Time Dependency of the Central Data 

Use

You can use the full business time dependency for the central business partner data (table BUT000).

Integration

You can use the Easy Enhancement Workbench (EEW) to carry out time-dependent extensions of the central data.

For more information see the Extension Using the Easy Enhancement Workbench (Extended).

Prerequisites

You have activated time dependency for the central data. Make the necessary settings in Customizing of the Business Partner under Activation Switch for Functions.

For more information see the SAP Note 810634.

Activities

·        In order to create a new period for changed data, choose the pushbutton Create Validity Period above the tabstrip in the business partner dialog in the SAP GUI.

When you create a business partner, the system automatically assigns unlimited validity to this business partner.

You can carry out other activities for the validity periods only after the business partner has been saved.

The pushbutton Create Validity Period is active only if

§         No periods occurring in the future exist yet

§         You are working in the current validity period

·        Choose the pushbutton Validity Period Detail to change a period.

You can carry out the following actions for periods:

¡        Delete

¡        Copy

¡        Change

You can change validity periods only when you make changes to existing business partner data. If only one validity period exists for a BP that you display or create, the dialog box for maintaining validity periods is not displayed.

·        Choose the pushbutton Validity Period Details to display an overview of the validity periods.

·        To change the currently displayed validity period of the business partner, choose another validity period in the dropdown box.

 

Example

Flagging a Change

On the 01.01.2005 you maintain data for the business partner, Julie Armstrong, who will marry on 01.05.2006. You create a period with unrestricted validity beginning on the 01.05.2006, and make the change of name and marital status in your master data.

Making a Change for a Defined Period

On the 04.05.2005 someone phones to inform you that the business partner Hansen p.l.c. should not be used for transactions in sales order processing from the 01.01.2006 till the 31.12.2006. You create the new validity period and set the indicator Central Block.

Canceling a Change

A week later you are informed in writing that this information about Hansen p.l.c. was not correct. You reset the indicator. When you save the BP you receive the message that the existing periods can be merged because the data is identical. You have the possibility to accept this suggestion.