Item Category

Definition

The item category determines together with other settings, for example in the material master, the following:

  • The procurement type

  • In which kinds of stock the material can be managed

  • The account assignment category

If the material could potentially be kept in several types of stock the system will ask you to choose the stock, when you assign the component. For more information, read Material Component Inventory Management .

Use

The following item standard categories in the SAP System are relevant for projects:

  • Category L (stock item)

Depending on the settings in the material master or the BOM, and the settings and assignments in the Project System, the following procurement methods are available for item category L :

  • Reservation for the network in plant stock or individual stock

  • Reservation for the network in individual stock, generating a purchase requisition to cover requirements

  • Generation of a purchase requisition in individuals tock as a preliminary purchase requisition or a third-party purchase requisition

  • Planned independent requirements for plant stock or individual stock

  • Purchase requisition for the network

It is also possible to always use item category L in BOMs and to control the procurement type through the special procurement key in the BOM item and the procurement indicator in the network.

  • Item category N (non-stock item)

The SAP standard item category N (non-stock item) always leads to direct procurement and to a purchase requisition, which is generated by the network. The system does not generate reservations that are relevant to MRP. You cannot post movements to stock for components with item category N.

  • Item category R (variable-sized item)

This item category is used for components that are cut to size. If you assign a material with this item category to an activity , you must also enter data for the item. The system then calculates the necessary variable-size item quantity. Otherwise processing is as for item category L.

  • Item category T (text item)

You can use the item category to assign a text of any length to an activity. Text items are not relevant for MRP.