the specification category Substance, a hit is determined via the value assignment if you have entered search criteria in the search functions Substance with Values Assigned, Substance Contains Components, or Substance with Phrases Assigned.
When searching via usage, the system performs a rigorous check. This means the ratings and validity areas of the data record must be identical to the ones you entered as search criteria or must include them. If a data record does not have a usage, the system interprets this as follows in the search:
¡ If a specification has no usage in the header data or an identifier has no usage, it is valid everywhere without restriction.
¡ If a value assignment has no usage, it is not valid anywhere.
The search for specifications of the specification categories Substance and Agent is linked to the SAP search engine TREX. This means you can run a full-text search, that is you can search in all short texts and long texts and in many other specification attributes simultaneously in all languages. You will find the full-text search in the input help for the Specification field on the specification search screen. For more information about the full-text search, see the field helps for the full-text search fields.
In Customizing for Basic Data and Tools under Adapt Initial Screens, you can adapt the screens for specification searches to suit your requirements. In Specify Environment Parameters, you can specify a function module in the environment parameter QRY_CHECK_FUNC that checks the search criteria in the search for specifications. You can ensure, for example, that specification keys entered are always filled with zeros.
Extended Search Functions
Extended search functions are delivered in the standard system, which you can check under Manage User Exits in Customizing for Basic Data and Tools. To define your own search functions, refer to the documentation of the corresponding reference function module. Write the new function module to correspond with the reference module and its interface.
The following extended search functions are available in the standard system for the specification category Substance:
Search Function |
Result |
Substance with Header Data |
The system finds specifications that fulfill the specified search criteria in the header data. These include: · Specification details (key, specification type, and so on) · Administration data (name of the person who created the data, name of person who last changed the data, data origin, data provider, and so on) |
Substance with Values Assigned |
The system finds specifications that have certain characteristic values for certain value assignment types. You specify these value assignment types in the Property Tree dialog box. The SAP system lists the corresponding characteristics for which you can enter the values you require. You can use the Nonempty Characteristics function to search for specifications for which certain characteristics were already edited. If you choose the Nonempty Characteristics function for a selected value assignment type in the dialog box, the system displays the characteristics for the value assignment type, which you can select and transfer as required. As the search result, the system displays all specifications where the selected characteristics contain any values. You can set up the search to be exclusive or inclusive for non-phrase-enabled characteristics. To do this, call the input help for the characteristic. A dialog box appears on which you can choose the Comparison type function. If you then select the Exclusive field in the Comparison Type dialog box, the SAP system finds all specifications that do not have the characteristic values you specified. After confirming, you can choose more value assignment types and enter characteristic values. |
Substance Contains Components |
The system finds specifications that fulfill the specified search criteria. These include details covering reference quantity, specification key, component type, and concentration. You can also enter the value assignment type containing the relevant component. You can choose whether the specified component: · Exists directly as an ingredient of the specification for which you are searching · Exists as an indirect, further component of an ingredient |
Substance Uses Reference Substance |
The system finds specifications with a particular reference. |
Substance with Phrases Assigned |
The system finds specifications to which a certain phrase was assigned as a value. |
Substance Is Included in Relationship |
The system finds specifications that are included in inheritance relationships (see Inheritance) and thus fulfill certain search criteria. Using the search criteria you can also search for the following specifications: · Specifications that occur in an inheritance relationship with a certain inheritance template · Specifications that occur as partners in an inheritance relationship with a certain specification · Specifications that occur in an inheritance relationship that has a certain approval status (such as Requested) or a certain inheritance status (such as Incorrect) · Specifications that occur in an active or deactivated inheritance relationship |
Substance Contains Document |
The system finds specifications to which a certain document from Document Management was assigned using the user-defined texts and documents function. |
Constraints
The following constraints apply for specification searches:
· Search strings in language-dependent search fields are not converted by EH&S Native Language Support. Consequently, you can only enter search strings in languages that can be mapped using the active code page for the application server.
· The search result only ever contains specifications of the specification category you used to access the search, that is the specification category you selected in the specification workbench and that is displayed on the initial screen.
Activities
Searching Manually for Specifications