The matrix types must be defined before you can access matrix processing by choosing matrix types You must use Customizing to determine the types of objects within the system that can be combined.

You can assign object types from Organizational Management, such as organizational units and positions, as well as external objects, such as plants and customers.

To use Customizing to determine matrix types, you must first use Customizing to create object types, objects, and relationships between object types.

The matrix type definition determines the sequence of object types within the matrix, which entails a kind of preselection of the possible views. You determine the:

• Objects that are displayed horizontally within the matrix view
• Objects that are displayed vertically in the matrix view
• Type of assignment that can be maintained between these objects

An evaluation path describes a chain of relationships between objects in a hierarchical structure. The O-S-P evaluation path, for example, describes the organizational unit - position - person relationship chain. The system evaluates the structure of your organizational plan along this evaluation path.

Customizing enables you to specify an evaluation path for each dimension, and to determine the structure that can be displayed within the matrix and hierarchy view.