Article Planning and Characteristics Planning (SAP Library - Merchandise and Assortment Planning)

Article Planning and Characteristics Planning

Use

As a general rule, articles are the most variable element in a planning process. They are the central element in assortment planning and therefore require a close link between planning and master data.

You can achieve this link in two ways:

Interface to the article listing
Article / characteristic planning as a method of creating the articles in a planning way.

Prerequisites

The planning scenario must be configured as follows:

The scenario-wide switch "Article / Characteristic Planning" on the basic data view must be set.

In article / characteristic planning, certain planning levels have particular semantics:

Article
Merchandise Category
Classification System Characteristic

These semantics have to be entered on the Special Planning Level tab page.

For the special planning level Classification System Characteristic, you also need to enter the assigned classification system characteristic.

Up to four classification system characteristics are supported for each planning scenario. However, a maximum of one such characteristic can be used per planning layout.

Caution

Note that only classification system characteristics of type CHAR and class type 026 ("IS-R article structure") are supported.

The value check must be carried out using check table or function modules and not using "allowed values" or by checking a value catalog.

Only use single-value characteristics.

"Additional values" are not supported by the value check.

The planning levels of the planning steps and the planning steps in which article / characteristic planning is to be used, must be in the correct order.

There are three different alternatives:

There is no "classification system characteristic" planning level, or no classification system characteristic has been specified in the planning level (see below).

In this case, only article planning with restrictions is possible (see below).

There is only the planning level "Classification system characteristic" without the planning level "Article" above it.

In this case, only characteristic planning with restrictions is possible (see below).

The planning level "Article" is above the planning level "Classification system characteristic". In this case, the full functionality of both article planning and characteristics planning can be used.

Note

It is generally not necessary for the planning level "Classification system characteristic" to be the lowest level of the planning hierarchy. It is also possible for other planning levels to be in between the planning levels "Merchandise category", "Article" and "Classification system characteristic". Particularly hierarchies of type "Article" – "Classification system characteristic (1)" – "Classification characteristic (2)" are conceivable, in which the relevant classification system characteristic for each layout has to be distinguished (see below). For performance reasons, SAP recommends that you position the levels "Article" and "Classification system characteristic" as low down in the planning hierarchy as possible.

Demands on the Planning Layout:

The planning layout can only show a simple key column, in which the article or the plan characteristic assigned to the classification system characteristic is contained.

Set the "Article Planning" switch in the detailed view for the layout if you want to want to perform article planning with the layout.

Enter the planning layout that is assigned to the classification system characteristic concerned.
Entering planning levels is optional for article planning, however it is necessary if you want to use the full functionality. If you do not enter the classification system characteristic, the same functional restrictions apply as if there were no classification system characteristic in the planning hierarchy below the article.

If the "Article planning" switch is set for a layout but no "classification system characteristic" is assigned, you can NOT

generate variants for the (generic) article,
change the values of the classification system characteristic that is not assigned, or
extend the classification of the classification system characteristic that is not assigned in the article master according to planning.

With the functions Creating or Inserting Articles in Article Planning and Changing Characteristics in Article Planning you cannot perform a planned characteristic value assignment for the current article.

If you want to perform characteristic planning (for example, for colors), you need to set the "Characteristic Planning" switch.

For characteristic planning, it is obligatory to enter the planning level of the classification system characteristic assigned to characteristic planning.

In characteristic planning, it is not absolutely necessary to include the article in the head of the planning layout. If it is not included, the same restrictions apply as when the classification system characteristic concerned is not below the article in the planning hierarchy (see above).

You cannot generate variants for the (generic) article.

You cannot copy the planned characteristic value assignment to the article master. This applies to the functions Insert Characteristic Values, Replace Characteristic Values and also for the function Update Classification.

Assigning Characteristic Values

For the functions Creating or Inserting Articles in Article Planning, Changing Characteristics in Article Planning, Insert Characteristic Values and Replace Characteristic Values within characteristic planning, you have the following options for carrying out the planned characteristic value assignment:

You can assign values online.
You can let values be assigned automatically.

In doing this you can

transfer the characteristic limitations for a combination merchandise category / characteristic profile as a characteristic value assignment,
copy the characteristic value assignment of another (generic) article,
copy the planned characteristic value assignment of another (generic) article (this corresponds to picking values from the planning hierarchy).

When you make these assignments, an automatic check is performed to make sure they are allowed in accordance with the classification of the article concerned.